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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardRaw Nerve

When a living creature is killed by massive amounts of electricity (such as by being struck by lightning or subjected to a magical attack), their dying terror sometimes causes their soul to linger on the Material Plane. Necromantic energy takes hold of their brain and nervous system, causing these organs to burst forth from the charred flesh and become a raw nerve. These horrific undead float a few inches off the ground in a macabre arrangement morbidly parodying the creature's living form, with its brain at the top and nerves dangling below, crackling with electrical energy.

A raw nerve can sense the thoughts of the living, perceiving them as a chaotic jumble that evokes an uncontrollable rage. The undead seeks to destroy the sources of these thoughts, which often means killing every living creature it can sense. Once a raw nerve detects no more thoughts, it grows still, floating in an almost meditative state. However, its fury instantly reawakens should a thinking creature pass too close. Though it's not mindless, a raw nerve can't be reasoned with, and the only way to stop one is to destroy it.

Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 24
Unspecific Lore: DC 22
Specific Lore: DC 19

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Raw NerveCreature 8

Legacy Content

NE Medium Undead 
Source Book of the Dead pg. 139
Perception +17; darkvision, thoughtsense 60 feet
Languages Common, Necril; (can't speak any language); telepathy 100 feet
Skills Intimidation +16, Lore +20 (any one Lore it knew in life), Medicine +15, Occultism +18, Stealth +16
Str +3, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +6, Wis +3, Cha +2
Thoughtsense (divination, mental, occult) The raw nerve senses all non-mindless creatures at the listed range.
AC 26; Fort +14, Ref +16, Will +19
HP 150 (negative healing); Immunities death effects, disease, electricity, mental, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses slashing 5
Speed 30 feet, float
Melee [one-action] nerve ending +20 [+16/+12] (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d10+9 electricity plus involuntary reactionAccelerating Inquest [one-action] (concentrate, detection, divination, occult) The raw nerve mentally probes a creature within 100 feet, attempting an Occultism check against the creature's Will DC. On a success, the raw nerve can Step, and gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against that creature until the start of the raw nerve's next turn.Float A raw nerve floats a few inches from the ground. As such, it can ignore difficult terrain.Involuntary Reaction A creature struck by a raw nerve's nerve ending strike must succeed at a DC 26 Reflex saving throw or be unable to use reactions until the start of its next turn.Synaptic Overload [three-actions] (enchantment, incapacitation, mental, occult) The raw nerve releases a burst of mental energy in a 30-foot cone, dealing 4d12 mental damage to each creature in the cone (DC 23 Will save).
Critical Success The creature takes no damage.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is stunned 1.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is stunned 2.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Shock to the System

A more powerful version of a raw nerve can be created when a creature is struck multiple times by lightning in a short period of time before dying. Raw nerves “born” in this way seem to appear and disappear at random intervals, like a flash of lightning during a storm. At the end of a powerful raw nerve's turns, roll 1d6. On a 1, 2, or 3, the raw nerve is visible, glowing with bright light that makes creatures dazzled while within 10 feet of it. On a 4, 5, or 6, it's invisible (as with a 4th-level invisibility spell).