Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Armor Class (suggested) 22 (natural armor)
Hit Points 190 (20d8 + 100)
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +5
Proficiency Bonus +8 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (+6) | 14 (+2) | 21 (+5) | 14 (+2) | 15 (+2) | 17 (+3) |
Saving Throws Str +11, Dex +7
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +11, Dex +7, Con +10
Skills Perception +7
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 15 (13000 XP)
Demonic Shadows. The nabassu darkens the area around its body in a 10-foot radius. Nonmagical light can’t illuminate this area of dim light.
Devour Soul. A nabassu can eat the soul of a creature it has killed within the last hour, provided that creature is neither a construct nor an undead. The devouring requires the nabassu to be within 5 feet of the corpse for at least 10 minutes, after which it gains a number of Hit Dice (d8s) equal to half the creature’s number of Hit Dice. Roll those dice, and increase the nabassu’s hit points by the numbers rolled. For every 4 Hit Dice the nabassu gains in this way, its attacks deal an extra 3 (1d6) damage on a hit. The nabassu retains these benefits for 6 days. A creature devoured by a nabassu can be restored to life only by a wish spell.
Magic Resistance. The nabassu has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The nabassu’s weapon attacks are magical.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The nabassu uses its Soul-Stealing Gaze and makes two attacks: one with its claws and one with its bite.
- Multiattack (suggested). The nabassu uses its Soul-Stealing Gaze and makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its bite.
- Claws. Melee Weapon Attack:+ 11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage.
- Soul-Stealing Gaze. The nabassu targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the nabassu and isn’t a construct or an undead, it must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or reduce its hit point maximum by 13 (2d12) and give the nabassu an equal number of temporary hit points. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0, and if the target is a medium humanoid, it immediately rises as a ghoul under the nabassu’s control.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
A nabassu is a type of demon that has a strong connection to undeath and an insatiable hunger for souls. It resembles a gaunt, gargoyle-like creature with scaly skin, bat-like wings, and a pair of horns on its forehead. Its eyes can glow a menacing yellow, and its mouth is filled with sharp tusks. A nabassu can change its coloration to blend in with its surroundings, making it hard to spot in the dark. A nabassu’s presence also creates a shadowy aura around it, which dims any nonmagical light sources within 10 feet of it . A nabassu communicates using telepathy.
COMBAT
A nabassu is a fierce and aggressive combatant that prefers to ambush its prey from the shadows. It uses its claws and bite to inflict severe wounds, and its soul-stealing gaze to drain the life force of its victims. A creature that succumbs to the nabassu’s gaze may die instantly or rise as a ghoul or ghast under the nabassu’s control . A nabassu can also devour the soul of a creature it has killed, gaining more power and vitality from the process. A creature whose soul is devoured by a nabassu can only be restored to life by a powerful magic such as a wish spell. A nabassu is resistant to many forms of damage and has advantage on saving throws against magic.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A nabassu originates from the Abyss, the chaotic and evil plane of existence where demons dwell. However, unlike most demons, a nabassu is exiled from the Abyss as part of its life cycle. A newly born nabassu is sent to the Material Plane, where it must feed on souls and grow in power before it can return to its home plane. A nabassu that fails to do so will be destroyed by the Abyss itself. A nabassu that succeeds will become a mature nabassu, a more powerful and greedy version of itself that can travel between planes at will. A mature nabassu may seek treasures, followers, or more souls to devour on the Material Plane or other planes of existence . A nabassu has no loyalty or respect for other creatures, even other demons, and will often act alone or command lesser undead minions. Nabassu are creatures spawned in the Abyss but nurtured on other planes, where they grow and gain power by slaying and devouring humans. They are the only fiends that live a part of their lives on a foreign plane. Unlike other tanar’ri, nabassu seem to have no place in the Blood War. Once they return to the Abyss from their tour of carnage on the Prime Material, they will reside in one of the fortress of the Abyss for the rest of their immortal existence. What role these monsters play is unknown. Perhaps the slaying of humans and spilling of innocent blood somehow bring the tanar’ri power.
ECOLOGY
A nabassu is a menace to any living creature, as it feeds on their souls and flesh. A nabassu’s diet is carnivorous, but it prefers intelligent prey that have more potent souls. A nabassu can also create undead creatures from its victims, either by using its soul-stealing gaze or by giving them some of its life force in a twisted way. These undead serve as the nabassu’s slaves or food sources, depending on its mood . A nabassu has no natural predators, except for other demons that may see it as a rival or a threat. A nabassu can reproduce by creating more of its kind from the souls it devours, but this process is rare and unpredictable.