Page 25 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

Special: When on land, this ability affects only nonaboleth self-defeating. Armor is thought of as something that lesser
(or nontransformed creatures) that walk through the mucus races wear in a futile attempt to protect themselves from a

puddle; flying creatures are not affected. dangerous world in which they should not rightfully exist.
An aboleth must replenish its mucus constantly to maintain Due to their unusual anatomy, aboleths use magic items
the poisonous qualities. Samples taken from the aboleth retain differently than humanoid-shaped creatures do. An aboleth
their toxic qualities for only 1 minute. can wear:

• One headband or phylactery on a tentacle.
ABOLETH MAGIC • One pair of eye lenses or goggles on or over one eye. Because

Aboleths constantly search for new magic items, finding them
aboleth eyes are considerably larger than human eyes, one
CHAPTER 2 THE DEEP MASTERS to be among the few objects that lesser races are any good at • One belt, cloak, cape, or mantle about the tail just behind
eye can hold both lenses of a pair without having to stack
producing. An aboleth that enslaves a spellcasting creature
them.

that has Item Creation feats finds itself the owner of a potent
commodity. A slave who can create new magic items is perhaps

the flukes.
the most valued of resources in an aboleth city and is rented
embedded in the slimy flesh on top of its head.
out to other aboleths for extensive payments of additional • One amulet, brooch, medallion, necklace, periapt, or scarab

slaves or favors. • Two pairs of bracers or bracelets on two pairs of tentacles.
Aside from specialized glyphs, aboleth spellcasters also • Up to three rings on the ends of its tentacles.
spend their resources on creating new magic items for
themselves. Although only a rare few aboleths take levels in Aboleths cannot wear hats, helmets, vests, vestments, shirts,
divine spellcasting classes, they have no compunction against robes, gloves, gauntlets, boots, or shoes.
utilizing magic items created by divine magic.
An aboleth’s tentacles can wield objects like wands, staffs, MASTER GLYPHS
rods, and other held magic items. An aboleth can even wield Aboleths that learn the Craft Aboleth Glyph feat can use their
Illus. by R. Sardinha attacks in combat because they are not naturally proficient spell. Aboleths that have the knowledge and power can learn
magic weapons, although most prefer to use their tentacle
knowledge of magic to create powerful magic glyphs. Most of

these glyphs merely duplicate the effect of a glyph of warding
with any form of weapon. Additionally, an aboleth that wields
a weapon in one tentacle must make any other tentacle attacks
to craft much more potent, powerful glyphs known as master
as secondary attacks (at the standard –5 penalty). It can wield
glyphs. Each master glyph is a unique glyph with specific

multiple weapons in its tentacles if it takes the Multiweapon
Fighting feat; otherwise, the penalties it suffers for using more effects. Several sample master glyphs are detailed here; you
can use these master glyphs as guidelines for creating new
than one weapon are severe. master glyphs.
Although an aboleth could theoretically wear armor, the Master glyphs affect a creature upon its initial entry into the

armor would have to be sized and built to conform to the glyph’s range. Beneficial glyphs apply their effects immediately.
creature’s body shape. Additionally, the fact that armor check Hostile glyphs typically grant a saving throw to negate or
penalties count double against Swim checks means that reduce their effects; in this case, a creature need only make the

aboleths find the prospect of wearing armor illogical and save upon entering the glyph’s range. The effect of a glyph ends
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PSIONIC ABOLETHS
This chapter assumes that you utilize the version of the aboleth A savant aboleth does not gain new spells per day as it gains
from the Monster Manual. If you have the Expanded Psionics levels. Instead, it gains increased power points and access to
Handbook, you should instead use the psionic aboleth variant new powers as if it had gained a level in whatever manifesting
detailed there. This version of the aboleth is identical to the one class it belonged to before it added the prestige class.
presented in the Monster Manual, except that it does not pos- A savant aboleth’s spell-like ability to cast the various glyph
sess the same spell-like abilities or the enslave ability. It instead spells is now a psi-like ability that duplicates the effect of the
possesses a large array of similar psi-like abilities, including spell in question.
psionic dominate. A 2nd-level savant aboleth’s psionic dominate psi-like ability
If you wish to use psionic aboleths in your campaign, you is now enhanced as if by the Enlarge Power metapsionic feat
can do so with a few adjustments to the rules in this chapter. In for free; the savant need not expend its psionic focus to use the
particular, you should make the following minor adjustments to Enlarged psionic dominate psi-like ability.
the new rules introduced in this book: The Craft Aboleth Glyph feat requires the aboleth to be at
The savant aboleth monster prestige class no longer has an least a 5th-level manifester rather than a 5th-level spellcaster.
entry requirement of “ability to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.” Likewise, the glyphs created by this feat are considered to be
Rather, it must be able to manifest 3rd-level psionic powers as psionic in nature, not arcane magic; this includes all master
a psion or wilder. glyphs.
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