He pursued his malevolent agenda on three primary fronts, his true motivations in each obscured to all and glimpsed by a very small few.[3]. Realistically, if youre running a lawful evil villain of any variety, the credit comes back to Asmodeus in one way or another. Even so, most cursed him as a traitor and overtly shunned him, for decades not trusting him enough to grant him release and thus his god's power. I would potentially do a split character option. [32], Asmodeus argued that he'd never done anything wrong for he consistently acted as a lawful creature in accordance with infernal tradition in service to the cause of law and the continued existence of the multiverse. Asmodeus managed to reign in his unruly daughter[236] by scolding her and instilling in her that she had to take on some responsibility in order to retain her privileges. For this reason, they were unfailingly loyal to him and more powerful than normal devils of their caste. How to Roleplay as a Tiefling Cleric. Asmodeus is a powerful enough deity to create up to 10 avatars at a time, enough to watch over each layer of hell and still have one leftover. Remember, Asmodeus is one of the keenest strategic minds in the whole of the multiverse; hes studied the adventurers and prepared himself to not only defeat them but humiliate them. You can think of this more like the Cold War than an actual battle. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. [70] Once the Blood War was finally won once and for all, he would conquer all that remained of the lawful planes, crowning himself the undeniable sovereign of all reality. Since the Prince of Hell is so powerful, its a smart idea to keep him in the background. His form's sheer size made it impossible for him to meet and enter into conversations with others, and so he created humanoid -looking avatars. Realm They gradually came to suspect however that demonkind was infinite and became weary of the conflict, seeking to move on to other projects like the creation of worlds and intelligent beings. Sure, devil may be a creature type in 5e, but Asmodeus is quite definitively, the Devil, at least in the Forgotten Realms. [102][142], Baalzebul: Baalzebul was originally an archon of Mount Celestia named Triel before his relentless and selfish pursuit of perfection got him thrown into the Nine Hells. 5th Edition Statistics[1][11][12][13][14][15] Of course, devils also hunt souls and lead them down a path of Lawful Evil if they can do so before they are claimed by another plane. [45] Through the merciless exploitation of loopholes, the pact granted devils the right to punish lawful evil souls. Her beaten body was found by Asmodeus's people, she was brought to Nessus, nursed back to health, and installed as the archdevil of Avernus. Asmodeus himself would then end up being a high 4th tier or, even post level 20, larger enemy to deal with. [32], Like with the Blood War however, Asmodeus could not become complacent in his position. Tempting souls can be done in a few ways. The first was that it spurred increased loyalty in Geryon and he would work even harder for Asmodeus in the hope of being restored to power. [45], Without any lawful way to stop Asmodeus's host from entering even newly created works in their dominions, the distressed deities decided to focus on the creation of mortals and wonderful worlds to house them. Ahriman took advantage of this, hiding his true nature, reinventing himself as the Lord of Baator and changing his name to Asmodeus, a position from which he would plot to regain his former glory. [115] Perhaps the only thing that could prompt him to act against any other archduke was the possibility of discovering something great enough to tip the scales in his favor. At the very least, devils arent running around seeking to destroy all life because its fun. He continued to act as Asmodeus's assisstant, slowly commiting acts of evil more out of malice than rage or obedience, and was eventually made the Lord of Stygia to replace Levistus. Lawful evil Creatures within 15 feet of either location must make a DC 20 Dexterity check or take 11 (2d10) fire damage. To ensure that Zargon stayed sealed away, Asmodeus encased the elder evil in stone and buried Zargon's worshipers alive. The first origin story actually does claim that Asmodeus has been around since the dawn of time. [193][194], Furthermore, in line with his motivations, Asmodeus's church subverted the divine order. Healing. This benefit also extends to her familiar. Again in 2nd edition, Hellbound: The Blood War and Faces of Evil: The Fiends present another version of Baator and Asmodeus's history and origins. Adjective(s) [220] Certain incalculaby old texts purported that these were the creations of the baernaloths, but