While it would be a bit extreme to say that Asmodeus has a past shrouded in mystery, there are definitely historic disputes over his exact origin. [74] He might very well choose to absorb the power of his aspect of law from the multiverse upon reaching his full power and cause the planes to collapse into cosmic chaos. Channel divinity Although Asmodeus killed his consort Naome[128] (though even this might have been Glasya's doing)[110] he accepted Belial placing his daughter Fierna on the throne. The magic Asmodeus receives from these souls is what he uses to fuel his divine power, to maintain the whole of Baator, and to heal his body slowly and gather his strength. [45], The gods were eager to see Asmodeus gone and he was happy to oblige so long as they first made a pact. [2][190], Asmodeus also mantained several unconventional mortal casters. [83][155] Eventually he seized control of all of Hell's armies and usurped the previous Lord of Avernus, but where he expected immediate assaults, Asmodeus supported him. [189] There were also his domineering disciples of darkness, callous in their quest for unlimited power, ruthlessly striving for nothing less than world domination. [127] It was speculated that his return was part of an ingenious diversion by Asmodeus, a theory Levistus came to accept despite hating its implications. Normally, the campaign would end with Zariel either being killed, avoided, or joined. The Slayer resembled a male, humanoid corpse with a feral face and ivory skin inset with . Hell's minions would just as willingly turn a follower of theirs to the infernal path as they would one of good powers (even if the latter would be more enjoyable). He was at least aware of most, if not all plots hatched against him, and had watched the rise and fall of archdevils far craftier than his many contemporaries. Home Plane The question boils down to asking which side holds the definitive stance on evil, and who will reign supreme. The King of Hell gave covert aid to the Athar of Sigil,[87] though they were later exiled and his continued level of involvement was not known. Ability Score Increase: Adding an INT bonus to the tiefling's CHA isn't very helpful. [19] He courted influence among organized races of lawful evil humanoids, such as hobgoblins,[189] with many creatures of evil revering him as the patron of might and tyranny. The two strained in opposite directions, rocking the foundations of reality before finally breaking the ouroboros and ripping off each other's tails. [45], But this state was intolerable to reality, and so in this version too, forces of law arose from the chaos to combat it and its demons, early deities in gleaming armor of pure stability with weapons forged of ideal thought. Zariel has proven to be a prized possession. Other Divine Powers. Hit points lost to necrotic damage from this weapon can only be regained through a short or long rest rather than by regeneration, magic, or any other means. Even when wracked by constant pain, he managed to appear blithely unbothered, and seemed almost chillingly reasonable. So there you have it folks, a complete guide to Asmodeus, the ruler of devils in D&D. [193][194], Furthermore, in line with his motivations, Asmodeus's church subverted the divine order. [34] While this limitation could be circumvented if the worshiper became a disciple of darkness,[52] spells granted by this method were not done so through his own powers, but by acting as a conduit to channel the divine magic of Baator itself to the mortal cleric. His labyrinthine, insidious intrigues could seem inexplicable to most outside observers, for Asmodeus let even his own servants stew in fear of his next move. Rather than kill his opponents, he preferred using these abilities to force would-be-foes to submit to him, or failing that flee for their lives. Archdevils[10] In this version, he served as an exarch for a long-forgotten god who is known simply as He Who Was. [102][179][180], Some suspected Asmodeus considered Baalzebul a worthy adversary,[12] and while he may have been the most clever,[164] cunning, and artful of the archdevils,[21] the Lord of the Flies may have been a superior intellect. Domains 2nd Edition Statistics[20] [118][122][123][124], Belial and Fierna: Belial was an old devil who had long ruled Phlegethos,[125] and was responsible for overseeing the Diabolical Court even if all its judges answered only to Asmodeus. He mandated Bel advise Zariel, and while Bel would not try to depose her since she seemed to have his favor, he would undermine her and encourage unwise behavior in the hopes his mutually hated rival seemed inept. This degenerated into a massive punch-up among the angels. [136] He further punished Levistus by mandating he become a patron of survival, offering escape to those in danger. [32] Without him and his devils to defend it, he argued, the multiverse would be overrun by demonkind and ultimately destroyed, and in this, Asmodeus might technically be correct. However, the gods realized that mortals were the next threat as they followed their own free will rather than law. