Colour Out of Space — The Unnatural Radiance
At a Glance
| Creature | Colour Out of Space — an intelligent, incorporeal living radiance |
|---|---|
| Nature | Chaotic neutral; feeds and grows without recognising mortal suffering |
| Size | Huge, though the light extends far beyond the thing itself |
| Where found | Fallen stars, deep wells, buried ruins and blighted valleys |
| Warning signs | Fruit swollen but bitter, pallid vegetation, unnatural light, townsfolk unwilling to leave |
| Greatest danger | Vitality-draining radiance, disintegrating touch and its powerful lassitude |
| Vulnerability | Magic that creates a solid wall or prison of force |
| Company | Usually solitary, surrounded by blighted plants and sickened servants |
At dawn the orchard bears its second harvest, but every apple tastes of ashes. The farmer’s wife has forgotten the road out of the valley. Their youngest child lies in bed staring at a colour no one else can name. Far below the house, a light moves beneath the surface of the well, and the roots of the trees turn towards it.
The Light from the Falling Star
A stone fell from the sky six weeks ago, burning a pale scar into the hillside. It was soft enough to crumble beneath a hammer, yet would not cool. Small luminous globules within it shattered at the touch, leaving only a light that no painter can reproduce. The stone has since vanished. The light remains.
The colour drifts through walls and earth as though neither exists. Its true body is not a flame or vapour but a living radiance. It watches through every fold of its light and draws vitality from nearby creatures and plants. Some who see it live long enough to speak of it; all describe a different colour, and each knows their words are wrong.
It is not a demon, despite what frightened villagers insist. It does not tempt or bargain. It is a powerful and alien intelligence whose hunger destroys fields, minds and flesh, leaving a dead valley around its dwelling. In time it will gather enough vitality to grow, and perhaps return beyond the stars.
Signs of the Blight
The Harvest
Wheat grows too tall; fruit swells beyond the reach of the branches, yet neither man nor beast can bear to eat it. The fields are lavish with sickly colour in one season and washed nearly grey in the next. The well water reflects an unfamiliar light even at noon. One shepherd discovers that the pasture is greenest immediately above the thing’s hidden resting place.
The Animals
Dogs stop barking. Cattle weaken, their hides turning ash-grey while their eyes seek a light beneath the turf. Wild creatures that have been fed upon may become colour-blighted and fiercely defend the valley, attacking strangers while quietly starving. Their wounds heal poorly; eventually even their bones crumble to dust.
The People
Those who remain lose the will to leave. They insist the valley is safe, even as their crops fail and their neighbours die. A victim drained of vitality may become a pallid servant of the radiance, defending it without understanding why. The colour has not won their loyalty; it has emptied the part of them that once wanted freedom.
How the Colour Hunts
It waits within the soil, a fallen stone or a ruined well, sensing living things that cross its domain. Its presence makes the land feel heavy and hopeless. When it rises, it is a mobile, nearly silent light capable of passing through a stone wall. The touch of its radiance strips flesh from bone and, at its worst, reduces a living person to fine ash.
A colour can feed upon a creature across an extraordinary distance, but it needs to perceive the victim. It can also feed upon a whole region of plants. The drained land and the helpless attachment of its inhabitants are therefore two halves of the same trap: it weakens prey and prevents prey from fleeing.
What Breaks Its Power?
Physical walls cannot hold it; neither can swords or ordinary fire. Magic that binds a space in a seamless barrier of force can prevent its feeding and suppress its aura. Such a prison buys time, but the dying land will not recover in a single day. Some victims can be restored with powerful healing; others have already become ash.
Game Statistics
Colour Out of Space
Huge Ooze, Chaotic Neutral — original D&D 2024 conversion
AC 18; HP 187 (15d12 + 90); Speed 30 ft., Fly 50 ft. (hover)
STR 1 (−5); DEX 26 (+8); CON 22 (+6); INT 19 (+4); WIS 23 (+6); CHA 23 (+6)
Saving Throws Dex +13, Wis +11, Cha +11; Skills Perception +11, Stealth +13
Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing from nonmagical attacks
Vulnerabilities Force
Immunities Acid, Cold, Fire, Poison, Thunder; Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Prone
Senses Blindsight 120 ft., Passive Perception 21; Languages understands Deep Speech but cannot speak; CR 13 (10,000 XP; PB +5)
Traits
Incorporeal Movement. It can pass through creatures, walls and objects as difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) Force damage if it ends its turn within another creature.
