This lumbering creature's gray-green hide glistens with moisture, and saliva dribbles from its fishlike maw.
Deep One CR 1
XP 400
CE Medium monstrous humanoid (aquatic, deep one)
Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7
Defense
AC 12, touch 9, flat-footed 12 (-1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 17 (2d10+6)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +5
Defensive Abilities deep dweller, immortal; Resist cold 5
Offense
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +5 (1d4+3)
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 9, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 14
Feats Great Fortitude
Skills Intimidate +5, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +7, Stealth +4 (+8 underwater), Survival +7, Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth underwater
Languages Aklo, Common
SQ amphibious, devoted, item use
Ecology
Environment any water
Organization solitary, gang (2-5), cult (6-12), or shoal (13+)
Treasure standard (wand of protection from good [5 charges], other treasure)
Special Abilities
Deep Dweller (Ex) Deep ones are immune to damage from water pressure; their bodies are capable of instantly adjusting to different water depths or even the surface with ease.
Devoted (Ex) Deep ones are fanatically religious, be it to the worship of a Great Old One, an elder deep one, or some other divinity. A deep one gains one bonus skill rank per Hit Die that must be placed in Knowledge (religion), and this skill is a class skill for all deep ones.
Immortal (Ex) A deep one does not age. Barring death from violence, disease, or misadventure, a deep one can live forever. Deep ones are immune to effects that cause magical aging.
Item Use (Su) A deep one can activate spell-trigger items like staves and wands as if it were a spellcaster of the appropriate class.
Deep ones are as at ease dwelling in the most remote of ocean trenches as they are in the shallows that hug secluded shorelines, although their favorite haunts combine the two. The largest deep one cities are located at places not far off shore, but nestled in vast submerged canyons unusually close to those coastlines. This proximity allows deep ones to pursue one of their favorite goals—commingling with and corrupting surface-dwelling humanoids. Unlike skum, a similar aquatic race that reproduces with surface dwellers, deep ones do so not out of a biological need but as a way to spread their blasphemous religion above the ocean waves. The hybrid children of deep ones and humans form a race of their own. These offspring typically live near others of their kind, assuming positions of leadership in their small towns.
Deep ones usually worship the alien entities known as the Outer Gods or the Great Old Ones, with Cthulhu the foremost among them. Deep one settlements that contain a deep one elder (see page 69) instead typically venerate that powerful deep one, who in turn serves one of the eldritch gods. Many deep ones gain levels as clerics, inciting religious fervor in their kinfolk and promoting their chosen deities as the greatest among the Outer Gods. Those few who instead choose to take up a less focused devotional path, such as that of an oracle, still venerate the Old Ones as a whole.
Deep ones prefer to fight with their claws. If they do resort to manufactured weapons, they prefer piercing ones, as these function best underwater. They can also use wands and staves; deep ones who pursue the study of more powerful magic often learn to create magic items for their weaker kinfolk to wield.
A deep one typically stands about 7 feet tall, but its hunched gait and lumbering stance can make it appear shorter when it shambles ashore. An average deep one weighs 300 pounds.
The frame of this immense monstrosity is humanoid, but its ichthyic visage is that of a deep-sea predator.
Elder Deep One CR 14
XP 38,400
CE Gargantuan monstrous humanoid (aquatic, deep one)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +24
Aura cloak of chaos (DC 22), staggering presence (180 ft., DC 21)
Defense
AC 29, touch 11, flat-footed 24 (+4 deflection, +1 Dex, +18 natural, -4 size)
hp 202 (15d8+135); regeneration 10 (fire)
Fort +18, Ref +16, Will +19
Defensive Abilities mind reflection; DR 10/magic and piercing; Immune cold, disease; Resist acid 10, electricity 10; SR 25
Offense
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +24 (2d8+13/19-20), 2 claws +24 (2d6+13/19-20)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks Devastating Strike, staggering presence
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +18)
Constant—cloak of chaos (DC 22), freedom of movement
At will—dream, hold monster (DC 19)
3/day—black tentacles, demand (DC 22), insanity (DC 21), nightmare (DC 19)
1/day—dominate monster (DC 23), symbol of insanity (DC 22)
1/week—binding (DC 22)
Statistics
Str 36, Dex 12, Con 28, Int 19, Wis 23, Cha 19
Base Atk +15; CMB +32 (+34 bull rush); CMD 47 (49 vs. bull rush)
Feats Awesome Blow, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Vital Strike
Skills Intimidate +22, Knowledge (arcana, religion) +19, Perception +24, Sense Motive +21, Stealth +7, Swim +39, Use Magic Device +19
Languages Aklo, Common
SQ amphibious, deep dweller, deific, immortal, item use
Ecology
Environment any water
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure triple
Special Abilities
Deep Dweller (Ex) See page 68.
