Creating a Fiendish Creature
“Fiendish” is an inherited template that can be added to any living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Hit Dice
Unlike with most templates, fiendish is added only through taking special class levels. A fiendish creature’s first racial Hit Die is replaced with a level of this template class. If the base creature had less than 1 full Hit Die, it now has 1 level of this special class with 1 full Hit Die.
For creatures that advance by class level, this special class counts as their first class level.
The creature gains all remaining racial Hit Dice as normal for their race. They may choose to advance by their normal advancement or by taking additional in levels of this special class, becoming more fiendish as their embrace their heritage.
All other template effects are based on the number of levels a creature possesses in this class.
Table: The Fiendish Creature
| | Base Attack
Bonus | Fort
Save | Ref
Save | Will
Save | Special | Ability
Increase | Nat.
AC |
|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Planetouched, darkvision 60 ft., fiendish flesh, minor malign magic | +2 Dex | — |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Claws, smite good | +1 Str | — |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Outsider, bite, moderate malign magic, poison immunity | +1 Con | +1 |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Greater malign magic, wings | +1 Str, +1 Con | +2 |
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): A fiendish creature's class skills are the same as those of their
favored class.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Fiendish Creature gains proficiency with its natural weapons. They do not gain proficiency with any type of armor or shield.
Planetouched
A 1st-level fiendish creature gains the planetouched subtype.
Spells, effects, power, and abilities which affect or target an outsider can also affect or target a planetouched creature. It can use magic items as if it were an outsider; however, it retains all traits of its base type and does not gain any traits of the outsider type. It also is not able to qualify for feats or prestige classes that require the outsider type.
The fiendish creature gains Planar Bloodline as a bonus feat but may only select the Demon or Devil bloodlines.
Ability Increase
At each level, the indicated ability score increases by the amount noted.
Darkvision
A fiendish creature gains darkvision out to 60 feet.
Fiendish Flesh
Table: Fiendish Flesh Benefits| Hit Dice | Resistance Cold/Fire | Resistance Acid/Electric | Damage Reduction |
|---|
| 1–4 | 5 | — | — |
| 5–8 | 5 | 5 | 5/magic |
| 9–12 | 10 | 5 | 5/good |
| 13+ | 10 | 10 | 10/good |
Beginning at 1st level, a fiendish creature gains resistance 5 to cold and fire damage, which improves as it gains additional Hit Dice as show on Table: Fiendish Flesh Benefits. As it gains Hit Dice, it also gains resistance to acid and electricity damage, as shown on the table.
Energy resistance from fiendish flesh stacks with any other energy resistance gained from race or templates but not from spells, effects, or items.
At 2nd level, a fiendish creature gains spell resistance equal to 5 + it total Hit Dice. It also gains damage reduction if its total Hit Dice are high enough (as shown on the table).
At 3rd level, it gains a +1 natural armor bonus to its armor class, which increases to +2 at 4th level.
Malign Magic
At 1st level, a fiendish creature gains access to its malign magic, gaining a suite of minor spell-like abilities, based on its total Hit Dice. Most fiendish creatures begin knowing only darkness usable once per day but learn more as they gain additional Hit Dice.
At 3rd level, a fiendish creature unlocks its moderate malign magic, gaining access to additional spell-like abilities, assuming it has sufficient Hit Dice.
At 4th level, it unlocks the ability to gain its greater malign magic abilities.
The abilities gained and the total Hit Dice at which they are gained are given on Table: Malign Magic.
Table: Malign Magic| Minimum Hit Dice | Spell-Like Abilities Gained |
|---|
| Minor | Moderate | Greater |
|---|
| 1–2 | Darkness 1/day | — | — |
| 3–4 | — | Desecrate 1/day | — |
| 5–6 | Darkness 2/day | — | Unholy blight 1/day |
| 7–8 | — | Poison 2/day | — |
| 9–10 | Darkness 3/day | Contagion 1/day | Unholy blight 1/day |
| 11–12 | — | Poison 3/day | Blasphemy 1/day |
| 13–14 | Deeper Darkness 1/day | Unhallow 1/day | — |
| 15–16 | — | Unholy aura 1/day | Horrid wilting 1/day |
| 17–18 | — | Unholy aura 2/day | Summon monster IX (fiends only) 1/day |
| 19–20 | — | Unholy aura 3/day | Destruction 1/day |
Natural Attacks
A 2nd level fiendish creature gains two claw attacks as a primary natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons, the fiendish creature retains this ability.
At 3rd level, a fiendish creature also gains a bite attack as a secondary natural weapon.
The claws deal 1d4 damage while its bite attack deals 1d6 damage (assuming it’s Medium size). If the base creature already had a claw or bite attack, use whichever damage value is better.
Smite Good
Once per day, a 2nd-level fiendish creature can declare a normal melee attack as a smite attempt. If it successfully hits a good-aligned foe, the attack deals extra damage equal to the fiendish creature’s total HD (maximum of +20).
Outsider
A fiendish creature changes its creature type to outsider at 3rd level. It loses the planetouched subtype but gains the augmented subtype for its original type.
Poison Immunity
Starting at 3rd level, a fiendish creature becomes immune to poison.
Wings
At 4th level, a fiendish creature grows batlike wings, , gaining the Aerial Wings feat as a Fiendish Feat, even if it doesn’t meet the prerequisites.