Fiend (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
Fiends is a term used in the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
to refer to any malicious otherworldly creatures within the Dungeons & Dragons universe. These include various races of demons
and devils
that are of an evil
alignment
and hail from the Lower Planes
. All fiends are extraplanar outsiders
.
, a chaotic evil race native to the Abyss
; they are rapacious, cruel and arbitrary. The dominant race of demons is the tanar'ri (icon). The Abyss and its population are both theoretically infinite in size. "True" tanar'ri such as the balor
s (originally called Balrog
s) and the six-armed serpentine mariliths push other weaker tanar'ri around and organise them into makeshift armies for battle. Demon lords and demon princes
such as Orcus
, Demogorgon
, Zuggtmoy
, Graz'zt
and countless others rule over the demons of their individual layers of the Abyss, inasmuch as the chaotic demons can be ruled over.
, of which the ruling type are called baatezu (b), are lawful evil natives of the Nine Hells of Baator
; they subjugate the weak and rule tyrannically over their domains. Pit fiends are the most powerful baatezu, though even the strongest pit fiends are surpassed by the Lords of the Nine, or Archdevils, whose ranks include Baalzebul
, Mephistopheles
, and Asmodeus
. Unlike the demons, the devils arranged themselves through a strict hierarchy. Like the demons, the devils are scheming backstabbers; while a demon only keeps its words when it is convenient for it, a devil keeps its word all too well; though being used to exploiting repressive bureaucratic machinations to the fullest, always knows all ways around the letter of a contract to begin with. The tanar'ri and the baatezu hold an eternal enmity for one another and wage the Blood War
against one another.
s (called daemon
s in 1st edition D&D) are neutral evil natives of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Wastes of Hades
; they are neutral to the affairs of the other fiendish races, interfering only when they see a situation that may be profitable or a potential for the advancement of their own schemes. The yugoloths are manipulative, secretive, and mercenary by nature, often acting as soldiers for deities in their own private wars, or even at times aiding both sides of the Blood War. In 4th Edition, the yugoloths are now considered to be demons, and their previously standard naming convention of "loth" is replaced by "demon". (Ex. the Mezzoloth is the 4e Mezzodemon).
s are race of evil fiends that live on the plane of Carceri
(Tarterus in 1st edition D&D). Demodands were introduced in the 1st edition supplement Monster Manual II, renamed as Gehreleths in the 2nd edition Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix, and reintroduced as demodands in the 3rd edition sourcebook Fiend Folio
. In 1st edition D&D, the three types of demodands from weakest to strongest were tarry, slime, and shaggy. In 2nd and 3rd editions, the three types are farastu, kelubar, and shator.
. They first appeared in the 1st edition supplement Monster Manual II. Hordlings wander the Gray Waste preying upon everything they come across, even other hordlings. Hordlings vary greatly in appearance. It is said that Hordlings evolved from Larvae whose hatred was so unique, their souls became individual. The hordlings can be summoned using an artifact known as the Bringer of Doom, which was created around the time of the Invoked Devastation of Greyhawk
. Hordlings are the most common inhabitants of the Gray Waste. They also occasionally roam the other Lower Planes as well.
. They were originally created for Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign, based on some gaming miniatures he had bought, and were added by him to the Book of Vile Darkness absent the context of the Galchutt, who wouldn't appear until later on in Chaositech.
Monte Cook
originally planned on perhaps renaming them so their name was not quite so similar to kytons, or chain devils, as well as other episodes of Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign to see how they were originally used.
are fiends from the Gray Wastes of Hades that traffic in the souls of mortals.
are fiends (often tiger-headed) that may have originated on Acheron.
