Astaroth

Huge fiend (demon), lawful evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor)

Hit Points 574 (28d20 + 280)

Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (hover)

STR 25 (+7) · DEX 16 (+3) · CON 26 (+8) · INT 25 (+7) · WIS 22 (+6) · CHA 26 (+8)

Saving Throws Str +15, Dex +11, Con +16, Int +15, Wis +14, Cha +16

Skills Arcana +23, History +15, Insight +14, Perception +14, Persuasion +16, Religion +15

Damage Resistances cold; fire; lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 24

Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 25 (75,000 XP)

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Astaroth fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. Astaroth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. Astaroth’s weapon attacks are magical.

Keeper of the Currents. Creatures of Astaroth’s choice that start their turns within 30 feet of him must succeed on a DC 24 Wisdom saving throw or be slowed, as in the slow spell, until the start of their next turn. A creature that succeeds is immune to this aura for 24 hours.

Putrid Presence. Astaroth exhales foul vapors as he breathes. Creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of him must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of their next turn. While poisoned this way, a creature can’t regain hit points.

Astaroth’s Archive (1/Day). If Astaroth is reduced to 0 hit points while in his lair, he is instead reduced to 1 hit point and immediately teleports, along with any equipment he is wearing or carrying, to a hidden chamber in his archive on the same plane.

Innate Spellcasting. Astaroth’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 24, +16 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:

At will: detect magic (PHB, p. 231/262), invisibility (PHB, p. 254/289), mage hand (PHB, p. 256/293), minor illusion (PHB, p. 260/298)

3/day each: confusion (PHB, p. 224/253), haste (PHB, p. 250/284), slow (PHB, p. 277/318), teleport (PHB, p. 281/331)

1/day each: power word kill (PHB, p. 266/306), foresight (PHB, p. 244/276), time stop (PHB, p. 283/334)

Actions

Multiattack. Astaroth makes three attacks: two with his Claws and one with Serpent’s Kiss.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 7) slashing plus 13 (3d8) necrotic damage.

Serpent’s Kiss. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) piercing damage plus 35 (10d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the creature takes 10 (3d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Nether Inferno (Recharge 5–6). Astaroth exhales a 90-foot cone of necrotic filth. Each creature in that area must make a DC 24 Constitution saving throw, taking 99 (22d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures that fail the save are also poisoned for 1 minute.

Chronal Transference. Astaroth targets a creature he can see within 120 feet. The target must make a DC 24 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, Astaroth regains hit points equal to half the target’s current hit points, and the target’s hit points are reduced by the same amount. This reduction can’t reduce the target below 1 hit point and lasts until the target finishes a long rest or is affected by a greater restoration spell or similar magic.

Bonus Actions

Temporal Shift. Astaroth magically accelerates his personal timeline, allowing him to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Reactions

Paradox Reversal. When a creature Astaroth can see hits him with an attack, he can impose disadvantage on the attack roll, potentially causing it to miss.

Legendary Actions

Astaroth can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Astaroth regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Attack. Astaroth makes one Claw attack.

Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Astaroth casts one of his at-will spells.

Temporal Step (Costs 2 Actions). Astaroth magically teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space he can see.

Lore

The indolent grand duke on a dragon whose putrid breath poisons while he divulges past, present, and future.

Astaroth — Duke of the Netherworld and Keeper of the Currents of Time. The first mention of Astaroth as a demon appears in “The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin,” 15th century. The demon’s outward form is described as a blend of angelic majesty and demonic hideousness. Canonically he is an ugly angel, once a celestial warrior warped by the Fall, seated on an infernal beast (usually a dragon) with a live viper in his right hand. In various sources he is often shown wearing a crown, sometimes with a monkey-like face lined with sharp teeth, wings that still bear ragged angelic feathers, arms and legs that can shift between human and draconic form, and a body sheathed in scales. His trademark physiological feature is a lethal, putrid breath—a concentrated essence of decay capable of causing instant death.

Within the demonic hierarchy Astaroth belongs to the “Unholy Trinity” alongside Lucifer and Beelzebub. His role includes high command, stewardship, resource management, and the office of accuser. His titles are: Grand Duke of Hell, Treasurer of Hell, Prince of Inquisitors, Keeper of Time.

From Demonic Bestiary 5E, p. 16 · Fern Flower Press