Phyxian Devil
Small fiend (devil), lawful evil
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)
- Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (-2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
- Skills Stealth +5, Acrobatics +5
- Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
- Damage Immunities fire
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses Blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages Infernal, Common
- Challenge 1 (200 XP) Prof Bonus +2
Deadly Flight. The Phyxian Devil can fly with a creature carried by its Tail Choker. When it does so, movement costs an additional foot per foot moved.
Actions
Multiattack. The choker makes two attacks, preferring Strangle attacks if it has a creature Choked.
Tail Choker. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained & cannot speak or breathe, and the Devil can't use this Choker on another target.
See rules on suffocating, PHB p183.
Strangle. Target creature restrained by this Devil's Choker must make a Constitution Save (DC 13). On a failure, they take 10 (3d6) Bludgeoning damage.
How the Phyxian Devil Hunts
Phyxian Devils rarely hunt alone, unless they can find a lone prey. More often, they hunt in small flocks, allowing them to take down more than one target at once, or under the service of a spell caster who summoned them. In a flock, they simply try to strangle as many targets at once, but when a spellcaster (ordering commands telepathically) will often aim them at enemy spell casters, using the strangulation to shut down any spells that require a Vocal Component.
Either way, their attack pattern is the same. Tail Choker an enemy until they can latch on, then fly upwards & Strangle. This is both an offensive tactic & a defensive one, as the person being choked will likely use their action to try and get free, and other melee attackers won't be able to get in range.
