Aboleth

Aboleth

Large aberration
Challenge

STR
5
DEX
−1
CON
2
INT
4
WIS
2
CHA
4

135
18d10+36
19
Soak
3
Fort
+5
Ref
+2
Will
+7
Defense note natural armor

Speed 2 m., swim 8 m.
Skills Lore (civilization) +3 (14), Perception +5 (16), Psionics (int) +7 (18)
Senses darkvision 20 m.
Languages Aklo, telepathy 20 m.

Amphibious. The aboleth can breathe air and water.

Ki. The aboleth uses Psionics (int) to cast spells (spell save Difficulty 16, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It has 20 ki, a mana limit of 2, regains all expended ki when it finishes a long rest, and regains half its total ki when it finishes a short rest.

It knows the following spells, which it can cast by expending 2 ki for each mana that the spell costs:

Cantrips (at will, 13th-level spellcaster): distract, message, mind thrust

1 mana: agonizing rebuke, call to mind, confusion, ego whip, haze senses, meld mindcrystal, mind over body, mind spike, mind trap, psychic fortress, sending, sense minds, thought shield, wandering mind

2 mana: co-opt concentration, detect thoughts, mind blast, mind control, modify memory, psychic crush, psychic reformation, synaptic static, telepathic bond

Mucous Cloud. While underwater, the aboleth is surrounded by transformative mucus. A creature that touches the aboleth or that hits it or misses it by 4 or less with a melee attack while within 1 meter of it must make a Difficulty 14 Fortitude saving throw. On a failure, the creature is diseased for 1d4 hours. The diseased creature can breathe only underwater.

Probing Telepathy. If a creature communicates telepathically with the aboleth, the aboleth learns the creature’s greatest desires if the aboleth can see the creature.

Actions (3)

Tentacle (3/turn). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 2 m. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Difficulty 14 Fortitude saving throw or become diseased. After 1 minute, the diseased creature’s skin becomes translucent and slimy, the creature can’t regain health unless it is underwater, and the disease can be removed only by a disease-curing spell cast at 3 or more mana. When the creature is outside a body of water, it takes 6 (1d12) acid damage every 10 minutes unless moisture is applied to the skin before 10 minutes have passed.

Tail (1/turn). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 2 m. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Enslave. One creature that the aboleth can see within 5 meters of it must succeed on a Difficulty 16 Will saving throw or be magically charmed by the aboleth until the aboleth dies or until it is on a different plane of existence from the target. The charmed creature is under the aboleth’s control and can’t take reactions, and the aboleth and the target can communicate telepathically with each other over any distance.

Whenever the charmed creature takes damage, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. No more than once every 24 hours, the target can also repeat the saving throw when it is at least 2 kilometers away from the aboleth.

Legendary actions (3)

Only one legendary option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The aboleth regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The aboleth makes a Perception check.

Psychic Drain (Costs 2 actions). One creature charmed by the aboleth takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage, and the aboleth regains health equal to the damage the creature takes.

Tail Swipe. The aboleth makes a tail attack.

Lair actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the aboleth takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the same effect can’t be used two rounds in a row:

  • The aboleth casts phantasmal force (no components required) on any number of creatures it can see within 10 meters of it. While maintaining concentration on this effect, the aboleth can’t take other lair actions. If a target succeeds on the saving throw or if the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the aboleth’s phantasmal force lair action for the next 24 hours, although such a creature can choose to be affected.

  • Pools of water within 20 meters of the aboleth surge outward in a grasping tide. Any creature on the ground within 4 meters of such a pool must succeed on a Difficulty 14 Reflex saving throw or be pulled up to 4 meters into the water and knocked prone. The aboleth can’t use this lair action again until it has used a different one.

  • Water in the aboleth’s lair magically becomes a conduit for the creature’s rage. The aboleth can target any number of creatures it can see in such water within 20 meters of it. A target must succeed on a Difficulty 14 Will saving throw or take 7 (2d6) psychic damage. The aboleth can’t use this lair action again until it has used a different one.

Regional effects

The region containing the aboleth’s lair is warped by the aboleth’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

  • Underground surfaces within 2 kilometers of the aboleth’s lair are slimy and wet and are difficult terrain.

  • Water sources within 2 kilometers of the lair are supernaturally fouled. Enemies of the aboleth that drink such water vomit it within minutes.

  • As an action, the aboleth can create an illusory image of itself within 2 kilometers of the lair. The copy can appear at any location the aboleth has seen before or in any location a creature charmed by the aboleth can currently see. Once created, the image lasts for as long as the aboleth maintains concentration, as if concentrating on a spell. Although the image is intangible, it looks, sounds, and can move like the aboleth. The aboleth can sense, speak, and use telepathy from the image’s position as if present at that position. If the image takes any damage, it disappears.

