Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Finishing Off the Devils

I’ve been asked to convert the original Monster Manual in a manner similar to my conversion of the Fiend Folio, and this series of posts is the fruition of that dream. In this post, I am going to finish off the original Monster Manual devils because, to be honest, I am getting a bit bored with them and would like to get to some of the critters which take a bit more creativity to convert.

Interestingly enough, DCC lists lemurs among unaligned demons (Type I) as well as Bone (Type II), Barbed (Type III) and Pit Fiends (Type V). This conversion follows the AD&D 1e convention of making them Lawful and devils, but if you want to make them Chaotic demons just change the alignment and the name. Devil traits and demon traits are interchangeable in these conversions. I have tried to keep the threat range so
mewhat consistent with the original write-ups despite using the DCC convention for Type. You will have to decide for yourself whether I succeeded or not.

Upcoming entries for Dinosaurs and Dragons might be done in a similar way. Dragons, apart from the Big Two (who will be treated as patrons ala Asmodeus and Orcus) offer another problem: should I just treat them as examples of DCC-style dragons? I lean rather heavily toward this method. Doing so, though, begs the question of size and age categories. I lean toward just picking one for each type, and trusting that the judge can adjust them up or down as needed.

What do you think?

Barbed Devil (Type III Devil): Init +3; Atk barbed claws +9 melee (2d4) or barbed tail +7 melee (3d4) or spell; AC 17; HD 8d12; MV 30’; Act 3d20; SP demon traits, never surprised, spellcasting (+12 spell check): Control fire, darkness, paralysis, and scare; SV Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +9; AL L.

            Devil traits: Telepathy, immunities (weapons of less than +2 enchantment or natural attacks from creatures of 5 HD or less), half damage (fire, cold, electricity, gas, and acid), projection (teleport at will to any location, as long as not bound or otherwise summoned), crit range 18-20.

Barbed devils are seven-foot-tall creatures which populate the third and fourth planes of Hell, where they are unfortunately not rare at all. Never surprised, the make excellent guards, throwing unauthorized creatures into one of the many cells in the regions of Hell they frequent, there to be questioned and tormented at leisure.

Bone Devil (Type II Devil): Init +4; Atk bone hook +7 melee (1d8 plus snare) or tail +5 melee (2d4 plus Strength drain) or spell; AC 18; HD 7d12; MV 40’; Act 2d20; SP demon traits, snare (Reflex DC 18 negates), Strength drain (1d4 points, Fort DC 18 negates), create illusions (Will DC 18 negates), immune to cold, spellcasting (+8 spell check): Control ice, darkness, detect invisible, invisibility, and scare; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +5; AL L.

            Devil traits: ESP (read thoughts, but not communicate), immunities (non-magical weapons or natural attacks from creatures of 3 HD or less), half damage (fire, electricity, gas, and acid), projection (teleport at will to any location, as long as not bound or otherwise summoned), crit range 19-20.

Bone devils are nine feet tall, looking like emaciated, skeletal creatures with scorpion-like tails. They bear enormous bone hooks, which can snare foes (automatic damage next round, and allows tail attack with +2 bonus). Those struck by a bone devil’s tail must succeed in a DC 18 Fort save or be drained of 1d4 points of Strength (restored with a full turn of rest).

These malicious devils delight in making less powerful creatures suffer. They are found in the lower planes of Hell, and are particularly numerous on the 5th plane.

Erinyes (Type II Devil): For reasons beyond the scope of this post, Erinyes are unable to appear here today.

Horned Devil (Type II Devil): Init +3; Atk two-tined fork +7 melee (2d6) or barbed whip +7 melee (1d4 plus stun) or tail +7 melee (1d3 plus bleeding) or claw +6 melee (1d6) or bite +5 melee (1d8) or spell; AC 14; HD 5d12; MV 30’ or fly 50’; Act 2d20; SP demon traits, stun (1d4 rounds, Fort DC 16 negates), bleeding, spellcasting (+8 spell check): Control fire, darkness, detect magic, and scare; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6; AL L.

           Devil traits: ESP (read thoughts, but not communicate), immunities (non-magical weapons or natural attacks from creatures of 3 HD or less), half damage (fire, cold, electricity, gas, and acid), projection (teleport at will to any location, as long as not bound or otherwise summoned), crit range 19-20.

Relatively common and weak devils, the horned devils are also known as “malebranche” or “evil horns”. Their individual names reinforce their lower status, and are such as “Dogretch,” “Evil Tail,” and “Bent Wing.” They hate and fear anything stronger than themselves, but gleefully torture anything weaker.

To determine what weapon a horned devil wields, roll 1d4: (1-3) two-tined fork or (4) barbed whip. Wounds from their tails bleed unless bound up or magically healed (1 hit point per round).

Ice Devil (Type III Devil): Init +4; Atk great spear +11 melee (2d6 plus numbing cold) or tail +11 melee (3d4) or claws +9 melee (2d4) or mandibles +9 melee (2d4) or spell; AC 17; HD 11d12; MV 20’; Act 2d20; SP demon traits, numbing cold (half move and actions for 1d6 rounds, Fort DC 18 negates), radiate fear (10’ radius, Will DC 18 negates), great strength (+4), regenerate 1/round, spellcasting (+12 spell check): Control ice, darkness, detect invisible, detect magic, and fly; SV Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +8; AL L.

            Devil traits: Telepathy, immunities (weapons of less than +2 enchantment or natural attacks from creatures of 5 HD or less), half damage (fire, cold, electricity, gas, and acid), projection (teleport at will to any location, as long as not bound or otherwise summoned), crit range 18-20.

The frigid eighth plane of Hell is populated in the main with ice devils. These ten-foot-tall creatures are greater devils in every sense of the word. As with other greater devils, they all have personal names, which they conceal from mortal and diabolical creatures alike.

Ice devils radiate fear in a 10’ radius, and opponents must make a successful Will save to approach within this distance. They have great strength, gaining a +4 bonus in opposed checks. Although they prefer to attack and torment victims with their natural weapons, 1 in 4 carry great spears which inflict 2-12 hit points damage and numb with cold.

Lemure (Type I Devil): Due to reasons beyond their control, the lemures were unable to appear in this post.

Pit Fiend (Type V Devil): Init +7; Atk giant ankus +12 melee (1d8+6) or jagged-toothed club +12 melee (2d8) or tail +10 melee (1d8 plus constriction); AC 23; HD 13d12; MV 20’ or fly 50’; Act 3d20; SP demon traits, constriction (1d8 per round, Strength DC 23 to escape), radiate fear (20’ radius, Will DC 23 negates), great strength (+6), regenerate 3/round, spellcasting (+20 spell check): Control fire, darkness, demon summoning, detect invisible, and detect magic; SV Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +15; AL L.

            Devil traits: Telepathy, immunities (weapons of less than +4 enchantment,  natural attacks from creatures of 9 HD or less, fire, cold, electricity, gas, and acid), projection (teleport at will to any location, as long as not bound or otherwise summoned, can project astrally and ethereally), crit range 16-20.

The lowest plane of Hell is the home of the dreaded pit fiend, a twelve-foot-tall devil of great power. They possess a terrible strength and the most evil nature. All pit fiends have personal names and are the personal servants of Asmodeus. They radiate fear in a 20’ radius, so that creatures must make a successful Will save to come within this sphere, and those forced within it suffer a -1d penalty to all rolls until the save succeeds.