Descent into Avernus

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.