Illustration Copyright 2008 Wizards of the Coast.

This is part of a series! Go here to see the other entries.

A Goristro is basically a bigger, furrier, and spikier version of the Bull Demon from classic Doom. They’re described in the Monster Manual as “living siege engines”, and as Baphomet’s favorite demon type. They’re not on the Monster Vault.

Goristros are Huge Elemental Humanoids (demons), which means they have huge guts. “Humanoid” is even kinda applicable if you ignore the digitigrade legs ending in hooves. They have darkvision and variable resistance 20 switchable two times per encounter. With Int 6, they behave pretty much in the stereotypical demon fashion, being all about charging things until they’re paste.

A typical Goristro is a Level 19 Elite Brute with 450 HP. Its basic attack is a Reach 3 Slam, of which it can make two per standard action. Its Goring Charges do increased damage when compared to the basic slam, also pushing the target and knocking them prone on a hit.

It other powers are immediate reactions. Goristro Stomp triggers whenever a non-adjacent enemy moves adjacent to the demon and recharges on a 4-6. The name at first made me think it was an area effect shockwave, but it’s actually a single-target attack that does about 1.5 times as much damage as a basic slam!

When bloodied, the demon gains access to Raging Frenzy, its other reaction power. Whenever someone attacks it in melee, it makes a basic attack against that enemy.

So goristros charge anything they want to destroy, and keep distributing slams and stomps while ignoring their own safety. Since they want to destroy everything and everyone, they’re never not charging and slamming. Rip and tear!

The sample encounter is level 18 and has one goristro, two savage minotaurs and 3 abyssal ghouls. The ghouls are kind of Orcus’ thing, but the presence of the minotaurs as the possible summoners would indicate this is a Baphomet operation.

Final Impressions

A goristro is a demon’s demon, which is to say it’s a near-mindless rage machine. By themselves they’re kinda boring. You should place them alongside whoemever summoned them, or alongside more interesting demons if the party is taking the fight to the Abyss for some reason.