Demons that have souls do what they can to avoid death, knowing that their plots and personal power will dissipate with their own destruction. Even the dimmest demons, though, realize that the Abyss’s goal of ultimate destruction includes them. In today's
Demonomicon excerpt, we look at both alternate death scenes for demons, as well as variations on their variable resistance.
Death and Death Throes
Demons often die in startling ways. From the lowly dretch to the powerful balor, the intrinsic chaos of the demonic form lends itself to dangerous death throe attacks. A demon that does not have an existing power triggered by dropping to 0 hit points can take one of the following powers. Alternatively, a demon with an existing death throe power can take one of these new powers instead. This can create an additional challenge for characters who are familiar with a specific demon’s powers.
Unstable Ice
The demon freezes solid within a pillar of ice that can explode into deadly shards.
Trigger: The demon drops to 0 hit points.
Effect (No Action): The demon turns into a pillar of ice that occupies the demon’s space and is blocking terrain. If a living creature ends its turn adjacent to the pillar, the pillar makes the following attack.
Attack (No Action): Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); level + 5 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 damage per tier and 5 cold damage per tier, and the pillar pushes the target 3 squares. The pillar and the demon are destroyed, and the area of the burst becomes difficult terrain until the end of the encounter.
Final Spew
The demon’s organs liquefy into a blast of toxin.
Trigger: The demon drops to 0 hit points.
Attack (No Action): Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); level + 2 vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target is blinded until the end of its next turn and takes ongoing 5 poison damage per tier (save ends).
Replacing Variable Resistance
Many demons have variable resistance to certain types of damage (see Monster Manual, page 282) to reflect their chaotic elemental origins. This variable resistance comes into play only in encounters that feature significant amounts of those damage types. In particular, demons fighting martial characters often have their variable resistance go to waste.
This section presents a specialized monster theme that provides benefits that can replace variable resistance. These powers provide another way to demonstrate a demon’s innate connection to chaos.
Soul Stealer
Demons are forces of raw destruction. When left to their own devices in the world, they tear down trees, rip apart bushes and shrubs, and chase down and slay wildlife. Any signs of health and vigor drive this demon to a rage, causing it to lash out with a vicious attack.
If an enemy in the aura spends a healing surge, this demon makes a melee basic attack against it with a +5 bonus to its attack and damage rolls as a free action.
Demonic Harvest
Demons that hunt and fight in packs make good use of this power, which allows the death of any demon to strengthen its kin. Give demonic harvest to lurkers and skirmishers to let them absorb the unspent power of a soldier or a brute ally then unleash that power from the edge of the fray.
Monday: The realm of the Gaping Maw and the Screaming Jungle, reflecting the schizophrenic ferocity of its master -- Abysm is a realm divided.
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