(whose name comes from a different kind of mythological, demonic creature) are simply half-fiends; hybrids of fiends and non-fiendish creatures, often humans or other humanoids
. Cambions are typically created through fiends raping mortals or seducing them after shape-shifting, although some of the most depraved beings actually participate willingly. Those cambions that actually survive birth typically look like grotesque, hellish variants of their mortal progenitors, having wings, claws, fangs and often many other features that reveal their fiendish origins. Cambions are usually outcast, being feared and hated in mortal societies for their fiendish origins and being derided by pure-blooded fiends for their impure heritage. A variant of cambion called durzagon is described in Monster Manual II
and is the hybrid of a devil and an unsuspecting duergar
. The fiendish creatures are simply fiendish versions of other species in Dungeons & Dragons. They typically look like fearsome travesties of beings from the material plane
. Most fiendish species are divided into a number of variants, usually in a hierarchy
of increasing power and cunning.
(mostly fundamentalist Christians
) have accused the game of promoting Satanism
and occultism, most vociferously in the mid-1980s, but like heavy metal music
, this is no longer as visible a target as it once was. Some products, particularly the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition Dungeon Master's Guide
, have shown actual symbols classically used by witches and magicians
for summoning, abjuration
, and protection.
TSR, Inc. eliminated most references to occult
symbols, demons, and devils from the second edition of the game under great pressure from anti-D&D negative publicity. When the creatures were reintroduced in the Monstrous Compendium
supplement MC8: The Outer Planes, the terms "baatezu", "tanar'ri", "yugoloth", and "gehreleth" were introduced and were used exclusively in place of the terms "devil", "demon", "daemon", and "demodand", respectively.
Following a more relaxed attitude towards the hobby, Wizards of the Coast
reinserted many of these excised references in the third edition of the game. This said, they kept intact the terms they had been replaced with, using both when applicable to appeal both to older players and those who played in subsequent editions of the game which introduced the use of the replacement terms (which were used during the 2nd edition of the game, in which the vast majority of material on the fiends of D&D was expanded and given depth). The latest edition of the game does not however use the 1st edition D&D term 'Daemon', instead continuing to use 'Yugoloth' in its place, leaving 'daemon' as an effectively defunct and abandoned term (in our world, daemon are something close to a muse, a divine inspiration in the Greek mythology
and so effectively do not fill in the role of evildoer).
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...
to refer to any malicious otherworldly creatures within the Dungeons & Dragons universe. These include various races of demons
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...
and devils
Devil (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, devils are a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate from the Nine Hells of Baator. True to their Lawful Evil alignment, devils are locked in a strict and brutal...
that are of an evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
alignment
Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
and hail from the Lower Planes
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...
. All fiends are extraplanar outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
.
Demons
The most widespread race of fiends are the demonsDemon (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...
, a chaotic evil race native to the Abyss
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...
; they are rapacious, cruel and arbitrary. The dominant race of demons is the tanar'ri (icon). The Abyss and its population are both theoretically infinite in size. "True" tanar'ri such as the balor
Balor (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, a balor is one of the most powerful types of tanar'ri demons. Of all the inhabitants of the Abyss, balors are second in power only to the demon lords, klurichirs, and myrmyxicus...
s (originally called Balrog
Balrog
Balrogs are fictional demonic beings who appear in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. Such creatures first appeared in print in his novel The Lord of the Rings, though they figured in earlier writings that posthumously appeared in The Silmarillion and other books.Balrogs are described as...
s) and the six-armed serpentine mariliths push other weaker tanar'ri around and organise them into makeshift armies for battle. Demon lords and demon princes
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
such as Orcus
Orcus (Dungeons & Dragons)
Orcus is the fictional demon prince, and lord of the undead in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He is named after Orcus of Roman mythology. His symbol is a mace with a human skull as the head...
, Demogorgon
Demogorgon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Demogorgon is a powerful demon prince. He is known as the Prince of Demons, a self-proclaimed title he holds by virtue of his power and influence; which in turn, is a title acknowledged by both mortals and his fellow demons...
, Zuggtmoy
Zuggtmoy
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Zuggtmoy is the Demon Queen of Fungi. Her symbol is a jawless human skull with fungi blooming from within, though some of her false cults use other symbols...
