Binding Demons

The process of binding demons is, in many ways, very similar to that of crafting magical items and indeed, one must be skilled in the traditional methods before becoming a binder. In the same way, any demonic item is considered to be magical in every respect - they can be located through the use of Detect Magic spells, demonic swords will wound creatures immune to mundane weaponry, etc.

The only prerequisite needed for the crafting of any demonic item is the applicable special feat. To bind a demon into a suit of armour, for example, requires the Craft Magic Arms and Armour feat. There is no experience point cost for any demonic item, however, as the demon to be bound provides all the magical energy required for the crafting. This factor alone makes the practice of binding very appealing to many practitioners who loathe donating their own life force to an item they themselves may never use.

The basic cost of creating a demonic item rest purely on the power of the demon being bound within. Mightier demons require greater magical bonds and so the cost of materials rises proportionally. The base cost is equal to the Challenge Rating of the demon times 2,500 gp. Added to this is the cost of the item, which must always be of the highest quality. Weapons and armor must therefore be masterwork items. Last of all is the component cost used to summon the demon concerned, as described later on the page.

Binding a demon into an item requires a place where the practitioner will not be disturbed for possibly many days. It takes one day per 1,000 gp of the base cost of an item to create it, plus the time required to perform the summoning ritual for the demon. During this time, the binder may only work on one item and may not perform any strenuous activities such as fighting, casting spells or conducting research. If he is ever distracted from the work or takes a break of a day or more, the process is ruined, and all materials used will be wasted.

Once the item has been successfully created, a demon must be summoned and controlled to bind it within, the binding taking place in lieu of any instructions being given to the demon. There is an additional -6 penalty to the Control check when a binding is attempted. Failure in this roll will result in the usual penalties of the demon turning upon the binder, slaying or possessing him. The materials used in creating the item will also be destroyed by this. Once a named demon has been bound into an item, it may not be summoned again until it breaks free of the bondage.

There are no market prices listed for demonic items I for most recognizing them as such will likely turn down any potential sale. If players attempt to pass off demonic items as those of more traditional magics, or if the buyer is happy to court danger with demons, the GM is encouraged to base prices on the values of near-equivalent magic items as listed in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Powers of Demons

Once a demon has been successfully bound by the binder passing his Control check, the item will gain a number of the demon's abilities and qualities, depending on the level of the binder and the nature of the item concerned.

Every binder may choose a number of these abilities to endow the item with immediately after the demon has been bound within and once chosen they may never be changed or supplemented. How many is determined is determined by the Demonic Ability Slots column within the Table 1-1: Binder Progression. A 4th level binder, for example, may put two demonic abilities from the demon he summons into a shield he is crafting. A binder may always choose to put less slots in the item than he has available. A demon cannot be bound into an item with existing magical powers, nor one that already has a bound demon within.

In general, weapons may only be given offensive abilities, armor those defensive in nature, staffs and wands spell-like abilities, whilst wondrous items a far wider range still. Rings can be forged to actually contain a demon and let it be summoned forth at will to do the bearer's bidding whilst rods grant the wielder direct power and strength from the demon within. The Games Master is always the final arbitrator of which abilities may be put into what items. Potions and scrolls may never have a demon bound into them - the infernal energy is just too great for their physical structures to contain.

The Breaking of Bondage

Every year after the demon's imprisonment into an item, it will muster the energy to attempt to break the magical enslavement. This is a dangerous time for any mortal, for an enraged and uncontrolled demon will seek nothing but vengeance upon the bearer of the item that held it.

At this time, the player of the binder must make a Binding check at DC the demon's Challenge Rating. His binder class level at the time the item was crafted is used as a bonus modifier. Success will mean the demon stays imprisoned within the item for another year. Failure will result in the demon bursting forth, consumed by its wrath. The item will be immediately destroyed by this and the demon will seek the death of a single mortal - the bearer of the item, though it will also happily attack any comrades or any being within his vicinity, such is its anger.

Demonic Items

Demonic Armor

To create demonic armour, the binder will need a suitable heat source and metal-working tools. Only metal armour may be used to bind demons as leather and wood is simply too weak to contain the colossal energies involved and, furthermore, it must be masterworked. The binder will also need the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat.

The binder may place a number of the demon's special qualities into the armor, equal to the number of Demonic Ability Slots listed on the Binder table. The first of these must always be an enhancement bonus which is equal to the Challenge Rating of the demon, divided by three and rounded down. The minimum the enhancement bonus will be is +1 and no armor may have a bonus greater than +5.

For the rest of the slots, the binder may choose any qualities or feats that are defensive in nature - the Dodge feat of a succubus, the Poison and Electricity Immunity of any Tanar'ri, or the Fire Resistance 20 of an imp, for example. The only exception to this is Damage Reduction, which takes one slot for every 10 points, or part of, damage reduced. Damage Reduction must be taken in full or not at all. A practitioner binding a cornugon, for instance, and wishing to utilize its Damage Reduction of 20 must donate two slots for the ability and may not just use one slot to take Damage Reduction 10.

The GM is the final arbitrator of what constitutes a defensive quality or feat and thus what may be used in demonic armor.

Demonic Weapons

o create demonic weaponry, the binder will need a suitable heat source and metal-working tools. Only predominately metal weapons may be used to bind demons as wood is simply too weak to contain the colossal energies involved. Swords, warhammers and maces may thus be used, but crossbows may not. In all cases, the weapon must be masterworked. The binder will also need the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat.

The binder may place a number of the demon's special qualities into the weapon, equal to the number of Demonic Ability Slots listed on the Binder table. The first of these must always be an enhancement bonus which is equal to the Challenge Rating of the demon, divided by three and rounded down. The minimum the enhancement bonus will be is +1 and no weapon may have a bonus greater than +5.

