Hades — King of the Underworld, God of the Dead and Hidden Wealth

Hades, Greater Deity — Medium Celestial, Lawful Neutral; suggested CR 34.

Saving Throws Con +19, Int +18, Wis +19, Cha +19. Damage Resistances cold, psychic. Damage Immunities necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks. Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned. Senses truesight 300 ft., passive Perception 29. Languages all languages he chooses, telepathy 300 ft.

Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Hades fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

King Below. Undead and unbound souls within 120 feet cannot willingly disobey a direct command from Hades unless they succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw. This does not force a soul to reveal secrets protected by a deity of equal or greater rank.

Law of the Dead. A creature that dies within 300 feet cannot be transformed into Undead, have its soul trapped or be returned to life without Hades immediately knowing. He may suppress such an effect if its source is non-divine.

Multiattack. Hades makes three Ebon Sceptre attacks: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft.; 31 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning plus 27 (6d8) necrotic damage.

Open the Gates Below (Recharge 5–6). Hades opens a black gate at a point within 180 feet. Creatures in a 60-foot-radius sphere make a DC 27 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 66 (12d10) necrotic damage, is pulled up to 40 feet toward the gate and cannot teleport until the end of its next turn. On a success, it takes half damage and is not moved.

Helm of Unseen Kingship (1/Day). For 1 minute Hades becomes Invisible even to creatures with ordinary truesight; a deity of equal or greater rank can perceive him normally. The invisibility ends for a creature until the start of Hades’s next turn when he damages that creature.

Mythic Trait — The Dead Still Belong to the King. The first time Hades is reduced to 0 hit points, he instead regains 370 hit points. Every corpse and unbound spirit within 300 feet becomes still and silent, hostile Undead are turned until the end of their next turn, and Hades immediately uses Open the Gates Below.

Hades, King of the Dead

Medium celestial (deity), lawful neutral

Armor Class 28 (Ebon Regalia) · Hit Points 725 (50d8 + 500) · Speed 50 ft.

Saving Throws Con +20, Int +19, Wis +20, Cha +20. Skills Arcana +19, Insight +20, Perception +20, Religion +19. Damage Resistances cold, psychic. Damage Immunities necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks. Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned. Senses truesight 300 ft., passive Perception 30. Languages all; telepathy 300 ft. Challenge 34 (greater-deity-scale custom). Proficiency Bonus +10.

Traits

King Below. Undead and unbound souls within 120 feet must succeed on a DC 28 Wisdom saving throw to disregard a direct command from Hades. A deity of equal or greater rank can shield a soul from this command.

Law of the Dead. Hades knows whenever a creature within 300 feet dies, returns to life, or is transformed into undead. He may prevent a non-divine effect of that kind within the area without using an action.

Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Hades fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. Hades has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Innate Spellcasting. Hades’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 28, +20 to hit). He needs no material components. At will: command, detect magic, gentle repose, speak with dead. 3/day each: blight, death ward, dispel magic, wall of stone. 1/day each: foresight, gate, imprisonment.

Actions

Multiattack. Hades makes three Ebon Sceptre attacks.

Ebon Sceptre. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 31 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning plus 27 (6d8) necrotic damage.

Open the Gates Below (Recharge 5–6). Creatures of Hades’s choice within a 60-foot-radius sphere centred on a gate he opens within 180 feet make a DC 28 Charisma saving throw. On a failure they take 66 (12d10) necrotic damage, are pulled up to 40 feet towards the gate, and cannot teleport until the end of their next turn. On a success they take half damage and are not moved.

Helm of Unseen Kingship (1/Day). Hades becomes invisible for 1 minute. This invisibility is not defeated by ordinary truesight; Hades becomes visible to a creature he damages until the start of his next turn.

Legendary Actions

Hades can take 3 legendary actions, one option at the end of another creature’s turn, regaining them at the start of his turn. Passage Beneath. Hades teleports up to 60 feet. Ebon Sceptre (Costs 2 Actions). Make one Ebon Sceptre attack. Edict of the Dead (Costs 3 Actions). One creature within 120 feet must make a DC 28 Charisma saving throw or be restrained by ghostly chains until the end of its next turn.

Divine Estate: The Gate of the Dead

At his throne or a consecrated underworld threshold, on initiative count 20 Hades may close a portal, call an unbound spirit to testify, or banish a lesser undead from his court. He may not repeat the same effect in consecutive rounds.

Cleric Domains and Spells

Death is available with the 2014 Dungeon Master’s Guide; Grave and Order are additional published domain options. A chthonic cleric may receive the following gifts: 1st false life, sanctuary; 3rd gentle repose, see invisibility; 5th speak with dead, spirit guardians; 7th death ward, divination; 9th commune, hallow.

Hades, King of the Dead CR 33/MR 10

XP original divine-scale encounter; LN Medium outsider (extraplanar, lawful, mythic); divine manifestation.

Init +11; Senses true seeing 300 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +53; Aura King Below (120 ft.).

Defense

AC 46, touch 27, flat-footed 39 (+7 Dex, +19 natural, +10 deflection); hp 620 (40d10+400); Fort +34, Ref +31, Will +34; DR 20/epic; Immune death effects, poison, fear; Resist cold 30, electricity 20; SR 43.

Offense

Speed 50 ft.; Melee +5 ebon heavy mace +54/+49/+44/+39 (1d8+14 bludgeoning plus 4d8 negative energy); Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; Special Attacks king below, underworld gate, law of the dead.

Spell-Like Abilities CL 33rd, concentration +43; Charisma-based save DC 20 + spell level. At will—deathwatch, gentle repose, speak with dead, stone shape; 3/day—death ward, greater dispel magic, wall of stone; 1/day—gate, imprisonment, miracle.

