Forester’s Bane

This creature resembles a huge, dark green shrub.

Forester’s Bane CR 5

XP 1,600
N Large plant
Init +0; Senses blindsight (30 ft.), low-light vision; Perception +1

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, -1 size)
hp 52 (5d8+30)
Fort +10; Ref +1; Will +2
Immune plant traits

OFFENSE

Speed 0 ft. (immobile)
Melee 4 leaves +5 touch (grab), 6 stalks +5 (1d4+3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks snap and saw

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 10, Con 22, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 9
Base Atk +3; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 17

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Snap and Saw (Ex)

A forester’s bane can saw at an opponent, dealing slashing damage, when it makes a successful grapple check. This attack deals 1d4+3 points of slashing damage per stalk. It cannot attack a pinned opponent with any stalk that has already attacked another opponent that round. A forester’s bane can only attempt to grapple opponents 1 or more sizes smaller than itself. Because of its four leaves, it can grapple up to four different opponents at one time with a single grapple check. It can also attack a single opponent with more than one leaf, gaining a +2 bonus on its grapple check with each extra leaf (+13 grapple with two leaves, +15 grapple with three leaves, and +17 grapple with all four leaves).

Both leaves and stalks each have 10 hit points and can be attacked by making a successful sunder attempt. Attacking a forester’s bane’s leaf or stalk does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the leaf is currently grappling a target, the forester’s bane takes a -4 penalty on its opposed roll to resist the sunder attempt. Severing a leaf or stalk deals no damage to a forester’s bane. Attacks that hit a leaf deal half their damage to the monster and half to the trapped victim.

Destroyed leaves and stalks grow back in 2d4 weeks if the forester’s bane is not killed.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate plains
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure none

The forester’s bane is a huge, immobile, and carnivorous shrub. Closer inspection reveals large, tough leaves radiating from its central stalk. These dark green leaves hide six purple serrated stalks inside its body. At the center of this low-growing shrub is a 3-foot diameter yellowish orb from which sprout many small green branches. Each branch has small, sweet smelling (and tasting) berries of various colors growing from it.

When a living creature moves near a forester’s bane’s leaves, it attempts to grab the creature. Trapped creatures are subjected to attacks by several serrated stalks that slash and cut until the opponent escapes. The forester’s bane releases a trapped victim when either it or the victim is dead, or the leaf holding the victim is destroyed. The snapper saw can also attack with its stalks without first grappling an opponent.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Forester’s Bane from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.

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