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of their turn to end the effect. [112] According to one tale, he may very well have been responsible for inflaming her already potent rage before her descent, setting the groundwork for her eventual fall. Alignment Asmodeus changed Mammon's form after this either as a punishment he decided or because Mammon suggested it as a way to signify he would change his ways and remain loyal. Infernal Legacy: 1st level Everything has a cost, even if youre a god. They had several theories, but knew nothing for certain, and while worried for what he might do, hoped he retained enough lawfulness within himself not to try and unmake the cosmos. It is unclear if this power extends beyond Hell. [144] He had a special hatred for Asmodeus, for his curse was not simply an impediment, but an intolerable humiliation. Holy day(s) Should he try however, they were prepared to confront him at their full capacity, believing strongly that the laws of reality were to be upheld rather than recast to suit those in power. Even so, many tieflings did choose to follow the Lord of the Nine,[196] the most frequent provider of warlock pacts to their kind. [190] His blood would spawn many early devils,[97] although the baatezu at large believed they emerged from the plane itself, a not untrue statement at least later on. [45], The pleased gods had their intermediaries spread knowledge of the punishment for sins, truly believing no one would actually violate their laws, only for transgressors to arrive in their domain and Asmodeus, allegedly aided by Dispater, Mephistopheles and others, to enact their lawful punishment. Or, you could end up caught in a battle between the two evil forces, a terrifying event for even the bravest adventurers. Doing so would have to require learning the location of his true form and finding ways to kill him as well. Instead, he broke away and became a demon lord himself. [129][130] After a period of uncertainty during which it wasn't clear who was really in charge of Phlegethos waived the normal principle regarding sharing archdukedom and dubbed both of them the rulers of the 4th Hell. This was arguably the only point the histories of the Abyss all agreed on and,[202] by some interpretations, could be argued correct. [8][162] It was unclear where Geryon went or why Asmodeus forsook him. After centuries spent climbing out from where he was buried, Zargon regenerated around the horn and terrorized the people of Cynidicea, who worshiped and appeased him by sacrificing sentient beings. [30] Furthermore, even Asmodeus was capable of fury, and if he forgot himself could end up bursting into a rage, his mask of civility slipping to unveil the evil that lurked below. His faithful offered reprieve in the afterlife from the uncertain waiting in the Fugue Plane, a devil to keep them company as the fate of their mortal soul was decided. [30] Ironically, in the most extreme scenario, Asmodeus's plan would ultimately be to embrace chaos, to withhold the power of law from the world and let it collapse. [45], Asmodeus slew more demons than anyone, whether angel or deity, but as the eons wore on he and his company became ugly and fearsome, taking on demonic traits to better combat them[45] (thus in a way devils could be said to have come from demons). However, after looking him up a bit it says that he actually promotes atheism. [27] Given his access to ten avatars, Asmoeus could station one on each layer of Hell as needed, with a tenth leftover for extraplanar activity. 4th Edition Statistics[9][16] Three inverted triangles arranged in a long triangle [143][144] A persistent but unsubstantiated rumor claimed Triel had been one Asmodeus's personal projects, his spiritual fall engineered in the form of a lovely but venemous flower,[145] whilst other reports claimed Asmodeus could empathize with Baalzebul's fall from grace. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). Bel agreed and so much of his time was consumed by the Blood War that he didn't have sufficient time to plot against his superiors. His rivals were inferior minds lacking the skill to see his vision through. 3rd Edition Statistics[17][18][19] [35] Beyond this he sought to expand the power of lawful evil in the multiverse, tipping the cosmic scales in its favor. [99] He was above the archdevils and commoners alike, a category of devil onto himself. [208] Asmodeus had used his magic and influence to erase all knowledge of the name from existence,[205] and so he was only known by titles such as He Who Was or He Who Once Lit Our Way. [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. [79] The Lord of the Ninth kept his own private army called the Nessian Guard, an elite force consisting of devils spawned from his own blood. [27] Regardless, he desired the souls of mortals and maintained a following among them. Power Level However, if a devil messed up, it might be punished and demoted, possibly even to a nupperibo, the lowest rank of devel. [217] Finally, the curse left Asmodeus and his company trapped in Baator and unable to claim the full divine power of his murdered god. Asmodeus killed most himself, but despite the destruction of all their lords, Zargon himself, even against one as mighty as Asmodeus, was resistant to the worst he could muster. 