Actions/Abilities/Traits: D&D 5e
Special
1/day
dispel magic, gate, symbol
Special
3/day
confusion (as a 9th level spell), control weather, feeblemind, weird
Special
At will
dream, sending, suggestion
Special
Innate Spellcasting
Cthulhu's spell casting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 27). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Special
Magic Resistance
Cthulhu has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Special
Overwhelming Mind
Cthulhu's mind is overwhelming in its power and alien structure. He is immune to any effect that would sense his emotions or read his thoughts, and divination spells. This even foils wish spells and spells or effects of similar power used to affect his mind or gain information. The first time a creature other than a fiend or aberration makes mental contact with Cthulhu, it must succeed at a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or contract indefinite madnessSRD. On a successful save, the creature cannot take reactions and can make either an action or a bonus action (not both) for 1 round; creatures that are immune to being stunned are unaffected. This effect can occur whether Cthulhu initiates mental contact (such as via a dream, or once per round merely by telepathic communication) or another creature attempts to do so (such as via detect thoughts or dominate monster). Once a creature is exposed to Cthulhu's overwhelming mind, it is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Special
Resurrection
If Cthulhu is killed, his body immediately fades away into a noxious cloud of otherworldly vapor that fills an area out to his reach. This cloud blocks vision as fog cloud but can't be dispersed by any amount of wind. Any creature in this area must succeed at a DC 26 Constitution save or be poisoned for as long as it remains in the cloud and for an additional 1d10 rounds after it leaves the area. Cthulhu returns to life after 2d6 rounds, manifesting from the cloud and restored to life via true resurrection, but for 2d6 rounds cannot take reactions and can take either an action or a bonus action on his turn but not both. If slain again while he is suffering from this effect, Cthulhu reverts to vapor form again and his essence fades away after 2d6 rounds, returning to his tomb in Rï¿1/2lyeh until he is released again.
Special
Starflight
Cthulhu can survive in the void of outer space, and flies through outer space at incredible speeds. Although the exact travel time will vary from one trip to the next, a trip within a solar system normally takes Cthulhu 2d6 hours, and a trip beyond normally takes 2d6 days (or more, at the GM's discretion).
Legendary Action
Chill
Unnatural chill permeates a 20-foot radius centereed on a point Cthulhu can see within 120 feet. Creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) cold damage.
Legendary Action
Claw Attack
Cthulhu makes a claw attack.
Legendary Action
Detect
Cthulhu makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Legendary Action
Madness
Shadows of the mind afflict a 20-foot radius centereed on a point Cthulhu can see within 120 feet. Creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer a short-term madness.
Legendary Action
Non-Euclidean Shifts
Cthulhu chooses two creatures within 120 feet that he can see. The targets must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, the creature moves up to 10 feet in a direction of Cthulhuï¿1/2s choice, without provoking opportunity attacks or causing the target to leave a solid surface or a body of water. If both targets fail, Cthulhu can instead switch their positions.
Legendary Action
Trample (Costs 2 Actions)
Cthulhu moves or swims his movement rate without provoking opportunity attacks. He may move through the spaces of other creatures of less than Gargantuan size, ending in an unoccupied space. Each creature whose space he passed through must succeed on a DC 27 Dexterity saving throw or take 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Action
Claw
Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 40 ft., targets all creatures in a 10-foot square. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 10) slashing damage. Make one attack roll; any creature in the area whose AC is equal to or lower than the result takes damage from the claw.
Action
Multiattack
Cthulhu can use his Unspeakable Presence. He then makes six attacks: two with its claws and four with its tentacles. It can shove a creature in place of a claw attack.
Action
Tentacle
Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 40 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 29). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. Cthulhu has four tentacles with which to grapple targets; while a tentacle is being used to grapple, it cannot be used to attack a different target.
Action
Unspeakable Presence
Each non-aberration, non-fiend within 300 feet of Cthulhu and aware of him must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that becomes frightened drops to 0 hit points and begins dying. A creature that is immune to being frightened and fails the saving throw becomes incapacitated for 1 minute; at the end of each of the target's turns it may make a new saving throw, becoming no longer incapacitated on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Cthuluï¿1/2s Unspeakable Presence for the next 24 hours.
Reaction
Non-Euclidean
Cthulhu does not exist wholly in the physical world, and space and time strain against his presence. He may add a +9 bonus to AC when an attack would hit or +9 to his Dexterity saving throw when he would fail. This can cause an attack to miss or Cthulhu to succeed at a saving throw.
Known to some as the Dreamer in the Deep, Great Cthulhu is the mightiest of the Great Old Ones. Cthulhu is represented often in artworkï¿1/2particularly in sculpture, painting, and poetry, for his influence is particularly strong among such sensitive and creative minds. In these eldritch works of art, he is depicted or described as having a vaguely humanoid frame, but with immense draconic wings and an octopusshaped head. His actual form is somewhat fluidï¿1/2the Great Old One can shift and reshape his exact countenance as he wills, allowing him to occupy a smaller space than one might expect for a creature that stands over 100 feet tall.
It is fortunate indeed that Cthulhu is currently imprisoned on a distant planet within the sunken city of R'lyeh. There, the Great Old One slumbers away the eons in a state neither quite dead nor living, held in stasis by ancient magic and the potency of the Elder Sign, yet at times the city rises from the sea and the doors to his tomb open, granting Cthulhu limited mobility before he must return to his tomb.
