Chapter 3

Stage 2: The uprooted

A plant that has taken more from the soil than the soil was meant to give tears itself free, trailing a taproot it will never fully shed. It walks badly and it does not sleep.

Stage 2 creatures are ambush predators in cultivated land, and territorial toward each other — which is why parties rarely meet more than two or three of the same species together.

Any Stage 2 creature can be found bedded down: rooted for a season in order to advance, using the Rooted trait from Chapter 2 while keeping all its Stage 2 statistics (see Bedding down).

Gourdstalker

Medium Plant, Unaligned

A grinning gourd that got a second season. It hauls its roots out of the ground, stands up on a knot of vine, and carves itself a better face — a new one most nights, if it has the time. The light inside is brighter now, and when it runs out of patience it throws its own head.

AC: 14
Initiative: +1 (11)
HP: 65 (10d8+20)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	7	−2	−2
DEX	13	+1	+1	WIS	11	+0	+0
CON	15	+2	+4	CHA	12	+1	+1

Immunities: Fire; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages: Sylvan
CR: 3 (XP 700; PB +2)

Traits

Carve the Face. Attack rolls made against the gourdstalker with a Slashing weapon score a Critical Hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Illumination. Its head sheds Bright Light in a 20-foot radius and Dim Light for another 20 feet, unless it has thrown its head.

Actions

Multiattack. The gourdstalker makes two Vine Lash attacks.

Vine Lash. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) Bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) Fire damage.

Hurl Head (Recharge 4–6). The gourdstalker tears off its burning head and throws it. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature in a 10-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within 40 feet. Failure: 17 (5d6) Fire damage. Success: Half damage. The gourdstalker has the Blinded condition and loses Illumination until the start of its next turn, when a new head swells up from its shoulders.

Bonus Actions

Grinflare. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature in a 30-foot Emanation that can see the gourdstalker’s head. Failure: the Frightened condition until the end of that creature’s next turn. Unusable while headless.

Gravegourd

Medium Plant, Neutral Evil

A pumpkin that came up through a grave. A gravegourd burns cold and blue instead of orange, and the voice out of it is not its own: it whispers with whatever it grew through, using names it has no way of knowing. Every death nearby leaves it a little stronger.

AC: 14
Initiative: +1 (11)
HP: 65 (10d8+20)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	10	+0	+0
DEX	13	+1	+1	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	15	+2	+4	CHA	16	+3	+5

Immunities: Necrotic, Poison; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Common, Sylvan
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Carve the Face. Attack rolls against the gravegourd with a Slashing weapon score a Critical Hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Cold Illumination. Its head sheds Dim Light in a 20-foot radius, unless it has thrown its head. The light is unnervingly cold and provides no benefit to sight-based tasks.

Grave Whisper. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature that starts its turn in a 30-foot Emanation and can hear the gravegourd. Failure: the Frightened condition until the end of its turn. The creature hears a voice it recognizes. A creature that succeeds is immune to this trait for 24 hours.

Feeds on Death. When a creature dies within 30 feet, the gravegourd regains 10 Hit Points.

Actions

Multiattack. The gravegourd makes two Vine Lash attacks.

Vine Lash. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) Bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) Necrotic damage.

Hurl Head (Recharge 4–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature in a 10-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within 40 feet. Failure: 21 (6d6) Necrotic damage, and the target can’t regain Hit Points until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. The gravegourd has the Blinded condition until the start of its next turn.

Tearmonger

Medium Plant, Unaligned

A weeping onion that has torn free and gone looking for company. Its grief travels with it now, a wet fog that stings and blinds whoever stands in it, and it sheds layers as it takes hurt until there is very little left — and that little is still crying.

AC: 13
Initiative: +1 (11)
HP: 45 (7d8+14)
Speed: 25 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	13	+1	+1	INT	6	−2	−2
DEX	12	+1	+1	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	15	+2	+2	CHA	8	−1	−1

Immunities: Poison; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Understands Sylvan but can’t speak
CR: 2 (XP 450; PB +2)

Traits

Weeping Aura. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature that starts its turn in a 15-foot Emanation originating from the tearmonger. Failure: Disadvantage on attack rolls and on sight-based Wisdom (Perception) checks until the start of its next turn. Creatures that have no eyes, or that have their eyes covered or closed, automatically succeed.

