Post/Author/DateTime	Post
18DELTA 01-25-08, 11:45 PM	-The Pit Fiend (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dramp/20080125) in 4E!!!:eek: Last month, I shared the elf racial entry from the upcoming 4th Edition Player's Handbook with you. It went over so well that I thought I'd do something like it again this month. This time, though, I've decided to dive into the Monster Manual files and see how that book is coming along. Just today, for example, Mike Mearls and I finished reviewing every minion and swarm in the book, making sure that the rules for these are clear, concise, and easy to use at the table. I was going to show you one of those, but while they're all cool and great for the game, they aren't anywhere near the sexiest monsters in the book. No, I want to share with you something meaty, something substantial, and something well and truly at the top of the pile of D&D monsters. Something new won't work for this purpose, since I want you to be able to compare the 3E version to the 4th Edition version if you have a desire to make such a comparison. For all these reasons and more (and because the art sketch by Arnie Swekel is just wonderful), I've settled on the pit fiend. Here's the entry from the new Monster Manual in all its current glory. Enjoy! PIT FIEND Nobles of the Nine Hells, pit fiends form an elite ruling class that oversees vast numbers of lesser devils. Only the archdevils known as the Lords of the Nine stand higher than the pit fiends. Each pit fiend is lord of a large domain within one of the layers of the Nine Hells and is vassal to the archdevil who rules that layer. A pit fiend might govern a city, command a fortress, lead a great legion, or serve as a seneschal or counselor for an archdevil. With the exception of Asmodeus, each Lord of the Nine commands no more than a dozen or so pit fiends. As the lords, barons, viziers, and generals of the Nine Hells, pit fiends rarely confront adventurers in person. They are the progenitors of devilish schemes, and they step in only when important plans go awry or when great plots reach fruition. In the Nine Hells proper, pit fiends command vast numbers of lesser devils. Penetrating the defenses of a pit fiend's castle and destroying the mighty devil in its own demesne is a deed of truly epic proportions. Description This hulking devil stands 12 feet tall and has red scales, leathery wings, and a long whiplike tail. It carries a massive mace and wears an ornate breastplate decorated with evil runes and symbols. Pit Fiend Level 26 Elite Soldier (Leader) Large immortal humanoid (devil) XP 18,000 Initiative +22 Senses Perception +23; darkvision Aura of Fear (Fear) aura 5; enemies in the aura take a –2 penalty on attack rolls. Aura of Fire (Fire) aura 5; enemies that enter or start their turns in the aura take 15 fire damage. HP 350; Bloodied 175 AC 44; Fortitude 42, Reflex 38, Will 40 Resist 30 fire, 15 poison Saving Throws +2 Speed 12, fly 12 (clumsy), teleport 10 Action Points 1 Melee Flametouched Mace (standard; at-will) • Fire, Weapon Reach 2; +31 vs. AC; 1d12+11 fire damage plus ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Melee Tail Sting (standard; at-will) • Poison +31 vs. AC; 1d6+11 damage, and the pit fiend may make a free followup attack. Followup: +29 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 15 poison damage, and the target is weakened (save ends both effects). Melee Pit Fiend Frenzy (standard; at-will) The pit fiend makes a flametouched mace attack and a tail sting attack. Ranged Point of Terror (minor; at-will) • Fear Range 5; +30 vs. Will; the target takes a –5 penalty to all defenses until the end of the pit fiend's next turn. Ranged Irresistible Command (minor 1/round; at-will) • Charm, Fire Range 10; affects one allied devil of lower level than the pit fiend; the target immediately slides up to 5 squares and explodes, dealing 2d10+5 fire damage to all creatures in a close burst 2. The exploding devil is destroyed. Infernal Summons (standard; encounter) • Conjuration The pit fiend summons a group of devil allies. Summoned devils roll initiative to determine when they act in the initiative order and gain a +4 bonus to attack rolls as long as the pit fiend is alive. They remain until they are killed, dismissed by the pit fiend (free action), or the encounter ends. PCs do not earn experience points for killing these summoned creatures. The pit fiend chooses to summon one of the following groups of devils: 8 legion