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Meladaemon, Harbinger of Famine’s Hunger

Meet the 12-foot jackal-headed nightmare that turns bountiful lands into desolate wastelands with a hunger that kills slowly!

Meladaemon
Create

The Meladaemon is a grotesque and imposing figure, standing roughly 12 feet tall with a gaunt, almost skeletal humanoid frame that speaks of decay and malnutrition. Its most striking feature is a twisted jackal head—elongated snout, razor-sharp teeth, and sunken, malevolent eyes that glow with an unholy hunger—all hinting at its supernatural origin.

Behaviour:
A solitary and arrogant fiend, the Meladaemon exudes a chilling indifference toward all living things except its dark master. It approaches its grim work with a disturbingly methodical precision, delighting in the slow, agonizing demise of its victims. This creature treats starvation and thirst as a perverse art form, often engaging in cruel experiments on mortal frailties to extend suffering.

Habitat:
Typically found in lands that were once fertile and thriving, the Meladaemon now haunts regions turned to barren wastelands. Its presence is most prevalent in vast, desolated farmlands and pastoral areas where crops have withered and livestock have been decimated, environments corrupted by its unholy influence that further feeds its dark powers.

Modus Operandi:
The Meladaemon employs a systematic strategy of devastation. It ravages entire fields, decimates livestock populations, and drains the life from the very soil. In its wake, it leaves an expanse of ruined, desolate terrain where the promise of sustenance is nothing but a memory. Beyond physical destruction, it inflicts subtle, lingering torments—experimenting with the inherent weaknesses of mortals to intensify the effects of starvation and thirst, all while harvesting the souls of those who succumb.

Motivation:
Driven by an unyielding devotion to the Horseman of Famine, the Meladaemon’s sole purpose is to spread desolation and despair. It views every act of inducing starvation and extinguishing life as a sacred duty, ensuring that the cycle of decay and hunger continues unabated. Each soul harvested and every life extinguished serves as both tribute to its dark master and a step toward fulfilling a broader, sinister agenda of universal famine.

  • Meladaemon 5e
  • Meladaemon Pathfinder

Meladaemon

Meladaemon
Create

Large Fiend (Daemon), Neutral Evil

Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d10 + 80)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)

Abilities

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
22 (+6)22 (+6)21 (+5)21 (+5)17 (+3)18 (+4)

Saving Throws

Dex +10, Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +8

Skills

Bluff +9, Perception +10, Intimidation +8, Religion +10, Stealth +9, Survival +9

Damage Resistances

Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities

Acid, Poison

Condition Immunities

Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned

Senses

Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 20

Languages

Abyssal, Infernal, Draconic, Telepathy 100 ft.

Innate Spellcasting.

The Meladaemon’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

  • Constant: Detect Good, Detect Magic, Fly, See Invisibility
  • At will: Fear (DC 16), Darkness, Greater Teleport (self + 50 lbs. of objects only)
  • 3/day each: Blight (DC 17), Diminish Plants, Quickened Magic Missile (DC 15)
  • 1/day each: Horrid Wilting (DC 20), Waves of Fatigue

Magic Resistance.

The Meladaemon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Consumptive Aura. (20-ft. radius, DC 17 Fortitude Save)

Creatures that start their turn within 20 feet of the Meladaemon must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d6 nonlethal damage and become fatigued from extreme hunger for 1 minute. Fatigued creatures have disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks, and their speed is reduced by 10 feet. This condition stacks, worsening to exhaustion (level 1) if a creature fails the save three times.

  • Creatures immune to exhaustion or that do not need to eat are unaffected.

Disease – Daemonic Wasting. (Bite, DC 17 Constitution Save)

A creature struck by the Meladaemon’s Bite attack must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be infected with Daemonic Wasting, an insidious disease that causes extreme physical deterioration.

  • Onset: 24 hours
  • Frequency: 1/day
  • Effect: The target takes 1d4 Constitution and 1d4 Charisma damage. This lasts until the disease is cured. A creature reduced to 0 Charisma suffers permanent madness.
  • Cure: The disease ends after two consecutive successful saves.

Hunger. (Claw Attack – Supernatural Effect)

A creature struck by the Meladaemon’s Claws suffers an additional 1d6 nonlethal damage as they experience agonizing starvation. Creatures that do not need to eat are immune.

Actions

Multiattack.

The Meladaemon makes three attacks: one with its Bite, and two with its Claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

  • Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or contract Daemonic Wasting.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.

  • Hit: 16 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 5 (1d6) nonlethal hunger damage.

Plague of Famine (Recharge 5–6).

