Adaro

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 150 (20d8 + 60)
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	16 (+3)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +7, Wis +6
Skills Perception +10, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Aquan, understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

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Amphibious. It can breathe air and water.

Magic Resistance. It has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Poisonous Fish. The Adaro can conjure and hurl poisonous fish. These fish are considered magical weapons and deal poison damage.

Stormbringer. The Adaro can summon storms and control the weather. It has the ability to use the control weather spell once per day.

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Actions

Multiattack. It makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claw or poisonous fish.

• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
• Poisonous Fish. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Water Jet (Recharge 5-6). The Adaro exhales a powerful jet of water in a 60-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, a creature that fails the save is pushed 20 feet away from the Adaro and knocked prone.

Summon Storm (1/Day). The Adaro can magically summon a storm that lasts for 1 hour. The storm is centered on the Adaro and creates the effects of the control weather spell, but only within a 1-mile radius. During this time, the Adaro can use an action to call down lightning (as per the call lightning spell) without expending a spell slot.

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Legendary Actions

It can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Adaro regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Detect. The Adaro makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
• Claw Attack. The Adaro makes a claw attack.
• Water Surge (Costs 2 Actions). The Adaro causes a surge of water to erupt around it in a 20-foot radius. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage.

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Tactics

The Adaro is a cunning and strategic combatant, utilizing its aquatic environment to its advantage. It prefers to ambush its foes from the water, using its Stealth to remain undetected until the perfect moment. In battle, the Adaro employs its Poisonous Fish to weaken and incapacitate enemies from a distance. When faced with multiple opponents, it uses its Water Jet to disrupt and scatter them, making it difficult for foes to coordinate their attacks.

The Adaro summons storms to create a chaotic battlefield, leveraging its Summon Storm ability to control the weather and call down lightning strikes on distant targets. With its legendary actions, the Adaro maintains relentless pressure, using Claw Attack and Water Surge to keep enemies off balance and dominate the battlefield. If heavily threatened, the Adaro will retreat into the depths, using its superior swimming speed and stealth to evade pursuers and re-engage on its own terms.

This creature blends attributes of man and fish. Gills lie behind its humanoid ears, while a sharklike fin crests its head. Its long nose resembles that of a sawfish. Its legs end in tail fins. The creature carries a wicked-looking spear.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

The Adaro were malevolent merman-like sea spirits found in the sea of the Solomon Islands. They are dangerous to humans and can kill them by travelling along rainbows and shooting them with poisonous flying fish. They may also travel in waterspouts.

An adaro is a malevolent aquatic fey that torments any terrestrial creatures that wander into its domain. Adaro also have been known to war with merfolk and sahuagin for control of stretches of ocean.

• It is said that the adaro are led by a powerful chief named Ngorieru.
• An adaro stands 5 to 6 feet tall and weighs 110 to 250 pounds.
• Adaro speak Aquan and Sylvan.

Adaro
Medium fey (Aquatic)
Hit Dice	15d6+60 (97 hp)
Initiative	+7
Speed	40 ft. (8 squares), Swim 60 ft.
Armor Class	19 (+7 Dexterity, +2 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple	+7/+10
Attack	Spear +10 melee (1d8+4/x3) or nose-saw +14 melee (2d4+3) or fish dart +15 ranged (1d6+3 plus poison)
Full Attack	Spear +10/+5 melee (1d8+4/x3) and nose-saw +9 melee (2d4+1) or fish dart +15/+10 ranged (1d6+3 plus poison) or fish dart +13/+13/+8 ranged (1d6+3 plus poison) with Rapid Shot
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Fish darts, spells, summon flying fish swarms
Special Qualities	Damage reduction 10/cold iron, flying fish stride, Low-Light Vision, rainbow walk, swarmfriend, water dependent
Saves	Fort +9, Ref +17, Will +12
Abilities	Strength 17, Dexterity 24, Constitution 19, Intelligence 17, Wisdom 16, Charisma 21
Skills	Balance +9, Concentration +25, Hide +25, Jump +9, Knowledge (Arcana) +21, Knowledge (nature) +21, Listen +21, Move Silently +25, Spellcraft +13, Spot +21, Survival +3 (+5 in above ground natural environments), Swim +18, Tumble +25
Feats	Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus (Concentration ), Weapon Finesse
Environment	Warm aquatic
Organization	Solitary or school (adaro plus 1-4 flying fish swarms)
Challenge Rating	12
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Usually neutral evil
Advancement	16-20 HD (Medium); 21-45 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment	—

