Nalfeshnees Nalfeshnee Lore Arcana DC 10: While all demons have a certain resistance to conventional magics, some such as nalfeshnees take this principle still further, their durable hides blunting all but the most powerful of magical workings. Nature DC 15: As preposterous as it might seem, the tiny, malformed wings of nalfeshnees do appear to play an integral role in their flight, making them vulnerable to falling if their flight is disturbed. Religion DC 15: The porcine nalfeshnee are often described by denizens of more lawful regions of the multiverse as judges and generals of the abyss, but their role is much more nuanced than that might imply; while they are often sought to mediate disputes between demons, the plaintiffs are under no obligation to abide by their judgements, and the only enforcement mechanism of their courts is their own propensity to consume those they have judged against. Relgion DC 20: Among all demonkind, nalfeshnees are often thought to be the most honest, as their full surface thoughts are on view for any they telepathically communicate with. Because of this, they are prized as powerful subordinates, as their betrayals are trivialy easy to predict and subvert. Though some take the effort to learn to mask or subdue some of their surface thoughts, many nalfeshnees weaponize this open-mindedness, radiating raw hostility and ravenous hunger toward any who meet their gaze. Nalfeshnee Courts. Demonic courts are, first and foremost, a spectacle for the entertainment of the participants and audience, in which the presiding nalfeshnee's judgement is likely to go to whichever side delivers the most devastating insults, lastminute surprise witnesses, and outlandishly fabricated evidence. Violence between plaintiffs is allowed and encouraged, but only within the strictures of a vague etiquette determined by the crowd's and judge's current level of interest and attention, and fights are expected to resolve or break up within a few seconds so the trial can continue. While participants usually are present under some form of duress, they are still expected to have fun with the process. Nalfeshnees are frequently known to deliver summary judgements against those moping brings down the court's mood. These trials are best run as skill challenges, where each piece of evidence, witness, or legal citation must be responded to by the party with a relevant skill check, spell, or other action, with a set number of successes being achieved before a set number of failures leading to a favorable judgement, and particularly high or low rolls opening opportunities for violence and other skulduggery.
Nalfeshnee Gorger Tactics Nalfeshnee gorgers approach from the air, waiting until foes are engaged in melee before swooping into the midst of them, trying to affect as many non-demon creatures as possible with their Hungry Gaze. If a Frightened target is available, they use Consume Fear whenever possible. They usually reserve their reaction for Reckless Greed, but will use their Horrific Apparition either to escape a melee that has turned against them, or to teleport into Gaze range of at least two ranged attackers. Nalfeshnee Magistrate Magistrates' primary role in combat is to shore up the major weakness of larger demonic forces, their tendency toward infighting, by killing and eating a weak demon such as a Mane or Dretch each turn, thereby frightening their subordinates into briefly following their commands. They use their Horrific Apparition much more aggressively than gorgers, both to corner vulnerable ranged attackers that are separated from their allies and to drop out from underneath any creatures attempting to climb on them. Nalfeshnee Gorger Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 184 (16d10 + 96) Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 15 (+2) 22 (+6) 19 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) Saving Throws CON +11, INT +9, WIS +6, CHA +7 Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks Damage Immunities Poison Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned Senses Senses Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 11 Languages Abyssal, Telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Spell Resistant Hide. The nalfeshnee has resistance to damage from spells of fourth level or below. It has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Hungry Gaze. A creature that starts its turn within 15 feet of the nalfeshnee that can see it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the beginning of its next turn. While Frightened in this way, a creature can sense the nalfeshnee's surface thoughts and emotions. Actions Multiattack. The nalfeshnee makes three attacks, one of which may be with its bite. Ravenous Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (5d10 + 5) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical on an 18-20 against a prone creature. Grasping Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) slashing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Consume Fear (Recharge 5-6). One creature within 5 feet that is Frightened must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 73 (6d10 + 40) psychic damage, or half as much damage on a success. Additionally on a failure, the creature's movement speed is reduced by half and it can’t make more than one attack during its following turn. Reactions Reckless Greed. As a reaction when a creature fails its saving throw against the nalfeshnee's Hungry Gaze by 5 or more, the nalfeshnee moves up to 10 feet towards the creature and makes a Ravenous Bite attack against it. Until the beginning of the nalfeshnee's next turn, attacks against it are made at advantage. Horrific Apparition. As a reaction to being hit with a ranged attack, the nalfeshnee teleports up to 120 feet directly toward the attacker to an unoccupied space it can see. Then, each creature within 15 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or fall prone.
