Demonologist Talent: Demon Minion
Not a lot of stuff's been put onto the Vault of the 13th Age dealing with the Demonologist; I thought I'd share something I threw into my campaign for players of the Demonologist class.
This talent is actually three different talents, replicated for each of the three Demonology paths. (i.e. Corrupted Minion, Flame Minion and Slaughter Minion).
When you choose this talent, you have a demon minion who is always one level lower than you (which just makes sense; if it were at your level or higher, it might start to get ideas...). Unlike the summoned demons brought forth by your demon summoning spells, your minion is bound to you with a powerful ritual designed to ensure its loyalty. (you can invent the details of this ritual: go ahead and tell us what kinds of things will happen to the demon if it tries to betray you – or, what kinds of things will happen to you if you fail to uphold whatever your end of the bargain was!)
Your demon minion has stats identical to a Druid or Ranger's animal companion at the same level. In appearance, your demon minion resembles one of the Demons that you summon with your summoning spell (your choice). However, instead of the abilities normally associated with these demons, your minion instead has a random demon ability as given below (roll 1d8 and consult the list appropriate to your path, or choose the one you like best).
Corruption Minion Demon Abilities
- Deathwish – The demon takes a -2 penalty to all defenses, but gains a +3 attack bonus.
- Resist Poison 18+ – Makes sense, right? For a Corruption Demon, anyway.
- Bad Ending – While staggered, the demon gains a +2 bonus to its attack rolls.
- Big Hate – Each battle, the demon gains a +4 attack bonus until the end of the battle against the first enemy that hits it with an attack.
- Invisibility – Once per battle, as an interrupt action when the demon becomes staggered, it can become invisible until the end of its next turn.
- Circling the Square – The demon can teleport 1d3 times each battle as a move action.
- Demonic Speed – One battle per day, while the escalation die is 4+, the demon can take an extra action each turn. It can use this extra action to either move or attack, whichever you prefer.
- Resist Fire 14+ – Because the Abysss is not the coolest place ever.
Flame Minion Demon Abilities
- Deathwish – The demon takes a -2 penalty to all defenses, but gains a +3 attack bonus.
- Resist Fire 18+ – Makes sense, right? For a Flame Demon, anyway.
- Bad Ending – While staggered, the demon gains a +2 bonus to its attack rolls.
- Big Hate – Each battle, the demon gains a +4 attack bonus until the end of the battle against the first enemy that hits it with an attack.
- Invisibility – Once per battle, as an interrupt action when the demon becomes staggered, it can become invisible until the end of its next turn.
- Circling the Square – The demon can teleport 1d3 times each battle as a move action.
- Demonic Speed – One battle per day, while the escalation die is 4+, the demon can take an extra action each turn. It can use this extra action to either move or attack, whichever you prefer.
- Resist Poison 14+ – Because a couple toxins never really hurt anybody, right?...
Slaughter Minion Demon Abilities
- Deathwish – The demon takes a -2 penalty to all defenses, but gains a +3 attack bonus.
- Resist Fire 14+ – The Abyss is filled with fire; slaughter demons should be able to take some heat.
- Bad Ending – While staggered, the demon gains a +2 bonus to its attack rolls.
- Big Hate – Each battle, the demon gains a +4 attack bonus until the end of the battle against the first enemy that hits it with an attack.
- Invisibility – Once per battle, as an interrupt action when the demon becomes staggered, it can become invisible until the end of its next turn.
- Circling the Square – The demon can teleport 1d3 times each battle as a move action.
- Demonic Speed – One battle per day, while the escalation die is 4+, the demon can take an extra action each turn. It can use this extra action to either move or attack, whichever you prefer.
- Resist Poison 14+ – Slaughter demons respect strength; resistance to poison is an adequate measure of strength.
All of the normal rules for animal companions basically apply to your Demon Minion. Like the Necromancer's Skeleton Minion, your Demon Minion does not count as a summoned demon, and so effects that specifically reference summoned demons do not apply to it.
Adventurer Feat: Once per day, your demon minion can attack twice in a round with a standard action.
Adventurer Feat: Once per battle, your demon minion can force an enemy it's engaged with to re-roll a successful disengage check. If the enemy fails this roll with a natural odd, the demon minion can make an opportunity attack anyway. (what do you want? demons cheat!)
Adventurer Feat: Your demon minion adds the escalation die to its attacks.
Adventurer Feat: Once per day, reroll one of your demon minion's missed attack rolls.
Adventurer Feat (Corruption Path Only): Your demon minion's natural attacks are now venomous. On a natural even hit, the target takes ongoing poison damage equal to your level (twice your level at Champion, thrice your level at Epic).
Adventurer Feat (Flame Path Only): As a quick action, you can set your demon minion ablaze, or extinguish it if it's already flaming. While your minion is on fire, its damage dice increase by one die size, and all of its melee attacks deal fire damage. Being on fire awakens a psychotic recklessness in your minion, however: while flaming, whenever your demon minion's natural attack roll is odd, it takes damage equal to your level.
Champion Feat (Slaughter Path Only): Your demon minion's martial prowess improves; its attacks gain an extra damage dice.
Champion Feat: Once per day, your demon minion can force an enemy to reroll an attack that hit it.
Champion Feat: Add double your Charisma modifier to your demon minion's hit points. (triple at Epic tier)
Champion Feat: Your demon minion gains a special ability from the monstrous stat block of its type.
Champion Feat: Increase either your demon minion's PD or MD by +2.
Epic Feat (Slaughter Path Only): Your demon minion's skill at arms grows even more; its attacks gain an extra damage dice. Yes, this is cumulative with the Champion tier feat that does the same thing.
Epic Feat: Increase your demon minion's damage dice by one die size.
Epic Feat: Your demon minion gains a second Random Demon Ability from the list above, appropriate to your demon's path.
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