Chilling Death and Bone-Crushing Doom: The Ultimate Devil Duo Encounter

Chilling Death and Bone-Crushing Doom: The Ultimate Devil Duo Encounter

When running a high-level Dungeons & Dragons game, it can be tempting to throw one big monster at your party and call it a day. But why settle for one when you can unleash the terrifying synergy

of an Ice Devil and a Bone Devil working together? This demonic duo not only brings raw physical power but also combines tactical finesse and debilitating effects to crush even the most prepared adventurers. Recently released is the Icons of the Realms mini series by Wizkids Vecna, Eye of Ruin. In my Booster brick was, as always an amazing set of minis. Two great stand outs, as you can guess, were the Ice Devil and the Bone devil. So I decided to pair them up and make an interesting encounter and share it with all of you. If you want to get these minis or any other great options by Wizkids, check them out here.

This post will guide you through building a dynamic and challenging encounter featuring these two devils, highlighting their unique abilities, synergy potential, and encounter strategies to leave your players on the edge of their seats.

Meet the Devils: Ice and Bone

Ice Devil (CR 14)

A towering insectoid horror of freezing terror, the Ice Devil serves the frozen legions of the Nine Hells. It combines devastating melee attacks with the power to freeze and slow its enemies, making it a relentless juggernaut on the battlefield.

Key Abilities:

• Multiattack: Three attacks (Bite, Claw, Tail) for a devastating damage combo.

• Bite (Piercing + Cold): Inflicts both physical and cold damage, weakening even the hardiest fighters.

• Tail Attack: Packs a heavy punch with bludgeoning damage and knockback potential.

• Wall of Ice (1/day): Creates a massive ice barrier to divide and control the battlefield.

• Cold Aura: Enemies within 10 feet take 10 cold damage at the start of their turn.

Bone Devil (CR 12)

A nightmarish fiend draped in skeletal armor, Bone Devils are deceptive masterminds and tactical combatants. Their venomous stinger and polearm mastery make them a deadly force to contend with.

Key Abilities:

• Multiattack: Three attacks (Bite, Claw, Stinger) with significant melee reach.

• Stinger (Poison): Inflicts piercing and poison damage, with a DC 14 Constitution save to avoid poison effects.

• Devil’s Sight: Sees through magical darkness—perfect for coordinating ambushes or fighting in darkened arenas.

• Fear Aura (Optional): Imposes frightened status, hindering enemy mobility.

Devilish Synergy: Combining Frost and Bone

Why These Two Work Well Together

While the Ice Devil thrives in frontal assaults and area control, the Bone Devil excels at harassment and ambushes. Pairing them together creates an encounter that is both unpredictable and deadly, as each devil’s abilities complement the other’s strengths.

Synergy Strategies:

1. Divide and Conquer

• The Ice Devil casts Wall of Ice to cut off half the party, isolating them from support.

• The Bone Devil, with Devil’s Sight, uses magical darkness (perhaps from a terrain feature or a caster ally) to harass and whittle down the separated group.

• The Ice Devil engages those trapped on one side, dealing brutal melee damage while the Bone Devil ambushes from behind.

2. Crowd Control and Poison Combo

• The Cold Aura from the Ice Devil slows and weakens enemies, making it easier for the Bone Devil to land its venomous stinger.

• If a creature becomes poisoned by the Bone Devil, their weakened state makes them easy prey for the Ice Devil’s relentless assault.

• Tactical Movement: The Bone Devil can use its reach and flight to reposition and strike from unexpected angles, while the Ice Devil holds the line.

3. Terrain Domination

• Use the Wall of Ice to funnel enemies into kill zones or create deadly chokepoints.

• The Bone Devil can use its polearm reach to strike at enemies trying to break the wall or move through gaps.

• Position the Ice Devil behind the wall, using Bite and Claw to punish anyone attempting to bypass the barrier.

Encounter Setup: The Frozen Graveyard

Environment:

An ancient, cursed graveyard coated in perpetual frost, with icy gravestones and frozen bone piles scattered around. The devils have been tasked with guarding a Hellish relic buried beneath the ice.

Environmental Hazards:

• Frostbite Ground: Moving more than 20 feet in a turn requires a DC 15 Constitution save or take 1d6 cold damage.

• Bone Shards: Disturbing a frozen corpse causes jagged bones to fly out (DC 14 Dexterity save, or take 2d8 piercing damage).

• Hellsnow Blizzard: Visibility reduced to 10 feet; ranged attacks beyond that have disadvantage.

Tactics:

1. The Ambush: The Bone Devil uses Devil’s Sight to hide in darkness, waiting for the party to trigger a bone shard trap.

2. The Divide: As soon as the party is alerted, the Ice Devil casts Wall of Ice to split the group.

3. The Assault: The Bone Devil flies above, using its reach to pick off casters, while the Ice Devil pushes forward with its brutal melee attacks.

4. Maintaining Control: The Bone Devil will retreat behind the Ice Devil when threatened, using its tail sting to pick off wounded foes.

Rewarding Clever Play

This encounter is meant to challenge even seasoned players. Encourage them to use mobility, buffs, and spells to break the duo’s formation. Maybe the players discover that destroying a cursed obelisk in the graveyard weakens the devils, or using fire damage to melt the ice grants an advantage.

Final Thoughts: Creating Devilish Tension

The Ice Devil and Bone Devil pairing makes for a high-stakes, nerve-wracking encounter that pushes players to think on their feet. With the Ice Devil’s brutal power and control and the Bone Devil’s deceptive cunning, your players will remember this battle long after it’s over.

Would you run this devilish combo in your campaign? What other monster pairings have terrified your players? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!