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. There was debate on whether the latter behavior inspired Asmodeus's rebellion, and the few who subscribed to the theory held Asmodeus as a cautionary example of becoming what one hates. [34] As important as an influx of spirits was to his purposes, every damned soul in Hell was so condemned under his name and therefore beholden to him. Always slim and charismatic, Asmodeus gave himself a regal appearance, tying his aesthetic together with expensive red and black clothing. Sure, devil may be a creature type in 5e, but Asmodeus is quite definitively, the Devil, at least in the Forgotten Realms. This idea was never considered canonical, but an allusion to it resurfaced in a vague reference decades later in the Book of Vile Darkness, where it is stated that while Asmodeus is the oldest devil in the Nine Hells, he may not be the original ruler. 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". Whether he'd truly severed all ties with Asmodeus and whether he would remain a demon lord was unknown. A creatures form may only be reverted through a Wish spell or similar magic or by Asmodeus himself. Lawful evil Asmodeus touches a target and fills their mind with images of lost desires and forgotten dreams. Devils themselves told the story, and it was the most widely accepted version of the multiverse's creation. [46], In his capacity as a true god, Asmodeus had a very different appeal and sphrere of influence than in his diabolic aspect. [94], In duergar legend, their god Laduguer triumphed against Asmodeus himself in his quest to earn their freedom. The devil summoned is of a CR equal to or less than the roll. [64], Asmodeus had a huge store of souls in his personal citadel, and these could be bought from him at an extremely high cost, rumored to be entire kingdoms for one soul. In an arrangement that frustrated the narcissistic Mephistopheles to no end, he traditionally operated cults for Asmodeus. This is, whether it may seem that way or not, an Asmodeus campaign. 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. [28] As for how the existence of this form would impact his origin stories, the fact he was currently of serpentine shape did not require that he was always this way. Asmodeus targets a lawful or evil creature and tempts them with their innermost desires. 5th Edition Statistics[1][11][12][13][14][15] By some legends it was from his blood that the first baatezu were birthed,[97] while in others he led those who would become the first devils down the dark path into Hell. The natural place to start talking about a deity thats been around since AD&D is the appearance. [45], Every devil within Hell's hierarchy served Asmodeus, either directly or via a line of authority tracing back to him. This was done in an attempt to make Asmodeus a "racial god", ensuring him enough followers to attain godly powers. However, this didnt mean that he didnt amass a large number of cults devoted to him. [180], It was believed that Asmodeus, at some point, financed a project to create the yugoloths. He had the foresight and economic saavy to create many pacts that seemed indiviually innocuous, but together, given the state of the cosmos, allowed him to avoid the diminished soul income of other realms and convert his master's domain into a torturous extractor of magical energy. Without him, Zariel wouldnt have become the Lord of Avernus and wouldnt be a fallen angel worthy of Big Bad status. Asmodeus is lord of Nessus, the Ninth Layer of Hell, though he is generally recognized as lord of all Baator. This allows you to keep everything that's happened, while allowing you to play the BBEG, and . [216] All rebel angels were physically distorted[204] and eventually turned into devils[205] while those servants deceived into betraying He Who Was became the first hell knights. [8][162][85][135][137][163], Whatever the case, Geryon eventually returned to Stygia and maintained a war against Levistus for it with the tacit permission of Asmodeus. [32], According to legend, Asmodeus attributed his wicked deeds to necessity and the mandates of law, alluding to the rules of Hell in his defense and arguing that his contracts were never broken. Mortals often viewed their deities as too omnipotent to be deceived, but Asmodeus knew better. [27][28][29], An avatar of Asmodeus was handsome, charismatic and captivating on the surface, appearing as a slim, red-skinned humanoid over 13feet (4meters) tall with a horned head, glowing red eyes and a perfectly trimmed beard. Three inverted triangles arranged in a long triangle, I have heard it said evil is nothing more than goods absence, as if evil was the darkness to good's light. However, after conquering three Abyssal layers, he could not advance further because of the resistance he faced from Demogorgon and Orcus. The Nine Hells Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Were Asmodeus ever to heal his wounds, it would be this force that would follow him in his conquest of the cosmos. The rest of the outer planes followed suit, and so was born the law of the Unity of Rings, which states that most things on the planes are circular, both geographically and philosophically. Asmodeus regains 30 hit points at the start of his turn as long as he hasn't taken any radiant damage. [164], Malagard: Malagard was the night hag consort of Moloch who prompted the previous Lord of the