AC 13 (natural armor)
HP 52 (8d8 + 16; bloodied 26)
Speed 40 ft.
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Abyssal
Chaotic Evil. The demon radiates a Chaotic and Evil aura.
Radiant Weakness. If the demon takes radiant damage while it is bloodied , it is frightened for 1 minute.
Varied Shapes. Each horde demon has a unique combination of attacks and powers. Roll 1d10 once or twice, rerolling duplicates, or choose one or two features from the following table. A horde demon’s features determine the attacks it can make.
1 Bat Head. The demon emits a 15-foot cone of cacophonous sound. Each creature in the area makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw , taking 7 (2d6) thunder damage on a failed save or half damage on a success.
2 Bulging Eyes (Gaze). A creature within 60 feet makes a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw . On a failure, it takes 7 (2d6) psychic damage and is frightened until the end of its next turn.
3 Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.
4 Fangs. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
5 Goat Horns. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the target makes a DC 13 Strength saving throw , falling prone on a failure.
6 Lamprey Mouth. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the lamprey mouth attack can be used only on this target and automatically hits.
7 Porcupine Quills. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
8 Scorpion Tail Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
9 Tentacle Arms Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the tentacle arms attack can only be used on this target.
10 Whispering Mouth. The demon targets a creature within 30 feet that can hear it. The target makes a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw . On a failure, it takes 7 (1d8 + 3) psychic damage and is magically cursed until the start of the demon’s next turn. While cursed, the demon’s attacks against the target are made with advantage , and the target has disadvantage on saving throws against the demon’s Whispering Mouth.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The demon makes two attacks, using any attack granted by its Varied Shapes trait.
Combat
The horde demon uses whatever attacks it possesses. It flees only if it suffers the frightened condition.
Demon Names
Abigor, Aborag, Agoraxas, Algalar, Ana-Sepiya, Arcanax, Argenthrixus, Ashban, Brezremith, Caim, Carn, Carnifex, Gall, Hacari, Ignax, Ildramath, Iritra, Lachirax, Maggoth, Malfias, Milviash, Moloth, Morza, Namazeu, Razortail, Sarzan, Serechor, Suroth, Tehezu, Uzuzzu, Velavis, Velgizich, Wreak, Zugor, Zuthis
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Religion check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Demons are fiends spawned from the Abyss. They are creatures of pure chaos: even the most intelligent demon can’t be reasoned with.
DC 15 Poison can’t adversely affect a demon’s alien physiology. They shrug off much of the damage caused by cold, fire, lightning, and mundane weapons.
DC 20 The most powerful demons are even more resilient. They entirely ignore the effects of many magic spells.
The name “horde demon” refers not to a specific type of demon, but to a member of the throngs of undifferentiated demons that roam the Abyss and comprise the bulk of demonic armies. Each horde demon has a different arrangement of horrifying features. Many have both animal and humanoid traits, and some have extra heads or limbs. In a group, they present a terrifying mass of claws, teeth, tentacles, and spines. They are thirsty for violence and motivated only by the prospect of immediate reward...or the threat of imminent destruction.
A skilled mage can summon and control a horde demon, but more often a dabbler in forbidden lore looses it into the world by accident.
1–3 Committing acts of mindless destruction (setting a fire, uprooting trees, defiling a holy site)
4 Trapped in an abandoned summoning circle
5 Pacing the far side of a magic mirror or planar gate, waiting to be released
6 Mangling the corpse of a recent kill
7 Guarding or patrolling, under the control of a summoner
8 Using napkins and rusted cutlery to dine on humanoid corpses
9 Drawn to you by the secret holy or unholy power of one of your magic items
10 if you let it live, it promises to harm one of your enemies
1 Pained screams accompanied by guttural laughter
2 Residual negative emotions (envy, paranoia, rage) subtly influence the area’s inhabitants
3 Horribly misshapen animals, born with extra legs, eyes, or heads
4 The remains of another monster, torn limb from limb
5 A human corpse; its face is frozen in an expression of horror
6 Clawed footprints
Demons are native to the Abyss but can threaten any part of the world if summoned or by bursting through poorly-sealed arcane gates.
CR 3–4 horde demon ; shadow demon ; quasit with 1 to 3 death dogs
CR 5–10 glabrezu ; hezrou ; vrock ; 2 or 3 horde demons ; 2 shadow demons ; shadow demon with 1d4 shadows
Treasure 1 warhammer (named Night Terror; its wielder is rattled while in darkness)
CR 11–16 horde demon band ; marilith ; nalfeshnee ; glabrezu with 1 or 2 horde demons ; hezrou with 1d6 + 2 ghouls ; 3 or 4 shadow demons
Treasure 2 scimitar (named Wrath; intelligent, Lawful Evil, with Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores of 12)
CR 17–22 balor ; 2 glabrezu ; 3 vrocks ; horde demon band with cambion , hezrou , or vrock
Treasure gold demon idol (7,500 gp), 2 bottles containing invisible wine that act as potions of invisibility , spell scrolls of contact other plane and dominate person , demon armor
CR 23–30 balor general ; balor or marilith with horde demon band ; marilith with 2 spirit nagas
Treasure massive ruby (25,000 gp) that contains a soul trapped by the magic jar spell, spell scrolls of magic jar and plane shift , 3 arrows of celestial slaying , 2 longsword (named Storm Claw; its wielder can cast lightning bolt with no components once per long rest, saving throw DC 18)
CR 31+ balor general with horde demon band , marilith , or nalfeshnee ; balor with 1d4 + 1 vrocks ; marilith with 3 or 4 hezrous
Treasure gemmed black iron war horn (25,000 gp), gemmed dragonbone crown (25,000 gp), 4 elemental gems (water) , Ioun stone of leadership , vorpal sword
Fiends are evil-aligned creatures from Hell, the Abyss, and other cursed realms. Most fiends are demons and devils, each of which have their own subtypes and hierarchies. Some fiends, such as hell hounds , are neither demons nor devils.