If the aboleth dies, the first two effects fade over the course of 3d10 days.

Far Realm, Underdarkmm

Spells

As an action, you cause your subject’s mind to wander, distracting it. Choose a creature within 5 meters. It has disadvantage on the next Perception or Insight check it makes before the end of its next turn.

As an action, you send a one-way telepathic message to a creature within 20 meters. The creature hears the message and can reply in a whisper that only you can hear. This spell has no effect on a creature with an Intelligence of −4 or less.

You can cast this spell through solid objects if you are familiar with the target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence, 30 centimeters of stone, 2 centimeters of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 1 meter of wood blocks the spell. The spell doesn’t have to follow a straight line and can travel freely around corners or through openings.

At higher levels

When you reach 9th level, you can send the message to all creatures within 10 meters. When you reach 17th level, you can send the message to all creatures within 20 meters.

As an action, you unleash a psychic assault ona creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 1d4 psychic damage and has disadvantage on the next attack it makes before the end of its next turn.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

At higher levels

This spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 9th level (2d4) and 17th level (3d4).

As a reaction, which you use when you are hit by an attack or missed by 4 or less or take psychic damage, you absorb some of the incoming energy. You have resistance to psychic damage until the start of your next turn, including against the triggering damage. If the creature who damaged you is within 10 meters, it must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 1d4 psychic damage and is staggered until the end of its next turn.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

Augment

You can increase the damage by 3d4 for each additional mana expended.

As a reaction, which you use when you use an skill check using Intelligence to do one of the following:

  • Recall knowledge
  • Identify an alchemical concoction
  • Identify a herb, poison, or potion
  • Identify a concoction or spell
  • Identify a magic or technological item
  • Diagnose illness
  • Understand the gist of a language
  • Communicate in a language

You can recall natural memories and knowledge previously inaccessible to you. You can reroll the Intelligence check.

As an action, you assault and twist a creature’s mind, spawning delusions and provoking uncontrolled actions. Choose a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters. The target must succeed on a Will saving throw or it is confused until the end of its next turn.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can expend 1 additional mana so the duration changes to 1 minute/mana, concentration and the creature is confused for the duration. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

  • You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As an action, you mentally lash a creature that you can touch or see within 20 meters, assaulting its ego and debilitating its confidence. The creature must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 3d6 psychic damage and has disadvantage on skill checks for the duration.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can increase the damage by 4d6 for each additional mana expended. If this spell is augmented to target additional creatures, this damage is halved.

  • You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As an action, you haze the senses of a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters. The creature must make a Fortitude saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 2d8 psychic damage and can’t see anything beyond 2 meters for the duration.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can increase the damage by 3d8 for each additional mana expended.

  • You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

(ritual); M (gems worth 10 sp, consumed)

As you spend 1 hour to cast this spell, you meld a mindcrystal, a fragment of your personality brought into physical form and a semblance of life. A mindcrystal appears in an unoccupied space within 5 meters of you. A mindcrystal appears as a crystalline construct about the size of a human hand. Because it is an extension of its creator’s personality, a character’s mindcrystal is in some ways a part of them.

Your mindcrystal acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A mindcrystal can’t attack, but it can take other actions as normal.

While your mindcrystal is within 20 meters of you:

  • Your mindcrystal has resistance to all damage. Each time it takes damage, you take the same amount of damage.
  • You can communicate with each other telepathically.
  • As an action, you can see through your mindcrystal’s eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the mindcrystal has. While perceiving through your mindcrystal’s senses, you can also speak through your mindcrystal in your own voice, even if your mindcrystal is normally incapable of speech. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
  • When you cast a spell with a range of touch, your mindcrystal can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your mindcrystal must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell is an attack, you use your own skill check for the roll.

As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your mindcrystal if it is within 5 meters of you. It disappears into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. As an action while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 5 meters of you.

You can’t have more than one mindcrystal at a time. If you cast this spell while you already have a mindcrystal, it has no effect.

When the mindcrystal drops to 0 health, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. It reappears after you cast this spell again. If it is slain by a creature, you gain advantage on your next attack made against the killer.

Augment

You can increase your mindcrystal’s health by 5 for each additional mana expended.

As a reaction, which you use when you make a skill check using Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution or you make a Fortitude or Reflex saving throw, you can focus your mind to overcome your body’s limitations. You make the roll with advantage. You can do so after the roll but before any effects of the roll occur.

If the roll already has advantage or disadvantage, you cannot apply another instance of advantage or disadvantage and you must use this before the roll to cancel out any advantage or disadvantage.

concentration, 1 hour/mana

As an action, you reach into the mind of a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 3d10 psychic damage and you know the target’s location for the duration, but only while the two of you are on the same plane of existence. While you have this knowledge, the target can’t become hidden from you, and if it’s invisible, it gains no benefit from that condition against you.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

Augment

You can increase the damage by 3d10 for each additional mana expended.

