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Power Keys / dead fiends

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Thu, 2008-03-20 06:53
#1
Archibald
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Power Keys / dead fiends

There is something I always avoided using like a plague, and it is power keys. I simply can't figure it out.

In the description of planes in the different "planes of.." (me no use produces about the planes after Planescape) they always describe the power keys to a plane as givent by the power from that plane, and only to their own priests. That does not make any sense! A priest doesn't need a power key in the homplane of her own power! At the same time, the planescape setting and other product describe power keys as working only on the specific plane they are designed for.
What's the right and what's the wrong in this all?

+

about slaying a fiend out of his home plane: I recall they just reform back there, but can't put my hand on wher it's written down. Is it all the fiends? or only some of them. How long does it take? are they stuck in their home plane for some times afterward?

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Thu, 2008-03-20 07:02
#2
weishan
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Power Keys / dead fiends

On the fiends; all the stuff you need is in Faces of Evil. It depends on the fiend, and specifics are detailed in each race's entry.

Thu, 2008-03-20 10:05
(Reply to #2) #3
ripvanwormer
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Power Keys / dead fiends

Power keys are granted to a cleric by their patron deity, usually for specific missions. For example, Horus blesses your mission to the Abyss, so he grants you a power key that allows you to use your divine magic at full strength even in the Abyss.

Power keys aren't intended for use in your own power's realm.

True tanar'ri (or stronger) or greater baatezu (or stronger) can reform after they are killed outside their home planes. Tanar'ri pull themselves out of the Abyss itself, slowly reassembling their spirits out of the matter of the plane. Tanar'ri who are weaker are unable to do this. Typically, it takes a century for them to regain their old power, and they're unable to leave the plane until then. Graz'zt was bound to his home plane for a century after his physical form was destroyed by Iggwilv, but his banishment was ended a little early because Iggwilv resummoned him.

Greater baatezu (or even Lords of the Nine) reform more or less right away as nupperibos, but it typically takes a century or so for them to be identified and granted back their original forms by the baatezu bureaucracy. They may be deliberately left in nupperibo for a time as punishment for their failures.

Greater yugoloths reform after 1 year per hit die, unless they're slain on one of the lower planes of conflict.

Gehreleths (demodands) do not reform after being slain, but Apomps instantly creates a new farastu from a corpse lying around in Carceri when one is slain, and instantly promotes a kelubar to replace a shator, and a farastu to replace a kelubar.

Devas, if slain, remain in the realms of their deities for a decade until they regain enough power to leave again.

Archons simply die if slain outside their home plane, their spirits destroyed forever. Harsh.

Eladrins, if they violate the agreement of secrecy on another plane, may be banished to Arborea for 1,001 years.

If a slaad is killed, it reforms within 24 hours as a slaad of the next lower rank, and remains that way for a year and a day (according to the original Fiend Folio, and this is mentioned again in Well of Worlds).

Modrons are instantly replaced by a seemingly arbitrary member of the next lower caste being promoted. The promotion of the last Primus took longer because Tenebrous' chaotic evil taint led one of the secundi to issue a challenge, which is permitted in the bylaws.

Mon, 2008-04-07 17:38
(Reply to #3) #4
Felenthir Enthelion
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Power Keys / dead fiends

Quote:
True tanar'ri (or stronger) or greater baatezu (or stronger) can reform after they are killed outside their home planes. Tanar'ri pull themselves out of the Abyss itself, slowly reassembling their spirits out of the matter of the plane. Tanar'ri who are weaker are unable to do this. Typically, it takes a century for them to regain their old power, and they're unable to leave the plane until then. Graz'zt was bound to his home plane for a century after his physical form was destroyed by Iggwilv, but his banishment was ended a little early because Iggwilv resummoned him.

You're right about this too, but I that rule changed with the Fiendish Codex I. Demons of ranks lower then demon lord are always demoted.

Quote:
Greater baatezu (or even Lords of the Nine) reform more or less right away as nupperibos, but it typically takes a century or so for them to be identified and granted back their original forms by the baatezu bureaucracy. They may be deliberately left in nupperibo for a time as punishment for their failures.

This was changed a little with the Fiendish Codex II. No nupperibos, only 99 years before being reformed. Archdevils reforms immediatly, but are banished for 99 years.

Quote:
Greater yugoloths reform after 1 year per hit die, unless they're slain on one of the lower planes of conflict.
Devas, if slain, remain in the realms of their deities for a decade until they regain enough power to leave again.
Archons simply die if slain outside their home plane, their spirits destroyed forever. Harsh.
If a slaad is killed, it reforms within 24 hours as a slaad of the next lower rank, and remains that way for a year and a day (according to the original Fiend Folio, and this is mentioned again in Well of Worlds).

This is VEEERY interesting. Wher did you find this datas about the devas, the archons and the yugoloths?

Mon, 2008-04-07 20:57
(Reply to #4) #5
ripvanwormer
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Power Keys / dead fiends

'Felenthir Enthelion' wrote:
This is VEEERY interesting. Wher did you find this datas about the devas, the archons and the yugoloths?

The deva and yugoloth info comes from the 1st edition Monster Manual II. The archon info is from Planes of Law.

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