devil legionnaires (level 21), or 2 war devils (level 22), or 1 war devil (level 22) and 4 legion devil legionnaires (level 21) Tactical Teleport (standard; recharge 4 5 6) • Teleportation The pit fiend can teleport up to 2 allies within 10 squares of it. The targets appear in any other unoccupied squares within 10 squares of the pit fiend. Alignment Evil Languages Supernal Skills Bluff +27, Intimidate +27, Religion +24 Str 32 (+24) Dex 24 (+20) Wis 20 (+18) Con 27 (+21) Int 22 (+19) Cha 28 (+22) Equipment flametouched mace, noble signet ring Pit Fiend Tactics A pit fiend fights close to its enemies, catching them in its aura of fear and aura of fire. On the first round of combat, it spends an action point to use infernal summons. It then uses point of terror against a tough-looking foe and tactical teleport to place two allies in flanking positions around that foe. With its remaining minor action, the pit fiend uses irresistible command on an ally within range. A pit fiend alternates between point of terror and irresistible command, sometimes using both if it has a spare move action it can replace with a minor action. Otherwise, the pit fiend uses pit fiend frenzy, teleporting as needed to gain a better position. A pit fiend does not sacrifice its life needlessly and makes a tactical retreat if death is imminent. Pit Fiend Lore A character knows the following information with a successful Religion check: DC 25: Pit fiends are the nobles of the Nine Hells. Each pit fiend serves as a vassal to one of the nine archdevils and commands a fortress, city, or army in its master's domain. DC 30: Once every 99 years, a pit fiend can grant a mortal's wish by performing a terrible ritual. Only the most powerful and promising of mortals are offered such a temptation. DC 35: Well-known pit fiends include Baalzephon, one of the powerful circle of pit fiends known as the Dark Eight; Gazra, who governs the city of Abriymoch in Phlegethos, the Fourth Hell; and Baalberith, the major-domo of the palace of Asmodeus. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What else is going on around here right now? The Player's Handbook is in Typesetting, and we're poring over the galleys to make every last improvement we can before it goes to print. The Monster Manual is in its last two weeks of Managing Editing, the stage right before it goes into Typesetting. And the Dungeon Master's Guide is about to leave Editing and enter its Managing Editing stage. So, from a certain point of view, the end of the process is in sight. At the same time, all kinds of other things are in process or just beginning. For example, our Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide and Player's Guide have just entered Development, and Design is underway on a number of projects -- many of which I can't talk about just yet. As for D&D Insider, maybe I'll take some time next month to talk about how the digital initiative is shaping up. Meanwhile, I need to select monsters from this wonderful Monster Manual file for my game tomorrow night. Let's see if Biggy Small and company can get out of this one -- bwaHAHA! Until then ... Keep playing! --Bill Slavicsek About the Author Bill Slavicsek is the R&D Director for Roleplaying Games, Miniatures, and Book Publishing at Wizards of the Coast. All of the game designers, developers, editors, book editors, and D&D Insider content managers working on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, and the WotC Publishing Group report into Bill's R&D team. -Wow!!!:D 18DELTA:)
XHereticX 01-25-08, 11:55 PM	Hmm, they are putting the Pit Fiend in a position where he is essentially taking over for the Dukes of Hell in that hierarchy. His power is obviously greatly elevated and there seems to be more of a martial bent to his description as well.
Zanan 01-26-08, 08:27 AM	Is that just 1 attack with the mace? Looks very much like learnig the rules from scratch again.
Another Gnome 01-26-08, 12:05 PM	Is that just 1 attack with the mace? Yup, all characters (and creatures) regardless of level get one attack by default; additional attacks are only granted through feats and/or special abilities. In other words, iterative attacks from base attack bonus are gone. Coincidentally, this really sets dragons apart from your average monster, seeing how high-end dragons (such as the one vaguely described in the early Design and Development article) can presumably deliver half a dozen attacks a round... including their breath weapon.