Sixth to rebuke Asmodeus, her poisoned words cementing his fall before elevating her to archduchess. It has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): chill touch, guidance, resistance, thaumaturgy. Diabolic, Evil, Law [101] Asmodeus made his superiority publicly clear in an event called the Reckoning of Hell, where he demonstrated he could foil them all and emerge entirely unscathed. Yet at that point, in the wake of the temporary cooling of the Blood War at large, Bel was belived to have no desire to do such a thing, to have come to like his appointed position as sentry of the Hells and become loyal to Asmodeus first and himself later. During Combat The cleric casts fire shield ( warm shield ), uses his wand of shield of faith, then attacks with fire spells, switching to blade barrier, channeled energy, and flame strike against fire-resistant opponents. Sure, there have been fights between the two factions, but its more of an ages-old rivalry between them. After all, its an RPG. A falling out between angel and god ensued, and despite Asmodeus's protestations and warnings, He Who Was stood by his decision to strip Asmodeus of his station. [174], Asmodeus was so powerful that he feared no individual archdevil, but his position was not invincible. With the multiverse broken down and him having survived its fall, he would remake reality as he desired. [33], Regardless, perpetuating the idea that he merely wanted to bring souls into Hell was arguably Asmodeus's greatest triumph. Despite being sought after by ambitious dukes for his great personal power, Gargauth never supported any attempt to unseat Asmodeus and any meeting made with that goal in mind inevitably resulted in Asmodeus knowing what happened. He was charged with fighting the Blood War, invading the Abyss, and getting the shard of evil for him. [202], Leaving such timeless beings aside, there were rumors that Asmodeus was not the original ruler of the Nine Hells. Anyone with better knowledge than I on which way is the "Asmodeus" way? [28], If one asked other fiends, for all their word was worth, they were responsible for Asmodeus's existence. Asmodeus made a pact with the rest of the gods that allowed devils to take souls to Baator if they were corrupted. BelDispaterMammonFieranaBelialLevistusMalagardeBaalzebulMephistopheles There is no stat block for Asmodeus in 5e, but that certainly shouldnt stop you from pitting your adventurers against him. Such a feat would allow him to finally conquer the gods of the upper planes and eventually the multiverse in its entirety. [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. Lacking time as a tool and possibly even as an abstract concept, the demons fought each other in an environment of endless disorder for an innumerable period. [5], First and foremost, Asmodeus sought to preserve the status quo of Baator, that being his station as supreme ruler of Hell. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 5e also changes it up with Druids and Paladins, now, who aren't as intrinsically linked to a deity as they once were. [60][27] Furthermore his cult subsumed all others,[187] for technically every diabolic cult was simply a subdivision of his own and every leader of such a group was mandated to acknowledge his power and pledge allegiance to him. The path from this realm leads to an infinite pit of chaos and evil. 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. Nine Hells His serpentine body lay at the bottom of a rift called the Serpent's Coil, but not even the denizens knew this. With all the planes as his board, the Lord of Lies maneuvered the forces of evil like chess pieces in his grand designs, slowly and subtly manipulating everyone from deities to, when needed, lowly mortals. [74][210], Asmodeus's victory was short-lived however,[71] for the devil's prize soon twisted into a damnation by the will of He Who Was and his dying curse. Creatures within 15 feet of either location must make a DC 20 Dexterity check or take 11 (2d10) fire damage. It instead implies that Serpent's Coil is shaped for the spiraling path Asmodeus fell, and that Malsheem sits at the bottom of that canyon. [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. This was a private army Asmodeus formed with devils born from his own blood. Even if not constrained by their own lawful natures not to upset the established order, they would never be able to decide on who would rule in the Overlord's stead. Shrines and temples were still incredibly rare, but many folks had taken to asking Asmodeus for reprieve and respite in the wait for a response after offending their god, and in the most extreme cases of transgression, for him to hide their sins from their patrons. [210][209][215] The traitor angels were not spared Hell's power; where they encamped while he was slain was where the curse was focused, submerging the traitors in intolerable flame. [181] Furthermore, the exile Gargauth rivaled Asmodeus in posturing and wiliness, and through his stronger sense of humor surpassed him in self-control and strategy, such was his ability that he would prove dangerous competition if he ever desired Asmodeus's throne. 