, Graz'zt
Graz'zt
Graz'zt is a demon lord in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, and one of the most powerful demons in the Abyss. Graz'zt, one of the earliest and most famous demons created for Dungeons and Dragons, was named as one of the greatest villains in D&D history by the final print issue of...
and countless others rule over the demons of their individual layers of the Abyss, inasmuch as the chaotic demons can be ruled over.
Devils
The devilsDevil (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, devils are a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate from the Nine Hells of Baator. True to their Lawful Evil alignment, devils are locked in a strict and brutal...
, of which the ruling type are called baatezu (b), are lawful evil natives of the Nine Hells of Baator
Baator
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Baator, also known as the Nine Hells of Baator or the Nine Hells, is a lawful evil-aligned plane of existence...
; they subjugate the weak and rule tyrannically over their domains. Pit fiends are the most powerful baatezu, though even the strongest pit fiends are surpassed by the Lords of the Nine, or Archdevils, whose ranks include Baalzebul
Baalzebul (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Baalzebul is a fictional character, described as an Arch-Devil of Hell , also called the "Lord of the Flies."Baalzebul is lord of Maladomini, the Seventh Plane of Hell...
, Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Mephistopheles is an Arch-Devil of Hell , also known as the "Lord of No Mercy" and the "Cold Lord"....
, and Asmodeus
Asmodeus (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Asmodeus is an Arch-Devil: a lord of the game's version of Hell . There he is the Overlord of the Dukes of Hell...
. Unlike the demons, the devils arranged themselves through a strict hierarchy. Like the demons, the devils are scheming backstabbers; while a demon only keeps its words when it is convenient for it, a devil keeps its word all too well; though being used to exploiting repressive bureaucratic machinations to the fullest, always knows all ways around the letter of a contract to begin with. The tanar'ri and the baatezu hold an eternal enmity for one another and wage the Blood War
Blood War
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the Blood War is an eternal conflict between the fiends of the Lower planes. The Tanar'ri are the demonic forces of the Abyss, an evil plane of chaos. Representing the equally evil but lawful realm of Baator are the Baatezu, the dominant caste of...
against one another.
Yugoloths
The yugolothYugoloth
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, yugoloths are neutral evil natives of the lower planes of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Waste of Hades...
s (called daemon
Daemon (mythology)
The words dæmon and daimôn are Latinized spellings of the Greek "δαίμων", a reference to the daemons of Ancient Greek religion and mythology, as well as later Hellenistic religion and philosophy...
s in 1st edition D&D) are neutral evil natives of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Wastes of Hades
Gray Waste
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Gray Waste is a strongly evil aligned plane of existence...
; they are neutral to the affairs of the other fiendish races, interfering only when they see a situation that may be profitable or a potential for the advancement of their own schemes. The yugoloths are manipulative, secretive, and mercenary by nature, often acting as soldiers for deities in their own private wars, or even at times aiding both sides of the Blood War. In 4th Edition, the yugoloths are now considered to be demons, and their previously standard naming convention of "loth" is replaced by "demon". (Ex. the Mezzoloth is the 4e Mezzodemon).
Demodands
The demodandDemodand
In the fictional worlds of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demodands are a race of fiends native to the Tarterian Depths of Carceri. The gehreleths worship or honor a patron deity called Apomps the Three-sided One, a renegade baernaloth who was exiled to Carceri for the act of...
s are race of evil fiends that live on the plane of Carceri
Carceri
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Carceri is a neutral evil-aligned plane of existence...
(Tarterus in 1st edition D&D). Demodands were introduced in the 1st edition supplement Monster Manual II, renamed as Gehreleths in the 2nd edition Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix, and reintroduced as demodands in the 3rd edition sourcebook Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
. In 1st edition D&D, the three types of demodands from weakest to strongest were tarry, slime, and shaggy. In 2nd and 3rd editions, the three types are farastu, kelubar, and shator.
Hordlings
The hordlings are fiends that form the hordes of the Gray Waste of HadesGray Waste
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Gray Waste is a strongly evil aligned plane of existence...
