Shambling Mound

A mass of tangled vines and dripping slime rises on two trunk-like legs, reeking of rot and freshly turned earth.

Shambling Mound CR 6

XP 2,400
N Large plant
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-Light vision; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+10 natural, –1 size)
hp 67 (9d8+27)
Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +5
Defensive Abilities plant traits; Immune electricity; Resist fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee 2 slams +11 (2d6+5 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (2d6+7)

STATISTICS

Str 21, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 9
Base Atk +6; CMB +12 (+16 grapple); CMD 22
Feats Cleave, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +8 (+16 in swamps or forest), Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+12 in swamps or forests), +4 Perception
Languages Common, Sylvan (cannot speak)
SQ electric fortitude

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Electric Fortitude (Ex)

Shambling mounds take no damage from electricity. Instead, any electricity attack used against a shambling mound temporarily increases its Constitution score by 1d4 points. The shambling mound loses these temporary points at the rate of 1 per hour.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forest or marshes
Organization solitary
Treasure standard

Shambling mounds, also called shamblers, appear to be heaps of rotting vegetation. They are actually intelligent, carnivorous plants with a fondness for elf flesh in particular. What serve as a shambler’s brain and sensory organs are located in its upper body. Shambling mounds typically have an 8-foot girth and stand between 6 and 9 feet tall. They weigh about 3,800 pounds.

Shambling mounds are strange creatures, more akin to animate tangles of creeping parasitic vines than single rooted plants. They are omnivorous, able to draw their sustenance from nearly anything, wrapping their creepers around living trees to draw forth the sap, sending rootlets into the soil to absorb raw nutrients, or consuming flesh and bone from crushed prey.

Shamblers are frighteningly stealthy in their native environments. Blending in with the surrounding terrain, they can lie in wait for days on end without moving, waiting patiently for a potential meal. A shambler could be almost anywhere at any time, attacking without warning and not caring whether it leaves any survivors, so long as it acquires its next meal.

Shambling mounds normally lead solitary, nomadic existences in deep forests and fetid swamps, although they can also be found underground living among damp fungal thickets. Disturbing rumors persist, however, of shamblers gathering in strange congregations around great earthen mounds in the depths of marshes and jungles, often during the height of violent electrical storms. Their reasons for doing so are unknown, and many sages have wondered whether there is some obscure and alien purpose at work.

Variant: Shambling Mound, Rolling (CR 6)

[Source]

This mass of compost and dripping slime rolls about, reeking of rot and freshly turned earth.

Rolling mounds are restless creatures and only use stealth to hide from dangerous foes. Unlike shambling mounds, they never lie in wait waiting patiently for a potential meal. Rolling mounds also like to travel in pairs rather than be alone.

Melee 2 slams +11 (2d6+7 plus poison)

Poison (Ex)

Slam or rolling engulf—contact; save: Fort DC 17; frequency: 1/ round for 6 rounds; effect: 1d2 points Constitution damage; cure: 1 save.

This replaces a shambling mound’s grab special attack.

Rolling Engulf (Ex)

The rolling mound can engulf creatures in its path as part of its movement. The rolling mound usually rolls into its foe, moving over its opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Targeted creatures can make attacks of opportunity against the creature, but if they do so, they are not entitled to a saving throw against the engulf attack. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity can attempt a Reflex save (DC 19) to avoid being engulfed—on a success, they are pushed back or aside (target’s choice) as the rolling mound moves forward. Engulfed opponents gain the pinned condition, are in danger of suffocating, are trapped within the creature’s body until they are no longer pinned, and are subject to the rolling mound’s poison special attack. The save DC is Strength-based.

This replaces a shambling mound’s constrict special attack.

Organization solitary or pair; this replaces a shambling mounds solitary.

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