D&D 5e: Demogorgon 5e Guide

Many demons and Demon Lords cause trouble in the Abyss’s endless levels, but no one has been at the top as long as the Demogorgon.

Even though Orcus has lichs and hordes of the dead, Demogorgon has been around since the beginning of Dungeons & Dragons.

Mostly as that crazy person you don’t want to bother. Not even on the 20th level, which is pretty hard.

You shouldn’t take Demogorgon quests lightly because he will change your mind and soul in ways that can’t be changed. If you’ve ever fought demons in Dungeons & Dragons, you’ve fought their Prince.

Welcome to a Demogorgon 5e Guide.

Demogorgon, The Double Domed Prince of Demons

Demogorgon is the Prince of Demons, and as such, he is all of the (presumably) Infinite Abyss.

He has been called Prince of Demons, Sibilant Beast, the First Accident, and Master of the Spiraling Depth, among other names. As an entity on the level of a god, he is chaos, madness, and destruction.

He looks like a perfect mix of many different animals. Its strength is shown by a torso that looks like a gorilla’s, with huge biceps that split into two sucking tentacles on each side.

It has a dinosaur-like lower body with clawed, webbed feet and a forked tail that, like Demogrogon’s arms, splits into two huge tentacles at the end.

The most striking thing about Demogorgon is its two simian heads that look like demonic baboons. Both are very smart, but they are different people.

Still, both of them are so crazy that they could infect a weaker mind with mind-numbing madness or, if reality is kind, just overwhelm a weaker mind with confusion.

The names of the two heads are Aameual (on the left) and Hathradiah (right). Even though rumours say that these two people are the same, the only thing they seem to have in common is that they are both very crazy, but in different ways.

This means that one of Demogorgon’s most important characteristics is that he probably only stops arguing with himself when both of them have decided to kill you. Unfortunately, this silence will probably only last one full round before they start to argue about how to kill you.

• Demogorgon is THE original big bad. It was the deadliest monster in the original Advanced DnD. It continues to reign supreme as one of the mightiest challenges to face CR-wise.
• The title of Prince of Demons is self-appointed but proven by being highly contested. 
• Prince of Demons makes him the highest-ranked of the Demon Lords. Orcus and Graz’zt would contest this but have yet to achieve the title themselves. 
• Demon Lord of the Undead, Orcus, is widely considered to be the only demon that stands on Demogorgon’s level. Some consider Demogorgon to be more powerful in title alone. 
• Even if begrudgingly, all demons will follow orders given by Demogorgon. This means his minions include ALL demons. His aura demands it.
• Demogorgon created Chimeras when he was summoned to the material plane, considered the creatures surrounding him dull, and turned them into the first Chimeras. 
• Demogorgon is credited as being the first evil soul to make it into the Abyss and turn into a demon.
• Demogorgon, technically, has Dagon’s entire realm as his palace’s basement.
• Demogorgon’s most significant flaw is both Aameual and Hathradiah believe they could be so much more without the other. Unfortunately, if one head dies, the other will perish with it.
• Aameual is charismatic and calculating. Hathradiah is savage and instinctive. 
• Despite his rank, Demogorgon is relatively unknown to the material plane. His presence is known through deities worshipped by civilized races under a different name in their tongue. 

Demogorgon Abilities & Stats

• CR 26 (90,000 XP)
• Passive Perception 29
• AC: 22 (Natural armor)  Hit Points: 406 (28d12+224)
• Speed 50 ft, swim 50 ft
• Str  29 (+9)   Dex  14 (+2)   Con  26 (+8)
• Int  20 (+5)    Wis  17 (+3)   Cha  25 (+7)
• Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +16, Wis +11, Cha +15
• Skills Insight +11, Perception +19
• Senses: true-sight 120 ft.
• Languages: All, telepath 120 ft.
• Damage Resistance: Cold, fire, lightning
• Magic Immunities: poison; nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing.
• Condition Immunities: charmed, exhausted, poisoned, frightened.
• Legendary Resistance (3/day)

If he fails a saving throw, Demogorgon can instead choose to have it succeed.

