View source for Maera (3.5e Monster)

=== Combat ===

Maeras are fierce warriors and protectors of nature, and will respond violently when their woods are desecrated. Their magical spears are especially effective against creatures that have turned away from nature, such as [[SRD:Lycanthrope|lycanthropes]] and certain [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]], and carry disruptive energies that greatly harm arcane spellcasters. Predisposed against users of arcane magic who seek to corrupt the pristine glades of the ancient forests in the world, the maeras' powerful eyesight allows them to distinguish magical aurae, and even see when a creature has the innate or learned ability to cast spells.

A maera's spear attacks are treated as [[SRD:Alchemical Silver|silver]] for the purpose of overcoming [[SRD:Damage Reduction|damage reduction]].

While a maera is [[SRD:Large Size|Large]] sized, it uses manufactured weapons as a [[SRD:Medium Size|Medium]] creature owing to her human upper body and arms. Maeras are also proficient with [[SRD:Bow|bows]], [[SRD:Lance|lances]] and simple weapons. For the sake of charging with a lance, a maera counts as mounted.

'''{{Anchor|Change Shape}} {{Su}}:''' A maera can take the shape of a female [[SRD:Human|human]], [[SRD:Elf|elf]] or [[SRD:Half-Elves (Race)|half-elf]] at will. This is a transformative effect and cannot be dispelled or suppressed when the change has taken effect, but a ''[[SRD:True Seeing|true seeing]]'' spell reveals the maera's true form overlaid with her currently assumed form. The new form has the statistics of her normal form, except as follows: a shape-changed maera becomes [[SRD:Medium Size|Medium]] sized, losing all size bonuses and penalties, as well as all [[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Spell-Like|spell-like]] and [[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|supernatural]] abilities except for this one. A shape-changed maera has the base land speed appropriate for her new form (usually 30 feet). The maera's spear disappears upon using this ability and cannot be summoned until she changes back to her original form.

'''{{Anchor|Maera's Spear}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|Su]] or [[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Spell-Like|Sp]]):''' The spear of a maera is fashioned from her own magical essence. It is effectively a +3 [[SRD:Ironwood|ironwood]] [[SRD:Spear|spear]] with the [[SRD:Distance|distance]] and [[SRD:Returning|returning]] enhancements, flying far when thrown and magically rematerializing in her hand at the beginning of her next turn. A maera's weapon is treated as [[SRD:Alchemical Silver|silver]] for the purpose of overcoming [[SRD:Damage Reduction|damage reduction]] as well as [[SRD:Bane (Weapon Enhancement)|bane]] against creatures with arcane spellcasting. A maera can produce or dismiss her spear at will as a [[SRD:Free Action|free action]], using her own life force to do so. The spear is a [[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|supernatural]] effect.

When a maera throws her spear, it creates a [[SRD:Dispel Magic|dispel]] effect in addition to dealing regular weapon damage. A maera's spear creates a targeted dispel effect upon a creature hit directly, and an area dispel effect in a 20-foot-radius around the creature. If the spear misses its target or if no target has been specified, only the area dispel occurs. This functions like the respective ''targeted dispel'' and ''area dispel'' abilities of the ''[[SRD:Greater Dispel Magic|greater dispel magic]]'' spell ([[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]] 11th). The dispelling power of a maera's spear is a [[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Spell-Like|spell-like]] ability that is usable effectively at will, and uses the maera's druidic [[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]]. A maera that takes levels in [[SRD:Druid|druid]] also increases the caster level for this ability.

'''Magic Immunity {{Ex}}:''' A maera is immune to all [[SRD:Spells|spells]] and [[SRD:Spell-Like Ability|spell-like abilities]] that allow [[SRD:Spell Resistance and Spell Immunity|spell resistance]]. A maera can ignore her immunity with her own spells and spell-like abilities, as well as with spell effects taken by the use of her [[#Spell Steal|spell steal]] ability.

'''{{Anchor|Mana Burn}} {{Su}}:''' A maera can fire a coruscating ray of purplish disruptive energy from the tip of her spear as a [[SRD:Standard Actions|standard action]]. Creatures hit by this attack are burned from within by their own arcane power. Any arcane spellcaster so affected loses a prepared spell or a spell slot and takes 1d6 points of backlash damage per spell level lost. The level of the spell lost is determined by a roll of a d6, ranging from 1 to 6. Cantrips or spells of higher than 6th level are not affected, though if the number rolled exceeds the target spellcaster's maximum arcane spell level or if it has exhausted its complement of appropriately leveled spells for the day, a number of spell slots are drained whose combined spell level equals or exceeds the roll result, starting with an unused spell slot of the highest level that is still available. Creatures without arcane spellcasting are unaffected by this ability.

