Demon, Dread Horseman
- Armor Class
- 2 [17] to 0 [19] (m)
- Hit Dice
- 6 to 8
- Attacks
- Slam or Weapon (1d6)
- Special
- magic weapons to hit, 3rd-5th-level Cleric spells, half nonmagical damage, sleep/charm/hold/fear immunity, darkvision, infernal banishment
- Move
- 12
- HDE/XP
- 10-12/1,400-2,000
Description
Infernal beings are monstrosities with otherworldly or extra-dimensional origins. These beings are universally vile and at odds with the powers of goodness. There are several distinct races or groups of infernal beings, generally grouped by their origin. They might be called demons, devils, or other related terms. If reduced to 0 Hit Points in the mortal world, an infernal is not destroyed but disappears in a pall of greasy black smoke and terrifying scream, banished back to its home dimension or plane. Once banished, it cannot return to the mortal world for an entire year. To truly destroy one it must be reduced to 0 Hit Points while in its home dimension.
Dread Horsemen are Hell's cavalry and outriders. These skeletal warriors wear charred blackened plate mail and prefer to run down their foes and dispatch them with a battleaxe +1. Mounted on a skeletal steed (page 237), a zombie horse (page 287), or for the more powerful and influential of them, on a nightmare (page 155).
A dread horseman also has Cleric spell abilities of 3rd to 5th level (based on its hit dice), and takes half damage from non-magical weapons, is immune to Sleep, charm, hold magic and fear, and like other infernals can only be damaged by magical weapons. They also have Darkvision out to 60 feet.
If a dread horsemen stands on hallowed ground, it loses its Clerical abilities and suffers a -4 penalty on all checks and saves. It can instantly tell when it enters a hallowed area and will leave immediately.
If reduced to 0 Hit Points, a dread horseman is not destroyed but disappears in a blaze of hellish green flames, banished back to the infernal realm, along with all equipment it carries. Once banished, it cannot come back to the mortal world for an entire year. To truly destroy one it must be restrained, its skull removed and placed in a blessed oaken box, and then burned.
See Also
Other creatures in the Demon category: Demon, Balor, Demon, Imp, Demon, Lemure, Demon, Succubus, Demon, Agares, Demon, Arachnea, Demon, Barbed Devil, Demon, Baubas, Demon, Bone Devil, Demon, Creoboros, Demon, Eldri, Demon, Erinyes, Demon, Fiend, Demon, Glabrezu, Demon, Hezrou, Demon, Ice Devil, Demon, Larva, Demon, Malacoda, Demon, Malebranche, Demon, Manes, Demon, Marilith, Demon, Nalfeshni, Demon, Night Hag, Demon, Nightmare, Demon, Pazzu, Demon, Quasit, Demon, Rubicante, Demon, Shadow Fiend, Demon, Spined Devil, Demon, Vega, Demon, Vrock.
Source note: This creature is converted from The Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign – Omnibus Edition, 1st Edition Release 4, © 2010–2025 Chris Gonnerman, R. Kevin Smoot, James Lemon, Matt Sluis, and Contributors. The Basic Fantasy Field Guide textual material is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; this page adapts that creature to White Box.