Journey To The Savage Planet Higher Calling

[Annemie]

Aspart of DMDM's Guide to Planar Binding, I want to include an appendix on creatures that you can call and bind. Since there are a lot of outsiders, it's a big chunk of work. So I'm looking to crowdsource it.

We already did Lesser Planar Binding, which lets you summon and control outsiders of 6 HD or less (post and thread right here) and plain vanilla Planar Binding, for creatures of up to 12 HD (post and thread). Now let's do Greater Planar Binding, the last and most powerful of the three, which gives you access to outsiders of up to 18 HD!

Here follows a partial list of targets. It's heavily weighted towards evil outsiders, because it grew out of my Guide to the Diabolist. You'll notice it's in order from lowest CR to highest; within a CR, it's alphabetical. Please feel free to either amend or expand existing entries, or create new entries (but in the same format, please, for consistency).

At these levels you're no longer calling mooks. These creatures are powers in their own right, with minions -- in some cases entire armies -- at their beck and call. Your DM would be perfectly within his rights to give these creatures unexpected resources, including the ability to strike at you even on your home plane. Handle with care.

Elder Fire Elemental [CR 11, Will +7, SR 0, Cha 11] -- These guys are very easy to call for a creature of their CR. Of course, by the time you can conjure them, a CR 11 creature may not be all that useful. Still, potentially useful as a terror weapon, especially if you call them in groups.

Malbolgian Cerberi* [CR 12, Will +6, SR 0, Cha 8] -- These are Paizo creatures, but 3.5 (from the Council of Thieves AP, Pathfinder #28), never converted to Pathfinder. If you can convince your DM to allow them anyway, they are wonderful. Not only are they ridiculously easy to conjure for a creature of their CR, but they have the Cerberus' Jaws ability, which prevents bitten creatures from leaving the plane as a curse effect with no save or SR. Are you likely to be facing angry outsiders that can teleport? Well then: invest in three titanium feeding bowls and a couple of tons of Devil Chow, and keep Rover here constantly at heel. Otherwise they're a decent melee creature, basically the next step up from a Nessian Hell Hound.

Ice Devil* (Gelugon) [CR 13, Will +12, SR 24, Cha 20] -- Am I the only one who thinks the Paizo illustration looks like Jiminy Cricket? Anyway. The Gelugon's SLAs are no great shakes, but AC 32 and that nice slow-spell debuff make it very respectable in melee. Interestingly, the ice devil is immune to both fire and cold -- it's a devil, after all, and it does not have the "cold" subtype. So it walks right through fireballs and such, just like every other devil. Its 25 Int means that it can probably out-think you, so be careful. But note that this also means it has a bunch of crazy-high skill and Knowledge bonuses. So if you've got one of these guys around, you can totally to use it to google things.

Marut Inevitable [CR 13, Will +13, SR 26, Cha 24] -- A solid melee brute, and one of the few outsiders to use a sonic attack. Like all inevitables, the marut has that annoying "can't be forced to act against its nature" thing. The marut's particular obsessions is "eliminating those who have unnaturally extended their lives". So if you're going up against a lich or a vampire, the marut should cheerfully cooperate. Well, "cheerfully" by the standards of a giant stomping lawful neutral death robot. Like all the inevitables, a specialized tool.

Handmaiden Devil* (Gylou) [CR 14, Will +10, SR 25, Cha 20] -- Although the Handmaiden has a higher CR than the Ice Devil, it's just about as easy to call and bind. In terms of combat power it's perhaps half a step behind -- but then, the Gyllou isn't really a combat monster. It's a spy, excellent at deception, diplomacy, and disguise. And its weird tentacle cage makes it an excellent kidnapper, too.

Divine Heralds: Heralds are unique servants of deities (Basileus for Asmodeus, the Stabbing Beast for Norgorber, the Old Man for Irori, etc.). They are all CR 15. Unfortunately, they can't be summoned by Planar Binding, ever -- only by Greater Planar Ally, and then only by a worshipper of that particular deity. This is one of the very rare cases in which Planar Ally is better than Planar Binding.

Horned Devil* (Cornugon) [CR 16, Will +13, SR 27, Cha 23] -- The cornugon is another pure melee brute. You call it up to smash things and commit carnage. It's not terribly bright for a creature of its raw power (14 Int) so it's less likely than some other devils to come up with a viciously cunning scheme to entrap you. The astradaemon is somewhat better in combat thanks to its soul siphon and energy drain, but the cornugon is a bit easier to call and bind.

