Buy me a coffeeArcanadaemon: The Harbinger of Forbidden Knowledge
“Meet the Arcanadaemon: A ruthless jackal-headed sorcerer ruling the Lower Planes with dark magic, deadly psionics, and a thirst for power!”
The Arcanadaemon is a towering, fearsome creature, draped in flowing robes of dark crimson or black that swirl with an eerie energy. Its humanoid form exudes an unnatural grace, while its head, resembling a fanged jackal or war dog, features cold, calculating eyes and ivory-white horns that jut from its skull, gleaming against the darkness. Its clawed hands are sharp and unnaturally long, ready to rend flesh or summon dark magic with a flicker of thought. An aura of shadowy power surrounds it, hinting at both intelligence and malice.
Behavior
Arcanadaemons are highly intelligent and coldly manipulative, considering themselves far above lesser beings in both intellect and strength. They prefer subtlety over brute force, using magic and diplomacy to influence those around them. While not quick to anger, they are vicious when their pride is wounded, responding with calculated vengeance. They view life as a chess game, every move carefully measured to maximize their power and secure their influence in the Lower Planes.
Habitat
Arcanadaemons rule from isolated baronies scattered across the Lower Planes, dwelling in foreboding red-iron fortresses surrounded by hellish landscapes of twisted rock, sulfuric swamps, and seas of fire. Their fortresses are impregnable strongholds, filled with magical wards and traps to deter would-be invaders. Each fortress is both a seat of power and a repository of forbidden knowledge, where the arcanadaemon conducts experiments and collects powerful artifacts.
Modus Operandi
An arcanadaemon operates from behind the scenes, manipulating events from the safety of its fortress. When it acts directly, it uses powerful spells and psionics to intimidate or coerce, weaving illusions to confuse enemies and bending weaker minds to its will. It employs teleportation and invisibility to strike or vanish in an instant, using summoned daemons as frontline fighters or pawns. Rarely seen in direct combat, it relies on mental and magical attacks, reserving its monstrous claws, bite, and gore for those unfortunate enough to get close.
Motivation
Driven by a hunger for knowledge and dominance, the arcanadaemon seeks to amass arcane power and control over others. Its motives are typically self-serving, focused on expanding its dominion and securing more powerful magic. It views other beings, even other fiends, as mere tools or obstacles on its path to ultimate supremacy, making it a dangerous adversary and an untrustworthy ally, guided by nothing but its own ruthless ambitions.
Arcanadaemon 5e
Arcanadaemon 3.5
Arcanadaemon
Medium Fiend (Daemon), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 210 (20d8 + 120)
- Speed 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (+6) | 14 (+2) | 22 (+6) | 20 (+5) | 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Con +12, Wis +10, Cha +10
Skills Arcana +11, Intimidation +10, Perception +10
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
Damage Immunities acid, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Abyssal, Infernal, Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
Magic Resistance. The arcanadaemon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The arcanadaemon’s weapon attacks are magical.
Daemon Nature. The arcanadaemon does not require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Actions
Multiattack. The arcanadaemon makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its bite or gore.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage.
Spellcasting.
The arcanadaemon is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): mage hand, minor illusion, thaumaturgy
- 1st level (4 slots): shield, magic missile, detect magic
- 2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, misty step
- 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fear
- 4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, phantasmal killer
- 5th level (2 slots): dominate person, wall of force
- 6th level (1 slot): harm
- 7th level (1 slot): plane shift (self only)
Summon Daemon (1/Day).
The arcanadaemon can magically summon one mezzodaemon, nycadaemon, or another arcanadaemon, which appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet. The summoned daemon disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or after 1 hour.
Legendary Actions
The arcanadaemon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and it can only be used at the end of another creature’s turn. The arcanadaemon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Teleport. The arcanadaemon magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 40 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
- Arcane Strike. The arcanadaemon makes one claw attack with a +2 bonus to hit.
- Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The arcanadaemon casts one spell of 3rd level or lower from its prepared spells.
