# How to build a fallen angel?



## Three_Haligonians (Oct 23, 2006)

Hey all,

I'm looking to introduce a new BBEG into my campaign; a fallen angel. My question is, if you were going to do the same, how would you create it?

Would you use a pre-existing "fallen angel" creature? For that matter, are there any available? Or perhaps a template of some kind if, again, such a thing exists. One way would be to add the fiendish or half-fiend template to a celestial (though I think that may break a rule or two). Or would you simply take a celestial and just reverse its alignment, and then pretend that wherever the stat block says "good" it means "evil" and vice versa?

What are your thoughts on such a project?


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## Shazman (Oct 23, 2006)

Erynies (not sure of the spelling) are rumored to be fallen angels.  You could also take an angel (maybe one of the devas) and give them the corrupted template (from the Book of Vile Darkness) and blackguard levels. An easier way would be to just give them an evil alignment and blackguard levels.


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## Sejs (Oct 23, 2006)

Three_Haligonians said:
			
		

> What are your thoughts on such a project?



  The first thing to spring to mind?

Trias the Betrayer, from Planescape: Torment.

If I were to stat one up, hmm.   Let's start with a Planetar.  A hefty hitter in the celestial spheres, but not the give-up-just-go-home superstar that a solar is.  I _might_ swap the 'good' tagged abilities for evil ones (their DR and holy smite) but a part of me is entertains the idea the idea of a villain with all the trappings of a good guy.  One the heroes have to actually take up the tools of wickedness in order to harm.

I'd change some of the angel's skill selection around a bit in order to make 'em a better liar - replace their ranks in Escape Artist with ranks in Bluff, and swap out one of their 4 knowledge or craft skills for ranks in UMD.  I'd make their weapon appropriately celestial.  A +3 evil outsider-bane holy greatsword ... one that the being himself now has to emply Use Magic Device in order to wield.

I would keep the cleric spellcasting the same, though making a point to not pick the Good domain.  I'd go with Trickery, and something else.  Glory, Destruction, Herald, Wrath, etc.

Lastly, I would give them the class features of a 10th level Ur-Priest.  Not the spellcasting: that's already covered by their native cleric-esque spells.  Just Rebuke Undead, Siphon Spell Power and Steal Spell-Like Ability.  Divine SR would be redundant with their natural abilities.


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## Ciaran (Oct 23, 2006)

Sejs said:
			
		

> I _might_ swap the 'good' tagged abilities for evil ones (their DR and holy smite)



Or you could swap the 'good' abilities for Lawful (or Chaotic) ones.  This could work very well if it matches the nature of this particular angel's fall.


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## Cheiromancer (Oct 24, 2006)

Here's something I had put together for a "risen demon" - switch some words around and it will work for a fallen angel:

*Risen Demon* (template):  This template may be applied only to an outsider with the [evil] and [chaotic] subtypes.  Apply the following changes:
The risen demon loses the [evil] subtype.
The risen demon’s damage reduction loses the good component, if present.  If this would improve the damage reduction (as DR 10/cold iron or good is improved by dropping “good”) add vulnerability (+50% damage) to any remaining material elements (e.g. cold iron).
The native plane of a risen demon is the astral plane (for determining the effects of _banishment _ and the like).
Risen demons gain a negative level for 24 hours if they use a racial ability with the lost subtype (e.g. _blasphemy_, _unholy smite_), but can cast spells and use class abilities without penalty.
Risen demons can use and acquire abilities (including spells, feats and class features) that require being a fiend.  
*CR/LA adjustment:* +0.  A risen demon is perhaps slightly weaker than a standard demon, but not enough to warrant a difference in CR or LA.

I seem to recall seeing a "redeemed succubus" paladin on the WotC page.  That might be worth looking at.


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## Zaruthustran (Oct 24, 2006)

I think it'd be cool to use the "fallen Paladin" as a model. By that I mean, take a Planetar or Solar and then remove anything powers that would come from a holy source. Just strip them away.

If the BBEG is an angel who has fallen from grace (is neutral/has not been corrupted/does not have an Evil patron) then leave it at that. Don't give any new powers "in exchange" for the lost powers. This would be a cool, tragic villain--an angel who for whatever reason ceased to be a champion of Good.

If you want this villain to have a new Evil patron, to not only have turned away from Good but actively works against his former lord, then consider giving the creature Blackguard levels or something similar. In this case, replace the Holy abilities with roughly equal-power Evil abilities.

Other things to try: take a celestial and remove any qualities given by the Celestial template, and replace with qualities given by the Fiendish template.


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## frankthedm (Oct 24, 2006)

_Cracks knuckles...._

A Note on combat. Many of an angel spells [3rd or lower] cannot be used at all unless it surpresses it's own protective aura. This means it does need to buff use minor buffs before it engages in combat.

