Descent into Avernus

(Jeff_L) #1

216


APPENDIX B: INFERNAL WAR MACHINES


Infernal war machines are vehicles built in the Nine


Hells and fueled by the souls of the damned. Smaller


war machines carry raiding parties or scouts. Larger,


more menacing war machines can crus h entire hordes


of demons or deliver shock troops behind enemy lines.

Infernal war machines are made of infernal iron and


bristle with spikes, blades, chains, and siege weapons.

An infernal war machine's engine roars a bass, growling


rumble with an undertone of agonized screams as its


furnace burns souls for fuel.


This appendix includes stat blocks for infernal war


machines, rules for running and repairing them. and

guidelines for handling chases in Avernus.


STAT BLOCKS


Stat blocks for four sample infernal war machines are


presented in this appendix. An infernal war machine's


statistics function like those for creatures, with the fol-
lowing additional considerations.

CREATURE AND CARGO CAPACITY


Creature capacity describes how many creatures can


ride the infernal war machine comfortably. More crea-


tures can fit by squeezing or by clinging to the outside of


the vehicle.
Cargo capacity specifies how much cargo the infernal

war machine can carry.


ARMOR CLASS
An infernal war machine is typically made of infernal

iron and has an Armor Class of^19 + its Dexterity mod-


ifier. While the vehicle is not moving, attack rolls made
against it have advantage.

ABILITY SCORES


An infernal war machine has the six ability scores and


corresponding modifiers. Its size and weight deter-
mines its Strength. Dexterity represents its handling
and maneuverability. A vehicle's Constitution reflects its

durability and quality of construction. Infernal war ma-


chines usually have a score ofO in Intelligence, Wisdom,
and Charisma.
If an infernal war machine has a^0 in a score, it au-

tomatically fails any ability check or saving throw that


uses that score.

HIT POINTS


An infernal war machine's hit points can be restored


by making repairs to the vehicle (see "Repairs," page

220). When an infernal war machine drops to^0 hit


points, it ceases to function and is damaged beyond re-


pair, and any souls trapped in the vehicle's furnace are


released to the afterlife (see ·'Soul Fuel," page 217).

APPENDIX B I INFERNAL WAR MACHINES

DAMAGE THRESHOLD

Infernal war machines have bulk or armor that aJlows


them to shrug off minor hits. A vehicle with a damage


threshold has immunity to all damage unless it takes

an amount of damage equal to or greater than its dam-


age threshold value, in which case it takes damage as


normal. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the
vehicle's damage threshold is considered superficial and
doesn't reduce the vehicle's hit points.

MISHAP THRESHOLD
If an infernal war machine takes damage from a single

source equal to or greater than its mishap threshold, it


must roll on the Mishaps table (page 220).


ACTIONS STATIONS AND CREW


An infernal war machine doesn't have actions of its own.


It relies on c rew to occupy stations and use their actions
to operate the vehicle's various functions. Any option

that appears in the Action Stations section of an infernal


war machine·s stat block requires an action to perform.


RUL E S


Rules for infernal war machines are summarized below.


MAGICAL ELEMENTS


An infernal war machine's e ngine, furnace, and weap-


ons are magical and become inoperable within an


antimagic field. When the engine or furnace comes into


contact with such an effect, the infernal war machine


s huts down and can't be restarted until both the engine


and the furnace are free of the field.


OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS


Infernal war machines provoke opportunity attacks as


normal. When an infernal war machine provokes an


opportunity attack, the attacker can target the vehicle or


any creature riding on or inside it that doesn't have total
cover and is within reach.

ACTION STATIONS


A creature can use an action of the station it's occupy-


ing. Once a creature uses a station's action, that action


can't be used again until the start of that creature's next


turn. Only one creature can occupy each station.
A creature not occupying an action station is either in
a passenger seat or clinging to the outside of the vehicle.

It can take actions as normal.


HELM


The helm of an infernal war machine is a chair with a


wheel. levers, pedals, and other controls. The helm re-


quires a driver to operate. An infernal war machine with


no driver automatically fails Dexterity saving throws.

A driver proficient with land vehicles can add its profi-


ciency bonus to ability checks and saving throws made

using the infernal war machine's ability scores.

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