
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

PFS StandardPhistophilus (Contract Devil)

Contract devils are clerks, scribes, and bureaucrats of Hell rarely found outside the infernal courts, and then almost always to pursue potential contracts, tempting mortals to sell their souls in exchange for achieving their worldly desires. If a target is desirable enough, a phistophilus can offer contracts for prices seemingly lesser than their soul all at once, though in this case, the devil carefully manipulates the price to drive the signatory toward the forces of law and evil, and therefore ultimately to Hell anyway. Contract devils are tall creatures with skin tones that range from bronze to crimson and large curving horns extending from their bodies, over which they often drape favored or important contracts.

Recall Knowledge - Fiend (Religion): DC 27
Unspecific Lore: DC 25
Specific Lore: DC 22

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

PhistophilusCreature 10

Legacy Content

LE Medium Devil Fiend 
Source Bestiary pg. 90
Perception +21; greater darkvision
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal, Undercommon; telepathy 100 feet, tongues
Skills Arcana +19, Deception +23, Diplomacy +21, Intimidation +21, Legal Lore +25, Religion +19, Society +19, Stealth +18
Str +3, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +7, Wis +5, Cha +5
AC 30; Fort +18, Ref +18, Will +23; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 150; Immunities fire, ward contract; Resistances physical 10 (except silver), poison 10 ; Weaknesses good 10
Ward Contract A signed contract carried by a living contract devil (including draped over its horns) is immune to damage from all creatures other than that contract devil. A contract devil is immune to mental effects that would make it destroy, nullify, or alter a contract.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] binding contract +23 [+19/+15] (agile, disarm, evil, magical, reach 10 feet, trip), Damage 3d6+11 slashing plus 1d6 evil, Grab, and infernal woundMelee [one-action] horn +21 [+16/+11] (magical), Damage 3d10+11 piercing and infernal woundDivine Innate Spells DC 31; 10th scrying (at will, see infernal investment); 7th plane shift; 5th dimension door, fireball, illusory scene, lightning bolt, locate (at will), mind probe, sending (at will); 4th dimension door (at will), private sanctum, silence; 3rd mind reading (at will); Cantrips (7th) detect magic; Constant (5th) tongues
Rituals DC 31; 1st infernal pact
Draft Contract [three-actions] (conjuration, divine, manipulate) The contract devil produces an infernal contract for a single living mortal. This contract can grant a wide range of abilities and effects, akin to the power of a wish spell but fulfilled to the letter by the contract devil. To receive any of those benefits, the mortal must willingly sign its true name to the contract. At that point, the mortal’s soul is bound to the contract devil and Hell.
While the contract is in effect, the victim can’t be restored to life except by wish or similar magic. If the mortal is restored to life by those means, the contract devil knows which mortal came to life and can locate the creature or creatures who restored the mortal to life for 1 year, gaining the effects of a locate spell with unlimited range. Avoiding the terms of an infernal contract is difficult and often dangerous.Infernal Investment A contract devil can cast a 10th-level innate scrying spell at will, but only to target a creature with which it has a contract. The target automatically critically fails its save.Infernal Wound (divine, necromancy) A contract devil’s Strikes also deal 3d6 persistent bleed damage that resist attempts to heal it. The flat check to stop the bleeding starts at DC 20. The DC is reduced to 15 only if the bleeding creature or an ally successfully assists with the recovery.
The DC to Administer First Aid to a creature with an infernal wound is increased by 5. A spellcaster or item attempting to use healing magic on a creature suffering from an infernal wound must succeed at a DC 29 counteract check or the magic fails to heal the creature.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Infernal Contracts

The infernal contracts created by contract devils are not the only ways a devil can engage a mortal in a binding agreement, but they are the most convenient. Other devils must perform complex rituals or jump through bureaucratic hoops to organize a contract with a mortal, and in most cases the easiest solution for devils in this situation is to simply enlist the aid of a contract devil.