. They first appeared in the 1st edition supplement Monster Manual II. Hordlings wander the Gray Waste preying upon everything they come across, even other hordlings. Hordlings vary greatly in appearance. It is said that Hordlings evolved from Larvae whose hatred was so unique, their souls became individual. The hordlings can be summoned using an artifact known as the Bringer of Doom, which was created around the time of the Invoked Devastation of Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
. Hordlings are the most common inhabitants of the Gray Waste. They also occasionally roam the other Lower Planes as well.
Kython
The kythons (not to be confused with kytons, which are chain devils Baatezu) are distinct from the other fiends in that they did not originate on any of the lower planes. When a group of fiends (the Galchutt, from Monte Cook's Chaositech and Ptolus) were trapped on the Material Plane, they tried creating more of their own kind through magical means. The results were eyeless reptilian creatures with insectoid traits and neutral evil traits. As the kythons matured, they took on varied forms. None of them were loyal to the fiends that created them. Because kythons originated on the Material Plane instead of the Abyss (or another lower plane), they are also called earth-bound demons. Kythons are only interested in eating and breeding. They have spread rapidly across the Material Plane. The current hierarchy of kythons, from the weakest to the strongest is: broodlings, juveniles, adults, impalers, slaymasters, and slaughterkings. Eventually, with more time, kythons will grow into newer and more powerful forms. Kythons closely resemble xenomorphsXenomorph (Alien)
The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
. They were originally created for Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign, based on some gaming miniatures he had bought, and were added by him to the Book of Vile Darkness absent the context of the Galchutt, who wouldn't appear until later on in Chaositech.
Monte Cook
Monte Cook
Monte Cook is a professional table-top role-playing game designer and writer. He is married to Sue Weinlein Cook.-Roleplaying:Cook has been a professional game designer since 1988, working primarily on role-playing games. Much of his early work was for Iron Crown Enterprises as an editor and writer...
originally planned on perhaps renaming them so their name was not quite so similar to kytons, or chain devils, as well as other episodes of Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign to see how they were originally used.
Night Hags
Night HagsNight hag (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the night hag is an outsider that comes from the Gray Waste of Hades. The night hag's relationship to other types of hags is unclear...
are fiends from the Gray Wastes of Hades that traffic in the souls of mortals.
Rakshasas
RakshasasRakshasa (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a rakshasa is a type of evil outsider that is now native to the Material Plane. They are powerful sorcerers and, although they disdain physical fighting as ignoble, can be dangerous in close combat as well.-Dungeons & Dragons :The rakshasa first...
are fiends (often tiger-headed) that may have originated on Acheron.
Slaad
In the 4th Edition game, Slaadi are Chaotic Evil and originate out of the Elemental Chaos. This is markedly different from the portrayal of Slaadi in all prior editions of the game, when they were Chaotic Neutral natives of Limbo and thus not fiends.Half-fiends and Fiendish Creatures
The cambionsCambion (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons the cambion is a creature descended from a fiend.-Publication history:The cambion was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons....
(whose name comes from a different kind of mythological, demonic creature) are simply half-fiends; hybrids of fiends and non-fiendish creatures, often humans or other humanoids
Humanoid (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, humanoid is a type of creature, or "creature type". Humanoids are any creature shaped generally like a human , of Small or Medium size, with few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities...
. Cambions are typically created through fiends raping mortals or seducing them after shape-shifting, although some of the most depraved beings actually participate willingly. Those cambions that actually survive birth typically look like grotesque, hellish variants of their mortal progenitors, having wings, claws, fangs and often many other features that reveal their fiendish origins. Cambions are usually outcast, being feared and hated in mortal societies for their fiendish origins and being derided by pure-blooded fiends for their impure heritage. A variant of cambion called durzagon is described in Monster Manual II
Monster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
and is the hybrid of a devil and an unsuspecting duergar
Duergar (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons & Dragons fantasy, the duergar, or gray dwarves are a cruel and evil subrace of dwarves.-Publication history:The duergar are named after the dvergar of Norse mythology, who were the builders of Gleipnir...