Shedding. Whenever the tearmonger takes 10 or more damage from a single attack, it sheds a layer and a Weeping Onion rises in an unoccupied space within 5 feet, to a maximum of 3 layers. Each onion rolls its own Initiative and acts from the next round.

Actions

Multiattack. The tearmonger makes two Root Rake attacks.

Root Rake. Melee Attack Roll: +3, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) Slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) Poison damage.

Sob (Recharge 5–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature in a 20-foot Cone. Failure: 14 (4d6) Poison damage, and the target has the Blinded condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. Success: Half damage, no blindness.

Drownbulb

Large Plant, Unaligned

An onion that woke in a bog and never dried out. A drownbulb is enormously heavy and slow as silt, and the air for fifteen feet around it is thick enough to breathe wrong. It does not chase anyone. It arrives, eventually, and the ground it is standing on is already water.

AC: 14
Initiative: −1 (9)
HP: 114 (12d10+48)
Speed: 15 ft., Swim 20 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	5	−3	−3
DEX	8	−1	−1	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	18	+4	+6	CHA	6	−2	−2

Immunities: Poison; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned, Prone
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Waterlogged. The Drownbulb is slow and enormously heavy. It has Advantage on saving throws and ability checks made to avoid being moved, and it can’t be knocked Prone.

Drowning Aura. The air in a 15-foot Emanation originating from the Drownbulb is thick with standing water. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature that starts its turn there and needs to breathe. Failure: the creature begins suffocating and can hold its breath no longer; it gains 1 level of Exhaustion. A creature that leaves the Emanation stops suffocating but keeps any Exhaustion until it finishes a Long Rest.

Sloughing. Whenever the Drownbulb takes 15 or more damage from a single attack, a wet layer sloughs off. The ground in a 10-foot square adjacent to it becomes Difficult Terrain until the end of its next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The Drownbulb makes two Sodden Root attacks.

Sodden Root. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) Bludgeoning damage, and if the target is Large or smaller it is pulled 5 feet toward the Drownbulb.

Gulp (Recharge 5–6). The Drownbulb draws in air and everything in it. Strength Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature within 15 feet. Failure: the target is pulled to within 5 feet of the Drownbulb and has the Prone condition, and takes 14 (4d6) Bludgeoning damage. Success: Half damage, no movement.

Stalkstrider

Large Plant, Unaligned

Maize that has pulled up its roots and learned to walk on them. A stalkstrider carries the field with it, dropping seed as it goes and raising a stand of sentinels wherever it stops. One striding through rooted maize is a far worse problem than either alone.

AC: 14
Initiative: +0 (10)
HP: 76 (9d10+27)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	18	+4	+6	INT	6	−2	−2
DEX	11	+0	+0	WIS	13	+1	+1
CON	17	+3	+3	CHA	8	−1	−1

Vulnerabilities: Fire
Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Prone
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Understands Sylvan but can’t speak
CR: 3 (XP 700; PB +2)

Traits

Rustling Alarm. It can’t be surprised, and no Plant within 60 feet that can hear it can be surprised.

Standing Cover. Its space and all spaces within 5 feet are Lightly Obscured by thrashing leaves.

Actions

Multiattack. The stalkstrider makes two Whipping Stalk attacks.

Whipping Stalk. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 15 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) Slashing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it makes a DC 14 Strength saving throw, and on a failure is pushed 10 feet away.

Sow the Row (Recharge 5–6). The stalkstrider drives seed into the ground. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 20-foot Emanation originating from it. Failure: the target has the Restrained condition (escape DC 14). The area becomes Difficult Terrain and Lightly Obscured until the end of the stalkstrider’s next turn — or permanently, if the ground is tilled soil.

Bramblehead

Medium Plant, Unaligned

A thistleheart cabbage that pulled free and kept growing thorns. It rolls when it needs to cover ground and folds when it catches something, and there are a great many layers between the outside of it and anything worth cutting.

