Pit Lord (Warcraft III)

The pit lords are a race within the demonic annihilan species. They are warrior heroes, exceptional at weakening enemies and melee combat. These massive demons take sadistic pleasure from instilling crazed terror, and then slaughtering their enemies. They can attack land units.

Description


The hulking creature has a massive humanoid torso that joins to a tremendous equine body with a flexible carapace. Monstrous tusks jut out from his fanged mouth, and a long thick tail thunders behind his huge frame. A mane of living fire runs down his spine between sinewy, leathery wings. He carries a massive warblade in his hands and wears light plate armor on his scaled torso. The pit lords are usually nothing more than butchers: brutal killers, occasional torturers, and hunters that prefer intelligent prey. They are engines of hate and flame, bred for only one purpose: to destroy everything in their path. Occasionally, one rises above all others and becomes a leader of the Legion's armies. When reproached by mortal paladins or hacked at by heroes defending their towns, the pit lords smile ever more widely. Gore, screams, and suffering prove to them their victory, and the horror and anger of those mortals capable of opposing them serve as the applause. Pit lords have a humanoid head, arms, and torso, although the head has far too many teeth. (More grow continuously, forming a forest of ivory needles in the pit lord's mouth.) Their waist attaches seamlessly to a headless equine body plated with a flexible, multipart carapace.

As long as they stay alive and give as good as they get, they think having their guts spilled on the ground and their eyes gouged out is bracing. It's more fun to do it to someone else, of course. Pit lords wade right into battle; the more opponents the better. If the pit lord has a chance to prepare, or if facing a great many opponents, it casts haste on itself. Against large numbers of enemies to all sides a pit lord uses its doom stomp, sweeping cleave, and tail sweep abilities to thin them out. Once the pit lord can focus things down to just a few melee opponents, the pit lord begins full attack actions. Only after being slain and rising again with its rebirth ability does a pit lord really summon other demons and use its spell-like abilities. Pit lords usually summon one infernal, but when facing many weaker opponents the pit lord summons several fel stalkers instead. Pit lords favor their demonic doom, carrion swarm, shockwave, and earthquake spell-like abilities. Ultimately, a pit lord is no fool. When facing defeat, a pit lord uses teleport without error to escape the fight. If retreat is not possible, the pit lord goes out with full attack actions and centers himself as best he can for his death throes to hopefully take many of his enemies with him.