Dark Naga — Poisoned Mind-Bender of the Ruins
A vain, telepathically guarded serpent-mage that reads other minds while keeping its own thoughts sealed.
The Dark Naga is a calculating serpent sorcerer with glossy dark scales, an intelligent humanoid face and a barbed tail carrying sleep-inducing venom. It prefers wealth, influence and controlled servants to open battle. Its most useful advantage is psychological: a dark naga can probe the thoughts of others while remaining exceptionally difficult—or impossible—to read in return.
At a Glance
Run It Tonight
Let the naga know something the party did not say aloud. It should begin from cover or elevation, already aware of which character is frightened, greedy, injured or considering betrayal. It uses spells to split the group, then closes only long enough to deliver its narcotic sting to a target that can be removed from the fight.
Rules by Edition
Dark Naga
Large Aberration, typically Lawful Evil
AC 17; Initiative +4 (14)
HP 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 40 ft.
14 (+2)
18 (+4)
17 (+3)
16 (+3)
15 (+2)
17 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +7, Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +7, Deception +7, Insight +6, Perception +6, Stealth +8
Immunities Poison; Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Infernal; telepathy 60 ft.
CR 9 (5,000 XP); PB +4
Traits
Guarded Thoughts. The dark naga is immune to magic that reads its thoughts or emotions, and it has Advantage on saving throws against the Charmed condition.
Mind Probe. The dark naga always knows the surface thoughts of one creature it can see within 30 feet, unless that creature succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. The naga can choose a new target at the start of each of its turns.
Spellcasting. The dark naga uses Charisma for spellcasting (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit). It can cast the following spells without material components: at will—detect magic, mage hand, minor illusion; 3/day each—invisibility, scorching ray, suggestion; 2/day each—lightning bolt, major image; 1/day—confusion.
Actions
Multiattack. The dark naga makes one Bite and one Sting attack against different targets, or makes two Bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +8, reach 10 ft. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) Piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) Poison damage.
Sting. Melee Attack Roll: +8, reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) Piercing damage. The target makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it has the Poisoned condition and is Unconscious while Poisoned. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending both conditions on a success.
Dark Naga
Large aberration, lawful evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 40 ft.
14 (+2)
18 (+4)
17 (+3)
16 (+3)
15 (+2)
17 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +7, Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +7, Deception +7, Insight +6, Perception +6, Stealth +8
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Infernal
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Traits
Guarded Thoughts. The naga’s thoughts cannot be read, and it has advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Innate Spellcasting. The naga can cast detect thoughts at will (spell save DC 15), requiring only verbal components.
Spellcasting. The naga is a 7th-level Charisma-based spellcaster (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit). A practical spell set includes magic missile, invisibility, scorching ray, lightning bolt, major image and confusion.
Actions
Multiattack. The naga makes one Bite and one Sting attack against different targets.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus poison.
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned and unconscious until awakened or the poison ends.
This fifth-edition presentation is based on the open third-party Dark Naga from City of Brass, rather than an official core 5e Dark Naga.
Dark Naga CR 8
XP 4,800
LE Large aberration
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect thoughts; Perception +19
Defense
AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural, −1 size)
hp 85 (10d8+40)
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +9 (+11 vs. charm effects)
Defensive Abilities guarded thoughts; Immune poison
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d4+2), sting +8 (2d4+2 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Spells Known CL 7th
3rd (5/day)—displacement, lightning bolt
2nd (7/day)—cat’s grace, invisibility, scorching ray
1st (7/day)—expeditious retreat, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield, silent image
0—daze, detect magic, light, mage hand, open/close, ray of frost, read magic
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 17
Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 26 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Eschew MaterialsB, Lightning Reflexes, Stealthy
Skills Bluff +13, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Perception +19, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +18
Languages Common, Infernal
Special Abilities
Detect Thoughts (Su). The dark naga continuously uses detect thoughts (caster level 9th; Will DC 18 negates).