AC: 16
Initiative: −1 (9)
HP: 76 (9d8+36)
Speed: 25 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	17	+3	+3	INT	5	−3	−3
DEX	8	−1	−1	WIS	11	+0	+0
CON	18	+4	+6	CHA	6	−2	−2

Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing
Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Prone
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Layered Heart. The first time it would be reduced to 0 Hit Points, it instead drops to 25 Hit Points, sheds its outer leaves, and permanently loses its Resistances and 2 points of AC.

Spiked Hide. A creature that touches the bramblehead or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet takes 3 (1d6) Piercing damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The bramblehead makes two Barbed Frond attacks, or one Barbed Frond attack and one Enfold attack.

Barbed Frond. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) Piercing damage.

Enfold. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: the target has the Grappled condition (escape DC 14) and the Restrained condition while Grappled. It takes 10 (3d6) Piercing damage at the start of each of the bramblehead’s turns. The bramblehead can Enfold only one creature at a time.

Tumble (Recharge 5–6). The bramblehead curls up and rolls up to 40 feet in a straight line through the spaces of Large or smaller creatures without provoking Opportunity Attacks. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in its path. Failure: 14 (4d6) Bludgeoning damage, and the target has the Prone condition. Success: Half damage. A creature it is Grappling is carried along and takes the damage automatically.

Tumblewrack

Medium Plant, Unaligned

A cabbage grown in burned ground comes up dead on the outside. A tumblewrack is dry rot wrapped around something worse, and it rolls because it can no longer stop. If fire finds it while it is already failing, it simply comes apart.

AC: 15
Initiative: +1 (11)
HP: 60 (8d8+24)
Speed: 35 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	17	+3	+3	INT	5	−3	−3
DEX	12	+1	+1	WIS	11	+0	+0
CON	17	+3	+5	CHA	6	−2	−2

Immunities: Fire; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Prone
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
CR: 3 (XP 700; PB +2)

Traits

Spiked Hide. A creature that touches the Tumblewrack or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet takes 5 (2d4) Piercing damage.

Kindling. If the Tumblewrack is subjected to Fire damage while it has fewer than half its Hit Points, it immediately uses Detonate.

Actions

Multiattack. The Tumblewrack makes two Barbed Frond attacks.

Barbed Frond. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 10 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Piercing damage.

Tumble (Recharge 4–6). The Tumblewrack rolls up to 45 feet in a straight line through the spaces of Large or smaller creatures without provoking Opportunity Attacks. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in its path. Failure: 17 (5d6) Bludgeoning damage, and the target has the Prone condition. Success: Half damage. If the Tumblewrack ends this movement within 5 feet of a creature that isn’t a Plant, it immediately uses Detonate.

Detonate. The Tumblewrack bursts. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 20-foot Emanation. Failure: 24 (7d6) Fire damage and 10 (3d6) Piercing damage. Success: Half damage. The Tumblewrack is destroyed.

Vinelasher

Medium Plant, Unaligned

A bloodvine that tore free of its stake. A vinelasher reaches twenty feet, drags back whatever it catches, and keeps a few fruit ripening for anything it cannot reach.

AC: 14
Initiative: +3 (13)
HP: 82 (11d8+33)
Speed: 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	14	+2	+2	INT	7	−2	−2
DEX	16	+3	+5	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	16	+3	+3	CHA	10	+0	+0

Immunities: Acid; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Sylvan
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Ripening. It starts combat with 3 fruits and grows 1 at the start of each of its turns, to a maximum of 6.

Splatter. When reduced to 0 Hit Points, it ruptures. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 15-foot Emanation. Failure: 10 (3d6) Acid damage, and the target is coated in pulp — Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and Plants have Advantage on attack rolls against it until it takes an action to scrape clean. Success: Half damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The vinelasher makes one Constricting Vine attack and one Hurl Fruit attack.

Constricting Vine. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 20 ft. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) Bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 14) and is pulled up to 15 feet toward the vinelasher, which can Grapple up to two creatures at a time.

Hurl Fruit. Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 60/180 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Acid damage. Consumes 1 fruit.