For the rest of the slots, the binder may choose any qualities or feats that are offensive in nature - the poison of an imp, the dancing chains of a kyton, or the body flames of a balor, for example.

At the time of creation, the binder must also choose if the weapon glows or not as a side-effect of the bound demon within. This does not affect the cost of creating the item but the decision, once made, may not be reversed. The glow may take the form of the entire weapon shining, or just specified parts of it, such as blood-red runes down the blade of a black sword.

A binder may also opt to make the weapon intelligent, though when dealing with the twisted beings of the infernal planes, great care must be taken. Such a weapon will be malevolent in the extreme. It takes a single slot to make the weapon intelligent, though the base cost will be doubled. The Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma of the weapon will be that of the bound demon's and its Ego will be equal to the number of slots within the weapon, plus the ability score bonuses.

Intelligent demonic weapons are unlikely to be of value to any but the evilest of mortals, for they will constantly seek to subvert any good intentions and greatly enjoy dominating their wielder. The more powerful demons will be more than capable of overcoming the wishes of most - a sword with five slots and a bound balor (Intelligence 20, Wisdom 20, Charisma 16), for example, will have an Ego of 18! Needless to say, this is not an option often taken, with binders preferring to suppress the personalities of the demon's they bind, lest the weapon turn upon its wielder to bring about their utter ruin.

The GM is the final arbitrator of what constitutes an offensive quality or feat and thus what may be used in a demonic weapon.

Demonic Rings

Demonic rings are a little different from other items listed here in that they do not empower the wearer with demonic energies but rather allow him to summon the demon forth, under his complete control. Such rings require the Forge Ring feat for their construction.

This may be done for a number of times a day equal to the number of slots available to the binder during the ring's forging. A 6th level binder forging a ring with a bound barbazu, for example, will permit the wearer to summon the demon three times a day.

Once summoned from the ring, the demon will perform any one nine-word instruction from the wearer for a period of one hour. After the hour has elapsed or the instruction has been completed, whichever comes first, the demon will automatically return to the ring.

Use of such rings is fraught with peril, however. Every time the demon is summoned in this way, it gains a very real chance to break free of its magical bonds. A Binding check must be made every time the demon is summoned from the ring or the demon will break free, completely uncontrolled, with the disastrous results.

Demonic Rods

Demons bound into rods give the bearer the opportunity to call upon the demon's power directly, literally gaining its strength and endurance. Such rods require the Craft Rod feat for their construction.

Upon the rod's construction, the binder may choose to use slots for the demon's ability scores, Hit Points and Armour Class. A 5th level binder creating a demonic rod, for example, may choose to take the Strength, Wisdom and Hit Points of the glabrezu he has bound for the three slots he is permitted.

The bearer of such a rod may call upon the demon's power as a standard round action at any time, potentially replacing all his ability, Hit Points and Armour Class scores with those of the demon, for a period often rounds. During this time, he will take on the likeness of the demon as if he had been possessed though he will return to normal after the ten rounds.

Meddling in such energies can be fatal, however. Every time the demon is called upon in this way, the bearer must pass a Possession check (See the Art of Demon Summoning) as the demon floods its power into his body. Failure will result in the demon being free and uncontrolled, possessing the bearer, with all the normal consequences.

Demonic Staffs

To create demonic staffs, the binder will need suitable materials and tools. The binder will also need the Craft Staff feat.

The binder may place a number of the demon's spell-like abilities into the staff, equal to the number of Demonic Ability Slots listed on the Binder table. Each of these spells can then be cast from the staff in the usual manner. If a staff ever reaches zero charges, the demon bound within automatically returns to the infernal planes. In this way, staffs are one of the safer items a binder may create for they hold little inherent danger for the user unless the staff is kept for a long period of time.

Every demonic staff will begin with 50 charges and can be recharged in the same way as magical staffs. The GM is the final arbitrator of what constitutes a spell-like ability and thus what may be used in demonic staffs.

Demonic Wands

To create demonic wands, the binder will need suitable materials and tools. The binder will also need the Craft Wand feat.

The binder may place only one of the demon's spell like abilities into the staff, regardless of the number of Demonic Ability Slots listed on the Binder table. This spell can then be cast from the wand in the usual manner. If a wand ever reaches zero charges, the demon bound within automatically returns to the infernal planes. In this way, wands are also one of the safer items a binder may create for they hold little inherent danger for the user unless the wand is kept for a long period of time.

Every demonic wand will begin with 50 charges and can be recharged in the same way as a magical wand. The Games Master is the final arbitrator of what constitutes a spell-like ability and thus what may be used in demonic wands.

Demonic Wondrous Items

To create demonic wondrous items, the binder will need suitable materials and tools. The binder will also need the Craft Wondrous Item feat.

Demonic Wondrous Items are the most flexible of all bound items, though they are also the most difficult and time consuming to craft and thus the base cost for them is doubled. The binder may place a number of the demon's spell-like abilities, special qualities, feats or skills into the wondrous item, equal to half the number of Demonic Ability Slots listed on the Binder table, rounding down. These may then be used by anyone carrying the demonic wondrous item at any time as a standard round action. The effects will last a single round.

The GM is the final arbitrator of what spell-like abilities, special qualities, skills and feats may be used in demonic wondrous items.

Other Uses for Bound Demons

There are many great tales in the worlds of fantasy depicting truly incredible constructs of awesome might that can challenge the power of the very gods themselves. Huge battleships, with demonically charged rams and weaponry, crewed entirely by lesser demonic entities, or towering castles, with the fabric of demonic energies bound directly into their walls, making them virtually impregnable form the foundations of tales told in many taverns.