Pit Fiend 5e
The pit fiend is a Large fiend of challenge rating 20 (25,000 XP) with AC 21, 337 hit points and a 60-foot fly speed in the 2024 rules. Its Multiattack makes four melee attacks at +14, including a Fiery Mace for 22 (4d6 + 8) force plus 21 (6d6) fire damage, and a DC 21 Fear Aura surrounds it.
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Pit Fiend stat block
Large Fiend, Lawful evil
| Armor Class | 21 |
| Hit Points | 337 (27d10 + 189) |
| Speed | 30 ft., Fly 60 ft. |
| Challenge | 20 (25,000 XP; proficiency bonus +6) |
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 (+8) | 14 (+2) | 24 (+7) | 22 (+6) | 18 (+4) | 24 (+7) |
- Saves and skills: DEX +8, WIS +10, Perception +10, Persuasion +19
- Resistances: cold
- Damage immunities: fire, poison
- Condition immunities: Poisoned
- Senses: Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 20
- Languages: Infernal; telepathy 120 ft.
Traits
Diabolical Restoration. If the pit fiend dies outside the Nine Hells, its body disappears in sulfurous smoke, and it gains a new body instantly, reviving with all its Hit Points somewhere in the Nine Hells.
Fear Aura. The pit fiend emanates an aura in a 20foot Emanation while it doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 21, any enemy that starts its turn in the aura. Failure: The target has the Frightened condition until the start of its next turn. Success: The target is immune to this pit fiend’s aura for 24 hours.
Legendary Resistance. If the pit fiend fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The pit fiend has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The pit fiend makes one Bite attack, two Devilish Claw attacks, and one Fiery Mace attack.
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 10 ft. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) Piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must make the following saving throw. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 21. Failure: The target has the Poisoned condition. While Poisoned, the target can’t regain Hit Points and takes 21 (6d6) Poison damage at the start of each of its turns, and it repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. After 1 minute, it succeeds automatically.
Devilish Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 10 ft. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 8) Necrotic damage.
Fiery Mace. Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 10 ft. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) Force damage plus 21 (6d6) Fire damage.
Hellfire Spellcasting. The pit fiend casts Fireball (level 5 version) twice, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 21). It can replace one Fireball with Hold Monster (level 7 version) or Wall of Fire.
How to run the pit fiend
Four attacks a turn: The pit fiend bites once, claws twice and swings its mace once, all at +14 with 10-foot reach. Against AC 20 each attack hits 75% of the time, and if all four land they average 113 damage. The bite also poisons on a failed DC 21 Constitution save, and a poisoned target cannot regain hit points while taking 21 (6d6) poison damage each turn, which shuts down the party's healer.
Hellfire on itself: On a 4 to 6 its Hellfire Spellcasting recharges (a 50% chance each turn) and it casts two level 5 fireballs, each averaging 35 fire damage at DC 21. It is immune to fire, so it can center the blast on its own position while surrounded. It can swap one fireball for Hold Monster at level 7 or a Wall of Fire to split the party.
How to counter it: It resists cold, is immune to fire and poison, and has Magic Resistance, 4 uses of Legendary Resistance per day and 120-foot truesight, so invisibility and single save-or-lose spells rarely work. Spread out to limit fireball hits and use radiant, force or plain weapon damage. Killed outside the Nine Hells, it simply reforms there. Track its recharges with the initiative tracker.
Pit Fiend: 2014 vs 2024
| 2014 Monster Manual | 2024 Monster Manual / SRD 5.2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Armor Class and hit points | AC 19, 300 (24d10 + 168) | AC 21, 337 (27d10 + 189) |
| Attacks | Bite, Claw, Mace and Tail | Bite, two Devilish Claws and Fiery Mace |
| Bite | 22 (4d6 + 8) piercing, DC 21 poison | 18 (3d6 + 8) piercing, DC 21 poison that ends automatically after 1 minute |
| Spellcasting | Innate: Detect Magic and Fireball at will; Hold Monster and Wall of Fire 3/day each | Hellfire Spellcasting (recharge 4-6): two level 5 Fireballs, one can become Hold Monster or Wall of Fire |
| Defenses | Resists cold and nonmagical, nonsilvered weapon damage; Magic Resistance | Resists cold; Magic Resistance; Legendary Resistance (4/day); Diabolical Restoration |
| Challenge | 20 (25,000 XP) | 20 (25,000 XP) |
Pit Fiend FAQ
What CR is a pit fiend in 5e?
A pit fiend is challenge rating 20, worth 25,000 XP, in both the 2014 and 2024 rules.
How much damage does a pit fiend do?
In the 2024 rules its four attacks average 113 damage if all hit: Bite 18, two Devilish Claws 26 each, and Fiery Mace 43 (22 force plus 21 fire). Its Hellfire Spellcasting adds two level 5 Fireballs averaging 35 each.
Can you kill a pit fiend permanently?
In the 2024 rules, Diabolical Restoration revives it in the Nine Hells with full hit points if it dies anywhere else. Its stat block gives no such revival when it dies inside the Nine Hells.
What is a pit fiend immune to?
It is immune to fire and poison damage and to the poisoned condition, and it resists cold damage.
Related
Monsters of similar challenge
- Balor (CR 19)
- Ancient Brass Dragon (CR 20)
- Ancient White Dragon (CR 20)
- Ancient Black Dragon (CR 21)
- Ancient Copper Dragon (CR 21)
- Lich (CR 21)
- Solar (CR 21)
Rules are summarised in our own words; monster stat blocks are reproduced from the SRD. This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2 ("SRD 5.2") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Card icons by Lorc and Delapouite from game-icons.net, licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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Contains content from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.