Pulp Barrage (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 15-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within 60 feet. Failure: 3 (1d6) Acid damage per fruit consumed. Success: Half damage. Consumes all stored fruits.

Fondvine

Medium Plant, Neutral

A tomato grown over a ley line does not fight, exactly. A fondvine offers: it holds out fruit, and whoever takes it sees the plant as something they have been looking for a long time and stops being able to remember what it actually is. It is genuinely gentle with the people it has taken, which is the worst of it.

AC: 14
Initiative: +3 (13)
HP: 136 (21d8+42)
Speed: 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	12	+1	+1	INT	10	+0	+0
DEX	16	+3	+6	WIS	14	+2	+2
CON	14	+2	+2	CHA	18	+4	+7

Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
Skills: Deception +7, Persuasion +7
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages: Common, Sylvan
CR: 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)

Traits

Ripening. The Fondvine starts combat with 3 fruits and grows 1 at the start of each of its turns, to a maximum of 6.

Beloved. A creature Charmed by the Fondvine perceives it as something it has been looking for and does not remember what it actually looks like afterward.

Kindly Splatter. When the Fondvine is reduced to 0 Hit Points, every creature Charmed by it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or have the Stunned condition until the end of its next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The Fondvine makes one Constricting Vine attack and one Offer attack.

Constricting Vine. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 20 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Bludgeoning damage, and if the target is Large or smaller it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 14).

Offer. Ranged Attack Roll: +6, range 40/120 ft. Hit: 9 (2d8) Psychic damage, and the target makes a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target has the Charmed condition for 1 minute. While Charmed this way, the target regards the Fondvine as an ally it must protect and uses its action to attack the creature nearest to it that isn’t the Fondvine. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, and whenever it takes damage from the Fondvine itself. Consumes 1 fruit.

Windfall (Recharge 5–6). The Fondvine drops everything it has grown. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 15, each creature within 20 feet. Failure: 3 (1d6) Psychic damage per fruit consumed, and the Charmed condition as Offer. Success: Half damage, no Charm. Consumes all stored fruits.

Hollowman

Medium Plant, Neutral Evil

A blightspud that came up. A hollowman walks on legs of the same rotting flesh as the rest of it, with its eyes sunk somewhere behind its face, and it moves through soil as easily as through air. It prefers to take people downward, and what it takes never quite comes back.

AC: 15
Initiative: +2 (12)
HP: 105 (14d8+42)
Speed: 30 ft., Burrow 20 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	17	+3	+3	INT	9	−1	−1
DEX	14	+2	+5	WIS	14	+2	+2
CON	16	+3	+6	CHA	8	−1	−1

Resistances: Necrotic
Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Skills: Stealth +5
Senses: Blindsight 30 ft., Tremorsense 90 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages: Common, Sylvan
CR: 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)

Traits

Earth Glide. The Hollowman can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone without disturbing it.

Wither. A creature that takes Necrotic damage from the Hollowman has its Hit Point maximum reduced by that amount until it finishes a Long Rest.

Sunken Eyes. The Hollowman has Advantage on attack rolls against any creature whose Hit Point maximum has been reduced.

Actions

Multiattack. The Hollowman makes two Grasping Limb attacks.

Grasping Limb. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 10 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) Necrotic damage.

Drag Under. Strength Saving Throw: DC 14, one creature the Hollowman is within 5 feet of. Failure: the target is pulled into the earth alongside the Hollowman. While buried, the creature has the Restrained and Blinded conditions, has Total Cover from outside effects, can’t breathe, and takes 10 (3d6) Necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. It can escape with a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check, surfacing Prone in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the Hollowman.

Rot Bloom (Recharge 5–6). The soil splits and vents spores. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 30-foot Cone. Failure: 27 (6d8) Necrotic damage, and the target has the Poisoned condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. Success: Half damage, no Poisoned condition.

Bonus Actions

Submerge and Surface. The Hollowman sinks into the earth, moves up to its Burrow Speed, and rises again in an unoccupied space at the end of that movement. This movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.

