SRD 5.2.1, p. 299

Horned Devil

A quick flying devil that can only be truly killed in the Nine Hells.

CR 11 → Tier 3 Large Fiend (Devil) Standard

Motives & tactics

Hit and run, burn, deceive, revenge

SRD 5.2.1

AC 18

Initiative +7 (17)

HP 199 (19d10 + 95)

Speed 30 ft., Fly 60 ft.

Score Mod Save STR 22 +6 +10 DEX 17 +3 +7 CON 21 +5 +5 INT 12 +1 +1 WIS 16 +3 +7 CHA 18 +4 +8

Immunities Fire, Poison; Poisoned

Senses Darkvision 150 ft. (unimpeded by magical Darkness); Passive Perception 13

Languages Infernal; telepathy 120 ft.

Daggerheart

Difficulty 18

Thresholds 22 / 33

HP / Stress 7 / 4

ATK +3

Searing Fork Very Close · 3d8+3 phy

Experience Deceive +4, Manipulate +4

Traits

Diabolic Restoration. If the devil dies outside the Nine Hells, its body disappears in sulfurous smoke, and it gains a new body instantly, reviving with all its Hit Points somewhere in the Nine Hells.

Magic Resistance. The devil has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. The devil makes three attacks, using Searing Fork or Hurl Flame in any combination. It can replace one attack with a use of Infernal Tail.

Searing Fork. Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) Piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) Fire damage.

Hurl Flame. Ranged Attack Roll: +8, range 150 ft. Hit: 26 (5d8 + 4) Fire damage. If the target is a flammable object that isn’t being worn or carried, it starts burning.

Infernal Tail. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17, one creature the devil can see within 10 feet. Failure: 10 (1d8 + 6) Necrotic damage, and the target receives an infernal wound if it doesn’t have one. While wounded, the target loses 10 (3d6) Hit Points at the start of each of its turns. The wound closes after 1 minute, after a spell restores Hit Points to the target, or after the target or a creature within 5 feet of it takes an action to stanch the wound, doing so by succeeding on a DC 17 Wisdom (Medicine) check.

Features

Hurl Flame — Action: Mark a Stress to throw a ball of fire at a target up to Far range. On a success, deal 3d10+6 magic damage. If the target is an object that isn’t being worn or carried, it catches fire.

Infernal Tail — Action: Spend a Fear to target a creature within Very Close range and attempt to wound it. The target must make an Agility Reaction Roll or take 3d6 magic damage and become wounded. A target can only suffer from one wound of this type at a time. While wounded, the target must mark 1 Stress each time the spotlight leaves them. This wound can be stanched by the target or an ally within Melee range making an Instinct action roll.

Flight — Passive: The horned devil can fly and move within Far range as part of an action.

Fire Immunity — Passive: Any damage, physical or magic, that would be considered fire cannot harm the horned devil.

Hell's Momentum — Passive: Countdown (Loop d6). The countdown ticks down each time the horned devil is spotlighted. When it triggers, the horned devil can be spotlighted again immediately, then reroll the countdown. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.

Designer's note

Capable of tricking most mortals into infernal bargains, horned devils are a menace. They have one goal, to capture souls, and they are good at it. They will claim them by manipulation or combat, whatever the cost.

Why Standard?

The horned devil is what I imagine as an iconic devil with horns, wings, and a pointy tail. It just feels right that there would be a lot of them in the Nine Hells, so they should be a Standard. But in spite of being a Standard, its stats are adjusted slightly upward to show how powerful these devils are.

What about Magic Resistance?

It’s just a bit too strong a trait to port over to a Standard, so it gets dropped.

Infernal Tail

As in 5e, the danger is the wound, not the initial damage, which is why it deals low damage for a Tier 3 enemy. Marking 1 Stress every time you take the spotlight can quickly add up, and it turns into damage once a PC is out of Stress.

Hell’s Momentum

This helps make up for the fact that the horned devil normally has Multiattack, which can equate to the Relentless passive, but that is too much for a Standard. This gives it more tempo and more ability to deal damage on the field without being overwhelming. On average, it gets an extra spotlight every 3.5 spotlights, so in an encounter with several other enemies, it’s likely to get the benefit only once or twice. I chose this over the fire giant’s Titan’s Momentum because, at Tier 3, it should be more dangerous. A d4 was considered since the horned devil can make three attacks in 5e, but that felt like too much for a Standard as well, so a d6 felt best.