Demon, Malakbel

Family: Demons

Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48)
Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 17 (+3) 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 20 (+5)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +7
Skills Perception +7
Damage Resistances cold, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire, radiant, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, poisoned
Senses truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Blistering Radiance. The malakbel sheds searing, bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. At the start of each of the malakbel’s turns, each creature in the bright light shed by the malakbel takes 11 (2d10) radiant damage. If any of the bright light overlaps with an area of darkness created by a spell of 3rd level or lower, the spell creating the darkness is dispelled.
  • Distortion. Ranged attacks against the malakbel are made with disadvantage.
  • Magic Resistance. The malakbel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The malakbel makes two Scorching Blast attacks.
  • Scorching Blast. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) fire damage.
  • Searing Flare (Recharge 5–6). The malakbel intensifies the heat and light it sheds to withering levels. Each creature in the bright light shed by the malakbel’s Blistering Radiance trait must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 13 (3d8) fire damage and 22 (4d10) radiant damage and suffers one level of exhaustion. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and doesn’t suffer exhaustion.
  • Teleport. The malakbel magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 100 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

ABOUT

Within a blinding wave of heat and glare walks a long-limbed, misshapen form. The creature scorches everything in its path as it strides forward.

What most people recall most vividly from an encounter with a malakbel is the blinding light and blistering heat surrounding it. Rippling distortion obscures the creature’s body, which is roughly the size and shape of an adult human.

Demonic Messengers. Malakbel demons are contradictory creatures. They are both messengers and destroyers who carry the words of demon lords or even dark gods to the mortal realm. Paradoxically, once their message is delivered, they often leave none of its hearers alive to spread the tale.

Where Virtue Cannot Look. The malakbel is the embodiment of all that is forbidden and destructive. Despite its vital role as a messenger, its destructive nature always comes to the fore. A malakbel descends upon settlements and travelers with the merciless and relentless onslaught of the raging sun, burning all it sees to cinders before vanishing like heat shimmers at dusk.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts 1 ©2023 Open Design LLC; Authors: Daniel Kahn, Jeff Lee, and Mike Welham.

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