Baphomet
Prince of Beasts, Demon Lord of Minotaurs, Horned King
Overview
Known as the Horned King, Baphomet divides the creatures of the world into two groups. Those who acknowledge his power are his servants, and he endows them with savagery and a hunter’s cunning. The rest are prey, creatures to be hunted and slaughtered. His aim is to transform the cosmos into his personal hunting ground. Baphomet is a savage entity, but he tempers his ferocity with shrewdness. He loves the hunt and the sense of impending doom that comes over prey that can’t escape his pursuit. His fondness for labyrinths, instilled in the minotaurs he created, reflects this aspect of his personality. Baphomet studies every detail of the mazes he creates and exults in the dread that overcome those who become lost in them. He tracks them at his leisure, striking only after the maze’s contorted corridors have exhausted the energy and the hope of his victims.Cultists
The cult of Baphomet attracts those who see themselves as superior to everyone else, to the extent that they consider other people little more than animals. Baphomet’s teachings reinforce these beliefs, appealing to the ego and justifying narcissism. Bigots are also drawn to Baphomet’s doctrine of individual superiority. Cultists of Baphomet include nobles who use their vassals as playthings, assassins who practice their murderous art for the sheer love of hunting intelligent creatures, and paranoid humans who combine a hatred of outsiders with bloodthirstiness. Typically, a cult builds a maze beneath a castle, a guild hall, or some other place it controls. The cultists drug their victims, strip them of their weapons and armor, and place them in the labyrinth before they wake up disoriented. Then the cultists stalk their prey in the maze. They howl as they chase their quarry, striking fear into their victims’ hearts before descending for the kill. If the hunt claims a particularly powerful creature, Baphomet might bestow boons on the cultists as a reward.Baphomet's Lair
Baphomet’s lair is his palace, the Lyktion, which is on the layer of the Abyss called the Endless Maze. Nestled within the twisting passages of the plane-wide labyrinth, the Lyktion is immaculately maintained and surrounded by a moat constructed in the fashion of a three-dimensional maze. The palace is a towering structure whose interior is as labyrinthine as the plane on which it resides, populated by minotaurs, goristros, and quasits.Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Baphomet can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; he can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:- Baphomet seals one doorway or other entryway within the lair. The opening must be unoccupied. It is filled with solid stone for 1 minute or until Baphomet creates this effect again.
- Baphomet chooses a room within the lair that is no larger in any dimension than 100 feet. Until the next initiative count 20, gravity is reversed within that room. Any creatures or objects in the room when this happens fall in the direction of the new pull of gravity, unless they have some means of remaining aloft. Baphomet can ignore the gravity reversal if he’s in the room, although he likes to use this action to land on a ceiling to attack targets flying near it.
- Baphomet casts mirage arcane, affecting a room within the lair that is no larger in any dimension than 100 feet. The effect ends on the next initiative count 20.
Regional Effects
The region containing Baphomet’s lair is warped by his magic, creating one or more of the following effects:- Plant life within 1 mile of the lair grows thick and forms walls of trees, hedges, and other flora in the form of small mazes.
- Beasts within 1 mile of the lair become frightened and disoriented, as though constantly under threat of being hunted, and might lash out or panic even when no visible threat is nearby.
- If a humanoid spends at least 1 hour within 1 mile of the lair, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or descend into a madness determined by the table below. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw can’t be affected by this regional effect again for 24 hours.
Madness of Baphomet
If a creature goes mad in Baphomet’s lair or within line of sight of the demon lord, roll on the table below to determine the nature of the madness, which is a character flaw that lasts until cured.| d100 | Flaw (lasts until cured) |
|---|---|
| 1-20 | “My anger consumes me. I can’t be reasoned with when my rage has been stoked.” |
| 21-40 | “I degenerate into beastly behavior, seeming more like a wild animal than a thinking being.” |
| 41-60 | “The world is my hunting ground. Others are my prey.” |
| 61-80 | “Hate comes easily to me and explodes into rage.” |
| 81-100 | “I see those who oppose me not as people, but as beasts meant to be preyed upon.” |
Baphomet CR: 23 (50,000 XP)
STR
30 +10
DEX
14 +2
CON
26 +8
INT
18 +4
WIS
24 +7
CHA
16 +3
Charge. If Baphomet moves at least 10 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3d10 piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone. Innate Spellcasting. Baphomet’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: detect magic
- 3/day each: dispel magic, dominate beast, hunter’s mark, maze, wall of stone
- 1/day each: teleport
Actions
Multiattack. Baphomet makes three attacks: one with his longsword, one with his bite, and one with his gore attack. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15 feet, one target. Hit: 3d8 + 10 slashing damage, or 3d10 + 10 slashing damage if used with two hands. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 feet, one target. Hit: 2d8 + 10 piercing damage. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 feet, one target. Hit: 2d6 + 10 piercing damage. Frightful Presence. Each creature of Baphomet’s choice within 120 feet of him and aware of him must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. These later saves have disadvantage if Baphomet is within line of sight of the creature. If a creature succeeds on any of these saves or the effect ends on it, the creature is immune to Baphomet’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Legendary Actions
Baphomet can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Baphomet regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. Longsword Attack. Baphomet makes a melee attack with his longsword. Charge (Costs 2 Actions). Baphomet moves up to his speed, then makes a gore attack.
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