Guarded Thoughts (Ex). It is immune to mind-reading and gains a +2 racial bonus on saves against charm effects.
Poison (Ex). Sting—injury; Fort DC 19; frequency 1 round; effect sleep for 2d4 minutes; cure 1 save.
Ecology
Environment any underground
Organization solitary or nest (2–4)
Treasure standard
Dark Naga
Large Aberration
Hit Dice 9d8+18 (58 hp)
Initiative +2
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class 14 (−1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple +6/+12
Attack sting +7 melee (2d4+2 plus poison)
Full Attack sting +7 melee (2d4+2 plus poison) and bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks poison, spells
Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., detect thoughts, guarded thoughts, poison immunity, resistance to charm
Saves Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +8
Abilities Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 17
Skills Bluff +9, Concentration +13, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +5, Intimidate +5, Listen +11, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +12, Spot +11
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Eschew MaterialsB, Lightning Reflexes
Environment temperate hills
Organization solitary or nest (2–4)
Challenge Rating 8
Treasure standard
Alignment usually lawful evil
Detect Thoughts (Su)
The dark naga continuously uses detect thoughts as a 9th-level caster; Will DC 15 negates.
Guarded Thoughts (Ex)
The dark naga is immune to mind-reading effects.
Poison (Ex)
Injury, Fortitude DC 16; failure causes nightmare-haunted sleep for 2d4 minutes.
Spells
Dark nagas cast spells as 7th-level sorcerers.
Behaviour
Dark nagas want control more than slaughter. They cultivate servants, informants and disposable guards, then use mind-reading to test loyalty. Their lairs are chosen for privacy and defensibility, but also for comfort: jewellery, imported luxuries and trophies matter because the naga sees visible wealth as proof of superiority.
They especially dislike other dark nagas. Two that become aware of one another usually begin with spying and proxy attacks long before either risks a direct confrontation.
Signs Before Initiative
- Guards answer questions before the visitor has fully asked them.
- Servants wear expensive jewellery they are clearly terrified to damage.
- Several passages offer good firing positions overlooking the same central chamber.
- One room contains luxurious furnishings completely out of place in the surrounding ruin.
- Captives sleep unnaturally deeply after a tiny puncture wound.
- Written plans contain deliberate falsehoods because the naga expects enemies to steal them.
If Violence Starts
The naga uses spells first. Invisibility, illusion and displacement keep it out of easy reach while lightning and ranged magic punish clustered opponents. It stings characters who close the distance, then withdraws rather than wasting time biting a heavily armoured target.
If servants are present, the naga sends them into the most dangerous positions and preserves its own escape route. It has no romantic attachment to a last stand.
Counterplay
Assume the naga can learn surface thoughts. Plans made in its presence are vulnerable, so silent signals, prepared contingencies and information compartmentalisation matter. Effects that block divination or telepathy can deny its favourite advantage.
Its narcotic venom is more dangerous for removing a character from the fight than for raw damage. Protect vulnerable allies and have ways to wake or carry an unconscious companion.
Using a Dark Naga in an Encounter
The sewer patron. A criminal gang suddenly becomes disciplined and wealthy. None of its members will say who provides the jewels.
The false defector. One of the naga’s servants approaches the party with information. The naga has already read every detail of the planned betrayal.
The rival nests. Two dark nagas wage a covert war through hired adventurers, each pretending the other is the only monster involved.
The sleeping archive. Everyone guarding a stolen collection is alive but unconscious, allowing the naga to remove only the treasures it wanted.
Related Nagas
Return to the Naga Bestiary, or compare the Dark Naga with the duty-bound Guardian Naga and vindictive Spirit Naga.
Rules Sources and Licensing
The D&D 3.5e Dark Naga is Open Game Content from the Revised d20 System Reference Document. The Pathfinder 1e statistics derive from the open Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary presentation, where the creature is CR 8.
The 5e/2014 presentation is based on the open third-party Dark Naga from City of Brass, © 2018 Frog God Games. The 5.5e/2024 block is an original compatibility adaptation.
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