Censerhead

Medium Plant, Lawful Neutral

A wardbulb that tore free to go where it was needed. A censerhead swings its own bulb like a thurible, sanctifying whatever ground it stands on and tending whoever is standing with it. It will mend a stranger without being asked and without any particular warmth.

AC: 16
Initiative: +2 (12)
HP: 78 (12d8+24)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	14	+2	+2	INT	12	+1	+1
DEX	14	+2	+2	WIS	17	+3	+5
CON	14	+2	+2	CHA	15	+2	+4

Resistances: Necrotic
Immunities: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened
Skills: Insight +5, Religion +3
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages: Common, Celestial, Sylvan
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Consecrated Ground. Undead and Fiends in a 30-foot Emanation originating from the Censerhead have Disadvantage on attack rolls and on saving throws against effects that would turn or banish them.

Pungent. Creatures relying on smell have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while within 30 feet.

Actions

Multiattack. The Censerhead makes two Swinging Bulb attacks, or one Swinging Bulb attack and uses Anoint.

Swinging Bulb. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) Bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) Radiant damage.

Anoint. One creature the Censerhead can see within 30 feet regains 11 (2d8 + 2) Hit Points and has Advantage on its next saving throw against an Undead or Fiend.

Censer Sweep (Recharge 5–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, each Undead and Fiend in a 20-foot Emanation. Failure: 27 (6d8) Radiant damage, and the target has the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Other creatures in the area regain 9 (2d8) Hit Points instead.

Scorchvine

Large Plant, Unaligned

An emberpod grown far enough to hunt. A scorchvine moves fast, climbs faster, and drags a haze of heat behind it that makes it hard to look at straight. Fire does not hurt it — fire feeds it, and it knows that.

AC: 15
Initiative: +4 (14)
HP: 123 (13d10+52)
Speed: 40 ft., Climb 40 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	6	−2	−2
DEX	18	+4	+7	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	18	+4	+7	CHA	9	−1	−1

Immunities: Fire; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Understands Sylvan but can’t speak
CR: 6 (XP 2,300; PB +3)

Traits

Capsaicin. A creature that takes damage from the Scorchvine makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure it is Seared: it takes 5 (2d4) Fire damage at the start of each of its turns and has Disadvantage on saving throws to maintain Concentration. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns.

Heat Haze. The air in a 10-foot Emanation originating from the Scorchvine shimmers. Ranged attack rolls against it from beyond 30 feet have Disadvantage.

Feed the Fire. Whenever the Scorchvine is subjected to Fire damage, its Speed increases by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The Scorchvine makes three Searing Tendril attacks.

Searing Tendril. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 15 ft. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) Slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) Fire damage, and the target is subject to Capsaicin.

Ignition Spray (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 15, each creature in a 30-foot Cone. Failure: 38 (11d6) Fire damage, and the target is subject to Capsaicin. Success: Half damage, no Capsaicin.

Bonus Actions

Whipcrawl. The Scorchvine moves up to half its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Pikeling

Medium Plant, Lawful Neutral

A speartip row that stood up and learned to march. Pikelings come in blocks and never singly, and they hold a line better than most soldiers do: braced, ranked, and entirely uninterested in breaking formation for anything. Somebody taught them this. Nobody is sure who.

AC: 16
Initiative: +1 (11)
HP: 60 (8d8+24)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	8	−1	−1
DEX	12	+1	+1	WIS	13	+1	+1
CON	16	+3	+3	CHA	8	−1	−1

Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Prone
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Understands Sylvan but can’t speak
CR: 3 (XP 700; PB +2)

Traits

Formation. The Pikeling gains a +1 bonus to AC and to attack rolls for each other Pikeling within 10 feet, to a maximum of +3.

Set Against the Charge. Once per turn, when the Pikeling hits a creature that moved at least 20 feet straight toward it on its most recent turn, the attack deals an extra 10 (3d6) Piercing damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The Pikeling makes two Longpike attacks.

Longpike. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 15 ft. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) Piercing damage.

Reactions

Brace. Trigger: A creature enters the Pikeling’s reach for the first time on a turn. Response: The Pikeling makes one Longpike attack against it.

