# Nabassu, Mature >[!rimg]+ > ![[Placeholder2.png]] *The demon’s body is tall and sinewy. The head is long, with small horns and ears like a bat’s. Its teeth are practically tusks, set in a mouth that seems too large for its head. Its eyes glow with a hateful yellow light. Its long fingers end in equally long talons, and scales cover its wings and skin. Tufts of black fur stud the tops of its shoulders. The demon’s back and arms are dull black, while the chest and belly are a sickly dirty gray.* <div class="grid-container"><div class="MON">Mature Nabassu</div> <div class="CR">CR 15 (51,200 XP)</div> <div class="SOU">Fiendish Codex 1 pg. 49, Dungeon #112</div> <div class="SYS">Dungeons & Dragons 3.5</div></div> CE Medium Outsider (chaotic, demon, evil) **Init** +9 **Senses** darkvision 60 ft.; **Perception** +23 #### defense **AC** 31, 15 touch, 26 flat-footed (+5 Dex, +16 natural) **hp** 218 (15d10+135); regeneration 5 (good weapons) **Fort** +16, **Refl** +14, **Will** +16 **Feint** 33, **Demoralize** 30 **DR** 10/cold iron and good; **SR** 26 **Immune** electricity, poison; **Resist** acid 10, cold 10, fire 10 #### offense **Speed** 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (good) **Melee** bite +24 (1d6+9/19-20), 2 claws +24 (1d6+9) **Space** 5 ft., **Reach** 5 ft. **Special Attacks** death-stealing gaze, feed, focused gaze, sneak attack +6d6, vampiric link **Spell-Like Abilities** (CL 15th, Concentration +21) > **At will**— _enervation_, _ethereal jaunt_, _greater dispel magic_, _greater teleport_ (self plus 50 lbs. only), _hold monster_, _silence_, _true seeing_, _unholy aura_, _unholy blight_ > **1/day**— _summon_(level 7, 2d4 babaus or 1d4 hezrous, 70%) #### statistics **Str** 28, **Dex** 20, **Con** 28, **Int** 20, **Wis** 21, **Cha** 23 **BAB** +15, **CMB** +24, **CMD** 39, **TA** +24, **RTA** +20 **Feats** [[Ability Focus]] (Death-Stealing Gaze), [[Combat Casting]], [[Great Fortitude]], [[Improved Critical]] (bite), [[Improved Initiative]], [[Iron Will]], [[Irresistible Gaze]], [[Power Attack]] **Skills** Acrobatics +23, Bluff +24, Diplomacy +24, Fly +27, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (local) +23, Knowledge (religion) +23, Perception +23, Sense Motive +23, Stealth +23, Use Magic Device +21 **Languages** Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common, Draconic; telepathy 100 ft. **SQ** camouflage #### special abilities ### Camouflage (Ex) A juvenile nabassu has the ability to change the coloration It gains a +8 bonus on Stealth checks made in underground or barren environments, and can use the Stealth skill to hide even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment. ### Feed (Su) A juvenile nabassu can feed on the body of a helpless living humanoid, devouring both its flesh and life force. To do so, the nabassu makes a coup de grace attack against the humanoid creature; this provokes an attack of opportunity from any creatures that threaten it. If the victim is slain by the coup de grace, a significant physical portion of its body is eaten by the nabassu while the remaining portions quickly rot away to a foul-smelling paste. This prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. A _wish_, _miracle_, or _true resurrection_ can restore a devoured victim to life. A mature nabassu that devours a humanoid in this fashion gains the effects of a _death knell_. ### Focused Gaze (Su) As a swift action, a nabassu can focus his death-stealing gaze. Until the start of its text turn, only the creature that a nabassu actively looks at is affected by the death-stealing gaze. A creature that the nabassu actively looks at must succeed on a DC 27 Fortitude save or gain 1d4+2 negative levels. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 circumstance bonus. ### Death-Stealing Gaze (Su) 1d4 negative level, 30 feet, Fortitude DC 25 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based. ### Vampiric Link (Su) As a standard action, a mature nabassu can establish a vampiric link between itself and any living creature within 60 feet that it can see. The targeted creature can resist the link with a DC 23 Will save; otherwise the creature is affaceted by an _unwilling shield_. The nabassu gains a +1 luck bonus to AC and on saving throws, and takes only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including those dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage. The amount of damage not taken by the nabassu is taken by the target. This effect ends when the nabassu targets another creature with this ability, or when the nabassu is further than 60 feet away from the target. #### tactics **Before combat** A nabassu always summons tanar’ri to send into combat as front-line troops. prey and make sneak attacks. **During Combat** The nabassu enjoys barking orders and uses these summoned minions to help it flank. If it hasn’t killed anyone with the aid of its death-stealing gaze after the third or fourth round of combat, it retreats to regenerate for a few rounds while picking off singular targets with its focused gaze. #### ecology **Terrain** Underground (Abyss) **Organization** **Treasure** **Advancement** 16–19 HD (Medium); 20–29 HD (Large); 30–45 HD (Huge); The nabassu is a gaunt, demonic assassin with strong ties to the undead. Unlike most demons, it must spend part of its existence on the Material Plane to realize its goals. As soon as a nabassu is created (be it from an ascended mane or a spontaneous Abyssal birth), it immediately plane shifts (as the spell) to the Material Plane. If it survives long enough to reach maturity, it plane shifts back to the Abyss, having done its duty spreading fear and death on the Material Plane. A nabassu can plane shift in this manner only twice in its lifetime and cannot bring other creatures with it. Juvenile nabassus seek out rural areas on the Material Plane, preferably areas where there are enough humanoids to feed on but not so many that they’re likely to face powerful defenders. Mature nabassu fortresses are usually found on Abyssal layers not controlled by demon lords. Those nabassus who serve a demon lord directly usually serve Orcus, since their close association with the undead amuses the demon prince. A nabassu stands 7 feet tall and weighs 140 pounds. ### Society Nabassus are unusual in that they are the only true demons who are forced to live a significant part of their lives on the Material Plane. As a result, these sinister creatures bear a particular hatred for those that dwell there, as if they blame the denizens of the Material Plane for the humility of this exile. A nabassu that survives life on the Material Plane often lives the rest of its immortal life as a demonic recluse within its Abyssal fortress. Those few nabassus that escape this mental trap often become assassins or spies for Orcus. Nabassu that please him are often granted loyal undead minions of their own to use as they please.