Aboleth
Monster Manual p8 / Expanded Psionics Handbook p185

The Aboleth is notably more powerful than the standard races presented in the PHB. Players who want to play aboleth characters need to check with their GM that it is appropriate for the campaign. In order to play an aboleth, a player must follow the Racial Character Class presented below. A PC that reaches eighth level in this class is the equal of the psionic aboleth from on p8 of the Monster Manual and p185 of the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

As just noted, this version of the aboleth is the psionic version. It is my apprehension that all aboleth are inherently psionic and the only reason magical powers were substituted for psionics ones in the Monster Manual was because psionics isn't covered in the three core rulebooks. As far as I am concerned, the psionic version is the only version of the aboleth.

Game Rule Information

The following changes have been made to the powers and abilities of the Aboleth. Any published rules for the aboleth that do not directly contradict the contents of this page still apply.

• Type: Aberation (Aquatic, Psionic)
• Common Alignment: Lawful Evil
• Hit Dice: d8
• XP Cost: 36,000 XP. No cost is listed in the MM description so this is an estimate based on my opinion that aboleths have extremely game destabilising abilities. This cost is paid off proportionately at each level - see the table below. The XP cost must be paid before reaching the associated level, so an aboleth may pay an additional 2140 XP in order to reach second level.

Racial Traits

• Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Str, +6 Dex, +2 Con, +2 natural armour.
• Size: Aboleths begin play as Medium-sized characters.
• Type: Aberation (Acquatic, Psionic) - aboleths breathe water, not air.
• Speed: 10 feet on land or 60 feet in the water.
• Darkvision: range 60 feet.
• Automatic Languages: Undercommon, Aboleth and Aquan or any three campaign specific languages. See the section on Languages for more information on the new rules.

Class Skills

• The Aboleth's class skills (and key abilities for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str).
• Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
• Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Unnatural Origin: Normally aboleth hatch from eggs as Huge 8 HD creatures that remain with their parent for ten years (ten seasons on Iourn). Players who take on aboleth as characters from 1 HD are playing very different creatures. These are aboleth whose eggs have hatched prematurely, and have begun their life without the guidance of a parent. Such aboleth start as 1 HD medium-sized creatures, but grow quickly as they increase in levels. These aboleth have been adrift and alone in the subterranean waterways of the underworld for some considerable time. Without the influence and domination of a parent they may have a radically different outlook on life than a traditional aboleth.

Attribute Modifiers: From 2nd level racial modifiers are applied to the aboleth's attributes. These modifiers stack with each other. An 8 HD aboleth has the following net modifiers to its attributes: Str +16, Dex +2, Con +10, Int +4, Wis +6, Cha +6.

Racial Memory: Aboleth inherit their parents memories when they are born. This gives them an incredible insight into the past, and also knowledge that they could not possibly acquire through mundane means. This is simulated in game terms by a check similar to the bardic knowledge skill. The aboleth rolls 1d20 and adds its racial hit dice (and level) and its intelligence modifier to the result. The GM sets the difficulty of the task, using the rules for bardic knowledge as a guide.

Absorb Memory: Every time an aboleth consumes a sentient create it absorbs its memory and its knowledge into itself. This ability only grants facts, it does not enable the aboleth to gain skills that it did not already have or class abilities (such as the knowledge of how to cast spells). The GM can call upon the player of the aboleth to make the same check for recalling racial memories to see if it can dredge up a pertinent fact from the brain it has consumed.

Skill Modifiers: The aboleth is a natural swimmer. From 1st level he receives a +8 racial bonus to Swim checks, and can always choose to take 10 on a swim check even when endangered or distracted. It can use the run action while swimming provided it is in a straight line.

Tentacle Attack: The aboleth may use the full attack action to attack with all four of its tentacles. Each tentacle is considered a primary weapon, therefore the aboletth uses its highest attack bonus and may add its full damage bonus to all four attacks. The tentacles deal a base 1d3 damage at 1st level, but this increases to 1d4 at 4th level and 1d6 at 8th level. The second attack per round gained at 8 HD (from a base attack bonus of +6/+1) is only applied if the aboleth is using a weapon.

Slime (Ex): From fourth level the aboleth's tentacles ooze with a foul slime that can cause a terrible affliction. A creature hit by a tentacle must succeed on a DC 10 + half the aboleth's hit dice + its Con modifier Fortitude save or begin to transform over the next 1d4+1 minutes, the skin gradually becoming a clear, slimy membrane. An afflicted creature must remain moistened with cool, fresh water or take 1d12 points of damage every 10 minutes. The slime reduces the creature's natural armor bonus by 1 (but never to less than 0). A remove disease spell cast before the transformation is complete will restore an afflicted creature to normal. Afterward, however, only a heal or mass heal spell can reverse the affliction.

