Marchosias

Huge fiend (demon), lawful evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor)

Hit Points 310 (27d12 + 135)

Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover), swim 20 ft.

STR 26 (+8) · DEX 18 (+4) · CON 24 (+7) · INT 22 (+6) · WIS 20 (+5) · CHA 23 (+6)

Saving Throws Str +15, Dex +11, Con +14, Wis +12, Cha +13

Skills Athletics +15, History +13, Insight +12, Perception +12, Persuasion +13, Stealth +11

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant

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

Damage Immunities fire, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 22

Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As a bonus action, Marchosias magically polymorphs into his humanoid form or back into his true wolf form. Anything he is wearing or carrying transforms with him.

Absolute Honesty. Marchosias is incapable of deliberate lies (including by magical means). Spells or abilities that compel him to lie automatically fail.

Keen Hearing and Smell. Marchosias has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Flyby. Marchosias doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when he flies out of an enemy’s reach.

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

Magic Weapons. Marchosias’s weapon attacks are magical.

Fire Absorption. Whenever Marchosias is subjected to fire damage, he takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to half the fire damage dealt.

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

Actions

Multiattack (Wolf Form). Marchosias makes four attacks: one with his Bite, two with his Claw, and one with his Tail Sting. He can replace any one of these attacks with Infernal Fire Breath if it is available.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d12 + 8) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) fire damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) fire damage.

Tail Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The paralyzed target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Infernal Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). Marchosias exhales hellfire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Unattended, nonmagical objects take double damage, and flammable terrain ignites.

–––Humanoid Form Actions–––

Multiattack. Marchosias makes three Infernal Greatsword attacks and one Tail Sting, and can replace one attack with Infernal Fire Breath if it is available.

Infernal Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (3d10 + 8) slashing damage plus 13 (3d8) fire damage.

Bonus Actions

Tactical Polymorphism. Marchosias uses his Shapechanger trait.

Wingbeat. While in wolf form, Marchosias beats his wings. Each creature of his choice within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Marchosias can then fly up to half his flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Reactions

Parry (Humanoid Form Only). Marchosias adds +4 to his AC against one melee attack that would hit him. To do so, he must see the attacker and be wielding his greatsword.

Legendary Actions

Marchosias 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. He regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Attack. Marchosias makes one Claw or Infernal Greatsword attack.

Move. Marchosias moves up to half his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Molten Barrage (Costs 2 Actions). Marchosias hurls a ball of hellfire at a point he can see within 120 feet. Each creature within 10 feet of that point must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) fire damage and 33 (6d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. The ground in the area is covered in smoldering slag and is difficult terrain until the end of Marchosias’s next turn.

Lore

A fire-breathing winged wolf with serpent tail who excels in ranged combat and hopes for redemption.

The demon’s name comes from the Late-Latin word marchio—“marquis,” which is why his formal title is the Great and Mighty Marquis of Hell. Before the Fall, Marchosias belonged to the angelic order of Dominions, who regulated the duties of lower angels and upheld cosmic order; even after being cast down he retains military discipline, an absolute devotion to hierarchy, and a phenomenal honesty that sharply contrasts with ordinary demonic deceit.

In his natural state Marchosias is a colossal wolf; some legends mention the form of a “savage she-wolf,” though that detail is extremely rare. At first glance one notices the massive griffin wings sprouting from his shoulder blades, symbols of his lost divine status; the wing feathers are rigid, metallic, reminiscent of darkened bronze or obsidian. His tail is a living serpent with its own senses and impenetrable scales, functioning both as a weapon and as a badge of allegiance to Hell. The wolf’s eyes glow with an unnatural, piercing light that reflects high intellect and a thousand-year melancholy. From his jaws the demon can vomit infernal flame that melts steel. He can assume a human guise—an imposing, tall warrior in full armor—while remaining a master swordsman and a skilled military strategist.

From Demonic Bestiary 5E, p. 68 · Fern Flower Press