• Magic Resistance

Demogorgon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

• Innate Spellcasting

His spellcasting ability is based on his Charisma.

If he fails a saving throw, Demogorgon can instead choose to have it succeed.

• Magic Resistance

Demogorgon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

• Innate Spellcasting

His spellcasting ability is based on his Charisma.

• Spell Save: DC 23
• At-Will: detect magic, minor image
• 3/day: dispel magic, fear, telekinesis
• 1/day: feeble-mind, project image.
• Magic Weapon

Demogorgon’s weapon attacks are considered magical.

• Two Heads

Aameual and Hathradiah are tenacious. Demogorgon has advantage on saves against being blinded, deafened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.

Actions

• Multiattack

Demogorgon makes two tentacle attacks.

• Tentacle
  • Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit
  • Range: 10 ft reach, one target. 
  • Hit: 28 (3d12) bludgeoning 

Save DC 23 Con. Otherwise, the target’s hit point maximum is reduced equal to the damage taken. This reduction in health will last until the target finishes a long rest. If the target’s maximum reaches 0, they will die. 

• Gaze
  • Range: 120 feet, one creature. 
  • Save DC 23 Wisdom 
  • Hit

If the target doesn’t close their eyes and try to avoid Demogorgon’s gaze, they will automatically succeed unless they are incapacitated.

But if you do that, you won’t see him again until the beginning of Demogorgon’s next turn. To meet his gaze before then, they will have to roll the save right away.

If you fail, one of the following things will happen, either because Demogorgon/DM chose it or because it happened by chance.

1. Beguiling Gaze: Performed by the left head, Aameual. The target is stunned until Demogorgon’s next turn or if he leaves the target’s line of sight. 
2. Insanity Gaze: Performed by the right head, Hathradiah. Target immediately takes the effects of a Confusion Spell without a save. The effect lasts until Demogorgon’s turn and requires no concentration on either head’s part.  
3. Hypnotic Gaze: The stars align, and both heads focus on the same target. The target is charmed by Demogorgon until the start of his next turn. This means Demogorgon can choose how the affected target uses its turn. Moves, action, and all. As this requires the focus of both heads, Demogorgon cannot use Maddening Gaze (legendary action) until his next turn.

Legendary Actions

The only time a legendary action can be used is at the end of another creature’s turn. Also, a legendary action can only be used once at a time.

Demogorgon can do two legendary actions each round.

• Tail
  • Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit
  • Range: 15 ft, one target
  • Hit: 20 (2d10+9) bludgeoning plus (+) 11 (2d10) necrotic
• Maddening Gaze
• Demogorgon uses Gaze, but it can only use either Beguiling Gaze or Insanity Gaze. Hypnotic Gaze can’t be used because it needs the attention of both heads.

Aura of Demonic Command

Range: Any demon within 120 feet, automatic

The demon can not take any action that the Demogorgon does not approve of. Few exceptions exist, including Demon Lords and demons of similarly immense power.

The Madness of Demogorgon

Succumbing to insanity from being within his line of sight or merely losing it in his lair is NOT considered a status effect. Instead, it is regarded as a character flaw. This curse of madness runs so deep that it is a chip in your mind and personality. It lasts until cured. 

d100	Flaw
01-20	“Someone is plotting to kill me. I need to strike first to stop them!”
21-40	“There is only one solution to my problems; kill them all!”
41-60	“There is more than one mind inside my head.”
61-80	“If you don’t agree with me, I’ll beat you into submission to get my way.”
81-00	“I can’t allow anyone to touch anything that belongs to me. They might try to take it away from me!”

Lair and Region Actions

If in his palace known as the Abysm, located in the Gaping Maw, then Demogorgon can use Lair Actions.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) 

Demogorgon can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects if in his lair’s territory.

He can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row. 