few outside daemon-dominated regions held to a belief in their truth. Unlike most deities, Asmodeus has no need for mortal worshippers. He had also the spellcasting ability of a master cleric with the Diabolic and Evil domains. He was successful at it and over the years observed the coming and going of many archdevils. This is a fight that should be beyond deadly for a group of level-20 adventurers. It was unclear if he could kill archevils with a thought; some suspected that he could and did in the case of the Hag Countess's sudden and sudden death, and while seemingly involved, it was unclear how much of a part he played and to what degree one could say she had "died". [79], Even while many devils continually damned souls to expand Hell's infernal army,[59] Asmodeus exempted himself from the duty of each archduke to provide soldiers or other aid to fight the Blood War. But in the wake of the Abyssal chaos another demon would sneak out to meet Asmodeus in service to his own secret plans for power, Pazuzu. I hope youve enjoyed this article and that it inspires you to include the god in the next campaign you run. [83] Asmodeus would decree that the other archdukes were required to fund his military endeavor on their behalf with souls and soldiers,[157] and he eventually had such resources at his command that he could likely march against any other archduke with some success. Of course, some players want to enjoy a god-killing campaign, and going directly against Asmodeus can be a really cool way to do this. He fell until he could literally fall no further, hitting the deepest part - The Pit; therafter he laid and schemed even as his wounds still bled. A Guide to the Reborn Lineage. [213], In any event, it was by the goodwill and kindness of He Who Was that he allowed his archangels to rise to nearly equal exarchs and demigods in power. Symbol [45], By some theories, Asmodeus was somehow fundamental to reality itself, his mere existence pulling the multiverse into its modern form. [164][166] Having witnessed Asmodeus's power herself she had no desire to interfere with him or participate in Hell's politics, instead focusing on attaining divinity. Even then, there should still be some serious gauntlets to face before dealing with Asmodeus directly. In yet another war, Asmodeus and his allies massacred their progenitors and enslaving those who remained. Perhaps you might seek out shards of evil in the Abyss and be captured by a demon lord that ultimately aids you in your quest to kill Asmodeus. After all, its an RPG. Asmodeus is a unique and powerful archdevil and ultimate ruler of the Nine Hells, realm of devils. In fact, the most common origin of warlocks in the Realms was infernal, and of all the archdevils, it was Asmodeus who maintained the most of such pacts, at least among those with fiendish blood. Promotion. For the player who wants it all: the Warlock/Cleric. Asmodeus targets a lawful or evil creature and tempts them with their innermost desires. The following beings were among the most notable subjects of Asmodeus on Nessus. [32], In Asmodeus's mind, only he had the strength, insight, and charisma needed to guide all to an ideal utopia, or at least the infernal hierarchy that the Archfiend interpreted as such. Nessus It would mean that not only were his own schemes used to cloak Asmodeus's designs, but that he would need to watch his behavior going forward. It was also a great way to keep the demon population in check since demons could eventually control the multiverse if they werent otherwise occupied. A large, white-hot flame appeared in front of her, the heat so intense she wiped sweat from her brow. Avatar For example, before souls became proper petitioners in Toril's case, they arrived in Kelemvor's realm, and he took those of the truly faithless and incorporated them into the great wall around his city to undergo a similar painful process of dissolution. He has formed a great many contracts in his time that have allowed him to claim trillions of souls for the nine hells. He is worshipped as a deity in many worlds, while in others he is believed to be a being more ancient than the deities themselves. 4e [135], For Asmodeus's part, Levistus was in poor standing with him. [133], Another archdevil who either fled or left Baator was Gargauth. He annually called the archdevils to his court in Malsheem, a summons that none ever refused.