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Nuckelavee

CR 9.00 Fey NE Large HD 11

This skinless creature resembles a horse and its humanoid rider, fused into a single hideous being of rage and sickness.

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Description

The dreaded nuckelavee is a manifestation of pollution and filth, be it the natural decay of a red tide or the intrusive pollution of sewage and other urban waste. A nuckelavee is a living irony—a carrier of disease and a spreader of corruption that unleashes its wrath against other sources that bring corruption into the world. The corruption spread by nuckelavees only serves to further their own sense of self-loathing and overall rage. While nuckelavees might, incidentally, carry out vengeance for the victims of such pollution, defending the denizens of their rivers, swamps, and bogs is not their primary drive, for they revel in inflicting the very corruption they hate and enjoy little more than watching their enemies sicken and die.

Folktales tell of talismans to carry—fetishes of seaweed garlands, horsehair soaked in brine, or vials of sanctified seawater—or of prayers to recite to ward away nuckelavees or convince them the bearer is innocent. In truth, however, these old solutions offer no protection from the vile plague-bearers.

A nuckelavee is the same size as a horse.

Combat Stats

104 (11d6+66)

23, touch 17, flat-footed 15 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, -1 size)

Init

Speed

50 ft., swim 50 ft.

Fort

Ref

+16

Will

+10

BAB

CMB

+12

CMD

30 (34 vs. trip)

Melee: mwk longsword +11 (1d8+9/19-20), bite +10 (1d8+6 plus disease), 2 hooves +5 (1d6+3 plus disease)
Space: 10 ft.
Reach: 5 ft.
DR: 10/cold iron
Aura: frightful presence (30 ft., DC 20)

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

Proficiencies

Weapons: Simple

Special Attacks

Breath Weapon — A nuckelavee's breath weapon is a cone of withering foulness that causes painful welts, cramps, and bleeding, and only harms living creatures—this damage bypasses all energy resistance and damage reduction. Non-creature plants in the area are affected as if by a blight spell. Any creature that fails its Reflex save against the breath weapon must make a DC 21 Fortitude save or contract mortasheen (see below). The save DC is Constitution-based.

trample (1d6+9, DC 21)

Special Qualities

amphibious

undersized weapons

Feats

Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Lightning Stance, Mobility, Spring Attack, Wind Stance

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Amphibious Ex from Universal Monster Rule

Creatures with this special quality have the aquatic subtype, but they can survive indefinitely on land.

Breath Weapon Su from Universal Monster Rule

Some creatures can exhale a cone, line, or cloud of energy or other magical effects. A breath weapon attack usually deals damage and is often based on some type of energy. Breath weapons allow a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 the breathing creature's racial HD + the breathing creature's Con modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). A creature is immune to its own breath weapon unless otherwise noted. Some breath weapons allow a Fortitude save or a Will save instead of a Reflex save. Each breath weapon also includes notes on how often it can be used, even if this number is limited in times per day.

Disease (bite) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

A creature with this ability causes disease in those it contacts. The effects of the disease, including its save, frequency, and cure, are included in the creature's description. The saving throw to negate the disease is usually a Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 the infecting creature's racial HD + the creature's Con modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). Disease can be removed through remove disease and similar effects.

Trample (1d6+9, DC 21) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

As a full-round action, a creature with the trample ability can attempt to overrun any creature that is at least one size category smaller than itself. This works just like the overrun combat maneuver, but the trampling creature does not need to make a check—it merely has to move over opponents in its path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the trampling creature's slam damage + 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier. Targets of a trample can make an attack of opportunity, but at a –4 penalty. If targets forgo an attack of opportunity, they can attempt to avoid the trampling creature and receive a Reflex save to take half damage. The save DC against a creature's trample attack is 10 + 1/2 the creature's HD + the creature's Strength modifier (the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). A trampling creature can only deal trampling damage to each target once per round, no matter how many times its movement takes it over a target creature.

Undersized Weapons Ex from Universal Monster Rule

The creature uses manufactured weapons as if it were one size category smaller than the creature's actual size.

Feats, Traits & Items

Dodge from Feat

You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. A condition that makes you lose your Dex bonus to AC also makes you lose the benefits of this feat.

Calculated: +1 Ac

Lightning Reflexes from Feat

You get a +2 bonus on all Reflex saving throws.

Calculated: +2 Ref

Lightning Stance from Feat

If you take two actions to move or a withdraw action in a turn, you gain 50% concealment for 1 round.

Mobility from Feat

You get a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.

Dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most types of bonuses.

Situational: vs. attacks of opportunity caused by moving out of or within a threatened area: +4 dodge AC

Spring Attack from Feat

As a full-round action, you can move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from the target of your attack. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.

Wind Stance from Feat

If you move more than 5 feet this turn, you gain 20% concealment for 1 round against ranged attacks.

Skills

Acrobatics +21 (+29 when jumping), Escape Artist +21, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (nature) +15, Perception +17, Stealth +17, Swim +28

Spells

spell-like abilities:

3/day—Control Water, 3/day—Diminish Plants, 3/day—Obscuring Mist

Details

Type: Fey
Alignment: NE
Size: Large
Environment: cold swamps or coastlines
Organization: solitary
Treasure: standard (masterwork longsword, other treasure)
Senses: low-light vision; Perception +17
Aura: frightful presence (30 ft., DC 20)
Languages: Aklo, Common, Sylvan
Source: Bestiary 3

Rules