[Cerulean Seas] Modified Aboleth for aquatic campaigns

[EisenKreutzer]

I've been tinkering with the Aboleth for an aquatic campaign I'm planning (using Cerulean Seas).

I wanted to modify the Aboleths abilities to maintain the feel of the original creature, preserving the themes of slavers who kidnap people from their natural environment and modify them for it's own habitat. I also wanted it to be psionic. I can't take credit for the psi-like abilities write-up, I googled that and copy/pasted it.
What I did modify on my own were the Mucus Cloud and Slime abilities. I made them more relevant under water, while trying to stay in line with the themes I described above.
I also decided to give the Aboleth two Feats from Lords of Madness for free, namely Enlarge Mucus Cloud and Thicken Mucus Cloud, to compensate for the drop in potency of the new, modified Mucus Cloud ability.

I would love feedback and suggestions for this.
Also, are my additions unbalanced in any way?

This is what I've come up with:


Cerulean Seas Aboleth, Psionic
CR 7
XP 3,200
LE Huge aberration (aquatic)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14
Aura: mucus cloud (10 feet)
Racial Bouyancy: -250; Depth Tolerance 30,000 ft.
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 19; (+1 Dex, +11 natural, –2 size)
hp 84 (8d8+48)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +11
OFFENSE
Speed swim 60 ft.
Melee 4 tentacles +10 (1d6+5 plus slime)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Psi-Like Abilities (ML 13th, concentration +16):
At will - Disable (50 ft., 16 HD, DC 20), false sensory input (5 creatures, DC 16), mental disruption (20 ft., 2 rounds, DC 16), mindlink (unwilling, 8 creatures, DC 14)
3/day - Ego whip (ML 7th, 2d4 Cha, DC 17), id insinuation (ML 7th, 3 creatures, DC 17), mind control (all types, 2 creatures, DC 20), thought shield (SR 24, 11 rounds)
1/day - Memory modification (DC 17), remote viewing (speed 40 ft., DC 17), wall of ectoplasm
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 12, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 17
Base Atk +6; CMB +13; CMD 24 (can't be tripped)
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (tentacle), Enlarge Mucus Cloud, Thicken Mucus Cloud
Skills Acrobatics +20, Bluff +11, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (any one) +13, Perception +14, Spellcraft +13; Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics
Languages Aboletoh, Aquan, Dagonite, Salatari
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Mucus Cloud (Ex)

While underwater, an aboleth exudes a cloud of transparent slime. All creatures adjacent to an aboleth must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save each round or lose the ability to breathe water outside the Mucus Cloud for 1d4+1 rounds. Renewed contact with an aboleth's mucus cloud and failing another save extends the effect for another 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures within range of the mucus cloud have their swim speed reduced by half if they start their movement in the cloud. Additionally, all creatures in melee with this aboleth take a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Armor Class, and Refl ex saving throws. Aboleths and creatures transformed by an aboleth's slime attack are unaffected by the Mucus Cloud and can move through the cloud without penalty.

Slime (Ex)

A creature hit by an aboleth's tentacle must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or his skin and flesh transform into a clear, slimy membrane over the course of 1d4 rounds. The creature's new “flesh” is soft and tender, reducing its Constitution score by 4 as long as it persists. If the creature's flesh isn't kept in constant contact with the aboleth's Mucus Cloud, it falls apart quickly and the victim takes 1d12 points of damage every 10 minutes. Remove disease and similar effects can restore an afflicted creature to normal, but immunity to disease offers no protection from this attack. The save DC is Constitution-based.

[legomaster00156]

Looks to work pretty well to me.

[EisenKreutzer]

Looks to work pretty well to me.

Thats reassuring! :)

I was a little hesitant about assigning a new duration to Mucus Cloud, but I felt that the vanilla 3 hours would be absolutely crippling with the new effect.
I wanted the duration to be significant but not insurmountable. A failed save should be dramatic, not soul crushing.

I'm a bit unsure whether I hit the mark with 1d4+1 though. Is this too short, with regards to the drowning rules?

[EisenKreutzer]

I don't really like replying twice to my own thread like this, but I have modified the Mucus Cloud ability further.
These changes have been made solely to adapt my initial idea more closely to the Cerulean Seas setting, where numerous races have the ability to hold their breath for hours.

New and improved:


Mucus Cloud (Ex)

While underwater, an aboleth exudes a cloud of transparent slime. All creatures with gills or glungs adjacent to an aboleth must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save each round or lose the ability to breathe water outside the Mucus Cloud for 1d4+1 rounds. Once outside the Mucus Cloud, affected creatures with gills or glungs immediately start drowning. For creatures with lungs, this effect is reversed (failing the save causes these creatures to lose the ability to breathe air, but gain the ability to breathe water instead). Renewed contact with an aboleth's mucus cloud and failing another save extends the effect for another 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. Cloud (Ex)

When I write "immediately start drowning," I mean that they immediately start to make Con-checks, not that they immediately suffocate (drop to 0 HP).
I felt that a maximum of 5 consecutive saves (minimum 2) is the biggest number I am comfortable demanding. Also, returning to the Aboleths slime during the fight is always an option, as this modified Mucus Cloud is a 10 ft. aura.

Thoughts?

[EisenKreutzer]

After doing some thinking, I've come to the conclusion that going straight to drowning was extremely harsh (especially with the Slime ability in mind). I've decided to do away with that, and return to the original idea of losing the ability to breathe water for 1d4+1 rounds.
Initially I thought this would be completely trivial, given that all characters can hold their breath for twice their Con worth of rounds, and certain Cerulean Seas races can hold their breath for half their Con hours.
I have since rethought my position, and realised that while holding their breath 2-5 rounds is very easy, falling unconscious from damage or other effects causes a character to immediately start drowning since they can't breathe water.
Thats a nice little added danger, and I think I'm satisfied with the Aboleth this way.

EDIT: It just occured to me that if I simply remove this line from Mucus Cloud:
or lose the ability to breathe water outside the Mucus Cloud

Not only do I solve the problem, I think I may have made encouunters with my aboleth much more exciting!
Since every character can hold their breath 2x Con turns (usually minimum 20 turns), and standard and full-round actions shave 1 turn off that countdown, I've effectively put the whole encounter on a clock! Since I can manipulate the mucus cloud by moving the aboleth around, I can affect basically the entire party with the mucus cloud and slime and create a very tense combat encounter!