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Back in the days there was the novel series resolving around Cadderly the priest. In there it was stated that demons killed on the physical plane just come back after a hundred years. I'm pretty sure I also read that somewhere in a rulebook back then.

Now in pathfinder I didn't see anyhting about that.

Did this rule change? (or was I mistaken in the first place) And if it changed, just with Pathfinder or already earlier?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ You're talking about The Cleric Quintet novels? They were written during the AD&D 2e days. \$\endgroup\$
    – Adeptus
    Apr 4, 2016 at 4:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ yepp wasnt sure how they were called in english but that was it. And yeah I know that is why I asked when / if that rule was dropped oir if I was mistaken at all that it was there and it was only something for the books themselves \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas E.
    Apr 4, 2016 at 4:09

1 Answer 1

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It was in the AD&D first edition's DMG, I'm quite sure. As for Pathfinder, part of the answer can be found in the traits of outsiders:

Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don't work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.

This means, every outsider can be slain permanently. As one can assume that outsiders on the material plane (or any other plane other than that of their origin) are in some way either called or summoned, it is important to look at the rules for called/summoned creatures:

Calling: a calling spell transports a creature from another plane to the plane you are on. The spell grants the creature the one-time ability to return to its plane of origin, although the spell may limit the circumstances under which this is possible. Creatures who are called actually die when they are killed; they do not disappear and reform, as do those brought by a summoning spell (see below). The duration of a calling spell is instantaneous, which means that the called creature can't be dispelled.

...

Summoning: a summoning spell instantly brings a creature or object to a place you designate. When the spell ends or is dispelled, a summoned creature is instantly sent back to where it came from, but a summoned object is not sent back unless the spell description specifically indicates this. A summoned creature also goes away if it is killed or if its hit points drop to 0 or lower, but it is not really dead. It takes 24 hours for the creature to reform, during which time it can't be summoned again.

When the spell that summoned a creature ends and the creature disappears, all the spells it has cast expire. A summoned creature cannot use any innate summoning abilities it may have.

Called creatures are slain, summoned reform after 24 hours.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ That explains a lot. good finding tnx! \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas E.
    Apr 4, 2016 at 15:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ It's worth mentioning that the distinction between "called" and "summoned" didn't exist before third edition; Prior to that, all spells and abilities that magically drew fiends from another plane worked summoning-fashion with respect to the creatures returning to their original plane when killed unless something specified otherwise. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMJoe
    Apr 5, 2016 at 1:20

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