*Fallen Planetar*
Size/Type: Large Outsider (Angel, Extraplanar, Evil) 
*Hit Dice: *14d8+70 (133 hp) 
*Initiative:* +8 
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 90 ft. (good) 
*Armor Class:* 32 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +19 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 28 
*Base Attack/Grapple:* +14/+25 
*Attack:* +1 vicious, keen greatsword +21 melee (3d6+11+2d6/17-20) or slam +20 melee (2d8+10) 
*Full Attack:* +1 vicious, keen greatsword +21/+16/+11 melee (3d6+11+2d6/17-20) or slam +20 melee (2d8+10) 
*Space/Reach:* 10 ft./10 ft. 
*Special Attacks:* Spell-like abilities, spells 
*Special Qualities:* Change shape, damage reduction 10/good, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, immunity to acid, cold, and petrification, protective aura, regeneration 10, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, spell resistance 30, tongues 
*Saves:* Fort +14 (+18 against poison), Ref +13, Will +15 
*Abilities:* Str 25, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 22 
*Skills:* Bluff +23, Concentration +22, Craft or Knowledge (any three) +23, Diplomacy +25, Escape Artist +21, Hide +17, Intimidate +23, Listen +23, Move Silently +21, Sense Motive +23, Search +23, Spot +23, Use Rope +4 (+6 with bindings) 
*Feats:* Blind-Fight, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Quicken spell, Power Attack 
*Environment:* Hell 
*Organization:* Solitary or pair 
*Challenge Rating:* 16 
*Treasure:* No coins; double goods; standard items 
*Alignment:* Lawful Evil 
*Advancement:* 15-21 HD (Large); 22-42 HD (Huge) 

This fallen planetar is nearly 12.5 feet tall and weighs about 666 pounds. 

*Combat* Despite their vast array of magical powers, fallen planetars are likely to wade into melee with their +1 vicious keen greatswords, enhanced with Greater magic weapon. The pain from their own blades cause then to cry tears of blood, though, the actual damage is swiftly regenerated. Not entirely broken of their old habits, they particularly enjoy fighting fiends, making them fierce warriors against demons and those who rebuff the infernal hierarchy. 

This fallen planetar’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 

*Regeneration* This fallen planetar takes damage from good-aligned weapons and from spells and effects with the good descriptor. 

*Protective Aura (Su):* Against attacks made or effects created by good creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20 feet of the angel. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against good effect and a *lesser globe of invulnerability,* both with a radius of 20 feet (caster level equals angel’s HD). This aura can be dispelled, but the angel can create it again as a free action on its next turn. (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in an angel’s statistics block.) 

*Tongues (Su): * All angels can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to angel’s Hit Dice). This ability is always active. 

*Spell-Like Abilities* 
*At will*—continual flame, dispel magic, Unholy smite (DC 20), invisibility (self only), lesser restoration (DC 18), remove curse (DC 19), remove disease (DC 19), remove fear (DC 17), speak with dead (DC 19); 
*3/day*—blade barrier (DC 22), flame strike (DC 21), power word stun, raise dead, waves of fatigue; 
*1/day*—earthquake (DC 24), greater restoration (DC 23), mass charm monster (DC 24), waves of exhaustion. Caster level 17th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. 

The following abilities are always active on This fallen planetar’s person, as the spells (caster level 17th)
detect good, detect snares and pits, discern lies (DC 20), see invisibility, and true seeing. They can be dispelled, but this fallen planetar can reactivate them as a free action. 

Spells
Planetars can cast divine spells as 17th-level clerics. This fallen planetar’s  has access to the following domains: Destruction & War (plus any others from its deity). The save DCs are Wisdom-based. 

Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/8/7/7/6/6/4/3/2; save DC 16 + spell level)
0—create water, detect magic, guidance, resistance (2), virtue
1st—bless, cause fear, detect chaos, divine favor (2), entropic shield, inflict light wounds*, shield of faith
2nd—align weapon, bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, eagle’s splendor, hold person, resist energy(2), Shatter*
3rd—contagion*, Dispel magic, invisibility purge, magic vestments, prayer, protection from energy, wind wall
4th— death ward, inflict critical wounds*, Greater magic weapon[2], summon monster IV
5th— Mass inflict light wounds*, dispel good, plane shift, righteous might, Slay living[2].
6th—banishment, greater dispel magic, harm*, harm, heal[2].
7th— Quickened searing light, disintegrate*, Unholy word, Destruction.
8th—Disintegrate*, Unholy aura, Quickened cure critical wounds.
9th—implosion*, Quickened righteous might.

*Domain spell. Domains: Destruction and War.


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## darthkilmor (Oct 24, 2006)

I'd second vote for stripping spell-like abilites/cleric spells, and any smite ability. They dont have to be the same CR they were before, and they certainly dont need to have stuff to "make up" for being fallen.