1 hour/mana

As an action, you set a trap in your mind against mental intruders. A creature who targets you with a spell or effect that would sense your emotions, read your thoughts, charm you, or force you to make a Will saving throw must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 3d10 psychic damage and loses 1d6 mana if it has any mana.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

The spell ends if you dismiss it on your turn (no action required) or if you cast it again.

Augment

You can increase the damage by 3d10 for each additional mana expended.

1 hour/mana

As an action, you have resistance to psychic damage for the duration.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can target one additional willing creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

  • You can expend 1 additional mana so you have advantage on Will saving throws.

  • Mind Blank. You can expend 1 additional mana so the creature is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts and divination spells. The spell even foils miracle or wish spells and spells or effects of similar power used to affect the target’s mind or to gain information about the target.

  • Immunity. You can expend 2 additional mana so the creature is immune to psychic damage.

As an action, you send a short message of twenty-five words or less to a creature with which you are familiar within 10 kilometers. If the creature is not within 10 kilometers the message is not received.

The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner immediately.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can send an additional twenty-five words for each additional mana expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional mana so you can send the message across any distance and even to other planes of existence, but if the target is on a different plane than you, there is a 5% chance that the message doesn’t arrive.

concentration, 5 minutes/mana

As an action, you can sense the presence of non-mindless creatures within 10 meters for the duration, which allows you to pinpoint where the creature is located.

The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 30 centimeters of stone, 2 centimeters of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 1 meter of wood or dirt.

As a reaction, which you use when you make a Will saving throw, you fortify your mind against intrusions. You make the roll with advantage. You can do so after the roll but before any effects of the roll occur.

If the roll already has advantage or disadvantage, you cannot apply another instance of advantage or disadvantage and you must use this before the roll to cancel out any advantage or disadvantage.

Augment

You can expend 2 additional mana to trigger the spell when you or one of your allies within 2 meters of you makes a Will saving throw. Until the start of your next turn, you and all allies within 2 meters of you have advantage on Will saving throws.

1 hour/mana

As you spend 10 minutes to cast this spell, you enter a deep contemplation. You learn a language or become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with a skill for the duration.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can expend 1 additional mana to become proficient if you aren’t already capable.

  • You learn an additional language or become capable with an additional skill for each additional mana expended.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, a creature that you can touch or see within 20 meters must make a Will saving throw.

On a failed save you wrest control of a spell that the target is concentrating on. For the duration the creature does not need to concentrate on the spell as you are now concentrating on it (as part of the concentration of this spell). Once you wrest control of the spell from the target, you have several options:

  • Allow the spell to function as normal.
  • Decide how the spell fulfills its function each round.
  • Retarget the spell on yourself or centered on a new point within 20 meters.
  • End concentration on this spell, ending the co-opted spell.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, you can read the thoughts of certain creatures. When you cast the spell—and as two actions on each turn until the spell ends—you can focus your mind on a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters of you. If the creature has an Intelligence of −4 or lower or doesn’t speak any language, the creature is unaffected.

You initially learn the surface thoughts of the creature—what is most on its mind in that moment. As two actions, you can either shift your attention to another creature’s thoughts or attempt to probe deeper into the same creature’s mind. If you probe deeper, the target must make a Will saving throw. If it fails, you gain insight into its reasoning (if any), its emotional state, and something that looms large in its mind (such as something it worries over, loves, or hates). If it succeeds, the spell ends. Either way, the target knows that you are probing into its mind, and unless you shift your attention to another creature’s thoughts, the creature can use an action on its turn to repeat the saving throw; if it succeeds, the spell ends.

Questions verbally directed at the target creature naturally shape the course of its thoughts, so this spell is particularly effective as part of an interrogation. You can also use this spell to detect the presence of thinking creatures you can’t see. When you cast the spell or as two actions during the duration, you can search for thoughts within 5 meters of you. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 60 centimeters of stone, 5 centimeters of any metal other than lead, or a thin sheet of lead blocks you. You can’t detect a creature with an Intelligence of 3 or lower or one that doesn’t speak any language.

Once you detect the presence of a creature in this way, you can read its thoughts for the rest of the duration as described above, even if you can’t see it, but it must still be within 5 meters of you.

Augment

You can expend 1 additional mana to plant an idea or memory in the creature’s mind. The creature must remain within 5 meters of you and you must focus on it for 1 minute. After 1 minute the creature must make a Will saving throw or you plant the idea or memory in the creature’s mind as if it were an organic thought or real memory. You choose whether the idea or memory is trivial (such as “I had porridge for breakfast” or “Ale is the worst”) or personality-defining (“I failed to save my village from orc marauders and am therefore a coward” or “Magic is a scourge, so I renounce it”). The idea or memory lasts for 4 hours for each mana expended to cast this spell.