• Demogorgon makes an illusory duplicate of himself in his own space. This lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round. 

On his turn, the illusory duplicate can be moved the same distance as with walking speed, with no action required by Demogorgon. 

The first time Demogorgon is physically interacted with, such as being hit with an attack or flung debris, there is a 50% chance that the hit will affect the duplicate instead of Demogorgon himself. In this case, the illusory duplicate is dispelled. 

• Demogorgon cases the darkness spell four times on four different areas within view. This effect will end on initiative count 20 in the following round. This action does not require concentration from Demogorgon. 

Prince of Demons

Demogorgon is in charge of every demon you can think of because the title “Prince of Demons” gives him real power.

Because of how demons and the Abyss work, they are always fighting Demogorgon in the mistaken belief that they can become Demon Lord and Prince.

The Demogorgon will always have control over these demons, and many of them will happily bow down to him just by being in his presence. All demons talk about fighting and beating the Prince of Demons from the time they are born.

Few people have been able to stand in his presence or feel the weight of his “Aura of Demonic Command.”

As a Demon Lord, you already get a level of the Abyss to call your own, worshippers and cults, and of course, power boosts you can’t even imagine.

Double Domed Demon

The most noticeable thing about Demogorgon is that he has two heads. The left head, Aameual, and the right head, Hathradiah, are two different beings stuck in the same body.

Both of them have different personalities and follow their own schedules. The only thing they have in common is that they are both completely crazy. One of their worst fights, though, is about who is the best of the two of them.

Even though they are always at odds with each other, this two-pronged plan makes them the Prince of Demons. They can take two actions on their turn and two legendary actions on the turn of another creature, for a total of four actions per round. This is because each head can act on its own.

Both of Demogorgon’s eyes could cause him to go crazy on their own. Still, they could control the wills of even the most powerful entities if they worked together.

Aameual is the more charming of the two, and when they talk to other entities, he usually does most of the talking. He is in charge of the left side of the body and can stun people with his eyes.

Hathradiah, on the other hand, was more cruel. He acts more on instinct and anger, which is why he is called the Demogorgon’s wrath. He has control over the right side of his body and can throw people off with his gaze.

Two-Faced Origins

As is the case with many powerful creatures, no one knows why Demogorgon has two heads. In this way, it leaves room for speculation and also has a story that is often told.

People say that Demogorgon’s head was cut in half long ago, during one of the fiercest battles the Abyss had ever seen.

Demogorgon didn’t die. Instead, he quickly grew two new heads. This was possible because his neck and head were perfectly split down the middle and across the lobe where the regenerative ability works.

So, the Demogorgon’s whole personality was split between its two parts. Amaeual kept the charismatic side of his personality in the front. At the same time, Hathradiah grew from the part of instinct that was more wild and savage.

The First Accident is said to have been completed by more splits on the Demogorgon’s arms and tail that it made to defend itself during this attack.

Both heads think they would be stronger and more successful if they were the only ones in their body and the other one was gone. The sad truth is that if one head is cut off, the other will die soon after.

For now, they can’t follow their dreams because they are afraid of losing their title as Prince of Demons. So instead, they come up with ways to get rid of each other through arguments that drive other creatures crazy.

Two-Faced Arguments

Arguments reportedly heard screamed by both heads at each other include:

• Tactics on how to kill rivals, 
• What Orcus’ deal is
• Whose head is represented by which tower in their palace, and which is better.
• Battlefield Tactics
• Which of their demons are the most useful.
• Which of their demons are the least useful.
• Ranking Abyssal Planes (eternal argument)
• Does this bring madness?
• Does this bring chaos?

The Gaping Maw

Demogorgon lived on the 88th level of the Abyss. His palace, called Abysm, was there. It has a huge continent that is home to the Screaming Jungle, which got its name from the demonic apes and huge dinosaurs that live there and fight all the time.

In the middle of this Jungle is the entrance to the Guttering Grove, which is the 90th layer of the Abyss.