. The fiendish creatures are simply fiendish versions of other species in Dungeons & Dragons. They typically look like fearsome travesties of beings from the material plane
Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)
The planes of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game constitutes the multiverse in which the game takes place.In the earliest versions of Dungeons & Dragons, the concept of the Inner, Ethereal, Prime Material, Astral and Outer Planes was introduced; at the time there were only four Inner Planes...
. Most fiendish species are divided into a number of variants, usually in a hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
of increasing power and cunning.
Other Fiends not associated with a specific group
- AbominationsAbomination (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, abominations are the unwanted offspring of a deity and some other being. Abominations are immortal, spiteful, destructive creatures of immense power...
- (Chichimec, phane, infernal, dream larva, phaethon, xixecal, hecatoncheires) - the unwanted offspring of deities.
- Abyssal Drake - the result of an ancient breeding program that combines the nastiest elements of demons, wyverns, and red dragons. From the Abyss plane.
- AchaieraiAchaieraiIn the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the achaierai is a large birdlike outsider that comes from the plane of Acheron.-Publication history:The achaierai originally appeared in the first edition Fiend Folio ....
- Massive evil, clever, and predatory flightless birds with a distinct taste for torture. Of the Acheron plane.
- Avari - man-sized, batlike fiends that are the chief rivals of yugoloths for territory. Unfortunately, they are neither as powerful or as numerous as the fiends and have lost much over time. Long ago, avari dwelt in a large central community, but their many wars shattered their unity, forcing them to live in isolated clan in desolate areas of the planes. They dwell there in dank caverns filled with bats, and inhabit similar environs when found on the Material Plane. Of the Gehenna plane.
- Ba’atun - vicious, white-winged primate-like creatures that find death and destruction as their constant companions. Their origin is surrounded in mystery – perhaps they were demons made from snow, perhaps they are exiles from a frozen realm, or perhaps they have always been here, lurking. Their home plane is unknown.
- BarghestBarghest (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the barghest is a type of fictional monster for player characters to encounter. The barghest is portrayed as a goblin-like creature that comes from the plane of Gehenna to feed on humans. These evil creatures can change form to appear as a dog or...
- lupine fiend that resembles a goblin-wolf hybrid with terrible jaws and sharp claws, feeds on blood and souls to grow stronger. Of the Gehenna plane.
- Broodfiend - almost headless, grotesque mix of worm, lizard, bat, and ape, created by avolakias to serve Kyuss.
- Daelkyr - Fiends from the plane of Xoriat in the EberronEberronEberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
Campaign Setting.
- Diakk (Carcene and Varath) - evil flightless birds of the Carceri plane.
- Diurge - Gray-skinned, red-eyed denizens of a nightmare realm known as Darkrealm, a nightmarishly twisted version of a Material Plane world. Diurges live to serve the evil lords of Darkrealm, but are occasionally ordered to travel to the Material Plane to spread chaos. These beings are extremely sadistic, hating everything that lives, and willing to manipulate anyone in the process of achieving their goals. They are horrible conquerors, subjugating other life forms ruthlessly, and causing pain wherever they go. Their lack of individual greed enables them to better work together towards this common goal.
- Dune Stalker - fiends summoned to Material Plane to kill targets or carry out other quests. Of the Gray Waste of Hades plane.
- Ebon Aspect - an abomination to not only all that is true and just in the world, but also to the traditional faith of the worshipers of Erythnul, Hextor, and Venca. Appear in the lands haunted by the Ebon TriadEbon TriadThe Ebon Triad is a cult in the fictional world of Oerth in the Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
.
- Hassitor - extinct exemplar race of Acheron Plane.
- Hellchain Weaver - eight-legged mass of chains made entirely of cruel hooks, barbed chains, and jagged iron. Of the Nine Hells of BaatorBaatorIn the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Baator, also known as the Nine Hells of Baator or the Nine Hells, is a lawful evil-aligned plane of existence...
plane.
