View source for Neria, Hadal (3.5e Monster)

=== Combat ===

Hadal neria are a force to be reckoned with, and the hadal know this.  They come under cover of darkness and storm, and let their horrifying presence clear out undesirables for them.  Those that remain, or those they are hunting, are subject to both powerful spells and powerful attacks.  The biggest threat is that of their foul disease, and being swallowed whole.  While multiple hadal usually surface in a night, they fortunately tend to work with just themselves and a host of aberrations, calling for assistance from other hadal neria only when needed.

'''Aberrant Biology {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria are practically aberrations, to the point of counting as an aberration when beneficial.  They are also treated as having the Aberrant Blood<sup>LoM</sup> feat for the purposes of feats and pre-requisites.  Lastly, hadal neria possess 50% fortification as their organs constantly shift and move and do things that should not be.

'''Augmented Critical {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria's hook tongue threatens on a natural attack roll of 18-20.  In addition its bite attack deals triple damage on a critical hit.

'''Blindsense {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria have an echolocation which gives them blindsense out to 1000 ft in water, but only 100 ft in air.

'''Capsize {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria can topple ships up to one size larger than them, causing the ship to sway and possibly tip over.  The hadal neria must make a touch attack at the end of a charge against a seafaring vehicle, and then make a special strength check (1d20 + BAB + [[Strength]]) opposed by the Profession (Sailor) check of the vehicle (+ or -4 for each size larger or smaller than Huge).  If successful, the ship rocks violently dealing half the hadal neria's slam damage to all creatures in the vehicle and forcing balance against falling prone and concentration checks equal to the result for creatures on the ship.  If you beat the opposed roll by 10 or more, the ship capsizes completely and turns upside down.  A capsized ship is completely disabled, and while air trapped under the ship can keep it afloat for a few days or weeks, it is almost impossible to turn right side up.  Eventually, capsized ships will sink and slip under the waves.

'''Disease {{Su}}:'''  Hadal neria carry a potent virus called ''Jellyskin Rot'' which converts biomass into a substance very similar to their skin, and not unlike the mucus membrane of an aboleth.  Though it is a disease, it is supernaturally potent and onset is immediate and rapid, effecting the creature each round.  The disease has three stages of severity, and it takes two consecutive saves to raise your condition up one stage.

In the first stage, creatures are fatigued as they begin to experience symptoms similar to water intoxication.  Cells begin to swell, and muscles begin to weaken due to eletrochemical imbalance.

If a second save is failed while the first is in effect, their skin begins to turn translucent and pale.  If the creature had natural armor, they take a 1d6 penalty to damage reduction and natural armor.  If they have no natural armor remaining (or never had any) the remainder becomes a penalty to AC.

If a third save is failed, the creature becomes exhausted and their skin begins to slough off, dealing 1d6 nonlethal damage every round.  Magical healing, or a Heal check as a standard action (DC 20) can stop the damage, but it immediately goes back into effect if the creature takes any damage.

The DC is a [[Fortitude]] save which is [[Constitution]] based, and is transmitted via the hook tongue, and being swallowed whole.

'''Horrifying Presence {{Su}}:'''  Hadal neria can inspire terror by charging or attacking. Affected creatures must succeed on a [[Will]] save or become shaken, and a [[Fortitude]] save or become sickened, remaining in that condition as long as they remain with 60 feet of the hadal neria.  A successful save gives immunity to that hadal neria's horrifying presence for 24 hours (shaken and sickened are treated separately).  The save DC is [[Charisma]]-based.

'''Improved Grab {{Ex}}:'''  To use this ability, the hadal neria must hit a Large or smaller opponent with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.

'''Parasite Host {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria is full of parasites and symbiotic worms and other flora and fauna.  Those who are swallowed are dumped into a vat of squirming maggot-like worms which expose them to the disease ''Jellyskin Rot'' each round.  Successful saves can only prevent the disease from progressing, it cannot be cured as long as you are exposed to the parasites.

When the hadal neria dies, it bursts in a disgusting swarm of parasites which persists for 10 minutes in the space of the former creature, providing difficult terrain, obscuring line of sight if in the water, and exposing any creature which passes through it to the disease.

'''Pressure Resistance {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria are immune to the effects of high pressure.  

'''Slimy Body {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria are covered in a slimy film which is constantly shedding layers of skin.  All negative status effects have their duration cut in half, and the hadal neria can take a full round action to purposefully shed its skin and remove one non-permanent or non-instantaneous status effect of its choice.  It can split it over a duration of two rounds in case it is staggered or otherwise denied actions.

'''Spell-Like Abilities {{Sp}}:'''  Hadal neria get to choose two domains, and gain their domain spells as spell-like abilities as a cleric of their character level.  These spell-like abilities are each usable once per day.  Unlike most spell-like abilities, they still require expensive material components, focii, and experience components.  The default hadal neria has the domains of Darkness and Water.  They do not gain the domain powers, but are counted as having the domains if they take levels in [[cleric]].