GreenKnight 01-26-08, 01:04 PM	Is that just 1 attack with the mace? Looks very much like learnig the rules from scratch again. Note this ability. Melee Pit Fiend Frenzy (standard; at-will) The pit fiend makes a flametouched mace attack and a tail sting attack. So the Pit Fiend actually makes two attacks per round. One with the mace, one with its tail. So pretty much the only times he'll be making just one attack is when he's making an Attack of Opportunity. Coincidentally, this really sets dragons apart from your average monster, seeing how high-end dragons (such as the one vaguely described in the early Design and Development article) can presumably deliver half a dozen attacks a round... including their breath weapon. Yeah. They've created different categories of monster, though. Dragons are monsters that're supposed to be able to take on an entire party single-handedly. Hence they need bundles of attacks. The Pit Fiend here is an Elite creature, which makes it a match for two PC's. Standard monsters are equal to one PC, while Mooks come two per PC. So unless the PC party only consists of two players, the Pit Fiend will always have friends with him. And that's discounting all the schmucks he can summon into the fight.
MarkusTay63 01-26-08, 01:50 PM	You know, its really getting hard to make judgemnet calls until we see each 'new' concept applied to the rules as whole. Some of the changes that appear 'bizzare' ATM may in fact make sense once the rules are in-hand. Personally, I don't have high hopes, but I'm willing to wait and see.
18DELTA 01-26-08, 01:51 PM	-Thats why I like the :devil: ! I went and reread about the Devils in W/M. Yeah...bring on the mooks!!!:D 18DELTA:evillaugh
Zanan 01-26-08, 02:53 PM	Regarding attacks: that sounds all very long-gone AD&D-ish, bound to be complicated by special rules for special monsters and characters.
Suin Bahhar 01-26-08, 03:14 PM	Did you see that irresistable command ability! Or the teleport ally one! Looks like a tough cookie. A fiery and behemothlike master of the battlefields. I am impressed with this. And devils still have brutes despite being corrupters...
GreenKnight 01-26-08, 03:18 PM	Did you see that irresistable command ability! Or the teleport ally one! Looks like a tough cookie. A fiery and behemothlike master of the battlefields. I am impressed with this. Yeah, I like that ability. I'm picturing one of his minions near-death, saying to himself "Looks like it's time for me to bug out of here before I get killed", only for the Pit Fiend to turn to him and say "If you will not serve in combat, then you will serve on the firing line" before taking him out. :D
Suin Bahhar 01-26-08, 03:44 PM	:) Indeed. DC 30: Once every 99 years, a pit fiend can grant a mortal's wish by performing a terrible ritual. Only the most powerful and promising of mortals are offered such a temptation.This can be fun too. Trying to get a wish from a Pitfiend with a cadre of evil adventurers. DC 35: Well-known pit fiends include Baalzephon, one of the powerful circle of pit fiends known as the Dark Eight; Gazra, who governs the city of Abriymoch in Phlegethos, the Fourth Hell; and Baalberith, the major-domo of the palace of Asmodeus.Interesting cities... the Dark Eight, the palace of Asmodeus... the politics of Hell will be entertaining as always. I only hope the demon lords get some of this kind of love...
Another Gnome 01-26-08, 05:39 PM	Oh right, one nitpick I have is that "Supernal" sounds silly as a language name. Especially associated with a badass devil it mostly makes me giggle, as though it was a horrid pun on "Infernal" causing pit fiends to develop inferiority complex so they decided to call it something that makes them sound bigger.
