Balor (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, a balor is one of the most powerful types of demon. Of all the inhabitants of the Abyss, balors are second in power only to the demon lords and demon princes. The balor found in Dungeons & Dragons has little relation to the mythical Balor, actually being based on the Balrog of The Lord of the Rings. In first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, balors were known as type VI demons.

History
In the original D&D pamphlets, this breed of demon was known as "Balrog", but the name was revised in subsequent supplements to simply "type VI demon" so as not to infringe on J. R. R. Tolkien's copyright. From second edition AD&D, the name "type VI demon" was revised to "balor", taking the name of the greatest individual of their rank as the name for the entire breed.

In the original Monster Manual, type VI demons are 12 foot winged humanoids with horns and demonic features. They prefer to wield swords and many-tailed whips. They are able to create flames around themselves and shed darkness at will. They possess a strong charisma that attracts other chaotic evil creatures. They tend towards organized evil. Six are known to exist.

In the 2nd edition Monstrous Manual, balors are the most powerful tanar'ri. They exist solely to wage the Blood War, and roam the Abyss, forming legions to command in battle. They have huge wings, claws, venomous fangs, and are commonly surrounded by flame. They wield a many-tailed whip and a greatsword that resembles a bolt of lightning. At least 24 are known to exist.

In current editions of Monster Manual, balors are 12 foot humanoids with bat wings, bull horns, clawed hands and a mane. Their dark red skin is bathed in flame. They wield a sword in one hand and a flaming whip in the other. They are generals of demonic armies.

Individual balors
The six type VI demons were:
 * Alzoll
 * Balor
 * Errtu
 * Ndulu: first appeared in Ed Greenwood's article about swords in Dragon magazine #91 (reprinted in AD&D supplement FR4 - The Magister). Ndulu is also mentioned in Sea of Fallen Stars and Champions of Ruin.
 * Ter-Soth: featured in AD&D module H4 - The Throne of Bloodstone, page 47.
 * Wendonai: detailed in Lost Empires of Faerun, pages 54-55. He is a former favorite of the drow goddess Lolth and specializes in the art of corruption. He was instrumental in the fall of the dark elves.

Other notable balors:
 * Ammet: Half-Dragon Balor - Bastion of Broken Souls (the original was advanced to 19 HD. It is unclear if it should be advanced in 3.5 rules, but presumably not; was bound as Ashardalon's heart; Has a three-strand artifact whip named Helltongue; called Eater of Souls)
 * Buphalthus: Bastion of Broken Souls
 * Dakunth: Dragon #24 "Ramifications of Alignment"


 * Glyphimor: H4 - Throne of Bloodstone, Dead Gods
 * Grintharke: I12- Egg of the Phoenix, mentioned in FR5 - The Savage Frontier, pages 8, 42, 59, and 63 (Killed off in Hellgate Keep and The North backstory)
 * Henjar: Well of Worlds p52
 * Illssender: Hellbound: The Blood War, "The Dark of the War", page 24. Illssender owns a tower on the 313th layer of the Abyss. He wields a sword and the axe of a molydeus whom he keeps imprisoned in his tower. Illssender is unusually civil compared to most balors. He is one of the most feared balors, and prefers fighting in the front lines to scheming.
 * Miirta: Well of Worlds p52
 * Raachaak: The Paladins, book two of the Forgotten Realms' Double Diamond Triangle Saga.
 * Severik: Book of Vile Darkness, page 129. Severik is level 10 balor fighter who serves Demogorgon. He commands 12 marilith blackguards.
 * Tamion: Bastion of Broken Souls
 * Tarnhem: Return to the Tomb of Horrors, Manual of the Planes (2001), page 103. Tarnhem is a former ruler of the Noisome Vale, the 498th plane of the Abyss. He is believed to be imprisoned offplane.