Library / Bestiary

Nuckelavee

CR 9.00 Fey NE Large
This skinless creature resembles a horse and its humanoid rider, fused into a single hideous being of rage and sickness.

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.

STR
22
DEX
24
CON
22
INT
13
WIS
17
CHA
21
HP
104 (11d6+66)
AC
23, touch 17, flat-footed 15 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, -1 size)
Speed
50 ft., swim 50 ft.
Init
+7
Melee
mwk longsword +11 (1d8+9/19-20), bite +10 (1d8+6 plus disease), 2 hooves +5 (1d6+3 plus disease)
BAB
+5
CMB
+12
CMD
30 (34 vs. trip)
Fort
+9
Ref
+16
Will
+10
DR
10/cold iron

breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 10d6 damage plus disease, Reflex DC 21 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds), trample (1d6+9, DC 21)

amphibious, undersized weapons

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

spell-like abilities:
(CL 9th; concentration +14)

3/day-control water, diminish plants, obscuring mist

Details
Type
Fey
Alignment
NE
Size
Large
Environment
cold swamps or coastlines
Senses
low-light vision; Perception +17
Languages
Aklo, Common, Sylvan
Source
Bestiary 3