The continent is surrounded by an ocean that goes all the way around it. The sea has whirlpools as big as islands and rocks that look like fangs.

Evil creatures like demons and constructs live in the fortresses that were carved into the stones by the waves.

If you try to sail to its edge, you will go around the Screaming Jungle and end up on the other side. Like Pac-Man or a small planet with a round shape.

There are many scary creatures in the oceans, like Aboleths and Ixitxachitls.

At the same time, sea-bound fortresses are home to many horrible things, like armies of different kinds of demons and evil machines like strange retrievers, ichthyoid, and gibbering mouthers.

Abysm

Demogorgon’s Palace is called Abysm. It is a crazy place with two sides, just like the Two-Faced Prince. Two serpentine towers rise out of the water and are joined at the top by a bridge. On top of each tower is a skull-shaped mariner.

The Demogorgon spends most of his time in the towers, where he talks about plans and goes as crazy as having that crazy voice in your head act as its own head with its own whispered agents of chaos could make him.

The water covers the bottom half of the palace. This is where most of his palace is hidden, like an iceberg. He’s not good at interior design, at least not where he’s not arguing with himself. This part of the palace is mostly made up of cold, dark caves.

They go so far down that they open into the Shadow Sea, which is on the 89th level of the Abyss and is Dagon’s realm. For those long walks to think, arguing with each other.

Regional Effects

Demogorgon’s presence and the power of his magic have messed up the part of the Gaping Maw where Abysm is. This makes one or more things happen while he is there.

Even after Demogorgon dies, it will take 1d10 days for these effects to go away.

• Around the lair, there are too many dangerous animals, such as lizards and snakes, living within a six-mile radius.
• Within a mile of Demogorgon’s lair, all animals, even calm grazers, become violent and crazy.
• If a humanoid spends at least an hour within a mile of the lair, it must make a DC 23 Wisdom save or go crazy, as shown on the Madness of Demogorgon table. If the humanoid makes the save, this effect won’t hurt it for 24 hours.

Lemoriax

One of the most crowded cities in the Abyss is in the Gaping Maw. Given that the realm of the Abyss is known for having an infinite number of layers and planes, this is a big deal. Its name is Lemoriax, and it is the capital city of Demogorgon.

The Scabwash Sentinels

The Scabwash Sentinels are two forts that look like fangs and are far from the coast of Lemoriax. Here, Demogorgon keeps all of his weird demonic creations, including his biggest failures and biggest successes.

The toxic chemicals that Demogorgon and his followers use to change the creatures pollute the air and water around these fortresses a lot.

Some of the most intelligent demons who can change shape, like a Sibriex, are stationed here to help the Demogorgon with these tests.

Harrowrend

The Harrowrend are two fortresses that look like fangs and are stationed off the coast of Lemoriax. They are farther out, but they are still close to the Scabwash Sentinels. Demons with wings and quiet seabirds gather around their peaks.

A babu named Karizmodus the Carver is in charge of a group of demons with sharp fingers. This room is where the Demogorgon tortures and questions people.

This dedicated staff enjoys ripping apart their targets’ bodies and minds with the goal of getting every bit of information they can by force and only by force.

The Cult of Demogorgon

Demogorgon is the Prince of all Demon Lords, so people from all over the realms follow him. If these Followers aren’t drawn to the demon just because of its power, they are often most interested in the Duality of the Dual Domed Demon Dignitary.

Scholars and philosophers will often take a serious look at the Prince of Demons. As the Duality of Man becomes more common, good intentions will start to go bad. But it’s not easy to think about the Demon’s dual nature. People who follow Demogorgon will always go crazy.

In a strange way, the largest groups of cultists can be found underwater. This comes from the fact that Demogorgon used to be a water god in the first editions.

The lore also says that Demogorgon is friendly to “other scaly creatures that hide from the light.” That’s kind of sweet. Lizardfolk and other animals with scales that live on Earth are liked by the Prince of Demons.