Cthulhu's Cult. Although Cthulhu is imprisoned on a farflung world, his dreams span the gulfs of existence and are capable of touching upon the sleeping minds of sensitive or artistic souls, inspiring them with insane visions and driving the creation of all manner of eldritch artistry. In such ways, his cult spreads like a night-borne virus of the dreaming mind across all worlds on which sapient life dwells. Cthulhu is worshiped by various aquatic races and folk who dwell along coasts, but also among certain decadent or fringe societies of artists, poets, and philosophers. When they form, his cults are secretive and careful to hide their allegiance to the Great Old One, meeting only in desolate and otherwise abandoned locales hidden from societyï¿1/2s notice. Central among his cultï¿1/2s beliefs is the prophecy that one day, the stars will be right and Great Cthulhu shall rise from his corpse-city to usher in the end times, wiping clean all worlds to make them ready for his kind. The cultists believe they might be spared this fate through proper obeisance and fealty, when in truth Cthulhu is unlikely to notice the difference between those who worship him and anyone else.
Cthulhu's cult is associated with cataclysms, dreams, and the stars, and his sacred symbol is a complex rune surrounding an open eye. Cthulhu's temples are monolithic structures of a stark and cyclopean architectural style, but most of his faithful lack the resources to build such temples and instead make do with what they can, hiding away personal shrines in underground chambers or in shacks or glades in the remote wilderness.
Immortality. Cthulhu does not age, nor does he need to eat or breathe. Only violence can bring about the death of a Great Old One, and even then, only temporarily.
5e SRD
Actions/Abilities/Traits: D&D 5e
Actions/Abilities/Traits: Pathfinder 1e
Aura: unspeakable presence (300 ft., DC 40)
Special
1/day
implosion (DC 31), summon (level 9, 2d4 star-spawn of Cthulhu 100%), symbol of insanity (DC 30), wishM
Special
3/day
antipathy (DC 30), demand (DC 30), quickened feeblemind, gate, weird (DC 31)
Special
At will
astral projection, control weatherM, dreamM, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, insanity (DC 29), nightmareM (DC 29), sendingM
Special
Cleaving Claws (Ex)
A single attack from one of Cthulhu's claws can target all creatures in a 10-foot square. Make one attack roll; any creature in the area whose AC is equal to or lower than the result takes damage from the claw.
Special
Constant
freedom of movement, true seeing
Special
Dreams of Madness (Su)
When Cthulhu uses his nightmare spell-like ability on a creature with one or more ranks in a Craft or Perform skill, he also afflicts the creature with maddening dreams. In addition to the effect of nightmare, the target must succeed at a DC 40 Will save or contract a random insanity (Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide 250). This is a mind-affecting effect. A creature that already has an insanity is immune to this ability. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Special
Greater Starflight (Su)
Cthulhu can survive in the void of outer space, and flies through outer space at incredible speeds. Although the exact travel time will vary from one trip to the next, a trip within a solar system normally takes Cthulhu 2d6 hours, and a trip beyond normally takes 2d6 days (or more, at the GM's discretion).
Special
Immortality (Ex)
If Cthulhu is killed, his body immediately fades away into a noxious cloud of otherworldly vapor that fills an area out to his reach. This cloud blocks vision as obscuring mist, but can't be dispersed by any amount of wind. Any creature in this area must succeed at a DC 45 Fortitude save or be nauseated for as long as it remains in the cloud and for an additional 1d10 rounds after it leaves the area. Cthulhu returns to life after 2d6 rounds, manifesting from the cloud and restored to life via true resurrection, but is staggered for 2d6 rounds (nothing can remove this staggered effect). If slain again while he is staggered from this effect, Cthulhu reverts to vapor form again and his essence fades away after 2d6 rounds, returning to his tomb in R'lyeh until he is released again. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Special
Non-Euclidean (Ex)
Cthulhu does not exist wholly in the physical world, and space and time strain against his presence. This grants Cthulhu a deflection bonus to AC and a racial bonus on Reflex saves equal to his Charisma modifier (+12). His apparent and actual position are never quite the same, granting him a 50% miss chance against all attacks. True seeing can defeat this miss chance, but any creature that looks upon Cthulhu while under the effects of true seeing must succeed at a DC 40 Will save or be afflicted by a random insanity (this is a mind-affecting effect). The save DC is Charisma-based.
Special
Tentacles (Ex)
Cthulhu's tentacles are a primary attack.
Special
Unspeakable Presence (Su)
Failing a DC 40 Will save against Cthulhu's unspeakable presence causes the victim to immediately die of fright. This is a death and fear effect. A creature immune to fear that fails its save against Cthulhu's unspeakable presence is staggered for 1d6 rounds instead of killed. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Action
Feat 1
Ability Focus (nightmare)
Action
Feat 10
Improved Bull Rush
Action
Feat 11
Improved Critical (claw)
Action
Feat 12
Improved Critical (tentacle)
Action
Feat 13
Improved Sunder
Action
Feat 14
Improved Vital Strike
Action
Feat 15
Power Attack
Action
Feat 16
Quicken Spell-Like Ability (feeblemind)
Action
Feat 17
Staggering Critical
Action
Feat 18
Vital Strike
Action
Feat 2
Awesome Blow
Action
Feat 3
Combat Reflexes
Action
Feat 4
Craft Wondrous Item
Action
Feat 5
Critical Focus
Action
Feat 6
Flyby Attack
Action
Feat 7
Greater Sunder
Action
Feat 8
Greater Vital Strike
Action
Feat 9
Hover
Action
Melee 1
2 claws +42 (4d6+23/19-20 plus grab)
Action
Melee 2
4 tentacles +42 (2d10+34/19-20 plus grab)
Treasure: triple
Environments
any (R'lyeh)
Actions/Abilities/Traits: Pathfinder 1e
Actions/Abilities/Traits: D&D 5e
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