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. For the player who wants it all: the Warlock/Cleric. [231] According to another recounting of the events, the battle was an everyone-against-Baalzebul-battle, which Baalzebul lost. Rumors of various deities of Hell allying to wrest Baator from Asmodeus occasionally emerged but never came to fruition. Depopulating their own people, they began to take their victims from other lands. Tiamat wisely decided not to directly confront the god of tyranny but serve him faithfully while learning and accurately relaying his secrets to Asmodeus, which greatly pleased him. [234][235], Even after the Reckoning, the archdevils continued to experience upheavals. Some actively rejected infernal politics and others aligned themselves with opposing fiendish factions (enough to lend some weight to the suspicion that they were all fiend worshipers). So, if youre up for the challenge, beyond just running a god with the foremost tactical mind in the multiverse, I would like to suggest one more thing. However, the origin myth which appears in v.3.5's Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells contradicts this, where Asmodeus is a fallen angel and the original founder of the current, baatezu-dominated Nine Hells during the signing of the Pact Primeval. In areas hostile to lawful evil, temples were hidden in subterranean complexes and the nature of their god hidden to unproven initiates. I would potentially do a split character option. A comforting thought, I imagine, for those seeking redemption, but, I tell you, put such thoughts from your mind. The downside is that it only has 2 slots (until very high level). These two gods sought to create order within the multiverse, eventually biting each others tails and forming a circle that bordered the first plane, the neutral plane of the Outlands. As demonic and devilish forces reformed and left their plane to explore the wider multiverse, they inevitably made first contact with each other and broke out into instant battling over their differences. [71][74], Asmodeus came to the conclusion long ago that the Blood War was, from a military standpoint, an utterly senseless and wasteful enterprise that consumed a huge amount of resources and killed millions of fiends, sometimes daily. If the gods were unwilling to see the unpleasant side of the law, he would take his followers and create a perfect Hell in which to enact the torment without them having to see it to the empty land that would later be Baator. A cleric of Asmodeus might see themselves as a champion of what is Right, much like a cleric of, say, Pelor might see themselves as a champion of what is Good. [85], On Toril in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, a warlock coven known as the Toril thirteen performed a ritual that cursed most tiefling lineagesthose of demons, devils, hags, and rakshasas, among otherswith the "blood of Asmodeus", changing their original lineage to that of the archdevil himself. Additionally, Asmodeus can hold concentration for up to three spells at a time. If allowed in socieites predominantly of other alignments they openly followed him but kept their true natures and activities secret. 3e This was all designed perfectly by Asmodeus, whose strategic mind is unmatched. [3] The most elaborated of these descents and ascents boiled down to three primary origin stories: Jazirian and Ahriman forming the Outer Planes. Hey y'all. Souls who died in this state did not become normal petitioners, instead reforming in Nessus regardless of alignment to be excruciatingly consumed by Asmodeus until, fully aware the whole time, every bit of their true essence was obliterated. [30] However, though he could seem generous, the quickly offered rewards of the archdevil were given to those willing to sign away their souls, after which they would suffer as a pawn in his dark designs. [200] In some legends Asmodeus was once a deity of the goodly realms himself, maybe even of greater status, exiled from Celestia or perhaps Elysium. The non-canonical article "The Politics of Hell" in The Dragon #28 by Alexander von Thorn details the history and politics of Hell, giving a different history to that detailed above and connecting closely to real-world myth and history. [32] More than any of these however, Asmodeus was dedicated to obtaining absolute authority for himself, and if necessary, was willing to break every law in existence to do it. Maximize Wisdome for DnD 5e's Grave Domain Cleric Wisdom is the dominant stat for all Cleric abilities, meaning it determines their spell-casting modifier and spell save DC. [71][72], That war had long faded into ancient history, the greater conflict deescalating into an uneasy truce between opposing philosophies, but peace was not in the nature of all planar beings. Tiefling 5e Subraces Bloodline of Asmodeus. Physically, it was impossible to hurt him with anything less than +4 enchanted weapons, [29] and even if injured the wounds immediately heal unless it was holy or otherwise blessed. Alignment In that time, it could be approached by devils offering a new life as a devil. In their minds, their exposure to celestial powers amounted to little more than brainwashing. I like to encourage people to do anything they want to do in D&D. Asmodeus could never have too many actions and should realistically be able to do anything.