Mucus Cloud (Ex): From fifth level the aboleth is surrounded by a mucus cloud when it enters the water. The cloud is one foot thick. Any creature coming into contact with and inhaling this substance must succeed on a DC DC 10 + half the aboleth's hit dice + its Con modifier Fortitude save or lose the ability to breathe air for the next 3 hours. An affected creature suffocates in 2d6 minutes if removed from the water. Renewed contact with the mucus cloud and failing another Fortitude save continues the effect for another 3 hours.

Lesser Psi-Like Abilities (Sp): The aboleth gains the use of the following powers once per day at first level: Disable (PSI p93); False Sensory Input (PSI p106); Mental Disruption (PSI p115); Mind Link (PSI p120). The aboleth gains an additional use of these powers at each odd numbered level until level seven when they are usable at will. The aboleth's manifester level for these powers is equal to twice its racial hit dice - therefore an 8 HD aboleth would manifest these powers as a 16th level Psion. If the power can be augmented then the aboleth always augments it to the highest possible level. See the section on Psionics for more details on augmenting certain powers.

Intermediate Psi-Like Abilities (Sp): The aboleth gains the use of the following powers once per day at second level: Ego Whip (PSI p98); Id Insinuation (PSI p112); Psionic Dominate (PSI p96); Thought Shield (PSI p137). The aboleth gains additional uses of these powers at level five and level eight when they can be used three times per day. Even advanced aboleth cannot use these powers more than three times per day. The aboleth's manifester level for these powers is equal to twice its racial hit dice - therefore an 8 HD aboleth would manifest these powers as a 16th level Psion. If the power can be augmented then the aboleth always augments it to the highest possible level. See the section on Psionics for more details on augmenting certain powers.

Greater Psi-Like Abilities (Sp): The aboleth gains use of the following powers once per day at sixth level: Psionic Modify Memory (PSI p122); Remote Viewing (PSI p129); Wall of Ectoplasm (PSI p140). Even advanced aboleth cannot use these powers more than once per day. The aboleth's manifester level for these powers is equal to twice its racial hit dice - therefore an 8 HD aboleth would manifest these powers as a 16th level Psion. If the power can be augmented then the aboleth always augments it to the highest possible level. See the section on Psionics for more details on augmenting certain powers.

Large Size: Although the aboleth is growing throughout its life, from 4th level it officially reaches Large Size. The aboleth is now ten feet in length. Most of the benefits and penalties of Large size are already figured into the progression. In addition to these aboleth now receives a -1 penalty to all attack rolls and to armour class, and a -4 penalty on all Hide checks.

Huge Size: The aboleth reaches Huge size at 8th level; it is now twenty feet long. The aboleth now receives an additional -1 penalty to all attack rolls and to armour class (for a total of -2) , and an additional -4 penalty on all Hide checks (for a total of -8).

The Aboleth Class

Aboleths Beyond Eighth Level

Aboleths can continue to advance in their racial character class beyond eighth level. Their base attack bonuses, skill points, hit dice and saving throws continue to follow the advancement for aberrations (MM p305). There is no further XP cost to pay after eighth level. Aboleths that reach seventeenth level (17 HD) are considered Gargantuan creatures with the commensurate changes to attributes, size modifiers, natural armour and tentacle damage as noted in the table on MM p296. The absolute limit of an aboleth's advancement is twenty-fourth level (24 HD). Increased hit dice also increases the save DC of saves against the aboleth's mucus cloud and slime attacks. The aboleth's manifester level for his psi-like abilities continues to improve by +2 per hit dice to a maximum of level 48 at 24 HD. However, the aboleth gains no access to any other psi-like abilities, and cannot use the abilities it does have any more often than it could at eighth level.

Aboleths with Psionic Class Levels

Aboleths often multiclass into Psions (usually Telepaths). Their hit dice (racial class levels) and levels of psion stack when determining access to psionic powers, calculation of power points and the like. An aboleth 8/psion 2 manifests psionic powers as a tenth level psion, and has the number of power points of a tenth level psion. All other class abilities are those of a second level psion. The manifester level of the aboleth's psi-like abilities is not affected by levels in psion (or any other class). It remains the equal of twice the aboleth's racial hit dice, with one exception. If the aboleth's manifester level is ever greater than twice its hit dice then the higher figure is used. An aboleth 8/psion 9 manifests powers and psi-like abilities as a seventeenth level psion.