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| Source | Monster Manual 🛒 |
|---|---|
| Size | Large |
| Type | fiend |
| Alignment | lawful evil |
| Armor Class | 18 (natural) |
| Hit Points | 178 (17d10) |
| Challenge Rating | 11 (7200 XP) |
| Ability Scores | STR 22, DEX 17, CON 21, INT 12, WIS 16, CHA 17 |
| Full rules | open5e.com ↗ |
The Horned Devil belongs to the most impressive and dangerous representatives of the devil hierarchy in D&D. As a large, winged creature with massive horns and a deadly fork, it embodies the classic image of a devil and brings both melee strength and devilish tricks to the game.
Master of Multiattack
What makes the Horned Devil particularly dangerous is its versatility in combat. With its Multiattack it can choose different attack combinations – two fork attacks and one tail attack, or it replaces one melee attack with its devastating Hurl Flame ranged attack. This flexibility makes it unpredictable and forces player characters to constantly adapt.
Particularly insidious is its tail attack, which not only causes immediate damage but also leaves behind a worsening “infernal wound.” This wound causes ongoing damage that increases with each additional tail hit – a perfect tool for building pressure on the party and depleting healing resources.
Robust Defense and Devilish Resistances
With an Armor Class of 18 and 178 hit points, the Horned Devil is a tough opponent that can take quite a beating. Its extensive resistances to cold and non-magical weapons without silver, combined with its immunity to fire and poison, make it an enemy against which standard tactics often fail.
Particularly noteworthy are its special abilities: Devil’s Sight lets it see even through magical darkness, while Magic Resistance grants it advantages on saving throws against spells. This combination makes it a formidable opponent against both melee fighters and spellcasters.
Use at the Gaming Table
The Horned Devil works excellently as a main enemy for parties of levels 8-12 or as a strong lieutenant of a more powerful antagonist. Its flight speed of 60 feet allows it to control the battlefield and attack weaker characters in the back.
Dungeon Masters should use the ongoing wound from its tail attack strategically – it creates time pressure and forces the party to spend resources on healing or assign someone with Medicine skills to provide first aid. The Monster Manual 🛒 offers more details on devils and their hierarchy in the Nine Hells.
Combined with its telepathic communication and its lawful evil nature, the Horned Devil can also appear as a negotiation partner – a dangerous game where the characters often lose more than they win.
This article was created using AI, based on data from the 5e-database project (D&D 5e System Reference Document, licensed under CC BY 4.0).
