Aboleth
Four long tentacles writhe from this three-eyed fish-like creature’s flanks, and its green body glistens with thick, clear slime.
As befits their hideous primeval appearance, the hermaphroditic aboleths are among the world’s oldest forms of life. Ancient even when the gods first turned their eyes to the Material Plane, the aboleths have always existed apart from other mortal life, alien and cold and endlessly plotting. They once ruled the world with vast empires, and today view most other forms of life as either food or slaves—and sometimes both. They disdain the gods and see themselves as the true masters of creation. An aboleth is 25 feet long and weighs 6,500 pounds.
In the darkest reaches of the sea, aboleths still dwell in grotesque cities built in nauseating and cyclopean styles. There they are served by countless slaves culled from every nation, air-breathing and aquatic alike, although the air-breathing slaves are doubly bound by magic and the need to constantly replenish their water-breathing ability via the excretions of their aboleth masters. Lone aboleths are often advance scouts for these hidden cities, seeking out new slaves.
Aboleths speak their own language, as well as Undercommon and Aquan.
Source(s) 3.5E Monster Manual I, 3E Monster Manual I, Complete Psionics Handbook, Monstrous Compendium Volume 2, 1E Monster Manual 2, Dragon#125 (Ecology of…), Monstrous Manual
See Also Aboleth Greater; Aboleth Noble, Aboleth Ruler, Skum
| Aboleth | |
| Size/Type | Huge aberration (Aquatic) |
| Hit Dice | 8d8+40 (76 hp) |
| Initiative | +1 |
| Speed | 10 ft. (2 squares), Swim 60 ft. |
| Armor Class | 16 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +7 natural), touch 9, flat -footed 15 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +6/+22 |
| Attack | Tentacle +12 melee (1d6+8 plus slime) |
| Full Attack | 4 tentacles +12 melee (1d6+8 plus slime) |
| Space/Reach | 15 ft./10ft. |
| Special Attacks | Enslave, psionics, slime |
| Special Qualities | Aquatic subtype, Darkvision 60 ft., mucus cloud |
| Saves | Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +11 |
| Abilities | Strength 26, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 17, Charisma 17 |
| Skills | Concentration +16, Knowledge (any one) +13, Listen +16, Spot +16, Swim +8 Bluff +13 |
| Feats | Alertness, Combat Casting, Iron Will |
| Environment | Underground |
| Organization | Solitary, brood (2-4),or slaver brood (1d3+1 plus 7-12 skum) |
| Challenge Rating | 7 |
| Treasure Double | standard |
| Alignment Usually | lawful evil |
| Advancement | 9-16 HD (Huge); 17-24 HD (Gargantuan) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
Combat
An aboleth attacks by flailing with its long, slimy tentacles, though it prefers to fight from a distance using its illusion powers.
Enslave (Su): Three times per day, an aboleth can attempt to enslave any one living creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or be affected as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 16th). An enslaved creature obeys the aboleth’s telepathic commands until freed by remove curse, and can attempt a new Will save every 24 hours to break free. The control is also broken if the aboleth dies or travels more than 1 mile from its slave. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Psionics (Sp): At will-hypnotic pattern (DC 15), illusory wall (DC 17), mirage arcana (DC 18), persistent image (DC 18), programmed image (DC 19), project image (DC 20), veil (DC 19). Effective caster level 16th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Slime (Ex): A blow from an aboleth’s tentacle can cause a terrible affliction. A creature hit by a tentacle must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or begin to transform over the next 1d4+1 minutes, the skin gradually becoming a clear, slimy membrane. An afflicted creature must remain moistened with cool, fresh water or take 1d12 points of damage every 10 minutes. The slime reduces the creature’s natural armor bonus by 1 (but never to less than 0). The save DC is Constitution-based.
A remove disease spell cast before the transformation is complete will restore an afflicted creature to normal. Afterward, however, only a heal or mass heal spell can reverse the affliction.
Mucus Cloud (Ex): An aboleth underwater surrounds itself with a viscous cloud of mucus roughly 1 foot thick. Any creature coming into contact with and inhaling this substance must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or lose the ability to breathe air for the next 3 hours. An affected creature suffocates in 2d6 minutes if removed from the water. Renewed contact with the mucus cloud and failing another Fortitude save continues the effect for another 3 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Skills: An aboleth 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.
Aboleth Mage
Combat
The save DC for the aboleth mage’s transformation tentacle attack (DC 21) and its mucus cloud (DC 21) are adjusted for its higher Constitution score. The save DC for its enslave ability (DC 16) is adjusted for its lower Charisma score, as are the save DCs for its psionic abilities: hypnotic pattern (DC 14), illusory wall (DC 16), mirage arcana (DC 17), persistent image (DC 17), programmed image (DC 18), project image (DC 19), veil (DC 18). Effective caster level 16th.
The aboleth mage uses a number of spells, such as displacement, greater invisibility, and Wall
of Force, to protect itself while seizing control of its foes with spells and innate abilities.
Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (4/6/5/4/4/3; save DC 15 + spell level)
- 0- daze, detect magic (2), resistance;
- 1st-alarm, charm person, color spray, mage armor, magic missile (2);
- 2nd-blur, bull’s strength, darkness, fox’s cunning, see invisibilty;
- 3rd-dispel magic, displacement, fly, lightning bolt;
- 4th-greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, scrying, stoneskin;
- 5th-hold monster, empowered lightning bolt, wall of force
ABOLETH LORE
Originally posted by Eric Cagle
Evandar_TAybara of the Wizards Community forums.
On this Thread
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Dungeoneering) or Knowledge (psionics) can learn more about aboleths. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. Those who recognize the creatures’ ancestry can also use Knowledge (Arcana) to learn more.
| Knowledge (Dungeoneering) or Knowledge (Psionics) | |
| DC | Result |
| 17 | This creature is an aboleth, an intelligent, aquatic aberration. This result reveals all aberration traits. |
| 22 | An aboleth’s attacks can cause a terrible affliction where the victim’s skin becomes a clear, slimey membrane that must remain moistened with cool, fresh water. They also surround themselves with a viscous cloud of mucus that can cause victims to temporarily lose the ability to breath air. Aboleths speak their own language, as well as Undercommon and Aquan. |
| 27 | Aboleths have a array of psionic powers that create illusions to help ensnare their victims. They can also enslave a victim through the domination of their mind. |
| Knowledge (Arcana) | |
| DC | Result |
| 17 | This intelligent race make natural arcane casters, and the most powerful of their kind are usually competent wizards. |
| 22 | The mucus that aboleths exude can be used to great effect in the creation of potions of water breathing |