Aoa

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of aoa. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Droplet • Sphere

Born from the friction at rare instances when the Positive energy Plane and the Negative Energy Plane graze each other, aoa are curious creatures that are attracted to magic auras and spellcasting. They naturally reflect most attacks, and are dangerous to spellcasters. It is theorized that they might be a “neutral” counterpart to the more common energons, xag-yas and xeg-yis⁠—​reflecting energy while they produce it.

Aoa are found floating around the Astral Plane and Ethereal Plane, seeking out large amounts of magic. They are most common at the borders of two or more planes, where the clashing of two magical energies create maelstroms.

Aoa resemble huge blobs of quicksilver that float above the surface of whatever environment that are found in. Tiny orbs that separate and reabsorb at random surround them. The surface of an aoa is mirrorlike and reflects all light, making it very easy to spot in daylight.

Aoa move slowly, bobbing lazy in the air. They become agitated and excited when they sense magic. Once they sense magic being cast, aoa will fly about crazily, trying to get in the way of magical blasts and touch magic items. They would be considered little more than annoying pests, if it was not for their erratic behavior and danger toward magic items.

Aoa can be summoned and are often used as guardians, appeased by low amounts of magic that keeps them content.

Aoa do not speak and do not seem to understand any languages.

Combat

Aoa are always attracted to the character or creature in a group that radiates the most magic. To determine which character or creature that is, add up the following numbers: total number of magic items on the individual, total number of bonuses each item provides, and total number of active spells on each individual.

An aoa will immediately try to slam into the target individual, discharging its dispelling touch ability, then feeding off the energy that it creates. The aoa tries to get in the way of any active spellcasting and is drawn toward spellcasters that cast targeted spells.

Dispelling Touch (Sp): If an aoa successfully damages an opponent with its slam attack, the opponent is also affected by a targeted dispel magic as if cast by a wizard of a caster level (CL) shown in parentheses after this Special Attacks entry above.

Reflective Spell Resistance (Sp): An aoa has a special type of spell resistance that causes any targeted spell it successfully resists to bounce off and reflect back at the caster. The caster becomes either the spell’s target or the point of origin for the spell’s effect, as appropriate. In addition, aoa are immune to gaze attacks, and such an effect is reflected back to its origin.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​detect magic. Caster level same as for dispelling touch; save DC 15 + spell level.

Skills: Aoa have a –⁠6 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Droplet ⬆️

Droplets are smaller and weaker aoa that are created when a full-sized sphere reflects a large amount of magical energy. Droplets look like aoa spheres (see below), but are much smaller.

Once they are created, droplets will stay around long enough to finish combat (and gather magical energy), before taking off on their own. Over time, a droplet grows to become a full-sized sphere.

Combat

An aoa droplet relies heavily on its reflective spell resistance and uses its dispelling touch frequently in combat. Droplets can be summoned using a summon monster IV spell.

Sphere ⬆️

Combat

If an aoa sphere is struck by any physical attack, it will release its reflective pulse and attack the offender.

Reflective Pulse (Sp): Three times per day, an aoa can release a pulse that reflects magical energy back onto itself, creating harmonics that can destroy magical auras and shatter magic items. This effect is similar to a targeted greater dispel magic spell as if cast by a 15th-level wizard. Magic items that have all their abilities dispelled in this way are destroyed.

Split (Ex): If an aoa sphere reflects 50 points or more of damage through targeted spells in a single attack, it splits off a small blob of matter, creating a new, smaller aoa called a droplet.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 14. Specified that the dispelling touch and reflective pulse special attacks were targeted dispel effects.