Devil-Bound Creature (CR +Varies; 3pp)

Demons possess and angels bless, but devils bargain. Of all the outsiders that use the bodies of other creatures, devils reign as the most accomplished and experienced controllers. For eons, these creatures have been striking bargains and brokering deals with mortals. Their blood-signed contracts have set countless souls on the path to hell; once a devil’s agreement has been signed, there is no escape. The devil must have its due, and failure to fulfill the terms of the contract means the mortal’s soul is forfeit.

Lemures are the weakest devils. As mindless creatures, they can offer no contracts.

Creating a Devil-Bound Creature

Devil-bound creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with a soul that knowingly signs a contract with a devil (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A devil-bound creature uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: Size and type are unchanged, but the creature gains the evil subtype if the base creature did not already have it.

Armor Class: A devil-bound creature gains a +2 profane bonus to Armor Class.

Special Attacks: A devil-bound creature retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described here.

Diabolic Attack: The exact diabolic attack bestowed depends on the kind of devil with which the devil-bound creature contracted, as follows.

Barbed Devil

Barbed devils prey upon mortals who wish to protect other people, objects of importance, or caches of wealth. Their contracts usually require the signer to guard something of importance to the devil for the same duration as the devil provided protection. A wise mortal learns as much as possible about what the barbed devil wants him to guard, but invariably the guardianship requires participation in some unexpected act of evil. Failure to fulfill the contract means the mortal dies and loses his immortal soul.

Barbed Defender (Su): Invisible blades of force surround a creature bound to a barbed devil. Any creature that attacks a barbed-devil-bound creature with handheld or natural weapons takes 1d8 points of slashing and piercing damage. Because these invisible barbs are made of force, they affect even incorporeal creatures. Weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way. In addition, a barbed-devil-bound creature deals 1d8 points of piercing and slashing damage to a grabbed opponent with each successful grapple check. Magic that allows a creature to see invisible objects reveals a translucent shape like that of a barbed devil surrounding the devil-bound creature.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), hold person, major image, order’s wrath. Caster level equals barbed-devil-bound creature’s character level. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Bearded Devil

Bearded devils tempt mortals in need of brute strength. They especially love trading their services to bullied and downtrodden creatures that desire revenge on their oppressors. Bearded devils enjoy irony as much as other devils do, but their dimwitted nature makes for ham-handed attempts at the art. Their contracts usually require the signers to oppress and bully others after their own oppressors have been slain or cowed.

Battle Frenzy (Ex): Twice per day, a bearded devil-bound creature can work itself into a battle frenzy similar to a barbarian’s rage (+4 Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 morale bonus on Will saves, –2 penalty to AC). Th is frenzy lasts for 3 rounds plus the bearded devil-bound creature’s Con modifier (elevated for frenzy).

Hair Attack (Su): The bearded-devil-bound creature’s hair or beard grows unusually long. If the creature hits with a melee attack while using a full attack action, its hair automatically hits the same target, dealing 1d8 points of damage. The target must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 devil-bound creature’s character level + devil-bound creature’s Con modifier) or contract devil chills (incubation period 1d4 days, damage 1d4 Strength). If the base creature normally lacks hair, it instantaneously grows some to make this attack and loses it immediately afterward.

Infernal Wound (Su): A bearded-devil-bound creature’s natural and weapon attacks cause persistent wounds that do not heal naturally and resist healing spells. Any creature damaged by such an attack loses 2 additional hit points each round. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a Heal check (DC 10 + 1/2 devil-bound creature’s character level + devil-bound creature’s Con modifier), a cure spell, or a heal spell. However, a character attempting to cast such a spell must succeed on a caster level check (DC 10 + 1/2 devil-bound creature’s character level + devil-bound creature’s Con modifier), or the spell has no effect on the injured character. A successful Heal check automatically stops the continuing hit point loss and restoring hit points. The infernal wound is a supernatural ability of the bearded-devil-bound creature, not of its weapon.

Bone Devil

Bone devils concentrate on mortals who wish to spy on others—particularly in order to punish others for breaking laws or taboos. A bone devil often supports and encourages its target’s feelings of righteousness, exhorting him to take command and solve the “problems” or punish the “wicked” himself. Contracts written by bone devils often require the signer to support the rule of tyrants, encourage xenophobia, and ruthlessly enforce adherence to laws.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—fly, invisibility (self only); 1/day—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), dimensional anchor, wall of ice. Caster level equals bone-devil-bound creature’s character level. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Kyton

Kytons strike bargains with those who feel enslaved, offering freedom and vengeance to mortals who are unlawfully imprisoned or held captive. Not surprisingly, a Kytons contract often demands that the signer enslave others, starting with those she loves most.

