There are two (2) reasons why I drew Ghurrix for my weekly art series of @criticalrole.
1) I enjoyed that combat.
2) I just wanted to draw a pit fiend.
THOSE WHO PULL THE STRINGS - a critical role villains playlist
(8tracks / playmoss)
01. K’Varn : Florence + The Machine - Breath Of Life
To get a dream of life again / A little of vision of the start and the end / But all the choirs in my head sang no
02. Clarota : Courbé - I Know I'm a Wolf (Young Heretics Cover)
Yes I know I'm a wolf and I've been known to bite / But the rest of my pack I have left them behind
03. Anna Ripley : Shiny Toy Guns - Ricochet!
She ricochets / And you don't notice / She's in your head / And you just don't notice
04. The Briarwoods : Civil Twilight - How'm I Supposed To Die
Where'm I supposed to lie / if I can't lie with you? / And the flesh that used to tingle / has turned a marble blue / and you tell me that / we can never go back / what am I to say to that?
05. Orthax : Digital Daggers - The Devil Within (Piano Version)
I’m gonna make you suffer / This hell you put me in / I’m underneath your skin / The devil within
06. Hotis : Radical Face - Black Eyes
When you last left me my blood was in a jar / And you kept it on your mantelpiece / I couldn’t count on anyone to stand there behind me / And keep the dogs from dragging me off with them
07. Craven Edge : Blue Foundation - Eyes On Fire
I'm taking it slow / Feeding my flame / Shuffling the cards of your game
08. Kevdak : Zayde Wolf - Hustler
I didn't come from luxe or own no diamonds / Yeah I was barely getting by, we survive like lions / But now I'm a king, now I'm a titan / 'Cause I'm a hustler, yeah I'm a hustler
09. Saundor : Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Every Breath You Take (The Police Cover)
Oh can't you see / You belong to me / How my poor heart aches / With every step you take
10. Raishan : Scarlett Johansson - Trust in Me
Just relax, be at rest / Like a bird in a nest / Trust in me, just in me / Shut your eyes and trust in me
11. Ghurrix : Ruelle - Big Guns
Can't hide in the den of lions / You can't move with your feet tied / No rest when you sleep in shadows
12. Thordak : Avenged Sevenfold - Hail to the King
Hail to the king / Hail to the one / Kneel to the crown / Stand in the sun / Hail to the king
13. The Briarwoods, Revisited : Florence + The Machine - Cosmic Love
And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat / I tried to find the sound / But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness / So darkness I became
14. Vecna : Mischa "Book" Chillak Ft. Esthero - Ready Or Not
Ready or not / Here I come / You can't hide
Monster Analysis: Utugash the Pit Fiend, Bone and Bearded Devils
Thanks to @JustADakota for this art piece!
Encounter Appearance: 93 Bats Out of Hell
Armor Class 20 (Suggested 19)
Truesight 120 ft, Passive 14
Speed 30 ft, 60 ft flying
Resistant to cold and nonmagical, nonsilvered physical damage
Immune to fire and poison damage
Suggested Average, Max HP: 300, 408
602 damage taken, 19 HDYWTDT by Tova
Vox Machina found themselves, for the second time, commissioned to assassinate a pit fiend. While they (and their target) may have been mostly unprepared the first time, Vox Machina entered the stronghold of Utugash, Herald of Vassalage, with ample preparation. Unfortunately, it would seem that despite his lazy demeanor, Utugash was also prepared.
What We Know About Hotis and the Nine Hells: A Summary
Vox Machina is determined to put an end to Hotis once and for all. To do that, they’ll need to make the dangerous trek through the Nine Hells. Did you start watching Critical Role at the Feywild arc and have no idea what’s going on? Forgotten the details of the Trial of the Take episodes? Curious about the Hells? We’ve got you covered. First, we have a link to our quote compendium about the Hells and Hotis. Second, below the cut we have a summary of the relevant information- spoilers abound! We’re going to largely steer clear of any speculation beyond the information that was laid out on Critical Role. Remember: the Nine Hells on Critical Role may have similarities and differences from the Nine Hells described in the DMG.
Tonight, Vox Machina finds themselves up against two greater devils. While we’ll save the full monster analysis for next week after we’ve seen them in action, we figured a preview to either sedate or encourage the panic was in order.
(Note from L: I’m already panicking. Someone died last time I missed a big fight live.)
(Note from A: Hey, a TPK is highly unlikely. Character death might happen, sure, but...)
(Note from TSB: Don’t throw around the ‘d’ word unless it’s the ‘d’ word time!)
The Devils You Know
First, fun facts about devils in general. With the exception of the lowly lemure, all devils have magic resistance, granting them advantage on saves against any magical spell or effect. Additionally, even though all devils (lemures included) can see in magical darkness, only the pit fiend and the erinyes have true sight, piercing magical darkness, invisibility, and any illusion. So, sorry, Vox Machina, Ghurrix was never fooled by the azer and sextuplet routine.
@obsseseddramaqueen reminds us that devils typically have resistance to physical weapon damage unless they are silvered. While Vox Machina doesn’t have any silvered weaponry, magical weapons also will overcome this resistance. Note that they also have resistance to cold damage, and fire and poison flat out won’t work.
On top of all this, a fiend killed on any plane other than its plane of origin merely returns to its plane (as we saw with Hotis the Rakshasa). Should Ghurrix or the erinyes fall, it will be, at worst, an inconvenience before they return to the embassy with much greater numbers and a vendetta against someone in the City of Brass. While it's still entirely possible for Juuriael's name to be left out of this, she may find her request less than satisfied when Ghurrix returns to the City of Brass.
Hint Hint. Hint Hint Hint.
Matt hasn't exactly been subtle that this fight is going to be dire without external assistance or ingenuity. During Episode 75, Cenokier suggested the party bring in the assistance of the City of Brass’ guard by way of pinning the suspicion of treason against The Sultan on Ghurrix. Even in his interview on Talks Machina, Matt confirmed that his bets were on Ghurrix unless the party could come up with some last-minute creativity.
Given the circumstance, we can comment only on a straight battle with a level playing field and no external elements in play. If we (falsely) assume no additional modifications to the monsters, combined, Ghurrix and his summoned bodyguard have a combined challenge rating of 21. This, surprisingly, falls into the range of a medium challenge for a full-partied Vox Machina.
However, let’s be realistic. Health and damage are definitely getting upgrades. The erinyes gets three attacks per turn (two if she uses her Rope to tie someone up). Ghurrix gets four attacks per turn, all ignoring resistances and almost ensured to make contact. That’s to say nothing of the spells at his disposal.
Matt also hinted at Ghurrix’s Fear Aura. While Vox Machina will be immune to it once they shrug it off, the aura will still grant disadvantage on attacks and ability checks and hinder their movement options until they overcome the 21 Wisdom Save DC. Keyleth’s Feeblemind would have removed Ghurrix’s considerable casting abilities and possibly prevented the erinyes from entering the battle, but even the pit fiend’s physical abilities are deeply imposing.
On top of that, the erinyes comes to this battle fully equipped, wielding a Rope of Entanglement, a longbow, and a longsword. Expect to see a significant increase in damage on each of her attacks in the form of poison damage, as well. (That Heroes’ Feast is looking better and better…) However, if we assume that the erinyes was summoned using the variant rules on p68 of the Monster Manual, she will only be there for as long as a minute before the summoning fades. She can also be dismissed by either killing her or Ghurrix, or with an action from Ghurrix himself.
Any way the battle goes, it’s fair to say that the fight itself will only be half as interesting as the consequences that immediately follow...
