Dungeons & Dragonsremains the most popular TTRPG in the world. One of the most iconic features of D&D is theincredible suite of monstersa Dungeon Master has at their disposal. You might even be surprised to learn that D&D 5e boasts over a thousand monsters.
With such a wealth of creatures to choose from, there’s really no excuse why you have to rely on the same old Imps and Succubi when it comes time tothrow some Fiends at your players. For the Dungeon Masters among you, we’ve pulled together a list of some of the more interestingDevils and Demonsyou can conjure up in your next session.
10Yochlol
Four In One
If versatility is what you need, the Yochlol has you covered. This slimy fiend can hold its regular form, turn into toxic mist, become a giant spider, and even take on the form of a female Drow. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something that can get the drop on your players.
They serve Lolth, Queen of Spiders. While she often has them infiltrate Drow societies, they could be put to any number of uses and are a great alternative to big old spiders in a Lolth-themed campaign.
9Wastrilith
Demon And The Deep Blue Sea
Fiends probably aren’t what you think of first when it comes time to present your players with aquatic threats, but that’s exactly what makes them the perfect surprise. If you weren’t thinking of thinking of it, they’ll never think of it either. Think about it!
In all seriousness, an amphibious Demon opens up a lot of options. Deep sea cultists or pirates summoning demons to help in their plundering, there’s no shortage of deep sea adventures you can give a new fiendish twist.
8Stalker Of Baphomet
Make It A Large
Sometimes, there’s no substitute for a good old monster mash, taking two different types of monsters and throwing them together to make something new. In the case of the Stalker of Baphomet, the work has already been done for you.
When a giant decides to give itself over to worship of Baphomet, the result is one of these extra-large beauties. As crafters of mazes, they’re a great entity to put at the end of an especially confusing dungeon crawl.
7Space Clown
Yes, That Does Say Space Clown
If you’re a fan of a certain B-movie, you’ll be chomping at the bit to throw some Space Clowns into your game. Even if you’re not, they’re a great Spelljammer encounter and an even better one to shock your players with if you’re not running Spelljammer.
As interstellar marauders who feed on human flesh, nothing is preventing a band of Space Clowns from landing on your otherwise regular fantasy planet. If nothing else, it would make for a memorable one-shot adventure.
6Relentless Juggernaut
Classic Horror Vibes
Although the Relentless Juggernaut may look human, they are killers right out of a classic horror movie. If you imagine a fantasy version of Jason Vorhees from Friday the 13th, you’re absolutely on track.
They make perfect bosses, especially the type your players are supposed to come up short against and tackle later on after leveling up. Their Regeneration ability only stops working if they take Radiant damage, and because they don’t look fiendish your players might not default to using that damage type.
If you’re more of a fan of Ghostface than Jason Voorhees, take a look at the Relentless Slasher instead. They are less beefy than the Juggernaut, but with increased mobility, they might be more your style.
5Maw Of Yeenoghu
Open Wide
A favorite monster for many Dungeon Masters is the Gnoll, rabid hyena creatures who worship the demon lord Yeenoghu. There are lots of options for keeping these lower-level creatures relevant as your campaign continues, and one of the best is the Maw of Yeenoghu.
These are giants that have also turned to worship of Yeenoghu, twisted by the demon lord’s influence. They’re a terrifying monster, thanks in no small part to their magic resistance and an extra large helping of hit points.
4Hellwasp
Buzz Off
If you land the description of the Hellwasp, your players will be horrified, and with good reason. It isn’t just a demonic wasp, it’s a demonic wasp bigger than their characters are, with a size of Large. Not only that, but it has an Intelligence of ten.
That means Hellwasps are intelligent and can actually speak Infernal, so if one of the player characters understands that language, they have to face evil-giant-demon wasps who will describe their sinister intentions.
3Daemogoth
Huge Fiend, Mini Patron
Daemogoths are fiends who consume suffering, which if we’re honest, doesn’t make them all that different from other fiends. What is interesting is that they’re known to exchange magical gifts in return for regular suffering from the person who uses those gifts.
That isn’t just lore, either, it’s baked right into their stat block. you may cast a spell of third level or lower, regardless of class, and you just have to take a little psychic damage whenever you use it. This is a great way to introduce the notion of pacts and devilish contracts to your game.
2Arcanaloth
Knowledge Keepers
The Arcanaloth is the perfect fiend that your players won’t realize is a fiend, at least not at first. Civilized and intelligent, they have an appearance like a humanoid fox or jackal and are interested in gathering knowledge and secrets.
A well-played Arcanaloth could seem like an information broker, a merchant seeking gossip, or even a local librarian. Your players might see them as a regular NPC, at least until you reveal their fiendish nature and that they’ve been putting the intel they collect toward evil.
1Abyssal Chicken
We’re Going To Need A Bigger Fryer
If shocking your players is the goal, there might be no creature better suited for the task than the Abyssal Chicken. Aside from the feet, it doesn’t look anything like a chicken, but it does serve as a source of food in the Abyss.
They can’t fly especially well, and they don’t have a lot of hit points, but with a surprising AC of 13 and a handful of damage resistances, a pack of these infernal avians might catch arrogant adventurers off guard. More importantly, showing them the artwork of their foe will definitely get a big reaction.