The Meladaemon lets out a dreadful cry, summoning a 30-foot radius aura of famine for 1 minute. Within this area:

  • All food and drink instantly spoils.
  • Creatures that eat or drink suffer poisoned condition for 1 hour.
  • Any creature that begins its turn within the area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 4d6 necrotic damage and suffer one level of exhaustion.

Legendary Actions (Optional, for a Greater Meladaemon)

The Meladaemon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

  • Soul Drain. One creature within 30 feet must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw or take 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, healing the Meladaemon for the same amount.
  • Hunger’s Torment. The Meladaemon curses a creature within 60 feet. The target must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be unable to regain hit points for 1 minute.
  • Shadow Step (Costs 2 Actions). The Meladaemon teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Combat Tactics

Tactical Priorities:

  1. Weaken Foes: It activates Consumptive Aura and spreads Hunger with Claw attacks, reducing mobility and resilience.
  2. Control the Battlefield: It uses Plague of Famine to create a hunger-stricken death zone.
  3. Assassinate Key Targets: It prioritizes casters and healers, using Bite to infect them with Daemonic Wasting, shutting them down over time.
  4. Wear Down Survivors: If its enemies survive, it uses Hunger’s Torment to prevent healing and Soul Drain to sustain itself.

Escape Strategy:

If reduced to below 50% HP, the Meladaemon will use Greater Teleport to retreat and regroup, returning when its foes are weak.

Lair Actions (Optional, for a Greater Meladaemon)

If the Meladaemon is encountered in its accursed domain, it may invoke the following effects at initiative count 20 (losing ties):

  • The land withers. All nonmagical food and water within 300 feet instantly rots.
  • Blight spreads. One creature within 60 feet must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or suffer 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and be poisoned for 1 minute.
  • Phantom Starvation. All creatures within 120 feet suffer an illusory hunger, giving them disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of the next round.

CR 11 (12,800 XP)

Meladaemon

Meladaemon
Create

This foul creature looks like an emaciated humanoid with the head of a jackal.

Originally posted on Pathfinder SRD

As personifications of death from starvation and thirst, these withered fiends spend their time destroying resources and spreading hunger. Deacons of the Horseman of Famine, these creatures visit worlds throughout the planes, destroying acres of crops and slaughtering livestock in order to harvest souls for their honored master.

Meladaemons delight in the slow death of starvation, going so far as to experiment with various bodily deficiencies and mortal weaknesses. Arrogant and utterly bound to their patron, meladaemons rarely work with others of their kind and never serve any of the other three Horsemen except in the rarest of circumstances. Meladaemons stand approximately 12 feet tall and weigh 350 pounds.

Meladaemon CR 11
XP 12,800

NE Large outsider (daemon, evil, extraplanar)

Init +6; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., detect good, detect magic; Perception +20
Aura consumptive aura (20 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 19 (+6 Dexterity, +10 natural, –1 size)

hp 147 (14d10+70)

Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +14
DR 10/good; Immune acid, critical hits, death effects, disease, poison, sneak attack;
Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 22
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., Fly 60 ft. (average)

Melee bite +20 (2d8+6/19–20 plus disease), 2 claws +19 (2d6+6 plus hunger)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; Concentration +15)

Constant – detect good, detect magic, fly, see invisibility

At will – fear (DC 15), deeper darkness, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only)  

3/day – blight (DC 18), diminish plants, quickened magic missile

1/day – horrid wilting (DC 22), waves of fatigue
STATISTICS
Strength 22, Dexterity 22, Constitution 21, Intelligence 21, Wisdom 17, Charisma 18

Base Atk +14; CMB +19; CMD 35

Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved critical (bite), Iron Will, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (magic missile), Weapon Focus (bite)

Skills Bluff +21, Fly +19, Heal +11, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (planes) +22, Knowledge (religion) +22, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +22, Stealth +19, Survival +20, Use Magic Device +14

Languages Abyssal, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.
ECOLOGY
Environment any (Abaddon)

Organization solitary, pack (2-5), or cabal (6-12)

Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Consumptive Aura (Su)  

A meladaemon radiates an aura of hunger to a radius of 20 feet. Every round a creature begins its turn within this aura, it must succeed on a DC 23 Fortitude save or take 1d6 nonlethal damage and become fatigued from extreme hunger. Creatures that do not need to eat are immune to this effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.
 
Disease (Ex)
 
Daemonic wasting: Bite – injury; save Fort DC 23; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect1d4 Constitution and 1d4 Charisma damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
 
Hunger (Su)

A meladaemon’s claw attack deals an additional 1d6 points of nonlethal damage as it causes sudden pangs of horrific hunger in its foe. Creatures that do not need to eat are immune to this effect.

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