Nalfeshnee Magistrate Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 230 (20d10 + 120) Speed 40 ft., fly 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 25 (+7) 15 (+2) 23 (+6) 21 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) Saving Throws CON +12, INT +11, WIS +7, CHA +11 Damage Resistances Attacks made without advantage, Cold, Fire, Lightning Damage Immunities Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned Senses Senses Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 11 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) Spell Resistant Hide. The nalfeshnee has resistance to damage from spells of sixth level or below. It has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Hungry Gaze. A creature that starts its turn within 15 feet of the nalfeshnee that can see it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the beginning of its next turn. While Frightened in this way, a creature can sense the nalfeshnee's surface thoughts and emotions. Fate of the Faithless. Whenever the nalfeshnee kills a demon, it may shout a magically empowered command. Each other demon that can hear it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or follow that command until the beginning of the nalfeshnee's next turn. Huge Stature. A creature adjacent to the nalfeshnee may spend half of its movement to attempt a DC 21 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the creature climbs onto the nalfeshnee. While climbing on the nalfeshnee, a creature has advantage on melee attacks against the nalfeshnee, and the nalfeshnee has disadvantage on melee attacks against it. Actions Multiattack. The nalfeshnee makes three attacks, one of which may be with its bite. Ravenous Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 + 7) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical on an 18-20 against a prone creature. Claw Smash. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) slashing damage and the target is pushed 10 feet away. Each other creature within 5 feet of the target must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or take half the attack's damage. Consume Fear (Recharge 5-6). One creature within 15 feet that is Frightened must make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 93 (6d10 + 60) psychic damage, or half as much damage on a success. Additionally on a failure, the creature's movement speed is reduced by half and it can’t make more than one attack during its following turn. Reactions Reckless Greed. As a reaction when a creature fails its saving throw against the nalfeshnee's Hungry Gaze by 5 or more, the nalfeshnee moves up to 10 feet towards the creature and makes a Ravenous Bite attack against it. Until the beginning of the nalfeshnee's next turn, attacks against it are made at advantage. Horrific Apparition. As a reaction to being hit with a ranged attack, the nalfeshnee teleports up to 120 feet directly toward the attacker to an unoccupied space it can see. Then, each creature within 15 feet of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or fall prone. Judge Worthy. As a reaction when a Frightened nonfiend creature the nalfeshnee can see within 60 feet dies, the nalfeshnee forces it to succeed on a DC 19 Charisma saving throw or transform into a demon of CR 5 or lower.
Art Credits Nalfeshnee by Sam White Nalfeshnee by Conceptopolis The Lords of Woe by Arnie Swekel The Part Where I Shill My Patreon Want to support the creation of content like this? I post new monsters with lore and tactics to my patreon five times a week, joining the more than 1000 already there, indexed in a big PDF along with formats for Foundry and 5eTools. Also check out my website and instagram, where my wife and I make handmade dice and dice bags, and where I post free books as I get them polished up. I'm trying to get a new free book like this out every other month or so. If you've got any monsters you'd like to see statted up by me, leave me a comment over in the permanent thread in r/bettermonsters and I'll put something together for you. Supported By Aaron Rosenberg AHorseWithNoName Alex Bogart Alex Gillies Alex O'Donnell Alex O'Hanlon Alisha Herbitter Allis Anders Ivarsson Andrew Cheeseman Benji Morris Bernhard Fritz Blueberryperson Bradley Webb Brandon Malofsky David Jose Delport Breckland Ex Nihilo Flipp Fletcher Herring George Hughes GramPositive Harrison Phillips Helltroll Hoswell Jack O'Keefe Jacob Gist Jake Serna James Hawthorne James McBride Johnathan Chavez Joseph Donley Josh Huston Justin King Kelsii Weber Kyle Cove Lascifrass Lawrence Courtrelle Luke Wheeler Malacandrian Marc Adelman Matt Herbert Matt Pierce Matthew Cullen Matthew S Mauricio Garcia Maximilian Bizjak Mehul Gupta Michael Taylor Mike Nicolan Milo Baraclough Mitch Whitehead Moritz Hackl Nathan Johnson Nathanial Schnebly Niall Nick I Niki S ObsessiveModelmaker Ondřej Kříž Oscar Mangandid Patrick Phoenix Daniels Primarily Daniel Rae Judd Rici Robert Martin Robin Bjälmsjö Robin Roberts Ronan Battistoni Rowan RuggerFoodie Sandy Hogg SardScroll saternoutlaw Saz Shadowfield Shane Sharelle D Larsen Sheila Dietrich Simen Lande Simon Bell simon Jørgensen Simon Weller SirApetus Sylphreni Tanner F Moen The Coffee Bean GM Victor Navone Vince Margaretich Walter Downard William Dixon Zach Kozel