'''{{Anchor|Spell Steal}} {{Su}}:''' As a [[SRD:Move Actions|move action]], a maera may transfer an ongoing spell effect from a target creature within 30 feet to herself. This ability may be used once every 1d4 [[SRD:Round|rounds]].

'''[[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Spell-Like|{{Anchor|Spell-Like Abilities}}]]:''' At will&mdash;''[[SRD:Continual Flame|continual flame]]'', ''[[SRD:Invisibility|invisibility]]'', ''[[SRD:Nondetection|nondetection]]'', ''[[SRD:Remove Curse|remove curse]]'', ''[[SRD:Remove Paralysis|remove paralysis]]''. 3/day&mdash;''[[SRD:Cure Moderate Wounds|cure moderate wounds]]'' (DC 18), ''[[SRD:Displacement|displacement]]'', ''[[SRD:Hold Monster|hold monster]]'' (DC 21), ''[[SRD:Restoration|restoration]]''; 1/day&mdash;''[[SRD:Baleful Polymorph|baleful polymorph]]'' (DC 21), ''[[SRD:Control Weather|control weather]]'', ''[[SRD:Geas/Quest|geas]]'' (DC 22). [[SRD:Caster Level|Caster level]] 11th. Save DCs are [[SRD:Charisma|Charisma]]-based.

The following spell-like abilities are always active on a maera's person, as the [[SRD:Spells|spells]] ([[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]] 11th): ''[[SRD:Greater Arcane Sight|greater arcane sight]]'', ''[[SRD:Pass without Trace|pass without trace]]'', ''[[SRD:Speak with Animals|speak with animals]]'', ''[[SRD:Speak with Plants|speak with plants]]''. They can be [[SRD:Dispel Magic|dispelled]], but the maera can reactivate them as a [[SRD:Free Action|free action]]. 

'''[[SRD:Spells|{{Anchor|Spells}}]]:''' Maeras cast divine spells as 11th level [[SRD:Druid|druids]]. This includes the ability to spontaneously convert to ''[[SRD:Summon Nature's Ally I|summon nature's ally]]'' spells.

Typical druid spells prepared (6/6/5/5/4/3/2, save DC 16 + spell level): 0&mdash;''[[SRD:Create Water|create water]], [[SRD:Detect Poison|detect poison]], [[SRD:Know Direction|know direction]], [[SRD:Light|light]], [[SRD:Purify Food and Drink|purify food and drink]], [[SRD:Read Magic|read magic]]''; 1st&mdash;''[[SRD:Calm Animals|calm animals]], [[SRD:Charm Animal|charm animal]], [[SRD:Detect Animals or Plants|detect animals or plants]], [[SRD:Entangle|entangle]] (&times;2), [[SRD:Obscuring Mist|obscuring mist]], ''; 2nd&mdash;''[[SRD:Animal Messenger|animal messenger]], [[SRD:Bear's Endurance|bear's endurance]], [[SRD:Gust of Wind|gust of wind]], [[SRD:Soften Earth and Stone|soften earth and stone]], [[SRD:Summon Swarm|summon swarm]]''; 3rd&mdash;''[[SRD:Daylight|daylight]], [[SRD:Plant Growth|plant growth]], [[SRD:Quench|quench]], [[SRD:Remove Disease|remove disease]], [[SRD:Wind Wall|wind wall]]''; 4th&mdash;''[[SRD:Command Plants|command plants]], [[SRD:Freedom of Movement|freedom of movement]], [[SRD:Giant Vermin|giant vermin]], [[SRD:Scrying|scrying]]''; 5th&mdash;''[[SRD:Animal Growth|animal growth]], [[SRD:Commune with Nature|commune with nature]], [[SRD:Tree Stride|tree stride]]''; 6th&mdash;''[[SRD:Mass Bear's Endurance|mass bear's endurance]]'', ''[[SRD:Mass Cure Light Wounds|mass cure light wounds]]''.

==== Maeras and [[SRD:Summoning Subschool|Summoning]] ====

A [[SRD:Chaotic Effect|chaotic]] or [[SRD:Good Effect|good]]-aligned [[SRD:Druid|druid]] may use a ''[[SRD:Summon Nature's Ally IX|summon monster IX]]'' spell to summon a maera. A summoned maera enters the field with its typical spells prepared (see Spells, above). Summoning a maera gives the summoning spell the [[SRD:Chaotic Effect|Chaotic]] and [[SRD:Good Effect|Good]] descriptor.


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{{3.5e Monsters Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
[[Category:Monster]]

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Alignment	Usually chaotic good +
Author	Sulacu +
Challenge Rating	11 +
Environment	Temperate forests and marshes +
Identifier	3.5e Monster +
Level Adjustment	+0 (cohort) +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Size	Large +
Title	Maera +
Type	Fey +