Small Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Incorporeal, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 1d8+4 (8 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares) (perfect)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +1 size, +3 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 14.
While coalesced: 16 (+2 Dex, +1 size, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14.
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4
Attack: Incorporeal touch +4 (1d4 cold)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +4 (1d4 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Nightmare’s call, nightmare aura, psi-like abilities, mode check bonus +2, resting mode Mind Insurgency +4
Special Qualities: Coalescence, naturally psionic, immune to fear
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str – (8 when coalesced), Dex 14, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 16
Skills: Concentration +6, Intimidate +8, Listen +2, Spot +2
Feats: Improved Initiative
Environment: Region of dreams, any (if hunting)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: Special; see Augmented Nameless template
Level Adjustment: –
Nameless with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher speak any languages their victims knew, although they most frequently communicate through ephemeral body language and telepathically-broadcast emotions.
Nameless only exist for one week, although this time may be extended by feeding. The exact age of a given Nameless is not normally important enough to track, but some circumstances (such as a tightly time-based adventure or a recurring Dire Nightmare) may warrant such tracking. The lifespan mechanics included below serve to reinforce a sense of feral urgency and to encourage the hunt.
Combat:
A Nameless’ combat tactics vary depending on what form it is in and its Intelligence score (see Nightmare’s Call and the Augmented Nameless template). All Nameless, especially larval Nameless, generally prefer to use their psi-like abilities to subdue their prey, but those with a larger size or potent natural weapons are not opposed to charging in the fray, particularly if there is a ready source of fear to feed on nearby (see Coalescence). They tend to prefer a single target for their offensive abilities and attacks (almost always the creature that they used psionic nightmare HC on; see Nightmare’s Call), but react to threats as appropriate for their intelligence.
Nightmare Aura (Su): All Nameless radiate the stuff of nightmares. Any nonmindless creature that begins its turn within 30 ft of the Nameless is affected as if the unearthly terror power had been manifest on him (at a manifester level equal to the Nameless' Hit Dice). The save DC is Charisma-based. The Nameless doesn't need to concentrate on this power; the fear lasts as long as the creature remains within 30 ft. A Nameless can suppress or project this emanation as a free action, although most aren't smart enough to do so and leave it active all the time.
Nightmare’s Call (Su): Nameless are capable of inducing nightmares in dreamers, which may potentially serve to open a rift between the region of dreams and the dreamer’s home plane. Dreaming creatures appear as a hazy image on the region of dreams while dreaming, and the Nameless’ psionic nightmare psi-like ability manifest on this image will affect the dreamer as if the Nameless was on the same plane. If the target fails its save against psionics nightmare, the Nameless is sated, adds 1 day to its lifespan (or longer if the target dies, see below), and otherwise leaves the dreamer alone. If a creature succeeds its saving throw against the Nameless’ psionic nightmare psi-like ability, the Nameless may immediately attempt an opposed level check against the creature’s highest manifester level (treat nonmanifesters as having a manifester level of 0, and soulknives as having a manifester level equal to their soulknife level). If the Nameless is successful, it appears on the dreamer’s plane, similar to how a dreamer appears as an image, except very real and under an adapt body effect, near its dreaming prey (3d4x10 feet away, roll 1d8 to determine direction as if a splash weapon), and the dreamer is jarred awake with a strong sense of “something is there.” The Nameless closes and attacks to the best of its ability. If the Nameless needs to flee, it may spend 1 round in concentration (as if manifesting a power) to discorporate, returning to the region of dreams. Although this ability is not blocked by dimensional anchor or similar effects, if the Nameless suffers damage during concentration, it must make a Concentration check or have the shift disrupted.
A Nameless counts as a summoned creature while not in the region of dreams – which means that while protection from evil and similar effects protect a dreamer, a Nameless destroyed on a different plane doesn't die, and instead reforms on the region of dreams a day later. The only way to truly destroy a Nameless, short of starving it, is to visit the region of dreams (through dream travel or a similar effect) and confront it in its natural habitat — and augmented Nameless usually have lairs. If a Nameless delivers the killing blow to a living, non-mindless creature using one of its psi-like abilities (including the initial damage from psionic nightmare), it discorporates on its next swift action (faster than normal discorporation) and returns to the region of dreams if not there already, adding 1 day per Hit Die of the victim to its lifespan. Additionally, if the dead creature’s Hit Dice were no more than three lower than the Nameless, the Nameless transforms over the next 6 hours, gaining the Augmented Nameless template.
Nameless’ forms are only so mutable, though, and after the Nameless transforms its 8th time (9 HD), it no longer gains the Augmented Nameless template from consumed victims (although its lifespan continues to increase).
Psi-Like Abilities: Nameless possess psi-like abilities, depending on their Hit Dice. Psi-like abilities are cumulative. A Nameless uses a psilike ability at a manifester level equal to its Hit Dice, or the minimum level required for the ability, whichever is higher. The saving throws are Charisma-based. Although a nameless cannot normally progress beyond 9 HD, a few rare specimens, called Dire Nightmares, can.
Unlike the normal power, a Nameless’ psionics nightmare does not have unlimited range. Although distances tend to be subjective in the region of dreams, a nameless must have unbroken line of sight and line of effect to a dreamer’s appearance to affect them with it.
Furthermore, a Nameless is treated as having only secondhand knowledge of such a target, unless it has personally encountered that target on the target’s home plane.1
Coalescence (Su): Any Nameless creature can coalesce its dreamstuff into a physical form, although it generally requires a source of fear to do this. If any creature within 120 feet of the Nameless is shaken or frightened or panicked, the Nameless can choose to lose the incorporeal subtype and gain its normal strength score as a standard action. It loses its incorporeal touch attack, but any natural weapon attack it makes deals an additional +1d4 points of cold damage (larval Nameless have no natural attacks while coalesced, although augmented Nameless do). Additionally, it gains the dreambornHC subtype while coalesced, granting it a 20% miss chance.
Reverting to incorporeal form is a move action. While coalesced, if the creature nearest to the Nameless (and within 60 feet) is frightened or panicked, the Nameless' physical form instantly undergoes on a nightmarish transformation drawn from that creature’s fears, as if it were affected by the form of doom power (except that the Nameless does not gain the tentacles described in the power). It remains in this form until the nearest creature within 60 feet is no longer frightened or terrified (paladins have been known to leap into the fray to weaken a Nameless in this form while others flee). Reverting to incorporeal form also ends this effect.
A Nameless of 9 HD or more has fed on enough fear to coalesce at will, regardless of fear conditions in the area. The nearest creature within 60 feet still must be frightened or terrified for it to take a nightmarish form, however a 9HD nameless gains access to form of doom’s tentacles.
Naturally Psionic: All nameless gain 2 bonus power points with their first hit die.
