Paymon

Large fiend (demon), lawful evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor, jeweled crown)

Hit Points 325 (26d12 + 156)

Speed 50 ft., fly 80 ft. (hover), swim 40 ft.

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

Saving Throws Str +13, Dex +10, Con +12, Int +14, Wis +11, Cha +12

Skills Arcana +18, History +18, Insight +11, Perception +17, Persuasion +12

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

Damage Immunities poison, thunder

Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, frightened, poisoned

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 27

Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 20 (25,000 XP)

Traits

Amphibious. Paymon can breathe air and water.

Command of Sound. Thunder damage from Paymon’s abilities ignores resistance, and creatures immune to thunder damage take damage as though they were resistant instead.

Demon Duke’s Mount. Paymon never appears without his infernal camel. The pair functions as one creature. If the camel is reduced to 0 hit points, Paymon loses his fly and swim speeds and his Sonic Blast recharges only on a 6.

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

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

Magic Weapons. Paymon’s weapon attacks are magical.

Spellcasting. Paymon is an 18th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). He requires no material components. Paymon has the following spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): mage hand (PHB, p. 256/293), minor illusion (PHB, p. 260/298), prestidigitation (PHB, p. 267/307)

1st level (4 slots): command (PHB, p. 223/251), thunderwave (PHB, p. 282/334), shield (PHB, p. 275/316)

2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts (PHB, p. 231/262), mirror image (PHB, p. 260/299), shatter (PHB, p. 275/316)

3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic (PHB, p. 234/264), hypnotic pattern (PHB, p. 252/287), lightning bolt (PHB, p. 255/292)

4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility (PHB, p. 246/281), phantasmal killer (PHB, p. 265/304)

5th level (3 slots): dominate person (PHB, p. 235/266), telekinesis (PHB, p. 280/331)

6th level (2 slots): disintegrate (PHB, p. 233/263), mass suggestion (PHB, p. 258/296)

7th level (2 slots): forcecage (PHB, p. 243/276), plane shift (PHB, p. 266/305)

8th level (1 slot): power word stun (PHB, p. 267/306)

9th level (1 slot): power word kill (PHB, p. 266/306)

Actions

Multiattack. Paymon makes three attacks in any combination of Royal Khopesh and Word of Ruin.

Royal Khopesh. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d12 + 7) slashing damage plus 14 (2d12) thunder damage.

Word of Ruin. Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10) thunder damage plus 22 (4d10) psychic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Sonic Blast (Recharge 5–6). Paymon unleashes ear-splitting force in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails is also deafened and stunned until the end of Paymon’s next turn.

Psychological Terror (Recharge 4–6). Paymon dredges up the darkest memories of up to two creatures he can see within 60 feet. Each target must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) psychic damage and becoming frightened for 1 minute on a failed save. A frightened target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Infernal Necromancy. Up to six humanoid corpses Paymon can see within 60 feet rise as zombies under his control (no action required subsequently). The undead act on Paymon’s initiative and obey his mental commands.

Bonus Actions

Mirage Step. Paymon magically teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space he can see, leaving behind a lingering afterimage until the start of his next turn. Creatures that target that afterimage before then do so with disadvantage.

Reactions

Muffled Reality. When Paymon would take thunder damage, he can use his reaction to become briefly insubstantial, taking no damage from the triggering effect.

Legendary Actions

Paymon 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.

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

Matter Manifestation (Costs 2 Actions). Paymon creates a Large, solid illusory object within 60 feet that lasts until the end of his next turn. The area the object occupies is difficult terrain to other creatures, and any ranged attack passing through it is made with disadvantage.

Conduct the Choir (Costs 3 Actions). Paymon immediately recharges Sonic Blast or Psychological Terror and uses the ability.

Lore

An infernal monarch and fallen angel who appears as a crown-topped androgynous figure astride a camel amid a deafening trumpet fanfare, embodying absolute intellectual omniscience in all sciences and arts.

In ancient texts the demon’s name appears as Paimonia, Paimon, Paymon, Poymon, Bayemon, Païmon, and Bayemont, pointing to the broad geographic and cultural reach of this entity’s cult in medieval and Renaissance Europe. The name is taken from the Hebrew word paamon or POMN (פַּעֲמֹן), which literally means “ringing sound” or “little bell.” Within Hell’s rigid hierarchy Paymon bears the title of Duke and rules the north-western provinces of the underworld.

Paymon is most often described, upon materialization, as a majestic, athletic man whose face is strikingly beautiful and almost feminine. A radiant jeweled crown always gleams on his head—sometimes, in certain visions, the crown rests on his mount as well. He never sets foot on the ground but rides a single-humped camel, symbol of survival in the desert’s harsh extremes. The duke’s arrival is accompanied by a retinue of minor spirits who blast an ear-splitting cacophony on trumpets and cymbals. The demon’s voice is unnaturally loud and hoarse, at first speaking an infernal tongue and remaining unintelligible until the sorcerer orders him to speak clearly; once control is established, Paymon can become an affable conversationalist.

From Demonic Bestiary 5E, p. 82 · Fern Flower Press