Animate Rope or Chain (Su): At will, a Kyton-bound creature can animate a rope or chain of any thickness as if with the animate rope spell (caster level equals Kyton-bound creature’s character level). The Kyton bound creature can also cause any lock or manacle attached to a chain to lock or open when using this ability.

Unnerving Gaze (Su): A Kyton-bound creature can make its face resemble one of an opponent’s departed loved ones or bitter enemies. At will as a standard action, the Kyton-bound creature can target a single opponent within 30 feet with its unnerving gaze. The target must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 devil-bound creature’s character level + devil-bound creature’s Cha modifier) or take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for 1d3 rounds.

Erinyes

Erinyes often deceive their dupes into believing that they are bargaining with celestial beings. Only when the contract is before him does such a mortal learn of his helper’s true nature. By that time, there is often so much riding on the deal that the mortal is loath to let the offer slip away.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—minor image; 3/day—charm monster; 1/day—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm person. Caster level equals erinyes-bound creature’s character level. Th e save DCs are Charisma-based.

Hellcat

A hellcat typically follows its chosen target for a few months before revealing itself. The hellcat telepathically offers warnings and advice, hoping to win over its target with honeyed words and invisible aid. When the mortal has come to rely on the hellcat and needs help desperately, it proffers its contract.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a hellcat-bound creature must hit a creature of any size with a natural attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Pounce (Ex): If a hellcat-bound creature charges, it can make a full attack even though it has moved.

Horned Devil

Horned devils dislike subtlety and deceit, but they too offer contracts that outline the powers they’ll grant to willing creatures. Horned devils prefer to sign contracts with creatures of similarly warlike bent. They seek out old warriors who wish to prove that their strength has not waned, power-hungry generals, proud but inexperienced youths, and others who seek power through conquest. Horned devils’ contracts are not as specific as those of other devils. Most merely require the signer to advance the devil’s aims at some point in the future—often when doing so means betraying those they hold dear.

Fear Aura (Su): At will, a horned-devil-bound creature can radiate a fear aura in a 5-foot radius as a free action. Every creature in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 horned-devil-bound creature’s character level + horned-devil-bound creature’s Cha modifier) or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level equals horned-devil-bound creature’s character level). Devils are immune to this aura.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—dispel chaos, dispel good, fireball, lightning bolt, magic circle against good, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), persistent image. Caster level equals horned-devil-bound creature’s character level). The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Stun (Su): Whenever a horned-devil-bound creature strikes a flanked foe or one that is denied its Dexterity bonus, the opponent must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 horned-devil-bound creature’s character level + horned-devil-bound creature’s Str modifier) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds.

Ice Devil

Ice devils always have plans, and their contracts require the signers to aid such plans in any number of ways. They always seem to offer contracts reluctantly, as though doing so is a distasteful option they are forced to make available. In truth, however, their offers are usually part of some larger strategy that has been in motion for months or even years beforehand. Ice devils often disguise their brilliance because they prefer to let their victims think themselves smarter and cleverer than any devil.

Fear Aura (Su): At will, an ice-devilbound creature can radiate a fear aura in a 10-foot-radius as a free action. Every creature in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 ice-devil-bound creature’s character level + ice-devil-bound creature’s Cha modifier) or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level equals ice-devil-bound creature’s character level). Devils are immune to this aura.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—fly, slow; 1/day—cone of cold, ice storm, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), persistent image, unholy aura, wall of ice. Caster level equals ice-devil-bound creature’s character level. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Imp

Imps are weak devils that strike correspondingly weak bargains. The recompense they require for the meager powers they grant often seems trivial. But what might seem more like a prank than an act of evil always has unforeseen consequences—unforeseen to everyone except the imp, that is.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only); 1/day—suggestion. 1/week— commune. Caster level equals imp-bound creature’s character level. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Pit Fiend

Pit fiends, the rulers of devilkind, prepare the most subtle and convoluted contracts. They offer great power, and they know better than to make it seem as though they offer it for nothing. A pit fiend’s contract often requires several tasks of the signer, many of which seem unreasonable. The pit fiend at first acts as though the contract is immutable, but with a great show of reluctance and regret, it “lets slip” that bargaining is possible. After much haggling, the pit fi end strikes several tasks, then grudgingly offers the revised contract for signing, all the while secretly gleeful that the remaining tasks—its true desires—have stayed on the table.

