Host Devil, Greater

Twin pairs of mangy, disease-riddled vulture wings flap in concert, keeping this lean raptor fiend aloft. Twisted horns rise from a head like a monstrous skull and noxious fumes leak from between its yellowed fangs. Hovering with impossible control, its vicious foottalons clench and unclench, while its clawed hands wield a long, three-pointed ranseur.

Host Devil, Greater (CR 6)

Medium Outsider (Devil, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Initiative: +4
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, See in Darkness ; Perception +11

Speed: 20 feet, Fly 50 feet (average)
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 23, touch 15, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural)
Hit Points: 59 (7d10+21)
Saving Throws: Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +3
Damage Reduction: 5/good
Immunity: fire, poison
Energy Resistance: acid 10, cold 10
Spell Resistance: 17

Offense

Melee: mwk ranseur +12 (2d4+6), 2 claws +11 (1d6+4)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: infernal wound, noxious breath, Rend (2 claws, 1d6+1), summon devil

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th):

• At Will- Teleport, Greater (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only)

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
18 (+4)	19 (+4)	16 (+3)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)

Base Attack Bonus: +7
CMB +10
CMD 25

Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Hover

Skills: Acrobatics +14, Escape Artist +14, Fly +14, Intimidate +10, Perception +11, Stealth +14

Languages: Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

Special Qualities: master grappler, shared senses

Special Abilities

Infernal Wound (Ex)

The damage a magaav deals with its claws or rend causes a persistent wound. An injured creature loses 1 additional hit point each round. The wound does not heal naturally and resists healing spells. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a DC 16 Heal check or any spell that cures hit point damage; casting a curative spell on the injured creature requires a successful DC 15 caster level check, otherwise the spell has no effect. The check DC is Constitution-based.

Master Grappler (Ex)

A magaav can wield a weapon and still make grapple checks. If it's not wielding a weapon, a magaav gains a +4 bonus on grapple checks.

Noxious Breath (Su)

Three times per day, a magaav can exhale a breath that reeks of pure corruption upon a creature within 5 feet. The target must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitutionbased. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same magaav's noxious breath for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from the sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonuses on their saving throws. Once a magaav uses its breath weapon, it can't breathe again until 1d4 rounds later.

Shared Senses (Su)

All gaavs (and magaavs) within 100 feet of one another share the same senses. Thus, if one individual perceives something (for example, with a successful Perception check), all others within range are immediately aware of it. Senses are instantly relayed from one gaav or magaav to the next, allowing for the senses of a single devil to potentially spread through and inform an entire massive swarm instantly. It is still possible for a magaav to be surprised or flat-footed even if other gaavs or magaavs nearby are not. All magaavs may telepathically communicate with all other gaavs and magaavs within 100 feet at once, allowing the greater host devils to command entire swarms. Although magaavs rarely contradict one another, if faced with competing orders, gaavs follow the commands of the closest magaav.

Summon Devil (Su)

Once per day a magaav can attempt to summon 1d2 gaavs with a 60% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.

Ecology

Environment: Any, Baator
Organization: solitary, pair, flock (1 magaav and 2d6 gaav)
Treasure: Value standard (masterwork ranseur, other treasure)


Hunters of souls, host devils retrieve Hell's most elusive property. Whether souls that have long evaded capture upon the plains of Avernus, damned beings who have somehow managed to escape Hell, or creatures that have reneged upon infernal contracts, vast flocks of these winged fiends swarm from the Pit to recover their prey. Rarely seen alone, host devils travel in great swarms that often number in the thousands.

Amid these great hosts flap the swarm leaders, the magaav, fierce mockeries of the angelic form capable of directing and redirecting massive columns of their brethren like the brain of a single colossal infernal beast. Gaavs stand 4 feet tall and weigh approximately 110 pounds, their wingspans stretching to just over 6 feet wide. Magaavs stand 5-1/2 feet tall and weigh 150 pounds, with wingspans reaching 10 feet across.