Glabrezu
Large Fiend (demon), chaotic evil
5,000 XP
Special Abilities
Innate Spellcasting
The glabrezu's spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16). The glabrezu can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: darkness, detect magic, dispel magic
1/day each: confusion, fly, power word stun
Magic Resistance
The glabrezu has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack
The glabrezu makes four attacks: two with its pincers and two with its fists. Alternatively, it makes two attacks with its pincers and casts one spell.
Pincer
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). The glabrezu has two pincers, each of which can grapple only one target.
Fist
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Variant: Summon Demon (1/Day)
The demon chooses what to summon and attempts a magical summoning.
A glabrezu has a 30 percent chance of summoning 1d3 vrocks, 1d2 hezrous, or one glabrezu.
A summoned demon appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of its summoner, acts as an ally of its summoner, and can't summon other demons. It remains for 1 minute, until it or its summoner dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action.
Quick Reference
Running This Encounter
The Glabrezu is a cunning abyssal manipulator that should be portrayed as intelligent and scheming rather than purely combative. Use its legendary actions to control the battlefield and its spell-like abilities to control or debilitate the party before engaging directly. Its pincers and fists make it a formidable melee threat, but the real danger lies in its ability to cast spells and its talent for deception and negotiation when cornered.
Combat Tactics
The Glabrezu opens with spell-like abilities like Darkness or Invisibility to disrupt enemy positioning, then uses its pincers to grapple and restrain the party's most dangerous members. It prioritizes controlling the battlefield over raw damage output, using Legendary Actions to maintain initiative and escape if heavily threatened, preferring to retreat and summon allies rather than fight to the death.
Environment & Setting
This creature thrives in chaotic, vertical environments like chasms, ruined temples, or multi-level dungeons where it can use its intelligence to set ambushes and control sightlines. Underground caverns with multiple exits suit it well, allowing tactical retreat and repositioning.