Devastating Strike (Ex) An elder deep one ignores the first 10 points of hardness when it damages an object with its claws. A creature struck with a critical hit from an elder deep one's claw must succeed at a DC 30 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DC is Strength-based.
Deific An elder deep one can grant divine spells to its worshipers. Granting spells does not require any specific action on the elder deep one's behalf. Elder deep ones grant access to the domains of Chaos, Evil, Madness, and Water. Their symbols vary, but their favored weapon is the claw.
Immortal (Ex) See page 68.
Item Use (Su) See page 68.
Mind Reflection (Ex) Any mind-affecting effect that fails to affect an elder deep one is reflected back on the source, affecting the original caster as if by spell turning, treating the elder deep one as the controller and source of the spell.
Staggering Presence (Ex) This ability functions as frightful presence, except that a creature that fails its save is also staggered as long as it remains in the area of effect, and for an additional 1d6 rounds after leaving that area. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
A few deep ones never stop growing over the eons of their endless lives. Many elder deep ones claim the names of monsters or gods for their own—Mother Hydra and Father Dagon being two of the more legendary of their kind. Elder deep ones ascend to the status of near-gods in deep one society, towering over their kin and ruling their sunken cities. Just as they are worshiped, so do the elder deep ones worship the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods themselves.
This elderly man's wide-mouthed, staring countenance and webbed hands suggest a sinister taint in his bloodline.
Deep One Hybrid CR 1/2
XP 200
Deep one hybrid cleric 1
CE Medium humanoid (deep one, human)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4
Defense
AC 13, touch 10, flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 natural)
hp 12 (1d8+4)
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +5
Offense
Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +2 (1d4+1/19-20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 2/day (DC 9, 1d6)
Cleric Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +4)
6/day—touch of chaos, vision of madness
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st—cause fear (DC 14), cure light wounds, lesser confusionD (DC 14)
0 (at will)—bleed (DC 13), light, resistance
D domain spell; Domains Chaos, Madness
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +4, Swim +9 Racial Modifiers +8 Swim
Languages Aklo, Common
SQ final change, sea longing, take to the water
Ecology
Environment any urban
Organization solitary, cult (2-12), or township (13+)
Treasure NPC gear (mwk dagger, leather armor, other treasure)
Special Abilities
Final Change (Su) A deep one hybrid ages at the same rate as a half-orc. A mere 1d12 months after a deep one hybrid reaches venerable age (at 60 years old), it dies a painful, agonizing death, only to have its body transform into that of a mature deep one. This transformation functions as the reincarnate spell, with the newly formed deep one gaining the following modifications to its physical ability scores: +6 Strength, -2 Dexterity, and +6 Constitution.
Sea Longing (Ex) Every 24 hours a deep one hybrid spends in an area more than 10 miles from the sea, it must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or take 1 point of Wisdom drain.
Take to the Water (Ex) A deep one hybrid can hold its breath 10 times longer than a human can, and gains a +2 bonus on Initiative checks and Reflex saving throws while swimming. A deep one hybrid has a swim speed of 30 feet, and gains a +8 racial bonus on all Swim checks.
Deep one hybrids are the spawn of humans and deep ones. They are most comfortable with others of their kind, and typically cluster in small, insular settlements where they can assume positions of authority. They keep any humans within their towns subservient and cowed, making sure those other residents know better than to act against local laws. Though deep ones are devoutly religious, they usually cloak their true beliefs under a facade of more conventional worship, believing that by doing so they can avoid suspicion from visitors and nearby societies.
Deep One Hybrid Characters
Deep one hybrids are defined by their class levels—they don't possess racial Hit Dice. All deep one hybrids have the following racial traits.
+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity: Deep one hybrids are hearty and devout, but tend to be somewhat slow and awkward in their movements.
Slow: A deep one hybrid's base speed is 20 feet, as it walks with a shuffling gait.
Low-Light Vision: A deep one hybrid can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of dim light.
Natural Armor: A deep one hybrid's thick skin and dense fatty tissues grant it a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
Final Change (Su): See above.
Sea Longing (Ex): See above.
Take to the Water (Ex): See above.
Languages: Deep one hybrids begin play speaking Aklo and Common. Hybrids with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Undercommon.