As two actions, the air ripples with the force of your mental attack, which blasts the minds of creatures. Each creature in a cone or line must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 3d8 psychic damage and is staggered until the end of its next turn.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can increase the damage by 1d8 for each additional mana expended.

  • Stunning Blast. You can expend 1 additional mana and reduce the damage to 1d8 so a creature who fails the saving throw is stunned instead of staggered.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, you take control of an animal that you can touch or see within 10 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it.

On a failure, it you gain control for the duration.

The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Will saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends.

While you have control, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as “Attack that creature,” “Run over there,” or “Fetch that object.” If the creature completes the order and doesn’t receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability.

You can use two actions to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn’t do anything that you don’t allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • Humanoid. You can expend 1 additional mana to target a humanoid.

  • Creature. You can expend 2 additional mana to target any creature.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, you modify the memory of a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If the creature is a construct or an undead or is immune to being charmed, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, it is charmed by you, is incapacitated, and is unaware of its surroundings for the duration.

If it takes any damage or is targeted by another spell, this spell ends and none of the target’s memories are modified.

While this charm lasts, you can affect the target’s memory of an event that it experienced within the last 24 hours and that lasted no more than 10 minutes. You can permanently eliminate all memory of the event, allow the target to recall the event with perfect clarity and exacting detail, change its memory of the details of the event, or create a memory of some other event.

You must speak to the target to describe how its memories are affected, and it must be able to understand your language for the modified memories to take root. Its mind fills in any gaps in the details of your description. If the spell ends before you have finished describing the modified memories, the creature’s memory isn’t altered. Otherwise, the modified memories take hold when the spell ends.

A modified memory doesn’t necessarily affect how a creature behaves, particularly if the memory contradicts the creature’s natural inclinations or beliefs. An illogical modified memory, such as implanting a memory of how much the creature enjoyed dousing itself in acid, is dismissed, perhaps as a bad dream. The GM might deem a modified memory too nonsensical to affect a creature in a significant manner.

A remove curse spell or restoration spell augmented to greater restoration cast on the target restores the creature’s true memory.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can expend 1 additional mana to alter the target’s memories of an event that took place up to 30 days ago.

  • You can expend 2 additional mana to alter the target’s memories of an event that took place at any point in its past.

As two actions, you brutally crush the mental essence of a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters, debilitating its acumen. The creature must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 1d6 psychic damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

If it has a head and is killed by this damage, its head explodes.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can increase the damage by 4d6 for each additional mana expended. If this spell is augmented to target additional creatures, this damage is halved.

  • You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

  • You can expend 2 additional mana so the spell deals no damage, but the duration changes to 1 minute/mana, concentration and the creature is stunned for the duration. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

  • You can expend 1 additional mana so the creature is paralyzed instead of stunned.

As you spend 10 minutes to cast this spell, you can replace a concoction, maneuver, or spell you know with another of the same type from a theme you know. If the spell is a cantrip, you must choose another cantrip. If the replaced spell is in your spellbook it disappears from your spellbook.

Augment

You can target one additional willing creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

As two actions, you choose a point within 20 meters and cause psychic energy to explode there. Each creature in a sphere centered on that point must make a Will saving throw. If the animal’s Intelligence is −4 or less, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, it takes 4d8 psychic damage and has disadvantage on skill checks as well as saving throws to maintain concentration until the end of its next turn.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can increase the damage by 1d8 for each additional mana expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional mana to cast the spell as a a reaction, which you use when you are hit by an attack or missed by 4 or less. It is centered on you, but does not affect you or creatures you designate.

1 hour/mana

As two actions, you forge a telepathic link with a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters, psychically linking yourself with the creature for the duration. This spell has no effect on a creature with an Intelligence of −4 or less. An unwilling creature that succeeds on a Will saving throw is unaffected.

The targets can communicate telepathically through the bond whether or not they have a common language. The communication is possible over any distance, though it can’t extend to other planes of existence.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can target two additional creatures for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

  • Bonded Senses. You can expend 1 additional mana to use two actions to see through a bonded creature’s eyes and hear what it hears, and continue to do so until you use an action to return to your normal senses. While perceiving through the creature’s senses, you gain the benefits of any special senses possessed by that creature, though you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.

  • Empowered Bond. You can expend 2 additional mana to change the duration to 24 hours and you can target creatures with which you are familiar at an unlimited range. The creatures can be anywhere on the same plane of existence as you. The spell ends if you or the target are no longer on the same plane. In addition to words you can share images, sounds, and other sensory messages with one another through the link. Creatures with an Intelligence of at least −4 are able to understand the meaning of your words and take in the scope of any sensory messages you send to it.