Abrasax, mostly due to his preference to use illusions to make a false paradise within his domain, and his ability to just turn off magic with a word. It makes me feel like this is all like the matrix and he just calls out on the fact that everything is an illusion.
Essentially, I am imagining Morpheus with a chickenhead.
Graz'zt or Demogorgon.
From a stat perspective, I like Sifkesh. Those abilities are just nasty
from a flavor perspective, I like Pazuzu for his war against Lamashtu, Sifkesh for attempts to subvert hell, and Abraxas for being awesome.
Should be obvious. ;)
Besides, he has always been a bad ass and has a ton of lore written about him...and he is totally old school. ;)
Demogorgon, also being old-school and having a ton of lore, would be a close 2nd, but then of course, could also have something to do with being the main nemesis of Orcus too!
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Sifkesh. I'm going to replace all instances of the Templars of the Ivory tower and Baphomet with Sifkesh and Sifkesh cultists when I run Wrath.
The whole "the crusades don't realise how corrupt they're getting and how this is something the demon lords are laughing about" aspect seems to fit her modus operandi more than Baphomet's to me. Her appearance is absolutely grotesque though.
Graz'zt or Adimarchus.
Dicefreaks write-up of Orcus.
Socothbenoth is a neat one... so is Nocticula, or would be if her name didn't sound like an emo-vampire-live freak.
Jubilex. Sure Orcus has the ruby wand, Demogorgon is weird and unique but Jubilex is gross and kind of fascinating as a very alien force. Plus oozes, molds, fungus stuff is creepy. Ever since 1e and the strange picture of him in the MM, I've thought Jubilex was a demon lord that I should use sometime in a campaign. Never have though. Which just goes to show he's not the most out-of the box villain to use like say Orcus (who I'd say is 2nd for me, though I do like Shax as well)
I guess Zuggtmoy is technically out since she's WotC IP, but I like how she can be an old crone, a mysterious temptress, or a weird puffball monster. I think her and Jubilex make a great pair with his layer of the Abyss under hers and the mindless slimes and oozes slurping along below the surface as fiendish myconids and other fungal horrors cavort madly in the mushroom forests above. Pathfinder even has "Fungus Queens"...could be great in a home game...
As far as "official" demons go, I find the artwork for Nocticula quite interesting, and I like the idea of using a disguised succubus as a villain so much that I've done it more than once. I wonder if anybody ever really trusts female NPCs in my game anymore...
Too many options. Abraxas, Baphomet, Dagon, Flauros, Jubilex, Kabriri, Nocticula, Orcus, Pazuzu, and Shax will probably see the most use in my campaigns. Angazhan, Gogunta, Hagenti, Kostchtchie, Mazmezz, Mestama, Nurgal, Sifkesh, Xoveron, and Zura may see limited use based on region/opponent.
As far as "official" demons go, I find the artwork for Nocticula quite interesting, and I like the idea of using a disguised succubus as a villain so much that I've done it more than once. I wonder if anybody ever really trusts female NPCs in my game anymore...
Succubi can disguise themselves as male, you know...
Does the one I mad up count ;)
I like all of them but which one is dominant depends on my current mood.
Pazuzu is getting more mentions than I would have expected.
I wanted to expound a bit on my pick of Graz'zt. I first came to know of him when I was young and read the Castle Greyhawk module. I never has to chance to run more than the first three levels, but Graz'zt's chapter was unique and enthralling. It was a dungeon level... that was a love story.
Later in life I was a player in a campaign for the module City of The Spider Queen. Our DM ran it as an evil vs. evil game. Evil parties need a binding factor, and we were all servants bound to our dark lord Graz'zt.
A few years later I ran the module Exedition to the Demonweb Pits, and because CotSQ was so memorable for our group, the party wanted (I believe) to relive the experience. It wasn't an evil party, but it got damn near that way towards the end. Graz'zt doesn't directly have an impact on the party, but those who have read the adventure know how important he is to the story.
Fraz-Urb'luu.
Also, if you have even an ounce of Grognard cred, it's "Juiblex," not "Jubilex." (And "Lolth," not "Lloth.")
Grand Anthraxus
Hey! This is the "demon lord" thread; the "daemon lord" one is next door!
Dagon:
1) Because demon lords based on old real-world deities always leave you wondering if SOMETHING isn't listening when your bad guys are intoning its name.
2) He survived every edition, being powerful enough (and having a name everyone knows) to exist through 4E, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulu, and other games.
3) Qlippoth are awesome, and there needs to be more
4) The concept of Shallowsea as an afterlife is pretty terrifying
I also like Lamashtu, but she had to get all uppity and become a deity, so not sure if she counts.
Of the Demon Lords new for PF, I second Abraxas for all of the above reasons. Again, conceptually anything with real world ties (abracadabra) resonates deeper.
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1) Graz'zt ....(Cuz he's the most "Arch-Devil"-like of the Demon Lords)
2) Demogorgon ....(Cuz of his badass name and description, though despite 36 years, we still don't have a good illustration for him; they've all sucked)
3) Fraz Urb' Lu ....(Cuz of his conjuration abilities and his portfolio/ domains)
4) Pazuzu ....(Cuz of his real-world myth and the terror it brings in my D&D games)
5) Pale Night ....(Cuz she's just so cool and makes ALL other Demon Lords wet themselves -- plus, she's likely a former mistress of Asmodeus AND Graz'zt's mother with Cthulhu's cousin as her baby dady.)
6) Malcanthet ....(Dude, one doesn't need to articulate a reason) Though I would love to see more work (any work) on Xinivrae. I think I'd root for Xinivrae to usurp Malcanthet. I'd definitely sell my soul for tickets to that Cat Fight!
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And for the Paizo creations:
Deskari ....(Cuz he's Pazuzu's son, has a cool name, and opened the Worldwound!)