Special Conversion Thread: Aboleths

[Shade]

This will be a rather short-lived thread to convert the remaining five aboleths.

Here are the SRD aboleths:
Aboleth and Aboleth Mage
Aboleth, Psionic

Lords of Madness also gave us the Stygian Aboleth (24 HD, Gargantuan, Str 34, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 17).

[Shade]

Aboleth, Saltwater
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 3”//21"
HIT DICE: 10
% IN LAIR: 35%
TREASURE TYPE: H
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE: 1-8 (x4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional to Genius
ALIGNMENT Lawful evil
SIZE: L (25’ long with 15’ tentacles)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 200
Attack/Def. Modes: C, D, E/G, I, J
LEVEL/XP VALUE: VIII/2,700+14/hp

The saltwater aboleth is a larger cousing of the freshwater aboleth described in Monster Manual II. These aboleths commonly dwell in large undersea caverns deep below the ocean. They abhor land-dwelling life and seek dominion over all other intelligent races. Saltwater aboleths live just as long as their freshwater cousins and are more intelligent.

The saltwater aboleth appears similar to the freshwater variety, except its skin is slightly more blue and its eyes are red. Its massive bulk stretches a full 25’, and each of its four snakelike tentacles is 15’ long.

This disgusting monster can divide its attacks among four different opponents if necessary. Any creature struck by a tentacle, in addition to suffering physical damage, must save vs. spells or the creature’s skin changes to a clear, slimy membrane in 2-4 rounds. This change can be stopped by a cure disease spell. Once the change is complete, the victim must keep the membrane damp with cool water or take 1-12 hp damage per round from the intense pain. A cure serious wounds or higher-level healing spell will change the membrane e back into normal skin.

Like its freshwater cousing, the saltwater aboleth can create very realistic illusions with all sensory components. Because of the creature’s vast experience and high intelligence, attempts to disbelieve its illusions are made at -1.

The saltwater aboleth may enslave other creatures six times per day. This may only be attempted once per round against a single opponent up to 60’ away. The victim must save vs. spells at -1 or be overwhelmed with desire to serve the aboleth. The affected creature will not fight directly for the aboleth, but will follow any other telepathic commands. If the enslaved character is separated from the aboleth by more than five miles, a new saving throw may be attempted each day. A dispel magic (against 10th-level magic) or similar spell will remove the enslavement and the death of the enslaving aboleth also dispels this power.

The aboleth can secrete a dark cloud of mucus 1’ around its body that confers to all who inhale it the ability to breathe water for 1-4 hours. However, anyone who breathes this stuff becomes unable to breathe air and suffocates in 2-12 rounds if removed from water. The mucus may be dissolved by soap or wine.

The saltwater aboleth has the innate ability to detect evil, good, invisible objects, and magic, once each per round. Also, 25% of these creatures can use ESP three times per day. The saltwater aboleth is not as strong as its freshwater relative in psionic ability, but it is still a fearsome opponent.

It is said that there is a complex hierarchy of aboleths in the world, with an extremely disgusting and huge monster at the top, and that this association is constantly trying to exterminate land-dwelling life and establish its superiority over all races. Some even say that the aboleths originated in a strange dimension and have come to this world to achieve total domination. These stories have never been proven, as information on these loathsome beasts is rare indeed. See “Ecology of the Aboleth” in Dragon issue #131 for more information.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #12 (1988).

[freyar]

Awesome!

Ok, before we start, do we want to make them all psionic or add a psionic underbar?

Next, can we get a HD listing for the 1e stats of the current 3e aboleths for comparison purposes?

[Shade]

I think the underbar psionics will work best.

2e Aboleth
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Tropical and temperate/Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Brood
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: F
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
NO. APPEARING: 1d4
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 3, Sw 18
HIT DICE: 8
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 (x 4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Slime
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (20' long)
MORALE: Elite (13)
XP VALUE: 5,000
Level Dis/Sci/Dev Attack/Defense Power Score PSPs
8 3/5/16 EW, II PsC, +1/ = Int 250
TS,IF,TW
Telepathy: False Sensor Input, Mindlink, Mass Domination.

The aboleth is a loathsome amphibious creature that lives in subterranean caves and lakes. It despises most land-dwelling creatures and seeks to enslave intelligent surface beings. It is as cruel as it is intelligent.

An aboleth resembles a plump fish, 20 feet in length from its bulbous head to its fluke-like tail. Its body is blue-green with gray splotches, and its pink-tan underbelly conceals a toothless, rubbery mouth. Three slit-like eyes, purple-red in color and protected by bony ridges, are set one atop the other in the front of its head. Four pulsating blue-black orifices line the bottom of its body and secrete gray slime that smells like rancid grease. Four leathery tentacles, each 10 feet in length, grow from its head. An aboleth uses its tail to propel itself through the water and its tentacles to drag itself along dry land.

Combat: The aboleth attacks with its tentacles for 1d6 points of damage each. If a victim struck by a tentacle fails a saving throw vs. spell, the victim's skin transforms into a clear, slimy membrane in 1d4+1 rounds. If this occurs, the victim must keep the membrane damp with cool water or suffer 1d12 points of damage each turn. Cure disease cast upon the victim before the membrane completely forms stops the transformation. Otherwise, cure serious wounds will cause the membrane to revert to normal skin.

Because its sluggish movement makes attacks difficult, the aboleth attempts to lure victims close by creating realistic illusions at will, complete with audible, olfactory, and other sensory components. The aboleth can attempt to enslave creatures within 30 feet; it can make three attempts per day, one creature per attempt. If the victim fails a saving throw vs. spell, he follows all of the aboleth's telepathic commands, although the victim will not fight on the aboleth's behalf. The enslavement can be negated by remove curse, dispel magic, the death of the enslaving aboleth, or, if the victim is separated from the aboleth by more than a mile, a new saving throw (one attempt per day.)