Aura of Lassitude. A creature within 300 ft. must make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or have its Speed halved and become unwilling to travel farther than a mile from where it failed. The creature repeats the save every 24 hours or after leaving the area; success grants 24-hour immunity. This is a magical mind-affecting effect.
Susceptible to Force. Force damage is doubled. A sealed force enclosure blocks its feeding and aura until it escapes.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). When it fails a save, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The colour makes two Disintegrating Touch attacks.
Disintegrating Touch. Melee Attack Roll: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (8d6) Force damage, halved on a successful DC 19 Constitution saving throw. A creature reduced to 0 HP by the touch must pass a second DC 19 Constitution save or crumble into white ash.
Feed (Recharge 5–6). A living creature the colour can see within 300 ft. must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or take 18 (4d8) Necrotic damage, reducing its Hit Point maximum by the same amount. The reduction lasts until a Long Rest or Greater Restoration. The colour can feed on the same creature only once per day. A creature reduced to zero maximum HP crumbles to ash.
Legendary Actions
The colour takes two legendary actions per round, one after another creature’s turn. Drift. Fly up to half its Speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Disintegrating Touch (Costs 2). Make one Disintegrating Touch.
Colour Out of Space
Huge Ooze, Chaotic Neutral — original D&D 2014 conversion
AC 18; HP 162 (13d12 + 78); Speed 30 ft., Fly 50 ft. (hover)
STR 1 (−5); DEX 26 (+8); CON 22 (+6); INT 19 (+4); WIS 23 (+6); CHA 23 (+6)
Saving Throws Dex +13, Wis +11, Cha +11; Skills Perception +11, Stealth +13
Damage Vulnerabilities force
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities acid, cold, fire, poison, thunder
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone
Senses Blindsight 120 ft., Passive Perception 21; Languages understands Deep Speech but cannot speak; CR 13 (10,000 XP; PB +5)
Traits
Incorporeal Movement. It can pass through creatures, walls and objects as difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) Force damage if it ends its turn within another creature.
Aura of Lassitude. A creature within 300 ft. must make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or have its Speed halved and become unwilling to travel farther than a mile from where it failed. The creature repeats the save every 24 hours or after leaving the area; success grants 24-hour immunity. This is a magical mind-affecting effect.
Susceptible to Force. Force damage is doubled. A sealed force enclosure blocks its feeding and aura until it escapes.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). When it fails a save, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The colour makes two Disintegrating Touch attacks.
Disintegrating Touch. Melee Attack Roll: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (8d6) Force damage, halved on a successful DC 19 Constitution saving throw. A creature reduced to 0 HP by the touch must pass a second DC 19 Constitution save or crumble into white ash.
Feed (Recharge 5–6). A living creature the colour can see within 300 ft. must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or take 18 (4d8) Necrotic damage, reducing its Hit Point maximum by the same amount. The reduction lasts until a Long Rest or Greater Restoration. The colour can feed on the same creature only once per day. A creature reduced to zero maximum HP crumbles to ash.
Legendary Actions
The colour takes two legendary actions per round, one after another creature’s turn. Drift. Fly up to half its Speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Disintegrating Touch (Costs 2). Make one Disintegrating Touch.
Colour Out of Space — CR 10
XP 9,600; CN Huge ooze (incorporeal); Init +12; Senses blindsense 120 ft.; Perception +18; Aura lassitude (300 ft., DC 22)
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 14 (+6 deflection, +8 Dex, +1 dodge, −2 size); hp 126 (12d8 + 72)
Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +10
Defensive Abilities amorphous, incorporeal; Immune acid, cold, fire, poison, sonic, mind-affecting effects, ooze traits; SR 21; Weakness susceptible to force effects
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect); Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Melee disintegrating touch +15 melee touch (6d6; Fort DC 22 half); Special Attacks feed
STATISTICS
Str —; Dex 26; Con 22; Int 19; Wis 23; Cha 23
Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD 36 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Fly +27, Knowledge (geography/nature/planes) +16, Perception +18, Stealth +12; Languages Aklo (cannot speak)
ECOLOGY
Environment any; Organization solitary; Treasure incidental
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Aura of Lassitude (Su). Creatures within 300 ft. make a DC 22 Will save or take −4 on Will saves and become unwilling to travel over one mile from where they first failed. Repeat this save once per 24 hours; success gives 24-hour immunity. Break enchantment (DC 22) or removing the affected creature from the aura ends it. Mind-affecting.
