Devil, Cerberus

Family: Devils

Huge fiend (devil), lawful evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 294 (28d12 + 112)
Speed 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
25 (+7) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 6 (-2)

Saving Throws Dexterity +8, Constitution +11, Wisdom +8
Skills Perception +8
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 24 (62,500 XP)

Special Traits

  • Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede Cerberus’ darkvision.
  • Keen Hearing and Smell. Cerberus has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
  • Legendary Resistance (3/day). If Cerberus fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  • Magic Resistance. Cerberus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Multiple Heads. Cerberus has three heads. While it has more than one head, Cerberus has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious. Whenever Cerberus takes 40 or more damage in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, Cerberus dies.

Actions

  • Multiattack. Cerberus makes three bite attacks and one claw attack.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage.
  • Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) slashing damage.
  • Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6). One of Cerberus’ heads releases a 60-foot cone of flames. Each creature in the area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful saving throw. Each head has its own recharge counter.

Legendary Actions

Cerberus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Cerberus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

  • Open/Close the Gate. Cerberus causes the Gate of Hell to open if it is closed, or close if it is open.
  • Bite. Cerberus makes a Bite attack.
  • Fire Breath (Costs 3 Actions). Cerberus uses its Fire Breath ability, even if it has not recharged.

About

This creature is a giant-sized three-headed dog. His fur is black and matted, and his eyes are crimson. Each mouth is dominated by long fangs, and each mouth drips foul-smelling saliva.

The triple-headed Cerberus is the guardian of Hades. There is only one in existence and most creatures (both living and dead) are grateful for this fact. Cerberus is tasked with the duty of keeping dead souls in Hades. If a dead soul attempts to pass beyond the Gates of Hades and back into the land of the living, Cerberus attacks relentlessly until that soul returns to Hades. If slain, the soul is immediately devoured by Cerberus and is lost forever. Cerberus is also tasked with keeping living creatures out of the land of the dead (adventurers being what they are, they love to journey to Hades). Living creatures that attempt to move past Cerberus into Hades (through the main gates) are immediately attacked.

Cerberus is a 30-foot-long black mastiff. He rarely chooses to communicate with creatures even though he speaks several languages.

Cerberus only attacks if a dead soul attempts to pass beyond the Gates of Hades into the land of the living or if a living creature attempts to enter the Realm of the Dead. Cerberus never willingly moves more than 60 feet from the Gates and cannot be removed by any means, short of a god’s magic.

He opens combat with his baneful howl and quickly follows with his breath weapon. Living creatures that do not retreat are subjected to his bite and claw. Cerberus attacks until all his opponents are dead or have retreated. The souls of those he kills are allowed to pass beyond the Gates and into Hades while Cerberus feasts on their body.

If slain, Cerberus’ corpse melts into smoldering slime before fading away.

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

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