Tanglepod

Large Plant, Unaligned

A podswarm that grew up instead of out. A tanglepod is one mass of runner and pod that snares whatever comes near and seeds the ground around it while it fights, so the longer the fight runs, the worse the footing gets.

AC: 15
Initiative: +3 (13)
HP: 95 (10d10+40)
Speed: 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	17	+3	+3	INT	5	−3	−3
DEX	16	+3	+6	WIS	11	+0	+0
CON	18	+4	+4	CHA	6	−2	−2

Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Prone
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
CR: 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)

Traits

Bursting Pods. When the Tanglepod takes 15 or more damage from a single source, a Podswarm with half its normal Hit Points spills out into an unoccupied space within 10 feet, to a maximum of 3 Podswarms. Each Podswarm rolls its own Initiative and acts from the next round.

Creeping Growth. The ground in a 15-foot Emanation originating from the Tanglepod is Difficult Terrain for creatures that aren’t Plants.

Actions

Multiattack. The Tanglepod makes two Snaring Runner attacks.

Snaring Runner. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 15 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) Bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 14). The Tanglepod can Grapple up to three creatures at a time.

Constrict. Each creature Grappled by the Tanglepod takes 14 (4d6) Bludgeoning damage and has the Restrained condition until the Grapple ends.

Seedfall (Recharge 5–6). The Tanglepod scatters ripe pods across the ground. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within 30 feet. Failure: 21 (6d6) Piercing damage, and the target has the Restrained condition (escape DC 14). Success: Half damage.

Rootlance

Medium Plant, Unaligned

A snaproot that pulled itself up and kept the point. It walks on the taproot it grew, planting the thing like a spear butt when it wants to be immovable and running it through whatever comes down the row. What it catches, it holds up off the ground.

AC: 15
Initiative: +1 (11)
HP: 78 (12d8+24)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	17	+3	+3	INT	5	−3	−3
DEX	12	+1	+1	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	15	+2	+4	CHA	7	−2	−2

Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Lance Root. Once per turn, when the rootlance moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hits it with an Impale attack on the same turn, the attack deals an extra 7 (2d6) Piercing damage.

Planted. While the rootlance hasn’t moved on its turn, it can’t be moved against its will and has Advantage on saving throws against effects that would move it.

Actions

Multiattack. The rootlance makes two Impale attacks.

Impale. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) Piercing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 13), and while Grappled this way it has the Restrained condition.

Uproot (Recharge 5–6). The rootlance drives its taproot down and heaves. Strength Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature in a 15-foot Cone. Failure: 14 (4d6) Bludgeoning damage, and the target is pushed up to 10 feet away and has the Prone condition. Success: Half damage only.

Gingerling

Medium Plant, Chaotic Neutral

A numbknot that pulled free and found it had legs. A gingerling is a knot of root grown to about the size of a person and shaped, unnervingly, like one — and it runs, faster than anything else in the garden, in a voice made of creaking wood. Nothing keeps hold of it. Kill it and the knot it grew from is already back in the soil.

AC: 15
Initiative: +4 (14)
HP: 105 (14d8+42)
Speed: 50 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	12	+1	+1	INT	8	−1	−1
DEX	18	+4	+7	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	16	+3	+6	CHA	10	+0	+0

Immunities: Poison; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Grappled, Poisoned, Restrained
Senses: Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 11
CR: 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)

Traits

Can’t Catch Me. The gingerling doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks, and it has Immunity to the Grappled and Restrained conditions.

Numbing Sap. A creature that takes Poison damage from the gingerling has its Speed reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.

Rhizome. When the gingerling is reduced to 0 Hit Points, a Numbknot rises in its space. The Numbknot rolls its own Initiative and acts from the next round.

Actions

Multiattack. The gingerling makes three Knotted Fist attacks.

Knotted Fist. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) Bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) Poison damage.

Numbing Draught (Recharge 5–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 15-foot Cone. Failure: 21 (6d6) Poison damage, and the target’s Speed is halved for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. Success: Half damage only.

Bonus Actions

Bolt. The gingerling takes the Dash or Disengage action.