Disintegrating Touch (Su). A DC 22 Fortitude save halves the 6d6 damage. A creature reduced to 0 HP makes a second DC 22 Fortitude save or disintegrates into ash.
Feed (Su). A full-round action against a visible living creature within 300 ft., once per creature per day, allows DC 22 Will save to resist. Failure causes 1d4 Constitution and 1d4 Charisma drain. Constitution 0 causes death and desiccation; Charisma 0 creates a colour-blighted creature. Feeding on a region of living plants once per week stunts the vegetation. Every successful feeding gains a growth point; 100 points and 24 hours’ concentration grant one permanent Hit Die.
Susceptible to Force Effects (Ex). Force deals 50% extra damage and imposes a −4 saving throw penalty against force effects; full containment by force blocks Feed and the lassitude aura.
COLOUR-BLIGHTED SIMPLE TEMPLATE (CR +0)
Creatures drained to 0 Charisma instead retain Cha 1 and become immune to further Feed from this colour. They attack unblighted creatures with +1 attack and weapon damage rolls; restoring all drained ability scores removes the template. Every 24 hours they make a DC 12 Fortitude save or crumble into pale ash.
Colour Out of Space — CR 10
CN Huge Ooze (Incorporeal) — original D&D 3.5e conversion
Hit Dice 12d10 + 72 (138 hp); Initiative +12; Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class 23 (+6 deflection, +8 Dex, +1 dodge, −2 size), touch 23, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple +9/— (incorporeal); Attack disintegrating touch +15 melee touch (6d6; Fort DC 22 half); Full Attack disintegrating touch +15 melee touch; Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks aura of lassitude, feed, disintegrating touch; Special Qualities amorphous, incorporeal, blindsense 120 ft., SR 21, ooze traits, immune acid, cold, fire, poison, sonic, mind-affecting; susceptible to force
Saves Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +10; Abilities Str —, Dex 26, Con 22, Int 19, Wis 23, Cha 23
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse; Skills Knowledge (nature/planes) +16, Spot +18, Hide +12; Environment any; Organization solitary; Treasure incidental; CR 10
COMBAT
Lassitude (Su). Will DC 22 within 300 ft., or −4 on further Will saves and unwilling to move over one mile from the failed save. Repeat each 24 hours. Break enchantment (DC 22) or leaving the area ends the effect.
Feed (Su). One living creature within 300 ft. makes Will DC 22 or suffers 1d4 Con and 1d4 Cha drain (once per creature daily). Constitution 0 kills; Charisma 0 applies colour blight. Feeding a region once a week blights crops; 100 successful growth points plus 24 hours produce one additional permanent HD.
Disintegrating Touch (Su). Deals 6d6 damage (Fort DC 22 half). If reduced to 0 HP, another DC 22 Fortitude save prevents immediate destruction into ash.
Force Susceptibility. Force attacks deal 50% more damage, saves against force suffer −4, and complete confinement in force blocks its aura and Feed.
Colour-Blighted. A victim drained to 0 Charisma instead retains 1, gains +1 attack and weapon damage against unblighted creatures and risks turning to ash each day (Fort DC 12). Restoration removes the template.
What Is Happening Right Now?
The Bitter Harvest
The village orchard has borne fruit far larger than any before, but the flesh tastes of ash. The farmer’s family insists they must stay even as the cattle die. A pale radiance shines beneath the well and at night the grass ripples to a wind no one can feel.
The Bell at Dawn
Each dawn the bells of a remote chapel ring though its priest has died. The villagers gather at the old well, defending the unnatural light with their lives. A colour is feeding on the valley; the longer a rescuer remains, the harder it becomes to leave.
Sources and Related Oozes
Original horror: The Colour Out of Space (1927), H. P. Lovecraft. Pathfinder 1e: Pathfinder Adventure Path #46: Wake of the Watcher (2011), Greg A. Vaughan, Paizo Publishing, LLC; published rules reference. Earlier 5e material: Mythos Monsters (5E), © 2020 Legendary Games; Michael Mifsud, Robert J. Grady, Mark Hart, Jeff Ibach, Alex Riggs, Scott D. Young, Jeff Lee, Matt Kimmel and Jason Nelson. The D&D 2024, 2014 and 3.5e panels here are original conversions, not official published blocks.
Related: Carnivorous Blob · Plasma Ooze · Ooze Bestiary · Shoggoth.
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