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Rakshasas are cunning, spell-casting fiends who look like humanoids with the face of a tiger.

Description[]

Rakshasas originated in the Nine Hells, and the City of Dis remains a popular place for them.[2] In the Monster Manual rakshasas are not devils,[1] but Tiberius recalled that they are devils; it's unclear whether this was a difference in Exandria's cosmology, a mistake, or a limitation of Tiberius's knowledge.[3]

These fiends have the innate ability to magically disguise themselves at will, and use this to manipulate others. They are formidable sorcerers, and employ an arsenal of skills to both fight and deceive.[1] Rakshasas crave power above all else. They use their natural abilities and considerable intellect to acquire the influence they desire.[4][1]

Appearance[]

Rakshasas have inverted hands (with outward-facing palms) with powerful claws. However, they'll rarely use those features in combat, as they disdain fighting at close quarters.

Abilities[]

The following is drawn from the Monster Manual:[1]

  • Immunities: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical weapons.
  • Vulnerabilities:[5] Piercing damage from magic weapons wielded by good creatures.
  • Limited Magic Immunity:[6] The rakshasa is immune to spells of 6th level or lower. It has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.
  • Innate Spellcasting: can cast a few spells which require no material components.
    • At will: Detect Thoughts,[7] Disguise Self, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion
    • Three times per day each: Charm Person,[8] Detect Magic, Invisibility,[9] Major Image, Suggestion
    • Once per day each: Dominate Person,[10] Fly,[11] Plane Shift, True Seeing[12]
  • Attacks:
    • Multiattack: The rakshasa can make two claw attacks.
    • Claw: The rakshasa can make a claw attack.

According to Allura Vysoren, the essence of a slain rakshasa returns to the Nine Hells, where its body reforms in a painful process that takes weeks or months.[13]

Known rakshasas[]

Episode-58-Scanlan-Saving-Vax-from-Hotis-by-Hugo-Cardenas

Fan art of Scanlan saving Vax'ildan from Hotis in "A Cycle of Vengeance" (1x58), by Hugo Cardenas.[art 2]

Half of Vox Machina, along with Kashaw Vesh and Thorbir Falbek, were contracted to hunt a rakshasa by the Slayer's Take guild in Vasselheim.[14] They managed to track down Hotis, a rakshasa using the pseudonym "Hosim" and magically disguised as a dwarf, who was managing an upscale lounge and bar called the Velvet Cabaret. During the hunt, it was revealed that the rakshasa has a very powerful resistance against magic, as Tiberius and Keyleth's spells often failed.[15] It was also hinted that the rakshasa has the power to pry into a person's memory, as he learned about the team's most beloved people (Vax'ildan's sister, Tiberius's family, Thorbir's daughter, and so on) and threatened to harm them.[16] They narrowly managed to kill Hotis before he could escape.

Hotis reformed in the Nine Hells and returned to Exandria for revenge. By impersonating Shaun Gilmore, Hotis infiltrated Whitestone Castle and gifted Vax with a cursed Robe of Flaying in order to trick him into removing his protective gear and weapons, and invited him to take a walk to an isolated balcony, where Hotis stabbed a surprised Vax.[17] Other members of Vox Machina soon arrived and killed Hotis again, and the last of the assassins Hotis had hired to help in this effort were tracked down and slain by Galdric.

Finally, in Campaign One Arc 4: Taryon Darrington, Vox Machina decided they had to destroy Hotis for good, by tracking him down in the Nine Hells. They infiltrated Mentiri and slew the fiend in his reforming state.

The penthouse at the Maiden's Wish casino in Kymal has a rakshasa-skin rug.[18]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 257.
  2. See "Voice of the Tempest" (1x90) at 2:05:56.
  3. See "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20) at 40:19Orion Acaba rolled an 18 for Tiberius's Arcana check.
  4. See "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20) at 40:19.
  5. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 3:22:16.
  6. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 3:03:29.
  7. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) from 3:40:44 through 3:41:21.
  8. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 2:54:23.
  9. See "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20) at 2:27:48.
  10. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 3:12:40.
  11. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 3:28:25.
  12. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 2:54:35.
  13. See "A Cycle of Vengeance" (1x58) at 1:58:40.
  14. See "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20) at 0:39:41.
  15. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) at 3:03:23.
  16. See "Trial of the Take: Part 4" (1x21) from 3:40:44 through 3:41:21.
  17. See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) from 3:38:55 through 3:43:08.
  18. See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 1" (E2x01) at 3:18:47.

Art:

  1. Depiction of a rakshasa, by Ilya Shkipin from D&D: Monster Manual, 5th edition, page 257. This page contains unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  2. Fan art of Scanlan saving Vax'ildan from Hotis in "A Cycle of Vengeance" (1x58), by Hugo Cardenas (source). Used with permission.
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