Reactions
Hellish Rebuke (3/Day). When the arcanadaemon takes damage from a creature within 60 feet that it can see, it can use its reaction to cast hellish rebuke (as a 4th-level spell; 6d10 fire damage, save DC 19).
Tactics
The arcanadaemon opens with powerful illusions and crowd-control spells like fear or phantasmal killer, aiming to disrupt its foes and divide groups. It prefers to fight at range, casting greater invisibility or mirror image for protection, and using wall of force to isolate opponents.
In close combat, it leverages its Multiattack to deal heavy melee damage and can use Teleport to remain elusive. When seriously threatened, the arcanadaemon may use plane shift to escape or summon daemon to bring allies onto the field. Its legendary actions allow it to react quickly, maintaining a strong presence with Arcane Strike or an unexpected Teleport to outmaneuver its foes.
Arcanadaemon
Arcanadaemons are the most civilized of the daemons, as well as being the most powerful. They rule small baronies scattered across the Lower Planes from their red-iron forts.
First appeared in the Monster Manual II (Gary Gygax, 1983) and converted by Scott Greene.
In the book of Daemons
The Arcanadaemon is a formidable fiend that embodies both intellect and malevolence. Standing roughly 10 feet tall, it possesses a jackal-like head with razor-sharp fangs and piercing fiery orange eyes. Twisted ivory horns spiral from its skull, each emanating a faint glow of dark energy. Its ashen skin resembles rough stone, veined with pulsing red energy that hints at its arcane power.
Cloaked in tattered robes of deep crimson and black, the Arcanadaemon channels dark magic and commands respect in its domain. It is often found in ancient, shadowy chambers filled with forbidden tomes and arcane artifacts, summoning twisting symbols of magic that dance in the air around it.
| Arcanadaemon (Daemon) | |
| Medium-Size outsider (Evil) | |
| Hit Dice | 12d8+65 (119 hp) |
| Initiative | +5 (+1 Dexterity, +4 Improved Initiative) |
| Speed | 40 ft |
| AC | 29 (+1 Dexterity, +18 natural) |
| Attacks | 2 claws +18 melee, bite +16 melee, gore +16 melee |
| Damage | Claw 1d4+6, bite 2d6+3, gore 1d6+3 |
| Face/Reach | 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft |
| Special Attacks | Psionics, spell-like abilities, spells, summon daemons |
| Special Qualities | Damage reduction 20/+2, SR 26, daemon qualities, telepathy, Darkvision 60 ft |
| Saves | Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +13 |
| Abilities | Strength 23, Dexterity 13, Constitution 21, Intelligence 21, Wisdom 20, Charisma 17 |
| Skills | Bluff +17, Concentration +20, Diplomacy +16, Hide +10, Jump +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +19, Listen +20, Move Silently +15, Search +17, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +20, Spot +20 |
| Feats | Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack |
| Climate/Terrain | Any land and underground |
| Organization | Solitary or gang (2-3) |
| Challenge Rating | 14 |
| Treasure | Standard |
| Alignment | Always neutral evil |
| Advancement | 13-25 HD (Medium-size); 26-36 HD (Large) |
COMBAT
The arcanadaemon attacks using its spells, psionics, and spell-like abilities. In melee combat it utilizes its claws, bite, and horns.
Spell-Like Abilities:
At willalter self, charm person, contagion, deeper darkness, fly, invisibility, see invisible, silent image, and teleport without error (self plus 50 pounds of objects only);
1/dayfear and shapechange. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 15th-level sorcerer (save DC 13 + spell level).
Psionics (Sp): At will – detect good, detect evil, detect thoughts, feather fall, and hypnotism.
These abilities are as the spells cast by a 10th-level sorcerer (save DC 13 + spell level).
Spells: Arcanadaemons can replicate spells as 12th-level sorcerers (save DC 13 + spell level).
Summon Daemons (Sp): Once per day an arcanadaemon can automatically summon two piscodaemons or hydrodaemons or one mezzodaemon, nycadaemon, or another arcanadaemon.
Daemon Qualities (Ex): Immune to poison and Paralysis, immune to mind-influencing effects; acid, cold, and fire resistance 20.
Telepathy (Su): Daemons can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.