All Monsters in "Devil"

NameLevel
Barbazu (Bearded Devil)5
Cornugon (Horned Devil)16
Deimavigga (Apostate Devil)17
Erinys (Fury Devil)8
Ferrugon (Rust Devil)12
Gelugon (Ice Devil)13
Gylou (Handmaiden Devil)14
Hamatula (Barbed Devil)11
Hellbound Attorney4
Imp1
Lemure0
Levaloch (Warmonger Devil)7
Munagola (Executioner Devil)11
Osyluth (Bone Devil)9
Phistophilus (Contract Devil)10
Pit Fiend (Tyrant Devil)20
Sarglagon (Drowning Devil)8
Uniila (Cabal Devil)10
Zebub (Accuser Devil)3

Devil

Source Bestiary pg. 86
Masters of corruption and architects of conquest, devils seek both to tempt mortal life to join in their pursuit of all things profane and to spread tyranny throughout all worlds. The temptations they offer mortals range from great powers granted by the signing of an infernal contract to twisted favors following a whispered pledge to a diabolic patron, or any number of even subtler exchanges. Those who succumb to these temptations find themselves consigned to an afterlife of endless torment in the pits of Hell, wherein the only hope of escape lies in the chance of being promoted to become a devil in the infernal ranks. Every devil has a specific role to play in the upkeep of the remorseless bureaucratic machine that is Hell, from soldiers and scholars to inquisitors, lawyers, judges, and executioners. Lowly lemures and imps perform subservient labor to more powerful and specialized devils, such as contract devils and erinyes, while the greatest pit fiends command entire infernal armies.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Archdevils

At any one time, eight archdevils rule the eight upper layers of Hell, while the deepest layer is ruled by Asmodeus. Each archdevil is a unique demigod with a dedicated role in guiding the infernal machine forward. Barbatos is the doorwarden of Hellʼs uppermost layer, while Dispater rules Hellʼs largest city. Mammon guards Hellʼs treasuries, and Belial designs new weapons for Hellʼs legions. Geryon is the oldest archdevil and keeper of many secrets, while Moloch leads Hellʼs armies. Baalzebul is a brooding archdevil who has fallen from Asmodeusʼs favor, while mighty Mephistopheles was formed from the plane of Hell itself.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Diabolic Divinities

Many unique and powerful devils hold positions of power in Hell. The most numerous of these are the infernal dukes, many of whom were promoted to this position from already impressive statures as pit fiends. The supreme ruler of Hell itself is Asmodeus, the Prince of Darkness. Between these two tiers rule the eight archdevils—see the sidebar on the facing page.

Sidebar - Locations Diabolic Locations

The nine layers of Hell are the planar home of all devils, and they much prefer its tyrannically ordered environs to anywhere else in the multiverse. Yet devils can be encountered anywhere mortals can be tempted by infernal bargains or seek diabolic aid. On Golarion, the nation of Cheliax is particularly aligned with Hell. Its government is based upon Hellʼs organization, and the state church is that of Asmodeus.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fiendish Relations

Devils view daemonsʼ constant hunt for souls as a short-sighted waste of potential, and demonsʼ chaotic destruction of society and flesh as uncivilized and obnoxious, but they do not loathe their fiendish counterparts. Indeed, most devils are more than willing to take advantage of daemons and demons as they can to further their own machinations.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Hellfire

Stinking, sulfurous hellfire is infused with evil. Hellfire always deals a combination of fire damage and evil damage, though the specific ratio depends on the hellfire's origin. Certain types of hellfire can impose other effects on creatures as well, such as sapping their strength or memories.

Sidebar - Locations Hellmouths

While travel to and from Hell is possible with plane shift, another way to reach and traverse the infernal realms is via hellmouths, strange living portals connecting different layers or even different planes. A hellmouth takes the form of a grimacing face, distended maw, or other distressingly organic aperture, and no two share the same appearance. Most are carefully guarded, but some new or well-hidden hellmouths have yet to be discovered.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Other Devils

The devils presented on these pages are a small sampling of the torments Hell has to offer. Other devils, like the inquisition-focused bone devils, the cherub-faced and fly-bodied accuser devils, and the aquatic drowning devil are a few examples of these widespread immortal creatures.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Queens of the Night

The four queens of the night wield great power in the Pit. Ardad Lili is a plotter and manipulator with ambitions of ruling the heavens, while Doloras revels in suffering. Most distant is Mahathallah, watching over fate and death. Mightiest among them is Eiseth, who is assembling an army in Dis in the hopes of claiming the iron throne of Malebolge.

Sidebar - Additional Lore The Hierarchy of Hell

Hell is a harsh plane of law with little use for compassion or empathy. As such, it exists entirely within a strict hierarchy, and this order extends to its denizens. While different types of demons correspond to various sins and daemons are associated with modes of mortal death, the different types of devils exist solely to fulfill particular roles in the infernal machine. On occasion, a particular devil can transcend the role for which they were literally shaped, but this often transforms the devil physically into the type suitable for their new role.