- Maelephant - elephant-headed fiends originally created by powerful baatezu lords to serve as guardians, many run free since their lords were deposed.
- Mapmaker - humanoid lizardkin with weaselish features. Of the PandemoniumPandemonium (Dungeons & Dragons)In the standard cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Pandemonium is the Outer plane where Chaotic Evil and Chaotic Neutral petitioners are sent after death. Pandemonium is a large, complex cavern that never ends. Compounding this problem, howling winds drive most of its...
plane.
- Marrashi - disease spreader that resembles a winged gnoll.
- NightmareNightmare (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the nightmare is an outsider that comes from the Gray Waste of Hades.-Publication history:The nightmare was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons....
(includes Cauchemar and Lesser) - proud equine creatures with hearts as black and evil as the dark abysses from which they come. Of the Gray Waste plane.
- Nimicri - a unique vast creature that mimics a town that can duplicate creatures if a single drop of their blood touches it. Of the Gehenna plane.
- Shadowlands Oni
- Sugo - flattish brown disks with suckered tentacles. Of the Acheron plane.
- Tener - spindly, bipedal arachnoid; greed incarnate. Of the Pandemonium plane.
- Utukku - lion-headed scaled fiends that kill all outsiders who pass through their territory, including others of their kind. Their lairs in the great ash deserts of Carceri always include impressive defenses, as each utukku must defend itself from all competitors. Utukku want no part of the intrigues of other fiends, and prey on any demons and devils they meet.
- Vaath - a creature of pure sadism that delights in both physical and emotional pain. Of the Carceri plane.
- Vaporighu - petty, sadistic, and voracious blobs of hideous, bloated, waddling hairy flesh. Of the Gehenna plane.
- Viltch - resembles a dirty gray, three-legged mandrill; destroys beauty and order. Of the Pandemonium plane.
- Vorr - a hateful canine of the Abyss.
- Wirchler - a disembodied mouth with two arms. Of the Gehenna plane.
- Yeth Hound - fearsome flying hounds with a frightening bay. Of the Gray Waste.
Controversy and related changes between editions
A number of critics of Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & 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...
(mostly fundamentalist Christians
Fundamentalist Christianity
Christian fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalist Christianity, or Fundamentalism, arose out of British and American Protestantism in the late 19th century and early 20th century among evangelical Christians...
) have accused the game of promoting Satanism
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
and occultism, most vociferously in the mid-1980s, but like heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, this is no longer as visible a target as it once was. Some products, particularly the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition Dungeon Master's Guide
Dungeon Master's Guide
The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
, have shown actual symbols classically used by witches and magicians
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
for summoning, abjuration
Abjuration
Abjuration is the solemn repudiation, abandonment, or renunciation by or upon oath, often the renunciation of citizenship or some other right or privilege. .-Abjuration of the realm:...
, and protection.
TSR, Inc. eliminated most references to occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
symbols, demons, and devils from the second edition of the game under great pressure from anti-D&D negative publicity. When the creatures were reintroduced in the Monstrous Compendium
Monstrous Compendium
The Monstrous Compendium is a series of accessories for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Volumes:MC1 Monstrous Compendium, Volume One was published by TSR in 1989...
supplement MC8: The Outer Planes, the terms "baatezu", "tanar'ri", "yugoloth", and "gehreleth" were introduced and were used exclusively in place of the terms "devil", "demon", "daemon", and "demodand", respectively.
Following a more relaxed attitude towards the hobby, Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
reinserted many of these excised references in the third edition of the game. This said, they kept intact the terms they had been replaced with, using both when applicable to appeal both to older players and those who played in subsequent editions of the game which introduced the use of the replacement terms (which were used during the 2nd edition of the game, in which the vast majority of material on the fiends of D&D was expanded and given depth). The latest edition of the game does not however use the 1st edition D&D term 'Daemon', instead continuing to use 'Yugoloth' in its place, leaving 'daemon' as an effectively defunct and abandoned term (in our world, daemon are something close to a muse, a divine inspiration in the Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
and so effectively do not fill in the role of evildoer).