When underwater, an aboleth surrounds itself with a mucous cloud 1 foot thick. A victim in contact with the cloud and inhaling the mucus must roll a successful saving throw vs. poison or lose the ability to breathe air. The victim is then able to breathe water, as if having consumed a potion of water breathing, for 1-3 hours. This ability may be renewed by additional contact with the mucous cloud. An affected victim attempting to breathe air will suffocate in 2d6 rounds. Wine or soap dissolves the mucus.

Habitat/Society: An aboleth brood consists of a parent and one to three offspring. Though the offspring are as large and as strong as the parent, they defer to the parent in all matters and obey it implicitly.

Aboleth have both male and female sexual organs. A mature aboleth reproduces once every five years by concealing itself in a cavern or other remote area, then laying a single egg and covering it in slime. The parent aboleth guards the egg while the embryo grows and develops, a process that takes about five years. A newborn aboleth takes about 10 years to mature.

The aboleth spends most of its time searching for slaves, preferably human ones. It is rumored that the aboleth use their slaves to construct huge underwater cities, though none have ever been found. The aboleth are rumored to know ancient, horrible secrets that predate the existence of man, but these rumors are also unsubstantiated. There is no doubt that aboleth retain a staggering amount of knowledge. An offspring acquires all of its parent's knowledge at birth, and a mature aboleth acquires the knowledge of any intelligent being it consumes.

An aboleth's treasure consists of items taken from its slaves. The items are buried in caverns under a layer of slime resembling gray mud, recognizable by the distinctive rancid grease odor.

Ecology: The omnivorous aboleth will eat any organic matter, usually algae and micro-organisms, but they are also fond of intelligent prey so they can absorb nutrients and information at the same time. Aboleth have no natural enemies, as even the mightiest marine creatures give them a wide berth. Aboleth slime is sometimes used as a component for potions of water breathing.


The 1e aboleth is nearly identical. The only immediate difference I noticed was the size being listed as simply "L". It has psionics, so no psionic variant is given.

The Stygian aboleth is new to 3e.

[freyar]

Ok, that figures. Since the 2e and 3e aboleth have the same HD, that suggests the saltwater aboleth should stay at 10HD and the abilities should be boosted a little. The regular aboleth is Str 26, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 17, so how about

Str 26, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 20

for a bit of a boost? I figure Cha is the most important stat here.

[demiurge1138]

Agreed to Cha.

I'm looking forward to all the awesome aboleths! Am a big fan.

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

The saltwater aboleth had a faster swim speed than standard aboleths in past editions (21 vs. 18). Boost by 10-20 feet?

The saltwater aboleth has the innate ability to detect evil, good, invisible objects, and magic, once each per round. Also, 25% of these creatures can use ESP three times per day.

Add these to the psionics/psi-like abilities?

The saltwater aboleth is not as strong as its freshwater relative in psionic ability, but it is still a fearsome opponent.

Lower the caster/manifester level?

[demiurge1138]

For ESP, give them telepathy. The fact with them being worse manifesters makes me think we should drop Charisma, actually, for lower DCs. Dropping caster level is also a good idea.

[freyar]

Let's boost the swim speed to 80 ft.

Agreed to adding those to psi-abilities. Telepathy for ESP is good.

Yes, let's drop the CL/ML. Maybe to 11th? As for abilities, I'm not sure about dropping too much. I could see Cha 16, but Int should be high since the originals had saltwaters smarter.

Enslave/psionic dominate should be 6/day and 60 ft range.

[Shade]

Updated.

Let's keep the Cha high, but drop the manifester level as suggested. They are mentally superior to the standard aboleth, and this aids their "better than usual enslaver" aspect. We can always drop a few of the psionics/psi-like abilities to lessen their caster aspect as well. Sound OK?

[demiurge1138]

Yes. Yes it does.

[freyar]

So maybe drop illusory wall, persistent image, project image, and veil? Or some subset of those?

[Shade]

Sure. Illusory wall probably has limited use in the open sea. I could see keeping veil, though, as it masks its skum to resemble merfolk or tritons.

[freyar]

Ok, so far we'll drop illusory wall and keep veil. Drop the other two or keep them? Any thoughts, demiurge?

[demiurge1138]

Keep persistant, drop project. Project image is truly nasty, and removing it does remove with it a good bit of the aboleth's caster cred.

[freyar]

Sounds good. So what does that correspond to in the psionic version, and do we want to add anything else before skills and feats?

[Shade]

Maybe drop psionic modify memory and wall of ectoplasm?

[freyar]

Sounds reasonable.

[Shade]

Updated.

Telepathy range?

Skills: 6 at 13 ranks
Aboleths have Concentration, Knowledge (any one), Listen, and Spot

Feats: 4
Aboleths have Alertness, Combat Casting, Iron Will

Environment: Any aquatic?

[freyar]

Back to enslave for a moment: despite being weaker psionically, the saltwater aboleth has better enslavement. It shouldn't be broken until the victim moves 5 miles away, and it should be 6/day instead of 3/day. That's the difference in the older versions.

The regular aboleth doesn't have telepathy, so I don't think the psionically weaker saltwater one should have it either.

Let's give them also Swim (seems logical, right?). Other than that, maybe Spellcraft or Psicraft (for the underbar). Autohypnosis or an additional Knowledge also seem like good choices.

Perhaps Improved Initiative for the last feat?

I guess any aquatic if we can't specify saltwater.