Ramar Aulinvox 01-26-08, 07:37 PM	A couple of things that I noticed that stand out: (1) "Alignment: Evil" Are they getting rid of the law-chaos axis or is this just a mistake? (2) minor vs. standard actions: looks like the partcial actions of 3.0 are back a little since in the tactics part it says that the pit fiend uses a minor action in place of a move action. i'm interested to see how this all fits together. (3) "religion check". so there is no more know(planes)? or knowledge period? Is this a clue that, like perception (spot and listen), all skills are getting condensed into one or two things?
18DELTA 01-27-08, 12:32 AM	Yeah, I like that ability. I'm picturing one of his minions near-death, saying to himself "Looks like it's time for me to bug out of here before I get killed", only for the Pit Fiend to turn to him and say "If you will not serve in combat, then you will serve on the firing line" before taking him out. :D -:D :bounce: :bounce: :D 18DELTA:devil:
GreenKnight 01-27-08, 12:49 AM	A couple of things that I noticed that stand out: (1) "Alignment: Evil" Are they getting rid of the law-chaos axis or is this just a mistake? According to Rich Baker in reference to another subject... "Yes, the question was considered, but ultimately it boils down to this: We want one class in the job of "holy warrior", not nine...Currently the text in the Player's Handbook says something to this effect: Paladins are almost always lawful or good. Chaotic or evil paladins do exist in the world, but they're almost never heroes; go see the DM if you want to play one."
Ramar Aulinvox 01-27-08, 12:54 AM	So there are only five alignments now? lawful, good, chaotic, evil, and nuetral? Or is the reference ment to be "any evil"?
MarkusTay63 01-27-08, 12:57 AM	No, I think that was just poor wording.
Draco Spirit 02-02-08, 04:29 PM	I'm hoping it easy to add features to creatures like pit fiends without raising it CR much higher. It sorely low on options and missing a lot of nasty tricks that are really fitting with top ranking badguys.
18DELTA 02-03-08, 11:06 AM	-I think if a DM wants to give a Pit Fiend a fireball or a meteor swarm like special ability, they can. What they can and will do only time will tell.;) 18DELTA:)
Iliyan 02-07-08, 06:26 AM	its kinda crappy the sacked all the cool SLA's from it tho, unholy aura and the like... banishment( a spell for griefing visitors to the nine hells)
Red_Wizard 02-12-08, 10:13 AM	I think if the "New" ability modifiers are done as they appear -- (X / 2) +8 -- Then it will make up across the board for any restrictions in Numbers of attacks, and Damage output. -RW
Alediran 02-13-08, 02:14 PM	[QUOTE=Another Gnome;14929289]Oh right, one nitpick I have is that "Supernal" sounds silly as a language name./QUOTE] It sounds like WotC was spying on Mage: the Awakening lately
Shemeska the Marauder 02-15-08, 03:10 AM	Interesting cities... the Dark Eight, the palace of Asmodeus... the politics of Hell will be entertaining as always. I only hope the demon lords get some of this kind of love... Though I would point out that none of those references in that knowledge check are new. It's directly ported over from the 1e/2e/3e 9 Hells of Baator.
Alediran 02-15-08, 06:32 AM	Though I would point out that none of those references in that knowledge check are new. It's directly ported over from the 1e/2e/3e 9 Hells of Baator. No need to tell, we are aware WotC only makes superficial changes to their products and sells them like shinny new.
18DELTA 03-04-08, 12:23 PM	-Well we now know what this means, thanks to the D&D Experience this last weekend. Interesting. Tactical Teleport (standard; recharge 4 5 6) • Teleportation The pit fiend can teleport up to 2 allies within 10 squares of it. The targets appear in any other unoccupied squares within 10 squares of the pit fiend. 18DELTA;)
johnkretzer 03-09-08, 12:17 PM	Personaly it looks boring to me from what the 3.x version could do. But I agree with Markus looking at some this stuff without the complete rules is probably not the best idea. For instance anybody knows what is Recharge 4 5 6 is?
Alediran 03-10-08, 03:26 PM	Recharge, from what I read on a post in the D&D General Boards is the number of combat rounds that monsters need to recharge their powers.