2/day-''[[SRD:Obscuring Mist|obscuring mist]]''; 1/day-''[[SRD:Acid Fog|acid fog]]'', ''[[SRD:Armor of Darkness|armor of darkness]]'', ''[[SRD:Blacklight|blacklight]]'', ''[[SRD:Blindness/Deafness|Blindness]]'', ''[[SRD:Cone of Cold|cone of cold]]'', ''[[SRD:Control Water|control water]]'', ''[[SRD:Elemental Swarm|elemental swarm]]'' (messenger of the dark, water only), ''[[SRD:Fog Cloud|fog cloud]]'', ''[[SRD:Horrid Wilting|horrid wilting]]'' (messenger of the dark), ''[[SRD:Ice Storm|ice storm]]'', ''[[SRD:Nightmare|nightmare]]'', ''[[SRD:Power Word Blind|power word blind]]'' (messenger of the dark), ''[[SRD:Power Word Kill|power word kill]]'' (messenger of the dark), ''[[SRD:Prying Eyes|prying eyes]]'', ''[[SRD:Summon Monster V|summon monster V]]'' (only summons 1d3 shadows), and ''[[SRD:Water Breathing|water breathing]]''.  Caster level is equal to CR.  The saving throws are [[Charisma]] based.

'''Surface Vulnerability {{Ex}}:'''  The hadal neria is not used to life on the surface, much less the low pressures of being exposed to air.  While they augment their bodies to endure, a hadal neria can only last for 30 minutes per HD before it must return to its lightless deep waters.  Failure to do so results taking 1d6 points of damage every round until they find shelter, and 2d6 in arid environments.  They dry out twice as fast in arid environments.

'''Swallow Whole {{Ex}}:'''  The hadal neria can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Large or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d6+7 points of crushing damage plus 2d6+7 points of acid damage per round from the hadal neria's digestive juices. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 35 points of damage (for normal) or 45 points of damage (for the messanger of the dark) to the hadal neria's digestive tract (AC 17 normal, AC 27 messenger of the dark). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The hadal neria's gullet can hold 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive or smaller creatures.

'''Rebuke Aberrations {{Su}}:'''  Hadal neria can rebuke aberrations as a [[cleric]] of their racial HD.  If they take classes which grant turn undead or similar (such as [[cleric]]) they can instead advance rebuke aberrations.

'''Vulnerability to Light {{Ex}}:'''  Hadal neria have a -2 penalty on [Light] spells, and take 50% additional damage from damaging [Light] spells.

'''Spells:'''  Hadal neria  messengers of the dark cast spells as 8th level clerics.  A hadal neria has access to two of the following domains: Darkness, Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, Law, Magic, and Water (plus any others from its deity). The save DCs are [[Wisdom]] based.

''Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/7+1/7+1/7+1/6+1; save DC 19 + spell level)''

0—''amaneunsis''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''[[SRD:Create Water|create water]]'', ''[[SRD:Detect Magic|detect magic]]'', ''[[SRD:Guidance|guidance]]'', ''[[SRD:Mending|mending]]'', ''[[SRD:Read Magic|read magic]]''; 1st—''[[SRD:Bane|bane]]'', ''[[SRD:Bless|bless]]'', ''[[SRD:Command|command]]'', ''[[SRD:Divine Favor|divine favor]]'', ''[[SRD:Entropic Shield|entropic shield]]'', ''[[SRD:Magic Aura|magic aura]]'', ''[[SRD:Protection from Good|protection from good]]'', ''[[SRD:Sanctuary|sanctuary]]''; 2nd—''[[SRD:Detect Thoughts|detect thoughts]]''*, ''[[SRD:Enthrall|enthrall]]'', ''frost breath''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''[[SRD:Hold Person|hold person]]'', ''[[SRD:Resist Energy|resist energy]]'', ''[[SRD:Shatter|shatter]]'', ''[[SRD:Sound Burst|sound burst]]'', ''[[SRD:Spiritual Weapon|spiritual weapon]]''; 3rd—''[[SRD:Animate Dead|animate dead]]'', ''[[SRD:Bestow Curse|bestow curse]]'', ''chain of eyes''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''clutch of orcus''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''[[SRD:Deeper Darkness|deeper darkness]]'', ''[[SRD:Dispel Magic|dispel magic]]'', ''girallon's blessing''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''[[SRD:Stone Shape|stone shape]]''; 4th-''[[SRD:Air Walk|air walk]]'', ''delay death''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''[[SRD:Divination|divination]]''*, ''[[SRD:Giant Vermin|giant vermin]]'', ''hypothermia''<sup>SpC</sup>, ''[[SRD:Poison|poison]]'', ''wrack''<sup>SpC</sup>.

:*Domain spell. Domains: Knowledge and Magic.

'''Skills:'''  Hadal neria  has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.


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[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
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Alignment	Usually Lawful Evil +
Author	Eiji-kun +
Challenge Rating	14 + and 18 +
Environment	Aquatic Trench + and Aquatic and Deep Aquatic +
Identifier	3.5e Monster +
Level Adjustment	- +
Rated By	Leziad +
Rating	Rating Pending +
Size	Gargantuan +
Subtype	Aquatic +
Title	Neria, Hadal +
Type	Giant +