Belier Devil* (Bdellavitra) [CR 16, Will +20, SR 28, Cha 24] -- The Belier's sky-high Will save makes it a difficult fiend to catch. And when you do catch it, you have a 3,000 pound leech-slug with three human heads growing out of its backside. Okay, well. You would use the Bdellavitra to possess someone with its magic jar ability. Sure, you could possess them yourself -- but the Bdellavitra is a face monster, with around +27 on Bluff, Diplomacy, Perception and Sense Motive. Use the Gyllou to kidnap the prince, then use the Belier to replace the prince. Note that this is another super-genius Int 25 devil, though, so handle with extreme care.

Apostate Devil* (Deimavigga) [CR 17, Will +20, SR 27, Cha 28] -- Emphatically not a combat monster (its attacks are quite weak for a creature of its CR), the Deimavigga has an array of strange powers that can be used for all kinds of creative effects. Most notably, given a few days to work, it can permanently change creatures' alignments! Call up this guy if you want to destroy the kingdom; he murders the vizier and takes his place, then with a few words in the king's ear gradually and permanently changes the kindly monarch into a raging tyrant. But have a care -- this devil can directly and physically attack you all the way from Hell. Unless you want to spend the rest of your career cowering inside your Forbiddance-protected private apartments, don't tick off the deimavigga. Only call it up if you can offer it something it would reasonably want, like turning an entire kingdom Lawful Evil or wiping out the local churches of the good gods.

Immolator Devil* (Puragaus) [CR 19, Will +14, SR 30, Cha 24] -- This is the biggest, baddest devil you can get with any Planar Binding spell. And guess what? It has (for a creature of its CR) a mediocre Will save and unimpressive Charisma. It's only a bit harder to call up and bind than a cornugon, but it's much more powerful. I think its official CR of 19 is a bit high, but even at CR 18 this is a pretty good deal. Note, though, that the Immolator has a 24 Int, and it's RAW that they're often commanders of legions of lesser devils. So if you make an enemy of it, the Puragaus is definitely capable of making long-term problems for you.

Spirit of Adoration [CR 15, SR 26, Will +25, Cha 23] There are three ways this can go. You've got an in with Shelyn and you want to charm an army or two; the spirit can help you. You're an overpowered monster and you want to harvest +2 dancing glaives; you can kill the spirit and do so, though note that you're probably pissing off a significant deity. Or neither of these is the case and you'll just embarrass yourself trying to bind her.

Bythos Aeon [CR 16, SR 27, Will +20, Cha 21] At-will greater teleport. The real thing, not 'self + 50 pounds'. It has other abilities relating to time and travel too. You can't offer it anything in negotiation, be prepared for a struggle of wills. On the plus side it is physically incapable of holding a grudge.

Shining Child [CR 12, SR 0, Will +10, Cha 24] +19 touch attacks and a 60' radius blinding aura, plus top-notch illusions. If you were thinking of debuffing it before making a deal, be warned it can cast spell turning.

Kelpie's wrath [CR 15, SR 26, Will +13, Cha 17] Did you know there's a sentient ship who can be planar bound? I don't think any magic circle is big enough to hold it, so use other precautions. Decent in a fight, but you'd call it to transport tons of stuff between planes. Apparently it will take live porn as part payment.

That is just hilarious.Anyway: as a Herald, this guy is designed to be the target of Planar Ally, not Planar Binding. Unfortunately Heralds can't normally be called. (The flavor text suggests otherwise, I know. Pretty sure that's an error.) Mind, the Augment Calling feat from Advanced Summoner's Guide lets you cut the cost of Planar Ally in half, making this a plausible option -- especially if you can get another 10% off for hosting a suitably out-of-control kegger on deck.

Alas, another herald. Planar Ally, not Planar Binding.Quote:Bythos Aeon [CR 16, SR 27, Will +20, Cha 21] At-will greater teleport. The real thing, not 'self + 50 pounds'. It has other abilities relating to time and travel too. You can't offer it anything in negotiation, be prepared for a struggle of wills. On the plus side it is physically incapable of holding a grudge.And Moment of Prescience once/day, meaning you can get a free 8th level spell. And it's not that hard to call and bind for a creature of its CR.Quote:Cetaceal Agathion [CR 15, SR 26, Will +9/+13 vs. evil, Cha 17] A useful healer and protector to take along on an underwater adventure.Yes indeed. Good one.Quote:Monadic Deva [CR 12, SR 23, Will +10, Cha 19] A flying healer and protector. At-will plane shift and 3/day holy word are its best other abilities.It's near the bottom of what this spell can do, but worth adding to the list. And of course, if you're nongood you can keep an eye on that sweet +3 mace.Quote:Astral Deva [CR 14, SR 25, Will +10/+14 vs. evil, Cha 23] This deva slays evil. At-will holy word, among other such abilities.Yes, just a solid companion for a (mostly) good-aligned party. You may have to watch out for alignment issues, since it's a LG creature that's rather... focused.Doug M.

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