Barbazu

Legacy canon content This article contains information of uncertain canon status due to changes made in the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project and Monster Core. Replaced by vordine. Additional context might be available at Meta:Barbazu.

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Barbazu

(Creature)

Common

LE

Medium

Devil

Fiend

Level

5

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Images of barbazus

Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 88

Type

Outsider
(devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)

CR

5

Environment

Any (Hell)

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Images of barbazus

Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 73

Barbazus, also known as bearded devils or infantry devils, serve as Hell's elite shock troops and lead hordes of the damned into combat for their diabolic masters.

History

The first barbazus were created by the archdevil Barbatos. When Barbatos first arrived at the gates of Hell following the death of Typhon, the original ruler of Avernus, he brought with him an entire world's worth of mortal souls. As a gift to Asmodeus, Barbatos transfigured these damned souls into the first barbazu. This so impressed Asmodeus that he named the Bearded Lord the new gatekeeper of the Pit. Since then, the semi-living plane of Hell has learned to create barbazus of its own accord, and barbazus now count among the most common infernal denizens.

Appearance

Barbazus are roughly humanoid in appearance, although they would never be able to pass for human. Designed for battle, barbazus are heavily built and strong, fighting in a stooped position bowed under the weight of their own muscles. They are six feet tall when standing up straight, but appear shorter because of their stance.

A barbazu's most famous feature is the beard for which they are named, made of sharpened, dirt-encrusted tendrils that twitch and move of their own accord. Barbazus often grab an opponent, pull them in close, then flay them with its sharpened beard. Practically all barbazus also wield serrated glaives; this vicious-looking weapon allows them to reach opponents from behind their own troops.

Habitat and ecology

Seelah battles barbazus in Hell.

Barbazus can be found anywhere battle is drawn and misery is inflicted in Hell. Vast armies of barbazus endlessly train throughout the bolgias of Malebolge.

Spellcasters who wish to summon a barbazu normally offer a bound and helpless captive for them to slaughter, as it makes the barbazu more likely to comply. Barbazus all pay some respect to Barbatos, the mysterious archdevil of Avernus and their creator.

Barbazus are normally created from lemures in an agonizing process. The prospective barbazu is impaled alive on a spiked glaive and left there for decades. The transformation is complete when the devil finally has the strength, will, and self-control to pull itself free of the glaive.

Abilities

Even a wizard as mighty as Ezren is no match for a barbazu.

Barbazus have fewer magical abilities than most devils, relying on their brute strength in combat. Like most devils, they are capable of teleportation. In addition to inflicting vicious wounds, their lashing beards also spread a disease known as Avernal fever. With their wicked glaives they can inflict terrible bleeding wounds that are particularly difficult to staunch.

Notable barbazus

See also: Category:Barbazu/Inhabitants

• Outcast King
• Calamyar

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.