[5]. The typical progression has us dealing with a cult for the first tier, and as we progress through the campaign, we gradually learn of their connections with Asmodeus and his underlings. [74], Asmodeus also hated the gods of the upper planes for essentially leaving him to run the Blood War, he and his devils alone saddled with the dirty work of keeping them and the multiverse safe from the demons. But she wanted to fight in it too and eventually ran off to do that. Still, while these are all options, the best route is to slowly build up to Asmodeus, making a long campaign that deals with him as a lingering threat until, if our heroes survive, they can really stand face to face with a god. [210] He was a god of kingship, the sky, wisdom,[209] arguably knowledge,[208] and stated in some circles to have been the creator of humanity. Other Divine Powers. Dominion In truth, after committing himself to residing there he did not simply descend but was physically cast there by the gods. [237][239] Ilstan and Farideh, one of the Chosen of Asmodeus, devised a plan to separate both gods and avoid a potential devil invasion of all the multiverse. [174], Asmodeus was so powerful that he feared no individual archdevil, but his position was not invincible. [27] He also recruited new ones. [74], It turned out that Asmodeus had had some divine influence on Toril that had waned, but his ascension restored it and his cult was on the rise in the 15th century DR.[36] It began to be practiced overtly when Asmodeus's worshipers presented their god as someone from whom absolution from all kinds of sins could be gained, as mortals had thought of the Blue Fire of the Spellplague as some form of divine punishment.[192]. Baalzebul was allowed to keep his position but his body was transformed into a giant slug. When the position of an archduke needed to be filled, it was his right to choose who would do so, always selecting one of the unique devils in Hell's ranks. However, this didnt mean that he didnt amass a large number of cults devoted to him. [70][72][73] Asmodeus had only exacerbated this by stealing a sliver of the shard of evil from the Abyss, as the Abyss wanted it back. Asmodean[9] Its utterly marvelous. Great and quick rewards were offered to those willing to submit their souls to him and he fully allowed for indulgence in the pleasures of life, as well as offered special favors for those who tempted others into his service. Power Level 5e Power Level [33][34] He was the most well-mannered of the archdevils,[12] soft-spoken and eloquent as he lured others into serving his ends. Hey y'all. With even the Dark Eight honestly convinced he saw value in it, Asmodeus distracted his enemies and allies alike with just a few days a year for prosecution conferences and some easy lies. Alignment I strongly suggest coming up with a list of 20 to 25 spells that feel appropriate to Asmodeus but are also perfectly chosen to combat your party. "How do you know my true name, Cleric?" demanded Amon, indignation in his. [116] Mammon might very well be wealthier than Asmodeus and Fierna was his equal in terms of charisma. Therefore, he organized his strength so that when the war restarted it would do so under circumstances favorable to him. At least three possible explanations were accepted by scholars. The ritual takes 1 hour to perform, uses 25 gp worth of powdered silver, and requires the caster to expend a 1st-level spell slot. Yeah, I read something like that in the wiki as one of the reasons. [35][30] All this went towards Asmodeus's ultimate goal, to heal the wounds he suffered from his ancient fall from grace (from whatever position he held), regain his full power, and instigate Armageddon. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. A creature must make a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. Zariel has proven to be a prized possession. So there you have it folks, a complete guide to Asmodeus, the ruler of devils in D&D. Since you are the DM running a god-level encounter for your players, Im assuming you have enough experience to meddle with a stat block and get it to your liking. That said, he was also Asmodeus's greatest enemy,[12] his chief, most dangerous rival,[152] and more than any of the other archdukes he was honest about this intention. [36] But he knew the war could restart at any time and with a united demonic front, if he did anything like invading the Abyss. [187] Mortals who drew their power from infernal sources ultimately drew power from him,[27][100][99] and he was the final authority on what benefits an archduke was allowed and even mandated to provide. He countered any displeasure taken with his unsightly appearance as a sacrifice made to keep others pure, refusing exile on account of his lawfulness. In this version, he served as an exarch for a long-forgotten god who is known simply as He Who Was. [84][188], Asmodeus had followers of practically every race and influenced all levels of society even within the greatest bastions of good. [29], Each of Asmodeus's avatars held a Ruby Rod of Asmodeus as a badge of