Baal-Zephon

Huge fiend (devil), lawful evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor)

Hit Points 264 (23d12 + 115)

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 22 (+6) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 21 (+5) · INT 18 (+4) · WIS 20 (+5) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Str +12, Con +11, Wis +11, Cha +10

Skills Athletics +12, Insight +11, Intimidation +10, Perception +17

Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks

Damage Immunities fire, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned

Senses truesight 120 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 27

Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Traits

Perfect Vigilance. Magic cannot obscure Baal-Zephon’s senses. Invisible creatures and objects within 120 feet are seen normally, and creatures can’t gain advantage on attack rolls against him as a result of being unseen. Only a wish or divine intervention spell can hide a creature from him.

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

Captain of the Guard. Allied devils within 60 feet of Baal-Zephon add his proficiency bonus (+5) to their attack rolls.

Innate Spellcasting. Baal-Zephon’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: detect magic (PHB, p. 231/262), detect thoughts (PHB, p. 231/262), thaumaturgy (PHB, p. 282/333)

3/day each: hold monster (PHB, p. 251/285), wall of stone (PHB, p. 287/339), dispel magic (PHB, p. 234/264)

1/day each: forbiddance (PHB, p. 243/276), teleport (PHB, p. 281/331)

Actions

Multiattack. Baal-Zephon makes three attacks: two with his Infernal Scourge and one with his Rooster Beak. He can replace one attack with Reel In.

Infernal Scourge. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) psychic damage. On a critical hit, the target is restrained by ghostly chains (escape DC 18, ending the condition).

Rooster Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (2d8 + 6 plus 2d6) piercing and cold damage.

Reel In. When Baal-Zephon hits a creature of Large size or smaller with his Infernal Scourge, he can pull the creature up to 30 feet straight toward him.

Summon Infernal Guard (Recharge 5–6). Baal-Zephon magically summons 1d4 barbed devils or 2d4 bearded devils. Summoned devils appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet, act on Baal-Zephon’s initiative, obey his commands, and vanish when they drop to 0 hit points or after 1 hour.

Bonus Actions

Portcullis Slam (Recharge 4–6). Baal-Zephon targets a door, gate, or portcullis he can see within 60 feet. The object slams shut and locks. Each creature in the doorway must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone, or take half damage and be pushed to the nearest side of the doorway on a success.

Absolute Blockade (1/Day). When Baal-Zephon is reduced to 80 hit points or fewer, he can root himself in place (speed 0). For 1 minute, he gains resistance to all damage, and hostile creatures that start their turn within 30 feet of him take 14 (4d6) cold damage. He can end this effect (no action required) and regain his movement speed.

Reactions

Predicted Movement. When a creature within 30 feet that Baal-Zephon can see moves, he can move up to half his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Legendary Actions

Baal-Zephon 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. Baal-Zephon makes one Infernal Scourge attack.

Command Minion. One allied devil within 60 feet of Baal-Zephon can use its reaction to move up to its speed and make one melee attack.

Seal Passage (Costs 2 Actions). Baal-Zephon casts wall of stone (as per his innate spell, requiring no components), creating the wall only on solid surfaces and without concentrating.

Lore

The impenetrable captain of Hell’s guard who thwarts every stealth attempt.

The name Baal-Zephon combines the title baal—“master,” “lord”—with zephon, which at first referred to Mount Saphon (Jebel Aqra on the Syrian-Turkish border) and later became a metonym for “the north.” This linguistic shift forged the image of a “Lord of the North,” since in biblical and occult tradition the north was linked to cold, hidden powers, and stern judgment. In Ugaritic culture the form Baʿlu Ṣapuni meant “Lord of Mount Saphon,” tying the deity to the gods’ dwelling place and the center of storms; in Phoenician lore Baal-Zephon became a patron of sailors, ruler of the north wind, and guardian of harbors; in the Gnostic-occult sphere Baalzephon evolved into the captain of Hell’s guard and the warden of inter-planar borders.

The creature’s appearance has shifted from an anthropomorphic storm god to a late-demonological chimera. He is credited with a rooster’s head, a symbol of folk vigilance inverted into an infernal form: the demon’s gaze pierces any magical veil and registers even the slightest energy fluctuation. His bloated torso with its huge belly signals insatiability and the capacity to swallow secrets in limitless quantity. The legs are often shown as coiled serpents, pointing to a chthonic nature and the gift of sensing ground vibrations at great range. The image is completed by a gnarled scourge in his hands. The whip is not merely a weapon but a tool of coercion and discipline, underscoring his rank as captain of the guard. In a demonological breakdown: the rooster head grants perfect perception and immunity to stealth; the serpentine or arachnoid limbs confer tremor sense and target fixation; the swollen trunk boosts physical resilience and serves as a soul-reservoir; the whip or scepter handles punishment of escapees, command of subordinates, and assertion of authority.

From Demonic Bestiary 5E, p. 20 · Fern Flower Press