In the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

 fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

, the Babau is a Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)

Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...

. They belong to the category of Demon known as Tanar'ri.

Physical description

Babau resemble tall, gaunt, elongated, skeleton-like humanoids. They are about 6 feet tall and weigh 140 pounds. Their skin is a dark brown-reddish-black in color, glossy, leather-like, and highly form fitting, hence the skeletal appearance. They have sly, sneaky, goblin-like faces, and long, thin, claw-like fingers. They always walk with a sneaky, alert posture. The most notable feature of the Babau, however, is the single, short, curved horn coming from the back/top of their head. Covering a Babau from head to toe is a red, jelly-like slime which protects them from attacks.

Environment

Babau are native to the Outer Plane

Outer Plane

In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, an Outer Plane is one of a number of general types of planes of existence. They can also be referred to as godly planes, spiritual planes or divine planes. The Outer Planes are home to beings such as deities and otherworldly creatures such as...

 of the Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)

Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Abyss or more fully, the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, is a chaotic evil-aligned plane of existence. It is one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons cosmology, used in the Planescape...

, like the majority of all Demons in Dungeons & Dragons.

Society

Babau are the cunning and sneaky but powerful assassins of the Abyss. They are very careful and devious, and always form cunning plans before doing anything (or at least before combat). Babau sometimes work with Succubi

Succubus (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a succubus is a female demon. Under 4th edition rules, a succubus is a devil.-Publication history:The succubus is based on the succubi from Western medieval legend.-Dungeons & Dragons :...

, but hate and are hated by Glabrezu

Glabrezu

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the glabrezu is one of the most powerful types of demon. In first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, glabrezu were known as type III demons...

, Hezrou

Hezrou

A hezrou is a humanoid demon in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Dungeons & Dragons :The type II demon appeared under the demon entry in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement ....

s, Nalfeshnee

Nalfeshnee

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the nalfeshnee is one of the most powerful types of demon. In first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, nalfeshnees were known as type IV demons...

s and Vrock

Vrock

A vrock is a fictional demon from the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It resembles a humanoid with the head, claws, and wings of giant vulture. Vrock typically stand eight feet tall and weigh 800 pounds...

s. They are particularly fond of the flesh of Nalfeshnees, and Nalfeshnees especially fear and despise them with a passion. Due to their horn, Babau are sometimes known as the 1-horned horror, and due to their color, as the ebony death.

Combat

Babau are assassins, and hence they are sneaky, sly, cunning and stealthy, and this is the governing factor in their combat. They are adept at hiding, moving silently, searching, listening, and making sneak attacks, and use this greatly to their advantage in fights. For actually damaging foes, Babau prefer to use weapons. If they are unarmed, they will use their claws, and their horn. They tend to start fights with an ambush, and excellently use a combination of sneak attacks and multiple attacks. They tend to attack the most powerful foe first if they are fighting multiple enemies, seeking to eliminate the true threat and then toy with the others. Due to the protective slime mentioned before covering a Babau, melee attacks against them only cause half damage, plus they cause damage to the weapon used.

Babau also have numerous spell-like abilities, which vary between game edition and between source.

They also have the typical demon characteristics of immunity to poison and electricity, and resistance to fire, cold and acid.

They can telepathically communicate with any creature that has a language within 100 feet.

Last but not least, once per day a Babau can summon another Babau to aid it. This ability is equivalent to a third level spell.

Miscellaneous

Babau appeared in First Edition Monster Manual II.

They are chaotic evil in alignment, typical of a Demon.

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

The babau is one of the monsters that will appear in the Monster Manual 3 (2010).