Black Cube


Climate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Uncommon
Organization: None
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Magic
Intelligence: Non- (0)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral

No. Appearing: 1-4
Armor Class: 5
Movement: 12
Hit Dice: 10
Thac0: 11
# of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1d8
Special Attacks: Absorb/negate magic
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: 75%
Size: L (10')
Morale: Steady (11-12)
XP Value: 3,000
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Appearance: As their name implies, black cubes appear as dark cubes that are 10' tall and 5-10' wide (they can shift their size to accommodate their surroundings). What they are made of is unknown. They defy many known laws of nature. Some sages speculate that they're made of quasi-magical matter. In any case, they're a dark, flat black color, and hence nearly invisible in low light situations.

Combat: Black cubes attack by passing through opponents. Unlike a gelatinous cube, victims do not get "stuck" in a black cube. Instead, the cube passes through the victim as if immaterial, absorbing magic as it passes. When this happens, the victim takes 1d8 damage from the stunning/chilling effect. Spell casters who experience this find that they have all spells wiped from their minds, and must re-memorize them in order to cast them. In some unknown manner, the black cube absorbs the magical energy of the spells from the victim's mind. Likewise, any spell in effect while the black cube passes through a victim is negated. For example, a hasted fighter would no longer be hasted once a black cube passed through him.

Magic items such as scrolls and potions are negated (ruined) by this attack, with no saving throw. Permanent magic items such as swords or staffs get to make an item save vs. lightning to avoid being permanently negated. Each magical plus of the item gives it a +1 bonus to the save. Even if the item makes its saving throw, it is temporarily negated for 2d4 rounds. During this time, a magical weapon loses its plus bonuses as well as any magical abilities it had. For the duration of the 2d4 rounds, it is treated for all purposes as a non-magical sword. Intelligent weapons fear this monster greatly, and can sense its presence as a dull pain. Any intelligent magical item within 60' of a black cube will cry out in whatever way it can and attempt to force its owner to retreat. However, intelligent magical items get a +2 bonus to save, in addition to the normal bonus of +1 per plus of the weapon (ie if an intelligent sword +2 is attacked, it gains a total of +4 on its save vs. lightning to avoid being negated).

If attacked by spell, a black cube has a 75% chance to harmlessly absorb the spell. They can be struck by non-magical weapons, which is a good thing considering that any magical weapon which strikes it must also save vs. lightning or be negated, just as if the cube passed through it. It can "hover" on a victim for more than one round if the victim does not try to escape or is in a confined area. In such situations, saving throws are required of items each round. It likes to "feed" on spellcasters, since they have residual magic which the black cube enjoys slowly absorbing.

Habitat/Society: : Black cubes have no society to speak of. They simply wander looking for magic to absorb. If a black cube feeds on a spellcaster for more than 5 rounds the spellcaster dies, and even if raised can no longer learn spells. Only a full wish spell will enable the character to once again become a spellcaster.

Ecology: Black cubes have no effect on the environment except to absorb magic. Little is known about them other than that they absorb magic.

Variants: None.



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