Because of this, many of the people who follow them are not mortal to begin with. It’s hard enough to figure out if a supernatural person is crazy. Even so, it is possible for these cultists to develop a split personality.

This is because of their fixation on duality, which takes the form of a two-headed demon who talks to himself.

Most Demogorgon Cults fall apart because of fights between members. Because they care a lot about their Lord and what he stands for, this fight always involves one half of the cult fighting the other.

Sometimes they work in teams with two heads, and sometimes they do something that makes less sense but still fits the theme of duality.

Ixitxachitl, an aquatic animal that looks like a manta ray, is one of Demogorgon’s most loyal followers. So much so that it was his favorite living thing on the material planes.

No one knows why Demogorgon likes these animals so much. Some people think that if you die from an Ixitxachitl, your soul goes straight to Demogorgon. I think both heads thought manta rays were cool, so they gave some of them demonic powers.

The funniest idea is that Demogorgon was called upon when a group of manta rays swam in sync and accidentally called him. He was as interested in it as a person is in a kitten.

Ways of the Cult

Demogorgon Cults are still obsessed with taking twins and raising them as their own. Most people are raised to think that twins will lead the cult in the future.

Rituals that involve the cultists themselves, like ones that give the cultists more power or ones that give the cult as a whole more power, are like the many layers of an onion of horror.

In the name of Demogorgon, the tame ones are often drug-fueled parties of sin with sexual lust and mass murders to spice things up.

As part of their rituals, some cultists give their bodies to demons so they can use them as vessels in the material world. But that’s not all. Already having lost some of their body and mind to possession, the demon will give the cultist a gift when it is done.

The demon gives this gift by cracking open the cultist’s head and chewing a small piece of the cultist’s brain. They will finally spit it back up into the mouth of the cultist to be eaten.

By doing this, they eat their own brain and become Demogorgon’s slaves. A lot of people die because of this ritual.

Demogorgon is the most powerful demon in the world. So, rituals to any and all demons will be rituals to Demogorgon in some way.

Sacrifices to Demogorgon

Demogorgon eats people who are killed to feed it. Paladins, Clerics, and Hunters, who are natural enemies of Demogorgon and the Abyss, are the ones who are most likely to be chosen as sacrifices.

Demogorgon wants sacrifices to be done in a certain way.

• Souls that are good and not guilty are very valuable to the Abyss and its economy.
• Demons are the only ones who can offer the sacrifice to Demogorgon.
• The sacrifice has to be cut down the middle.

When sacrifices are made in this way, the person’s soul goes straight into the Gaping Maw. This is the only known way to make an innocent soul take this direct path.

Otherwise, a soul must follow the Wheel of Death or other similar afterlife cycles. If not, you need to have a bad soul or sell your soul to a demon.

Only Demogorgon can do this ritual. None of the other Demon Lords can. Souls that are given to the demon prince through this ritual will become his slaves right away.

They are also Demogorgon’s favorite way to do things by nature. Souls that are mostly pure, innocent, and not corrupted are hard to find in the Abyss.

Temples & Trinkets

Architecture, items, and temples to Demogorgon will be split down the middle in a symmetrical way. One half is Aameual, and the other is, of course, Hathradiah. The border is Demogorgon as a whole, and the Temple or Trinket itself is also a part of Demogorgon.

Temples and other things made in honour of Demogorgon should not be taken too seriously. Adventurers who don’t know to avoid the Y sign and other symbols of the Duality Demon are often driven crazy by these items and places.

This could come across as pure madness, or it could be more sneaky if it came from a really determined follower of the Abyss. Trinkets could slowly change the people around the person who uses them, and Temples could do the same on a larger scale.

Worse, either one could have a way to get into or out of the Gaping Maw.

Y Sign

Small runic symbols add to the complexity of the Sign of the Demogorgon cult. Still, it looks like the Demogorgun’s forked tail at its core.

If you look at the spiralling Y for too long, it will drive even the most sane people crazy.

FAQs