[RPG] Exactly how smart are Demon Lords? Demogorgon in particular

dnd-5emonstersout-of-the-abyss

I’m trying to nail down exactly how cunning and intelligent demon lords are – Demogorgon in particular. It mostly relates to the Chaotic Evil alignment and the sort of hierarchy of Demons.

I understand that some demon lords – Zuggtmoy and Orcus, for example – seem to be portrayed as at least significantly intelligent, with Orcus even capable of spell casting and utilizing his wand. Demogorgon, however, seems to have little intelligence other than simply madness and desiring suffering.

In Out of the Abyss, Demogorgon itself arrives on the mortal plane to terrorize the underdark. In said campaign, would Demogorgon be capable of devising any sort of strategy? Would it be able to command demons who are loyal, or at the very least subjugated? Would it be able to construct intricate battle plans? Or would Demogorgon simply go around smashing everything and eliminating any potential threats? I’d appreciate a concrete answer on exactly how intelligent Demogorgon – and to an extent, the other demon lords – are.

Best Answer

Demogorgon “is capable of devising and enacting the most clever strategies” and the mere sight of him compels demons to obey his command.

Demogorgon has 20 intelligence. 20 is as high as an ability score can get for player characters without very powerful magical items. So think of the smartest wizards in all the land. Demogorgon is about that smart.

Demogorgon is described in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes:

The result is an entity that is capable of devising and enacting the most clever strategies, paranoid at all times about threats to his rule (which certainly exist in the chaos of the Abyss), and possessed of immense physical power.

So yes, Demogorgon is very strategic. But can he command demons?

Demons comprise the majority of Demogorgon’s cultists, since he commands unmatched power in the Abyss. The mere sight of him anywhere in that realm can transfix lesser demons and instantly compel them to do his bidding.

The mere sight of Demogorgon commands obedience from lesser demons throughout the Abyss.

As for the rest of the demon lords, the dumbest of the bunch is Yeenoghu at a respectable 16 INT1, with the most intelligent being Fraz-Urb’luu at 26 INT.

1 The printed edition of Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes lists Yeenoghu’s INT as 15, but lists the INT modifier as +3.

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