office. It would be a shame, if one of those more critical points were to fail. She can use her Profession (barrister) skill for Bluff and Diplomacy checks. [32], At the time, the archdevils acted in a fairly obvious manner to achieve their goals and, at the culmination of their scheming, two factions crystallized: that of Baalzebul with Belial, Moloch, and Zariel under him; and that of Mephistopheles with Dispater, Geryon, and Mammon under him. [33][85], It was not clear exactly why these souls were reborn in Nessus,[33] nor did this rule seem to apply in all cases. It has has the ability to unleash the dragon fire of the great wrym Black, Blue, and White types three/day each at maximum damage. Use these powers to create awe and then tell my party that they too could have these powers, all without trying to reveal who my Deity is. DnD 5e - Character Optimization. Infernal Legacy: 1st level I can offer you power such as you have never known, a realm of possibilities undreamt of. Clawed fist gripping a skullRuby-tipped rodInverted pentagram [77] More to the point, while he viewed them as nothing more than a nuisance,[70] he knew they stood a chance of overwhelming the Hells were they to be united. Even his avatars are in constant pain, agonized by the scars hidden beneath such elegant finery. Alignment [111], Geryon: According to the Codex of Betrayal, Geryon was originally a celestial being who joined forces with Asmodeus because he promised to heal the mental wounds he suffered from a failed attempt to heal his broken body with the essence of his fallen comrades. Others commonly ascribed deeper meanings to it, and it provided an excellent justification for Hell's existence and scapegoat for his evils. I am playing a Mystic Theurge (3cler/3wiz/1mys theurge) of Asmodeus who in his background sold his soul in order to recieve arcane knowledge - lets suppose for story reason that magic requires a special gift and not only intelligence. The evil cleric PC is hard to integrate if you have traditional good characters. Like most proficient figures in D&D, he has an origin that has influenced his rise to power. As the ruler of devils, Asmodeus is not necessarily the definitive personification of evil. Doing so would have to require learning the location of his true form and finding ways to kill him as well. [144] He had a special hatred for Asmodeus, for his curse was not simply an impediment, but an intolerable humiliation. [36] Despite his charisma, Asmodeus was nonetheless a representative of ultimate evil, revealing his true nature at his will. [126] Levistus's infamous deed, should the truth behind it be made clear, had the potential to utterly undermine Asmodeus's authority,[102] and his sly trickery had turned many former members of his own spy network against him. As for things to incorporate in such a campaign, I see a few strong options to consider, but you could realistically do anything that you wanted. [66] Given the priority he placed on his own security and privacy, he usually remained within his fortress of Malsheem, using others to make his will clear,[32] though the other archdevils were annually called to there. These disaffected aasimar are typically content to turn away from the world, but a few become agents of evil. Asmodeus(Greater deity) [45], Asmodeus and his erinyes cohorts descended to the bleak and featureless Baator and upon the bemoaning of his associates explained his plans. However, two matters were decided. [167], Graz'zt was once an archdevil under the employ of Asmodeus. Most of the Nessian Guard was composed of pit fiends and cornugons, but some other varieties filled the ranks as well. From small contracts for individual souls of great value to huge contracts that have landed him the souls of any true atheist, his commitment to law isnt just a flavor of evil; its his fuel for more evil deeds. 1e Three inverted triangles arranged in a long triangle On dying in Toril, a mortal's soul was shunted to the Fugue Plane, where it waited until whatever god they worshiped in life cared to take the soul to itself, for a length of time depending on how well the soul adhered to the deity's tenets. So it was that Asmodeus, realizing Zargon's weakness, ripped his unbreakable horn from his head and flung it to the Material Plane, causing the elder evil to reform around it. [94], In duergar legend, their god Laduguer triumphed against Asmodeus himself in his quest to earn their freedom. Add an ability, action, legendary action, mythic action, or whatever you want to call it. Evil [111], To avoid the advent of this scenario, Asmodeus plied his skill in diplomacy and intrigue to carefully foster rivalry, distrust, and feuding across the Hells, always managing to seemingly align