Torturer Devil [Lesser Baatezu]

This repulsive devil resembles a giant beetle with a glossy, enameled shell. Bulging eyes peer out beneath the carapace, three antennae sample the air for shifts in scent, sound, and pressure, and a proboscis juts from its brow above the eyes. It walks on two legs and has four arms ending in pincers. Wings fold beneath the shell, which splits open whenever it takes flight.

Its job is extracting pain and secrets, not soldiering, so it flees when it can; cornered, it is as lethal as any devil. Only its two large claws can harm in melee (1d6 each). The two smaller arms are too weak to pinch but nimble enough for scalpels and knives, and with a blade in hand each one deals 1d8 through sheer skill, though half of that damage heals on its own in 4 hours. Unarmed, it never uses them. Its usual round is two claws and a 2d6 bite.

After studying a foe for 3 rounds, it may instead make a single precise cut, opening flesh to the bone or finding a gap in an exoskeleton. A target hit must save vs. spell at -6 or suffer -4 to attack and damage, a 2-place Armor Class drop, and 3 less movement, all for 2d6 rounds.

Three times a day it can use either of two bites. One works like cause disease: if it hangs on for 3 rounds (a bend bars/lift gates roll pries it off), making no other attacks meanwhile, the victim contracts an illness that kills in 1-3 weeks. The other pumps in fluid that heals 1d12 damage. It has the baatezu immunities and the powers of its rank: animate dead, advanced illusion, suggestion, charm person, teleport without error, infravision, and constant know alignment. It loves faking injury from harmless attacks to lure foes close.

A new torturer devil, whether raised or demoted to the role, must first train at a secret academy of torment buried beneath a hill of blades on the second layer. There it learns the anatomy and psychology of mortal and immortal races alike. It rarely kills, preferring to prolong suffering. Capturing celestials brings special honor, since they endure enormous abuse, and the fiends delight in breaking good beings into whimpering ruins. Working on tanar'ri earns less acclaim.

Too valuable for the front lines of the endless war between demons and devils, they work behind the lines. Some sages think their torment helps shape petitioners into new devils, teaching them that only the strong inflict pain. Some prisoners even come to crave the pain and obey their tormentors with twisted devotion.

It may roam between layers freely but tends to stay put with one set of victims, and it goes wherever ordered. After about 223 years of faithful work it can become an erinyes, a vital step for ambitious devils, so many seek this post. Torturer devils serve eagerly, eyeing their future under the Dread Eight.