War devils, sometimes called malebranches[4] (pronounced: /ˈmælʌbrɑːntʃɑː/ MÆL-u-bran-cha[5] or: /ˈmælɛbrɑːntʃɑː/ MÆL-eh-bran-cha[5])―not to be confused with another type of devil with the same name[note 1]―were aggressive baatezu that served as captains and champions of the Nine Hells.[3] Scholars were inconsistent in reporting the rank and caste of these devils.[note 2] Sometimes they were claimed to be at the same rank as both bone devils and orthons.[6] Sometimes they were called lesser baatezu,[7] sometimes greater.[6]
Description[]
Because war devils were made from other devils their size was dependent on their original form, with most standing 22 ft (6.7 m) tall and weighing 10 tons (9,100 kg), and the largest among them standing over 60 ft (18 m) and weighing 125 tons (113,000 kg).[3] They had enormous, muscular bodies with black, leathery hides, and powerful wings. They had a pair of huge, slightly curved horns, undershot jaws filled with sharp teeth and bestial eyes that glimmered in various shades of red.[3][2]
Personality[]
War devils were bullies that enjoyed tormenting smaller creatures but cowered at anyone stronger than themselves. They were almost fanatically devoted to greater devils such as pit fiends and archdevils, obeying even their humiliating or suicidal commands and taking orders from no one else. Despite their overtly brutish appearance and demeanor and lacking intelligence relative to their station, war devils were clever, capable leaders and resourceful tacticians.[2][3][1]
Abilities[]
War devils possessed a horrifying strength they could utilize even if unarmed, using their wicked claws to tear foes limb from limb. They exuded an aura of fear that sent non-baatezu running in terror.[3]
Combat[]
The weapons war devils most commonly favored were tridents and ranseurs made of cold iron. They usually charged into combat by silently approaching their foes from the air in order to attack them by surprise. They were excellent in aerial maneuvering, capable both of hovering in the air and turning on tight corners. Once engaged with their opponents they relied on brute strength rather than finesse, striking with their claws if their opponents came too close for their reach weapons to be useful.[3][2]
Society[]
War devils would reside anywhere within Baator but were most common on Avernus and Dis. They preferred to gang up with other members of their kind in groups of three or four and could be found loitering throughout Hell when not working. They were most common on Avernus as it allowed them to opportunity to slaughter the infinite hordes of demons that invaded Hell, along with the occasional celestial forces.[3] Under the command of more intelligent greater devils, they served as the enforcers, disciplinarians and warriors of Hell.[2] Individuals served as guardians and protected lairs or valuables while pairs worked as bodyguards and bouncers. Because of their relatively higher intelligence, amnizu favored war devil guards as opposed to barbazu defenders.[3] Under the command of pit fiends or archdevils, war devils were given control of lesser devil legions in order to eliminate those their masters needed destroyed.[1]
The loyalty of war devils was a side-effect caused by the brutal abuse and torment they went through in order to increase their pain resistance. It was for this reason that they begrudgingly followed degrading commands such as being used as steeds for other baatezu. While mistreated, they still received rightfully high wages for their military service. They did not enter pacts that normally allowed baatezu to summon others of their kind, and when they did often refused to put others in their debt.[3]
Among mortals, war devils were the most frequently summoned of the greater devils, called by cruel tyrants to serve as the generals for their armies.[1] Though they only spoke the Infernal language, they understood Common, particularly words for orders and curses.[2]
Notable War Devils[]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ In 1st edition D&D, horned devils were called "malebranche", an Italian word that can be translated as "evil horns" or "evil claws", and they were depicted as bearing either military forks or spiked chains. In 2nd edition, horned devils were now called "cornugons" and except for no longer being described with military forks, they were nearly identical in all other respects. With the coming of 3rd edition, however, cornugons and malebranche were two distinct creatures, the former a greater devil and the latter a lesser devil. The malebranche now appeared with military forks and were larger creatures, and they did not have the other powers and abilities described for the cornugons. 4th edition seems to have ignored cornugons and only has malebranche, which it calls "war devils" and never "horned devils". It used identical art as drawn for one of the 3rd-edition malebranche. These devils carry tridents but are no longer huge devils. Finally, 5th edition seems to have merged the two kinds of devils again, calling horned devils "malebranche".
- ↑ The rank and caste of many baatezu given in the Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells conflict with a multitude of early sourcebooks and is not even self-consistent.
For example, on p. 10, an erinyes is called a lesser devil, yet on p. 158, it is called a greater devil, and the descriptions throughout the book sometimes imply both stations.
An even more telling example is the orthon, which has two separate listings in the Devils by CR table on p. 158. (It is not the only devil with two listings either.) An orthon is said on p. 10 to be the same rank as a bone devil, and both are listed as greater devils on that page, yet on p. 158, in the alphabetical listing of devils, an orthon is lesser, while a bone devil is greater. Malebranches, too, are said to be the same rank as both orthons and bone devils (p. 10), yet in the Society section for their entry on p. 125, they are said to serve the greater baatezu, not be a part of them, and the alphabetical list on p. 158 calls them lesser devils. The table on p. 10 also says that malebranches can only be formed through demotion, yet the Ecology section on p. 125 says that they can be formed from elevation.
The text reads on p. 9 that the Infernal Advancement Path table on p. 10 does not include every kind of devil but is meant "to give an idea of the basic rank structure." For this reason, and because of all the inconsistencies, this wiki will generally prioritize information from 1st and 2nd edition over 3rd edition when describing the rank and caste of baatezu. (This differs from our usual policy and only pertains to the issue of baatezu caste and rank.)
Appearances[]
- Novels
- Bloodwalk
- Brimstone Angels (mentioned only)
- Neverwinter
- Unholy
- Video Games
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Ed Bonny, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter (September 2002). Monster Manual II 3rd edition. (TSR, Inc), pp. 67–69. ISBN 07-8692-873-5.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 124–125. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 28.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 158. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (October 4, 2011). Neverwinter. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 89–91. ISBN 0786958421.
Connections[]
Least: Lemure • Nupperibo • Spinagon
Lesser: Abishai (Black • Blue • Green • Red • White) • Barbazu • Bueroza • Erinyes • Excruciarch • Falxugon • Ghargatula • Hamatula (Stony devil) • Kocrachon • Merregon • Osyluth • War devil • Xerfilstyx
Greater: Amnizu • Brachina • Cornugon • Gelugon • Logokron • Narzugon • Orthon • Paeliryon • Pit fiend
Baatezu of unknown rank: Advespa • Ayperobos • Dogai • Gulthir • Jerul • Remmanon
Araton • Burning devil • Fimbrul devil • Hellcat • Hellwasp • Imp (Bloodbag • Book • Euphoric • Filth) • Indwelling devil • Infernal armor animus • Kalabon • Kyton • Misfortune devil • Seared devil • Shocktroop devil • Soulrider devil • Stitched devil • Succubus • Tar devil • Vizier devil • Withering devil • Warder devil