Book of Vile Darkness (sourcebook)

This article is about the sourcebook. For the artifact, see Book of Vile Darkness.

Cover of the Book of Vile Darkness.
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Book of Vile Darkness
Basic Information
Author(s)	Monte Cook
Editor(s)	David Noonan, Penny Williams
Publisher	Wizards of the Coast
Type	Accessory
Cover Artist(s)	Henry Higginbotham
Game Edition	3rd
Binding	Hardcover
Released	October 2002
Pages	192
Link to citation	[cite this]

Book of Vile Darkness is an accessory for 3^rd-edition of Dungeons & Dragons^®.

“

"Only the most indomitable minds dare to look upon the malevolent thoughts and forbidden secrets bound herein. This corrupt tome is filled with deplorable wisdom, malignant ideas, and descriptions of creatures, rites, and practices most foul. Evil permeates every word and image inscribed within it."

— Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead

This sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons game is intended for mature audiences and provides a Dungeon Master with unflinching access to subject matter that will broaden any campaign. Included in a detailed look at the nature of evil and the complex challenge of confronting the many dilemmas found within its deepest shadows. Along with wicked spells, wondrous items, and artifacts, Book of Vile Darkness also provides descriptions and statistics for a host of abominable monsters, archdevils, and demon princes to pit against the noblest of heroes.

”

Description

The Book of Vile Darkness introduced several new mechanics relating to evil, including rules for drug use, demonic possession, torture, and ritual sacrifice. It introduced 18 new prestige classes and also included new spells, feats, and magic items. Some, including corrupt spells and vile feats, introduced new mechanics supporting evil characters. Also included were several of the archdevils and demon lords, such as Asmodeus and Orcus, updated for the third edition.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: The Nature of Evil
• Chapter 2: Variant Rules
• Chapter 3: Evil Equipment
• Chapter 4: Feats
• Chapter 5: Prestige Classes
• Chapter 6: Magic
• Chapter 7: Lords of Evil
• Chapter 8: Evil Monsters
• Appendix: Evil PCs

Index

Characters

Asmodeus • Baalzebul • Bel • Belial • Demogorgon • Dispater • Dread Emperor • Fierna • Glasya • Graz'zt • Hag Countess • Juiblex • Lahm • Levistus • Mammon • Mephistopheles • Orcus • Taetra Featherfall • Yeenoghu • Zophas
Referenced only
Alzrius • Baphomet • Eldanoth • Fraz-Urb'luu • Kostchtchie • Lissa'aere • Lupercio • Lynkhab • Shurrin • Verin • Vucarik

Creatures

babau • barlgura • chasme • eye of fear and flame • ghargatula • jerren • kocrachon • mane • rutterkin • shadowchild • shadow demon • soul larva • vashar
Referenced only
achaierai • bugbear • cornugon • chromatic dragon • destrachan • drow • duergar • gelugon • gray ooze • half-fiend • harpy • kobold • lammasu • kocrachon • lamia • lycanthrope • manticore • metallic dragon • night hag • ochre jellysphinx • unicorn • vrock • worg • yuan-ti • yugoloth

Locations

Minauros (city)
Referenced only
Daerthane

Magic

Divine Domains

Bestial domain • Corruption domain • Darkness domain • Demonic domain • Diabolic domain • Greed domain • Pain domain

Items

Ruby Rod of Asmodeus • Wand of Orcus

Spells

apocalypse from the sky • claws of the savage • devil's ego • devil's eye • devil's tail • devil's tongue • fiendish quickening • fireball • hellfire (spell) • hellfire storm • Lahm's finger darts • masochism • mass charm • meteor swarm • sadism • seething eyebane

Religions

Erythnul • Karaan • Lolth • Rallaster • The Patient One • Scahrossar • Vecna • The Xammux • Yeathan
Referenced only
Olidammara • Pelor

Miscellaneous

Classes

demonologist • diabolist • lifedrinker • ur-priest

Events

Blood War

Items

branding iron • coffin • iron maiden • nail • needle • pillory • rope • scalpel • thumbscrew • torture rack • trap

Materials & Substances

agony (substance) • demon blood • holy water • lead • poison • wax

Languages

Abyssal • Aquan • Auran • Celestial • Common • Dark Speech • Draconic • Dwarven • Elven • Giant • Goblin • Halfling • Ignan • Infernal • Sylvan • Undercommon

Credits

• Developer: Bruce R. Cordell
• Editors: David Noonan, Penny Williams
• Managing Editor: Kim Mohan
• Creative Director: Ed Stark
• RPG Category Manager: Anthony Valterra
• Vice President of RPG R&D: Bill Slavicsek
• Vice President of Publishing: Mary Kirchoff
• Project Manager: Martin Durham
• Production Manager: Chas DeLong
• Art Director: Dawn Murin
• Cover Art: Henry Higgenbotham
• Interior Artists: Daren Bader, Thomas Baxa, Matt Cavotta, Brian Despain, Jeff Easley, Scott Fischer, Lars Grant-West, Quinton Hoover, Jeremy Jarvis, Raven Mimura, Vinod Rams, Wayne Reynolds, David Roach, Richard Sardinha, Brian Snoddy, Arnie Swekel, Anthony Waters
• Graphic Designers: Robert Campbell, Cynthia Fliege, Sean Glenn, Sherry Floyd

Appendix

Gallery

Promotional wallpaper 1

Promotional wallpaper 2

Promotional wallpaper 3

External links

• Book of Vile Darkness Art Gallery. Wizards of the Coast. (2003-01-26). Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved on 2020-03-27.
• Excerpts: Book of Vile Darkness (HTML). Excerpts Archive. Wizards of the Coast. (2003-03-02). Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2021-10-21.
• Monte Cook (2003-01-17). Even More Archfiends! A Web Enhancement for the Book of Vile Darkness (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2003-08-02. Retrieved on 14-08-2018.
• Dungeon Masters Guild product page