Or give them some serious troll-like++ regeneration abilites, and make them unsuccessfullly suicidal. Punishment for whatever transgression they did.  Stabs himself with a wounding dagger every round. Has armor made of barbed wire and spiked chains that makes him constantly bleed.  Reckless in combat, etc. Hangs out in dangerous locations. Hunts dragons and other unsafe activities.  

I''d run the hell away from something like that I think


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## Thurbane (Oct 24, 2006)

Three_Haligonians said:
			
		

> Or would you simply take a celestial and just reverse its alignment, and then pretend that wherever the stat block says "good" it means "evil" and vice versa?



When I did a similar creature for my own game, that's what I did - took a Celestial and reversed it's alignment and abilities i.e. Cure becomes Cause, Light becomes Darkness etc.


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## Aus_Snow (Oct 24, 2006)

Check out the creations of the guys at Dicefreaks. They live and breathe this stuff.

Otherwise, the Book of Fiends (from Green Ronin) - an excellent book, btw - has a template for this, too. So does the Anger of Angels book (from Malhavoc Press), if I remember correctly - and falling/redemption in several stages, which is interesting in its own right. A couple of others as well, I believe, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

edit --- Oh wait, the Book of Templates (put out in hard copy by Goodman Games, I think) definitely has one. Hm, seeing if I can recall any others.

Found another thing for you here: Krishnath's Fallen Angel. Cheers!


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## Bad Paper (Oct 25, 2006)

*Lord of the Iron Fortress spoiler*



			
				Three_Haligonians said:
			
		

> I'm looking to introduce a new BBEG into my campaign; a fallen angel. My question is, if you were going to do the same, how would you create it?



It's not an angel, but there's a trumpet archon blackguard named Zalatian in the Lord of the Iron Fortress.  You can look there for starters.

I disagree with frankthedm's changing his planetar's damage reduction.  When I converted Zalatian, I kept his DR 10/evil.  An archon's DR is a physical part of his race; it shouldn't change just because his alignment does.  That would be like saying "well now that my elf is evil I will give it spell resistance like a drow."  I think I kept Zalatian's subtype as [good], though I can't remember.  Also, his home plane remained Celestia (for spell effects), even though he was thoroughly evil and living in Acheron.

You should think carefully about patron deity.  For Zalatian, I finally settled on Surtr, Lord of the Fire Giants, for domains, favored weapon, and LotIF flavor.  Slapping two levels of blackguard on top made him an absolutely gorgeous killer, and he turned the party's meat shield into a messy puddle.


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## Talmun (Oct 26, 2006)

Aus_Snow said:
			
		

> <snip> Otherwise, the Book of Fiends (from Green Ronin) - an excellent book, btw - has a template for this, too. <snip>




Second this…Great book and a very good Fallen Celestial template (Gregori anyone?)


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## thorian (Nov 1, 2006)

Champions of Ruin has a fallen solar named Malkizid.  He was a solar who was tricked by Araushnee (who later became Lolth) into betraying Corellon Larethian.  He became a devil prince, but was then exiled from Hell by Asmodeus, and then became a Yugoloth lord.

He seems to have taken on mostly baatezu traits, despite previously being a solar.


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## Elder-Basilisk (Nov 1, 2006)

A lot depends upon what you think an angel or a demon is. If a demon is a fallen angel, then look up the appropriate stats and use them. A powerful fallen angel? Use a balor. A seductive fallen angel? use a succubus. (And if you want more smackdown ability, give her fighter, rogue, and blackguard levels).

If you don't want what you've done to be obvious, use an angelic description--give your balor long hair and a flawless complexion rather than a skull-like mask of skin and fangs and iridescent feathered wings rather than bat-wings. You'd need to be judicious with the information you gave out through knowledge skills--you'd have to say he's Malthandros, the fallen captain of Torm's legions rather that "a balor" and then give his qualities individually. 

The point is that, under this view, outsiders are not simply like elves or humans--if their alignment changes, their appearance, and perhaps even their abilities do too.

The alternative point of view--that angels and demons are just races of beings like humans and elves is the biggest reason that I absolutely detested the planescape setting and most everything it touched. It robbed them of all their mythic significance. That, however, is the view that would allow you to stick DR 15 evil and epic on your BBEG by changing the solar's alignment without changing its abilities.

If you don't feel like choosing between those cosmological perspectives, you can ignore the question by picking D&D stats for your fallen angel from creatures that can ordinarily fight for either good or evil. The justicator is a particularly promising creature for this treatment--powerful enough to serve as the BBEG of a low-mid level campaign, angelic in appearance, but with stats suited to either heroism or villainy without any modifications.


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## Viktyr Gehrig (Nov 1, 2006)

One of my favorite characters to play was a Fallen Angel. Since "falling" implies losing a lot of power... I made him a CN Half-Celestial Aasimar with a few levels of Fighter and Rogue and near-constant penalties due to drunkenness. If I were willing to cripple myself that badly, I would have replaced the Fighter levels with ex-Paladin.


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