Demon, Balban (Brute Demon)

Family: Demons

Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 126 (11d10 + 66)
Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
25 (+7) 14 (+2) 22 (+6) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Constitution +10, Wisdom +6, Charisma +6
Skills Intimidation +6, Perception +6
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Abyssal
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Special Traits

  • Magic Resistance. The demon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Magic Weapons. The demon’s weapon attacks are magical.
  • Innate Spellcasting. The demon’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The demon can innately cast the following spells at will, requiring no material components:
  • Charge. If the demon moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a bite attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the demon can make one slam attack against it as a bonus action.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The demon can use its smash, make one bite attack and two claw attacks.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) piercing damage.
  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and the demon cannot use this attack against another target.
  • Smash. One Medium or smaller creature grappled by the demon is smashed into nearby solid objects or a solid surface. The target takes 25 (4d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

About

This creature stands at least 12 feet tall with a squat, pot-bellied body, massive arms, and thick, rounded legs. Its head resembles that of a trunkless and tuskless elephant. Four great backward curving horns sprout from its head behind its eyes. Its skin is slate gray with darker areas on its underbelly and back.

Almost as stupid as the lowly dretches, balbans are hulking monstrosities standing over 10 feet tall. Demonic generals use these creatures in abundance in their armies, relying on the balbans’ love for battle, their great strength, and their knack for destroying objects and structures. Balban squads are brutish, hulking, and hard to control.

While many demon lords do employ their services, they are deemed highly expendable and are thus encountered on the front lines of any great battle.

Balbans spend much of their life battling, not necessarily for survival, but simply because they relish the chaos and bloodshed combat brings.

Balbans attack any creature they encounter on sight, except those they know are more powerful than themselves. Though lacking in the intelligence department, they do not attack any demonic officer in the service of a demon lord (unless they know the officer is weaker and they can kill him or her and make it look like something else was responsible).

Balbans have slate gray skin, stand at least 12 feet tall and weigh about 4,500 pounds. Their eyes are coal black and their tongues violet. A seemingly constant stream of saliva and gastric juices oozes from their mouths.

A balban employs simple tactics in battle; smash an opponent, grab an opponent, smash it into pulp, and devour what’s left. Against weaker foes, they are likely to employ their ability to invoke fear or confuse opponents by shrouding themselves in darkness.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Horrors © 2018, Frog God Games, LLC; Authors: Kevin Baase, Erica Balsley, John “Pexx” Barnhouse, Christopher Bishop, Casey Christofferson, Jim Collura, Andrea Costantini, Jayson ‘Rocky’ Gardner, Zach Glazar, Meghan Greene, Scott Greene, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Ian S. Johnston, Bill Kenower, Patrick Lawinger, Rhiannon Louve, Ian McGarty, Edwin Nagy, James Patterson, Nathan Paul, Patrick N. Pilgrim, Clark Peterson, Anthony Pryor, Greg Ragland, Robert Schwalb, G. Scott Swift, Greg A. Vaughan, and Bill Webb