Servants of Baatu, these creatures are created by Orcus and they serve him as absolute lord.
Baatezu are a strong, evil-tempered, well-organized race of fiends. In their rigid caste system, authority derives not only from power but from station. Changes in station come from participation in the Blood War or (as is more often the case) from the high attrition rate in the upper ranks. If a baatezu performs a great feat that cripples the enemy, it is rewarded by promotion – actually a physical transformation – to a higher station.
The baatezu pursue two obsessive goals. First and foremost, they wish to destroy their ancient blood enemies, the Tanar'ri. Both races treat the conflict not only as a war of annihilation, but as a definition of existence. Second, by infiltrating humankind’s world and gaining followers there, the baatezu gain magical energy and, thus, power over the Tanar'ri. Toward this end they strive to dominate humanity by convincing victims they have godlike powers.
As they progress through the ranks Baatezu change into new forms: stronger, cleverer, more magical and so on. While some details might differ a higher ranking Devil is always more dangerous than its last form in some way or shape. You start off as a Lemure; a disgusting parody of a humanoid with flappy and fatty skin. If you please your dark lords enough through a combination of gathering corrupted souls, guile, defeating your enemies and helping your master defeat theirs, you may be promoted to a Spinagon; a grotesque, spiny gargoyle-esque monster. From stage to stage, you start looking more and more like your horrible masters.
Baatezu is the name the devils use for themselves: to make it more confusing it is also a creature subtype.
In contrast to the chaotic evil Tanar'ri, baatezu pursue a long-range goal of dominion by their whole race throughout the planes. They prefer to encourage humanity’s intellectual evils, such as pride and ambition, rather than the immediate sensual appetites Tanar'ri exploit. The concept that cruelty and malice should be distributed in an orderly and efficient fashion is central to Baatezu. Backstabbers, vicious politicians and cruel warlords can opt to become Baatezu, though they climb the ladder as all others, starting as Lemures.
Baatezu are not born as mortals are. While only the most powerful of devils can breed at all, most opt not to do so because a child is a dangerous rival and a potent tool for their enemies. Instead new devils are made from the tortured souls of the damned, who are reprocessed after an extensive period of torture to strip them of their individuality. These soul shells are then reprocessed and turned into Lemures, starting their new existence as Baatezu.
The baatezu, with their evil, twisted honor, have a definite path of progress. By performing deeds that further the cause of evil, one gains honors, station, and power. For instance, an enterprising spinagon might advance and, in a long and torturous process, transform into an abishai. Often, too, a baatezu simply disappears, whereupon its immediate subordinate takes its place in the chain of command. Covert assassination is common among the baatezu.
Baatezu can travel to any lower plane, the Outlands, and the Astral Plane. However, they cannot enter the Prime Material Plane or Upper Planes unless properly summoned. Least and lesser baatezu are subject to a combination of magical signs that, when inscribed and a gate spell cast, bind them to service for nine days, keeping them, from harming the caster. The greater baatezu can likewise be commanded or kept at bay for nine hours.
In a fortress Baatu's Realm meet eight of the most powerful pit fiends: Furcas, Baalzephon, Zimimar, Zapan, Zaebos, Corin, Dagos, and Pearza. These ominous lords meet four times per year to determine policy, including strategy against the tanar’ri and promotions of lower baatezu. To draw the attention of these eight powerful beings is to invite destruction. Strangely, these eight rulers have reigned for many years, seemingly immune to the assassinations so common in the upper ranks.
In appearance the baatezu are diverse, though a Gothic gargoyle look, grotesque and unsightly by human standards, is common. Baatezu types fall into three divisions: * Greater (amnizu, cornugon, gelugon, pit fiend). * Lesser (abishai, barbazu, erinyes, hamatula, kocrachon, osyluth). * Least (nupperibo, spinagon). The lemures (a fourth variety) rank so low that they don’t even qualify as “least” in the baatezu scheme. Baatezu consider them the very bottom in station. However, scholars customarily number them among the types for the sake of completeness.
All baatezu except for lemures, nupperibo, and spinagons have the spell-like abilities advanced illusion, animate dead, charm person, infravision, know alignment (always active], suggestion, and teleport without error. The baatezu can summon their fellows, as detailed in their individual descriptions. Because they have a special form of telepathy, baatezu can understand and converse with any intelligent creature. Only least and lesser baatezu take damage from ordinary nonmagical weapons. The other varieties of baatezu are harmed only by magical weapons or weapons of silver. Baatezu are affected by the following attack forms: Attack - Damage Acid - Full Cold - Half* Electricity (lightning) - Full Fire (dragon, magical) - None* Gas (poisonous, etc.) - Half Iron weapon - None† Magic missile - Full Poison - None Silver weapon - Full‡ * The gelugon takes half damage from fire and none from cold † Unless affected by normal weapons, in which case damage is according to weapon type. ‡ Greater baatezu take only half damage from silver weapons.