Imp

Imp

Species	chthonic (demon)
No. Appearing	1
Behaviour	servant
Range	Abyss, Acheron, ruin, rural, urban
Size	2 ft. 5 in. tall
Weight	11½ lbs.
Intelligence	10
Armour Class	2
Hit Dice	2+2
Action Points	5
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	19
Hp/Die	d3
Attack Forms	tail
Damage	1–4
Special Attacks	commune, detect magic, detect malevolence, immunities, invisibility, magic or silver to hit, magic resistance, polymorph, regeneration, suggestion, venom

Imps are subordinate demons of little physical prowess, who nevertheless possess a wide range of profound natural abilities, making them extraordinarily dangerous for their size. They are most likely to be encountered in their capacity as familiars, in the service of a mage. They do not appear on the Prime Material except in service to some master, and will perform their powers exclusively for the master's benefit. While evil, these creatures are not capable of malevolence or intention, as they have been specifically created to serve, and never to act on their own behalf. If their master is killed or whisked away, by teleport or like spell, imps will immediately return to their home plane of the Abyss or Acheron.

Transferable Advantages

There are many of these, some defensive and some threatening. Each ability the imp has can be used at a cost of only 1 action point.

Most important, imps are able to commune continuously with their master telepathically. Because of this, an order never has to be given; the imp knows immediately what is desired and proceeds to act according to that will. This will mean that any mage in control of an imp will effectively be able to "run" the creature as their own character, using the imp's many abilities. Having an imp is a boon of enormous power. The master can bear witness to all the imp sees and hears as well.

They are immune to magical cold, fire and electricity, but not the natural forms of these attacks. As a further magical defense, Imps save as 7th level creatures, and have a 25% magic resistance. When attacked, imps regenerate 1 hit point per round. Each of these defenses can be tranferred to the imp's master, so long as the master is within 10 ft., or two combat hexes, of the imp. The other abilities that an imp has, described below, cannot be transfered in this fashion.

Non-transferable Advantages

Once per day, imps are able to detect magic and detect malevolence exactly like spells of those names, though of course these are natural abilities. They are able to perform a suggestion once per day, usually asking something that requires the subject to move away from the imp's master at a walking pace, such as "go get−" or "go see−".

As often as they wish, imps can become invisible, a tactic it will use to spy on others; naturally, this precludes the imp from taking any aggressive action, as it will become visible upon doing so. If it wishes to spy for longer periods, or act as an assassin, the imp can polymorph in to the following four forms: raven, goat, giant rat or large spider. It is able to attack as these creatures while retaining its own hit dice and intelligence.

Imps carry a venom in their tails, which they will use in combat. They have no other means of attack, having no claws, no ability to use weapons, nor an effective bite. The tail will cause only 1-4 damage, but if a saving throw against poison fails, the victim will sustain 1-4 damage per round until a total of 18 damage is sustained. There is no mediation except neutralize poison, but the victim can be withstained with healing spells through this period. This amount of damage will be suffered every time the victim is struck and fails to save.

This venom attack can be effected when the imp is polymorphed as either a giant rat or large spider.

Finally, weapon damage can only caused to imps by the use of a silvered or magical weapon to hit. This applies to any form the imp has taken.

See Bestiary