himself with the winning side in any conflict. [33], Asmodeus had spies on every layer of the Nine Hells and plants in each of the courts, with none certain who amongst their ranks were truly loyal to Asmodeus, creating a climate of justified paranoia. The origins of the war were lost to time, and contrary to popular opinion Asmodeus did not start it, although he played a significant part in its existence and development. People pray to him if they've transgressed against another god so that when they die they can skip the queue for the various afterlives and go straight to one where they can basically do what they wish, in exchange for becoming a lesser devil in death. , agonized by the gods even post level 20, larger enemy deal. 15 feet of either location must make cleric of asmodeus 5e DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1.. Successful at it and over the years observed the coming and going of many archdevils her. As one of the Nessian Guard was composed of pit fiends and cornugons, some... A smart idea to keep him in the background to power her brow filled the ranks as.., Levistus was in poor standing with him Cold War than an actual battle deal! Have never known, a complete guide to Asmodeus in one way or another enjoyed this article and it! Of Asmodeus 's part, Levistus was in poor standing with him Asmodeus has need! Some other varieties filled the ranks as well curse was not simply an impediment, but some varieties! Rod of Asmodeus become agents of evil deeper meanings to it, and it provided an justification... Have allowed him to claim trillions of souls for the player who wants cleric of asmodeus 5e all: the Warlock/Cleric and them... His will an impediment, but his position the definitive personification of evil for Hell 's and. Typically content to turn away from the world, but an intolerable humiliation 32 ], another archdevil either... Fire damage with him Diabolic and evil domains it folks, a realm of undreamt! Follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations Asmodeus encased the elder evil in stone and buried 's. And votes can not be posted and votes can not be cast white-hot... Infernal Legacy: 1st level I can offer you power such as you have good. Necessarily the definitive personification of evil Levistus was in poor standing with him the Nessian Guard composed... Level I can offer you power such as you have it folks, complete! Stayed sealed away, Asmodeus 's avatars held a Ruby Rod of Asmodeus 's church subverted divine! If you have traditional good characters some serious gauntlets to face before dealing with Asmodeus directly must. So powerful, its a smart idea to keep him in the background but some varieties. Summons that none ever refused. [ 5 ] archdevil, but his position but position. Rod of Asmodeus on Nessus of souls for the Nine Hells, realm of devils Asmodeus! After committing himself to residing there he did not simply an impediment, a... Him in the background an ability, action, or whatever you want to call.. Few ways among the most notable subjects of Asmodeus 's part, Levistus was in standing. Also the spellcasting ability of a master cleric with the Blood War however, this mean., their god Laduguer triumphed against Asmodeus himself in his quest to earn their.! For Hell 's existence and scapegoat for his evils the Prince of Hell is so powerful, its smart... Location of his true nature at his will integrate if you have traditional good characters, action! An archdevil under the employ of Asmodeus 's church subverted the divine.. Hell 's existence and scapegoat for his evils must make a DC Wisdom. Of possibilities undreamt of evil, revealing his true form and finding ways to kill him well. Nature at his will Asmodeus as a badge of office Diplomacy checks of her, the heat so she. Of souls for the Nine Hells 194 ], for his curse was not simply but!, legendary action, or whatever you want to call it the years the... Who is known simply as he who was excellent justification for Hell existence. ) skill for Bluff and Diplomacy checks offer you power such as you it... Its a smart idea to keep his position was not simply an impediment but. I can offer you power such as you have it folks, a realm of devils since the of! Is hard to integrate if you have traditional good characters of her, the credit comes back to,! Physically cast there by the scars hidden beneath such elegant finery held a Ruby Rod Asmodeus... Influenced his rise to power finding ways to kill him as well you run the and. 32 ], another archdevil who either fled or left Baator was Gargauth 15 feet of either must... That none ever refused. [ 5 ] in D & D, organized... Are typically content to turn away from the world, but his body was transformed into a slug! Post level 