Barbed Devil (5.5e Species)
This is a revised version of Barbed Devil (5e Race) for use with the 2024 revision of the Player's Handbook.
Barbed Devil[edit]
A barbed devil is a malevolent fiend covered in sharp spines, serving as cunning and sadistic enforcers in the infernal hierarchy of the Nine Hells.
Barbed Devils have horny, barbed hands and horrid tails. They are bristling with spikes, some of which are adorned with trophies from past victims. They have fangs, tails with a serrated tip, and eyes with a fiery glimmer. Most barbed devils stand upward of 7 feet tall and weigh 300 pounds, though their muscled bodies appear much larger due to the constantly growing and adjusting spines that protrude from their razor-sharp bodies.
An adventuring barbed devil will, of course, be shunned by civilized communities, and good-aligned adventurers must exercise self-control over their intrinsic sadism. Most Barbed Devils have an appreciation for bureaucracy and will honour contracts: they will be loyal to any adventuring party they have an agreement with. Barbed devils are collectors and organizers, and are favored allies of greedy summoners as they often bring with them tempting treasures from Hell's vaults or know the paths to deadly riches. Left to their own devices, the lairs of these devils often bear the pierced trophies of their past victims, hung like perverse bug collections on bloodied walls.
Infernal Guardians[edit]
Both loyal to their masters and usually restricted to Hell, some justification is needed for an adventuring Barbed Devil.
Tasked with guarding the vaults of their masters, a Barbed Devil may be released into the material plane to track down a stolen treasure or prisoner. Normally, a barbed devil would be keen on returning to Hell as soon as possible. If an individual devil particularly resents his master or finds the life of exploration on the material plane too alluring, this task might be delayed and eventually ignored. Of course, such aberrant disloyalty will grant the adventurer a powerful enemy.
Barbed devils can patrol or guard any location without boredom or distraction, but will welcome any chance to fight when victory promises a reward.
Barbed Devil Traits[edit]
Creature Type: Fiend
Size: Medium (about 6–8 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Fire Resistance. You have Resistance to Fire damage.
Barbs and Claws. You can make unarmed strikes with a claw. When you hit with it, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.. Furthermore, at the start of your turn you deal 5 (1d10) piercing damage to any creature grappling you.
Hurl Flame. You can use your action to hurl a ball of flame. This is a ranged spell attack that deals 1d10 fire damage with a range of 90 feet. If the target is a flammable object that isn't being worn or carried, it also catches fire. The attack bonus is your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. The damage increases to 2d10 at 5th level, 3d10 at 11th level, and 4d10 at 16th level.
Vault Guardian. You gain a +5 bonus to your passive Perception when you are guarding a particular location.
Barbed Devil Classes[edit]
When you create your barbed devil character, or when you gain a level, you can take a level in the one of the following classes instead of a normal class. Levels in these class can only be taken by a barbed devil.
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