COMBAT

Adaro are nearly always accompanied by flying fish swarms, which they direct to harass their enemies, while hurling members of the swarm as deadly venomous darts. Adaro are also powerful spellcasters, utilizing their magic to weaken foes while improving their own defenses and prowess.

Fish Darts (Su): An adaro can supernaturally launch flying fish from its accompanying swarms as deadly missiles. This is a ranged attack with a maximum range of 30 feet and a 10-foot range increment. A creature damaged by the attack is exposed to the flying fish’s poison, as if it had consumed the fish.

Flying Fish Venom: Ingested, Fort DC 15, 1d4 Constitution/unconsciousness.

Flying Fish Stride (Ex): An adaro may “ride” a flying fish swarm. To do so, the adaro must simply end its movement within the space of a flying fish swarm. The adaro then moves with the swarm on the swarm’s action. This ability imposes no penalty on either the adaro or the swarm, and the adaro may still take actions on its own turn (including moving).

Rainbow Walk (Sp): An adaro may walk upon rainbows. This functions as the air walk spell (caster level 15th), but only works during rain while sun is present and up to an hour after rain ends.

Spells: An adaro casts spells as a 10th-level sorcerer. An adaro can also cast spells from the Water and Weather domains as arcane spells.

sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/7/7/6/4, save DC 15 + spell level):

• 0—dancing lights, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, ghost sound, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, read magic, touch of fatigue;
• 1st- color spray, mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, ventriloquism;
• 2nd- bull’s strength, blur, fog cloud, touch of idiocy;
• 3rd- call lightning, suggestion, slow;
• 4th- charm monster, control water;
• 5th- cone of cold.

Summon Flying Fish Swarms (Sp): Once per day, an adaro may automatically summon up to four flying fish swarms. This is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

Swarmfriend (Ex): An adaro never suffers deleterious effects when sharing its space with an aquatic swarm.

Water Dependent (Ex): An adaro can survive out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution (after that, refer to the drowning rules on page 304 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

Skills: An adaro has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Flying Fish Swarm

The Shore Fishes of the Hawaiian Islands, with a General Account of the Fish Fauna Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, Vol. XXIII, for 1903. Part I. P. 574, Plate III.

Flying Fish Swarm
Tiny animal (Aquatic, Swarm)
Hit Dice	8d8+8 (44 hp)
Initiative	+6
Speed	Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class	15 (+2 size, +2 Dexterity, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple	+6/-
Attack	Swarm (2d6)
Full Attack	Swarm (2d6)
Space/Reach	10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks	Distraction (DC 15)
Special Qualities	Half damage from slashing and piercing weapons, leaping glide, Low-Light Vision, poison flesh, swarm traits
Saves	Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities	Strength 4, Dexterity 15, Constitution 12, Intelligence 1, Wisdom 12, Charisma 2
Skills	Jump +22, Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +12
Feats	Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Environment	Warm aquatic
Organization	Solitary or school (2-4 swarms)
Challenge Rating	4
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	None
Level Adjustment	–

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to the flying fish swarm’s damage that begins its turn with a flying fish swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a DC 15 Fortitude save negates the effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Leaping Glide (Ex): A flying fish swarm may leap from the water and glide at a speed of 160 feet for up to 8 rounds. The swarm may reach a height equal to the result of its Jump check, then fly with clumsy manueverability. It may descend, but cannot ascend during this travel.

Poison Flesh (Ex): Ingested, Fort DC 15, 1d4 Constitution/unconsciousness. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: A flying fish swarm has a +16 racial bonus on Jump checks, and uses its Dexterity modifier for Jump checks. A flying fish swarm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while Swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #29 (1979).