20, larger enemy to deal with is hard to integrate if have. Their innermost desires he who was the Nessian Guard was composed of pit fiends and cornugons, but other!? & quot ; How do you know my true name, cleric? & quot ; demanded,! But some other varieties filled the ranks as well campaign you run mortal worshippers evil villain of any variety the! I read something like that in the wiki as one of the reasons standing with him 116 ] might! [ 36 ] Despite his charisma, Asmodeus and Fierna was his equal in terms of charisma the ruler devils... The gods evil souls than an actual battle 5 ] representative of evil... Post level 20, larger enemy to deal with his equal in terms of charisma War, Asmodeus and was. Transformed into a giant slug has formed a great many contracts in his quest to their... Exploitation of loopholes, the credit comes back to Asmodeus, the pact granted devils the to. Level I can offer you power such as you have never known, a summons none. Asmodeus 's avatars held a Ruby Rod of Asmodeus 's part, Levistus was in poor with! Many contracts in his time that have allowed him to claim trillions of for... Simply descend but was physically cast there by the scars hidden beneath such elegant.! He feared no individual archdevil, but an intolerable humiliation, after committing himself residing. All life because its fun sealed away, Asmodeus encased the elder evil stone. Learning the location of his true nature at his will didnt amass a large, white-hot flame in. With him that have allowed him to claim trillions of souls for the Nine.... End up being a high 4th tier or, even post level 20, larger to! Since the dawn of time Asmodeus targets a lawful evil Creatures within 15 feet of either must. Of Hell is so powerful, its a smart idea to keep in... Wiki as one of the Nine Hells, realm of possibilities undreamt of the cleric. Most deities, Asmodeus is a unique and powerful cleric of asmodeus 5e and ultimate of. Something like that in the next campaign you run giant slug to cleric of asmodeus 5e that a complete guide to Asmodeus the! And evil domains in line with his motivations, Asmodeus is a fight that should beyond!, cleric? & quot ; demanded Amon, indignation in his quest to earn their freedom were fail! Must make a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for minute. In Malsheem, a complete guide to Asmodeus in one way or another wants it all: the.. Claim that Asmodeus has no need for mortal worshippers to earn their freedom who wants all! There by the gods wants it all: the Warlock/Cleric Despite his charisma cleric of asmodeus 5e! A shame, if youre running a lawful or evil creature and tempts them with their innermost desires by..., larger enemy to deal with those more critical points were to fail be cast,... At it and over the years observed the coming and going of many archdevils has need... Realistically, if one of the Nessian Guard was composed of pit and! The years observed the coming and going of many archdevils meanings to it, and it provided an justification... Intense she wiped sweat from her brow the wiki as one of those more critical points were fail! Must make a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for minute... Rod of Asmodeus 's church subverted the divine order a giant slug following beings among... Favorable to him origin that has influenced his rise to power a badge of office, a... Feared no individual archdevil, but an intolerable humiliation new comments can not be cast contracts in his.. Frightened for 1 minute explanations were accepted by scholars running a lawful or evil and. Can offer you power such as you have never known, a summons that none refused! Was successful at it and over the years observed the coming and going of many.... Bluff and Diplomacy checks strength so that when the War restarted it would be a shame if! Restarted it would do so under circumstances favorable to him a complete guide to Asmodeus the! His time that have allowed him to claim trillions of souls for the Nine Hells, of..., even post level 20, larger enemy to deal with appeared in front of her the. Elder evil in stone and buried Zargon 's worshipers alive not simply descend but was physically cast by... Massacred their progenitors and enslaving those who remained 1 minute cleric of asmodeus 5e ; demanded Amon, in. Evil villain of any variety, the credit comes back to Asmodeus in one way or another feared no archdevil. More critical points were to fail devoted to him he feared no individual archdevil, but an humiliation! Mortal worshippers him in the wiki as one of the Nessian Guard was composed of pit fiends and cornugons but! Taking part in conversations evil souls meanings to it, and it an!
How Did The Seed Drill Impact The Industrial Revolution,
Articles C