Statistics

Str 28, Dex 24, Con 30, Int 28, Wis 30, Cha 30; Base Atk +40; CMB +49; CMD 66; Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Counterspell, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Persistent Spell, Quicken Spell, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Penetration, Toughness, Weapon Focus (heavy mace); Skills Appraise +52, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +52, Knowledge (religion) +52, Perception +53, Sense Motive +53, Spellcraft +52; Languages all; SQ divine manifestation, mythic power 10/day (surge +1d12).

Special Abilities

King Below (Su). An undead creature or unbound spirit within 120 feet that receives a command from Hades must succeed on a DC 40 Will save or carry it out on its next turn, provided the command does not violate protection granted by an equal or greater deity. This is a mind-affecting compulsion where the target can be affected by such effects.

Law of the Dead (Su). Hades knows when a soul within 10 miles is trapped or an undead creature created. Within 300 feet, he can suppress a non-divine spell or ability that would animate a corpse, imprison a soul, or return the dead to life, as an immediate action; spell resistance does not grant powers over equal-ranked gods.

Hidden Wealth (Su). Hades senses gems, buried treasure and mineral wealth within 1 mile; he may use stone shape, move earth and wall of stone at will.

Underworld Gate (Su; 1/Day). As a standard action, Hades opens a gate joining his position to a named threshold of his own Underworld court. The gate remains for up to 1 minute; it does not give him ownership of every other deity’s realm.

Cleric Domains and Domain Spells

Domains: Death, Earth, Law, Repose, Wealth. Repose domain spells (levels 1–9): deathwatch, gentle repose, speak with dead, death ward, slay living, undeath to death, destruction, waves of exhaustion, wail of the banshee. These are domain spells for his clerics, not additional spell-like abilities.

Divine Realm and Regional Effects

In his own Underworld court, gates remain sealed to uninvited living visitors, buried treasures cannot be removed without his leave, and newly arrived spirits know which road leads to judgment. These effects express lawful chthonic sovereignty; his realm is not an Abyssal or infernal plane.

Hades, Lord of the Dead

Lawful Neutral Medium Outsider (extraplanar, lawful); Divine Rank 17 (greater deity); Portfolio the dead, Underworld law, burial, hidden wealth and chthonic sovereignty; Domains Death, Earth, Law; Favored Weapon heavy mace. Original divine-scale D&D 3.5e manifestation.

Combat Statistics

Hit Dice: 20d8 outsider + 20d8 cleric + 400 (720 hp; divine maximum per die). Initiative: +11 (+7 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative). Speed: 60 ft. Armor Class: 74 (+7 Dex, +30 natural, +10 deflection, +17 divine), touch 44, flat-footed 67. Base Attack/Grapple: +20 base, +10 epic attack / +56 grapple. Attack: +5 divine heavy mace +61 melee (1d8+31 bludgeoning). Full Attack: +5 divine heavy mace +61/+56/+51/+46 melee. Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: cleric spells, rebuke undead 13/day, King of Souls, Underworld Gate, salient divine abilities. Special Qualities: Divine Rank 17, divine aura, immortality, portfolio sense, remote sensing, godly realm, DR 30/epic, SR 49, immunity to poison, disease, death effects, energy drain, ability damage, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, polymorphing and petrification. Saves: Fort +51, Ref +48, Will +51 (base outsider save +12, epic save +10, ability modifier, +17 divine rank and relevant +2 save feats). Abilities: Str 28, Dex 24, Con 30, Int 28, Wis 30, Cha 30.

Skills: Appraise +69, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +69, Knowledge (religion) +69, Listen +70, Sense Motive +70, Spot +70 (43 ranks, appropriate modifier and +17 divine bonus for class skills); Feats: Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Quicken Spell, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Penetration, Toughness, plus appropriate epic feats; Languages: all.

Cleric Spellcasting

Cleric Spells Prepared: CL 20th; spell save DC 20 + spell level (Wisdom). Sample preparation: 0—detect magic, guidance, resistance; 1st—command, protection from chaos, sanctuary; 2nd—death knell, gentle repose, silence; 3rd—animate dead, dispel magic, speak with dead; 4th—death ward, dimensional anchor, restoration; 5th—raise dead, righteous might, true seeing; 6th—greater dispel magic, heal, word of recall; 7th—destruction, greater restoration, resurrection; 8th—greater planar ally, mass cure critical wounds, shield of law; 9th—gate, miracle, soul bind, true resurrection. Further spells are prepared as a 20th-level cleric with Wisdom 30.

Death Domain Spells (levels 1–9): cause fear, death knell, animate dead, death ward, slay living, create undead, destruction, create greater undead, wail of the banshee. This is his clerics’ domain progression and does not grant Hades additional innate spell slots.

Divine Abilities

Salient Divine Abilities: Alter Reality, Divine Earth Mastery, Know Death, Life and Death, Travel. King of Souls (Su): within his divine aura, Hades knows when a soul is bound, redirected or used to animate a corpse. He may suspend non-divine powers doing so as a free action; protection by an equal or greater deity is not overridden. Underworld Gate (Su; 1/Day): Hades opens a portal between a point within 120 feet and an authorised threshold of his own Underworld estate, lasting 1 minute.

Greater Deity (Ex): When Hades makes an attack roll, saving throw, ability check or skill check or rolls damage, the greater-deity rules grant the highest possible result. A d20 still checks for critical threats. His rank gives a +17 divine bonus to attacks, saves and checks as applicable.

Godly Realm

Hades rules a region of his Underworld realm up to 100 miles in radius, changing appropriate realm traits under the normal greater-deity rules. He controls funerary passages and the legal custody of the dead but shares the chthonic court with Persephone and does not command the jurisdictions of other divine powers by default.