Disease (Su): A pit-fiend-bound creature can spread devil chills (see Disease) at will with a successful melee touch attack. The creature touched must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 pit-fiend-bound creature’s character level + pit-fiend bound creature’s Con modifier) or contract the disease.

Fear Aura (Su): At will, a pit-fiend-bound creature can radiate a fear aura in a 20-foot-radius as a free action. Every creature in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 devil-bound creature’s character level + devil-bound creature’s Cha modifier) or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level equals pit-fiend-bound creature’s character level). Devils are immune to this aura.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—blasphemy, create undead, fireball, greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), invisibility, magic circle against good, persistent image, unholy aura. Caster level equals pit-fiend-bound creature’s character level. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Special Qualities: A devil-bound creature retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described here.

Contract Bound (Ex): A devil-bound creature has signed a contract of service in return for the abilities granted by this template. The devil must reveal its nature when the contract is offered, and it cannot hide the details of the contract in any way. The exact conditions of the contract vary with the individual devil, but all require that when the devil has accomplished certain goals or when a certain amount of time has passed, the signer must perform a specific task or set of tasks for the devil that offered the contract. The signer might or might not be granted the powers of the devil-bound template while completing the devil’s tasks. If the signer fails to complete the tasks as specified in the contract, its soul appears as a gem in the devil’s possession (as though the signer were the target of a soul bind spell), regardless of distance or plane of origin. If the devil is dead and the signer dies before completing her tasks, her soul is destroyed, and she cannot be brought back to life by any means. No magic can free a creature from a devil’s contract; only the intervention of a deity can break the binding.

Diabolic Quality: The exact diabolic quality bestowed depends on the kind of devil with which the devil-bound creature contracted, as follows.

Bone Devil

Darkvision (Ex): A bone-devil-bound creature has darkvision to a range of 60 feet.

Bone Devil

See in Darkness (Su): A bone-devil-bound creature can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.

Kyton

Regeneration (Ex): A Kyton-bound creature has regeneration 2. It takes normal damage from silvered weapons, good-aligned weapons, and spells or effects with the good descriptor. A Kyton-bound creature that loses a piece of its body regrows it in 2d6x10 minutes. Holding the severed member against the stump reattaches it instantly.

Erinyes

True Seeing (Su): An erinyes-bound creature continuously benefits from true seeing, as the spell (caster level equals erinyes-bound creature’s character level).

Hellcat

Invisible in Light (Ex): At will as a free action, a hellcat-bound creature can become invisible in any area that is lit well enough for a human to see. In a darkened area, it shows up as a faintly glowing outline visible up to 30 feet away (or 60 feet if the viewer has low-light vision). Magical darkness smothers the glow and conceals the outline.

Horned Devil

Regeneration (Ex): A horned-devil-bound creature has regeneration 5. It takes normal damage from silvered weapons, good-aligned weapons, and spells or effects with the good descriptor.

Imp

Alternate Forms (Su): An imp-bound creature can assume another creature’s form at will as a standard action. This ability functions like a polymorph spell cast on itself (caster level 12th), except that an imp-bound creature does not regain hit points for changing form and cannot take a form of a different size.

Pit Fiend

Regeneration (Ex): A pit-fiend-bound creature has regeneration 5. It takes normal damage from silvered weapons, good-aligned weapons, and spells or effects with the good descriptor.

Immunity to Fire and Poison (Ex): A devil-bound creature is immune to fire and poison.

Resistances (Ex): A devil-bound creature gains resistance 10 to acid and cold.

Abilities: A devil-bound creature’s ability scores change from the base creature according to the kind of devil with which it contracted, as given in the following table.

Table: Abilities
Devil Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha
Barbed devil +4 +4 +4 +0 +0 +0
Bearded devil +2 +2 +2 -2* +0 +0
Bone devil +4 +4 +4 +0 +0 +0
Kyton +2 +2 +2 -2* +0 +0
Erinyes +4 +4 +4 +0 +2 +4
Hellcat +4 +4 +2 +0 +0 +0
Horned devil +6 +4 +4 +0 +2 +4
Ice devil +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4
Imp +0 +2 +0 +0 +0 +0
Pit Fiend +6 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4

*Minimum 1.

Challenge Rating: The CR increases based on the devil with which the devil-bound creature contracted, as follows.

Table: Challenge Rating
Devil CR Increase
Barbed devil +2
Bearded devil +2
Bone devil +2
Kyton +1
Erinyes +2
Hellcat +1
Horned devil +3
Ice devil +2
Imp +1
Pit fiend +3
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Advanced Bestiary. Copyright 2004, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. Author: Matthew Sernett.

scroll to top