Illustration Xan Drake

Marilith

System Reference Document 5.1
Challenge 16
(15,000 XP)
Robinloft Estimated CR 16
Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 189 (18d10+90)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
18 (+4)
DEX
20 (+5)
CON
20 (+5)
INT
18 (+4)
WIS
16 (+3)
CHA
20 (+5)
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +10, Wis +8, Cha +10
Skills
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
Environments
Magic Resistance.

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

Magic Weapons.

The marilith’s weapon attacks are magical.

Reactive.

The marilith can take one reaction on every turn in combat.

Actions

Multiattack. The marilith can make seven attacks: six with its longswords and one with its tail.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the marilith can automatically hit the target with its tail, and the marilith can’t make tail attacks against other targets.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Teleport.

The marilith magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Variant: Summon Demon (1/Day).

The demon chooses what to summon and attempts a magical summoning.
A marilith has a 50 percent chance of summoning 1d6 vrocks, 1d4 hezrous, 1d3 glabrezus, 1d2 nalfeshnees, or one marilith.
A summoned demon appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of its summoner, acts as an ally of its summoner, and can’t summon other demons. It remains for 1 minute, until it or its summoner dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action.

Reactions

Parry. The marilith adds 5 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the marilith must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

Fiends

Fiends, in the simplest of terms, can be seen as an inverse of celestials—hosting the devils to their angels. They come from the Lower Planes—sometimes referred to as the Fiendish Planes for the majority of the beings that reside there—and are a general family of creatures that include devils, demons, and yugoloth, along with other lesser and partial fiends. Just like in any other plane, not all of these creatures get along, with the devils and demons in particular having a nasty history of war between the two.

Due to their home emanating a primal malevolence, all fiends have the reputation—and certainly the ability—to be full of pure malice and evil. However, some do choose to leave for other planes of existence to escape this rotted, evil realm. Many may be content with a life of evil due to their nigh-immortal existence and distorted sense of time, watching centuries pass as if it were but a day.

Tactics. While knowing your neighbor dwarf or the local human innkeeper’s name is a common courtesy expected of decent citizens, knowing a fiend’s true name is a point of vulnerability. A fiend may use their own true name to rise in the ranks of their own plane, but a mortal with a fiend’s true name has complete control over the wily creature. While this may not be feasible for the common adventurer to hold over a hostile fiend’s head, know that most fiends have a certain degree of magic and like to utilize it to inspire fear and division in the mortals they come across.

Demons

“Beware the dark crags of our world, for that is where the demons wait. With eyes glowing like molten fury, their laughter a cacophony of madness, they are the very incarnation of malevolence.”

Abyssal Origin. Birthed in chaos and nurtured by malevolence, demons emerge from the unfathomable depths of the Abyss only to destroy, corrupt, and consume. Oblivious to pain and heedless of injury, they revel in acts of torment. Their aim is to spread the chaos of the Abyss, topple kingdoms, corrupt the innocent, and drag all of existence into a maelstrom of suffering and despair.

Wicked Anatomy. Varying widely in form, demons can be grotesque and monstrous or corruptingly beautiful. Their physique is a manifestation of their malevolent essence, with many bearing horns, tails, and fanged maws.

Chaotic Hierarchy. Hierarchy among demons is continuously established through sheer might and cruel cunning. The more powerful demons rule through fear, each vying for control in an ever-shifting power struggle. There are demon lords—infamous beings of immeasurable wickedness—whose names are whispered in dread and awe.

Blind Arrogance. Bound by their chaotic nature, demons often underestimate the power of cooperation and long-term strategy. While exceptionally strong, they are vulnerable to certain magics, particularly those that harness the powers of order and goodness.

Marilith

Not yet described

Known Relationships

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