This component brings all Fiends in the game closer to their PnP counterparts. Legitimately missing abilities are restored and spuriously granted benefits are removed. The Fiends' AI has been enhanced as well, and it now allows them to act in accordance to their PnP behavior and intelligence scores. In effect, these changes moderately increase the difficulty of dealing with Fiend opponents. Finally, the Blood War now plays a slightly more prominent role. Whenever Baatezu and Tanar'ri meet, they will taunt and fight each other. This will take precedence over any other actions unless the Fiends' existence is endangered by a more powerful enemy.
The Baatezu are a strong, evil-tempered, well-organized race of fiends. In their rigid caste system, authority derives not only from power but from station. As Lawful Evil beings, the Baatezu pursue calculated doctrines as part of a grand plan to advance their race to dominion of all the planes. They tempt mortals into intellectual evils such as pride, ambition, and subversion. The primary goal of the Baatezu is to destroy their ancient enemies, the Tanar'ri. Both races are engaged in an eternal conflict known as the Blood War. According to their rank, the Baatezu are divided into three groups: least, lesser and greater.
ImpLike the Baatezu, Tanar'ri are also fiends, but they embody evil of a different type. Chaotic Evil personified, the Tanar'ri are motivated not by doctrines but by insane, violent inner drives. They tempt mortals into crimes of passion and vice, evils of appetite. The primary goal of the Tanar'ri is to destroy their ancient enemies, the Baatezu. Both races are engaged in an eternal conflict known as the Blood War. According to their rank, there are five classifications of Tanar'ri, listed in ascending order of power: least, lesser, greater, true and guardian.
QuasitThe Yugoloth are fiends that inhabit the Lower Planes of Acheron, Gehenna, the Grey Wastes and Carceri. While the Baatezu and the Tanar'ri are forever bitter enemies locked in an eternal struggle, the Yugoloth play both sides against each other for their own gain. The defining characteristics of the Yugoloth are their complete lack of loyalty and their greed. They act as mercenaries in the Blood War, but continually betray the side they are currently working for in return for even greater rewards from the other side. Were it not for their fear that the other side may gain an advantage by using the Yugoloth, neither the Baatezu nor the Tanar'ri would enlist their services. By their power alone are Yugoloth divided into two categories: lesser and greater.
ArcanalothThe Lower Planes are also home to many independent or unorganised types of Fiends. They need not be associated with the Baatezu, Tanar'ri or the Blood Way in any way, but they may appear on the Prime Material Plane and take an interest in mortals and their souls all the same.
Shadow FiendAs per PnP rules, Fiends cannot be interrupted while using their spell-like abilities, all of which have a casting time of 1. Furthermore, Fiends no longer automatically see through Invisibility unless that's explicitly stated in their statistic block. Finally, as creatures of extraplanar origin, Fiends do not benefit from curative magic. Here are the descriptions of the Fiends' unique items, special traits and spell-like abilities which don't have a spell counterpart in the unmodded game:
Aura of FearSeveral aspects of the Fiend summoning process are altered. Firstly, while summoned Fiends still remain uncontrollable, they now match the allegiance of their summoner. This allows the summoner to receive experience points for each opponent that the Fiends defeats, but it also applies the appropriate reputation penalty for each innocent that the Fiend murders. Note: certain Fiends prefers to trick and manipulate innocents into service, rather than killing them outright. Secondly, the nature of a summoned Fiend now corresponds to the alignment of its summoner. A Baatezu appears if the caster is lawfully aligned, while a Tanar'ri appears if the caster is chaotically aligned. If the caster is neither lawfully nor chaotically aligned, a Yugoloth will be summoned instead. Finally, the party now gains XP for killing Fiends summoned by opponents. Summoned fiends of the same type will attempt to coordinate their attacks. When one fiend encounters an enemy, it will try to alert any nearby fiends of its type to the enemy's presence. For example, if a summoned Nabassu encounters an opponent it will alert any summoned Tanar'ri fiends that may be nearby. Here are the updated descriptions of the revised Fiend summoning spells:
CacofiendThis spell will summon forth a denizen of the Lower Planes. The nature of the Fiend corresponds to the alignment of its summoner. A Cornugon appears if the caster is lawfully aligned, while a Nabassu appears if the caster is chaotically aligned. If the caster is neither lawfully nor chaotically aligned, an Arcanaloth will be summoned instead. In any case, the spellcaster has no control over the actions of the summoned Fiend. Anyone not protected from evil, as per the spell, may be attacked by the creature, including innocent bystanders as well as the spellcaster and his party. Note that the spellcaster bears any reputation and alignment repercussions for the actions of the summoned Fiend.
This spell will summon forth one of the more powerful denizens of the Lower Planes. The nature of the Fiend corresponds to the alignment of its summoner. A Gelugon appears if the caster is lawfully aligned, while a Glabrezu appears if the caster is chaotically aligned. If the caster is neither lawfully nor chaotically aligned, a Nycaloth will be summoned instead. In any case, the spellcaster has no control over the actions of the summoned Fiend. Anyone not protected from evil, as per the spell, may be attacked by the creature, including innocent bystanders as well as the spellcaster and his party. Note that the spellcaster bears any reputation and alignment repercussions for the actions of the summoned Fiend.
This spell will summon forth one of the most powerful denizens of the Lower Planes. The nature of the Fiend corresponds to the alignment of its summoner. A Pit Fiend appears if the caster is lawfully aligned, while a Balor appears if the caster is chaotically aligned. If the caster is neither lawfully nor chaotically aligned, an Ultroloth will be summoned instead. In any case, the spellcaster has no control over the actions of the summoned Fiend. Anyone not protected from evil, as per the spell, may be attacked by the creature, including innocent bystanders as well as the spellcaster and his party. Note that the spellcaster bears any reputation and alignment repercussions for the actions of the summoned Fiend.
This part of PnP Fiends slightly alters the placement of fiends in certain areas in order to provide a more immersive gameplay experience. Here's the full list of changes: