Green Warden (CR +1)[3pp]

Emperors of the wood and lords of all growing things, green wardens are the royalty of intelligent plants. They inherit their powers, each growing from the seed of a previous green warden that has died.

Green wardens have the power to shape living plants and cause dead wood to grow. They often live in great trees that they have transformed into woodland palaces. The landscape surrounding such dwellings is carefully tended and arranged to present a harmonious natural beauty.

Green wardens guard their domains from the ravages of civilization and the dangers of the natural world. These territories are often wonderlands that preserve all of nature’s bounty in areas untouched by fire or frost. Although such wild areas are beautiful and blessed with plentiful game, most creatures avoid them, since only intelligent plants and fey can expect a friendly reception from a green warden. Despite their dangerous reputations, however, their in-depth understanding of the natural world and their detailed knowledge of their lands make green wardens valuable resources for those brave enough to parley with them.

Creating a Green Warden

Green warden” is an inherited template that can be applied to any plant with an Intelligence score of at least 6 and a Charisma score of at least 3 (hereafter referred to as the base creature). A green warden uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.

Senses: A green warden gains the scent universal ability and tremorsense +100 ft.

Armor Class: Natural armor bonus improves by +2.

Defensive Abilities: A green warden gains DR 10/slashing, fire resistance 10, and regeneration 5 (fire or cold).

Speed: The green warden’s land speed increases by +10 feet over that of the base creature. If the base creature has no land speed, the green warden gains a land speed of 15 feet.

Special Attacks: The green warden retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains the following.

Renew Deadwood (Su)

Once every 1d4 rounds, a green warden can produce an effect like that of a warp wood spell (caster level equals green warden’s racial Hit Dice), except it affects only dead wood. Any wooden objects affected by this ability turn into living plants that root themselves when they come into contact with the ground. A green warden cannot “unwarp” wood or return it to its normal shape with this ability.

Spell-like Abilities: A green warden gains the following spell-like abilities. The caster level equals the green warden’s racial HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

At willcalm animals, create water, pass without trace, purify food and drink, tree shape, tree stride

1/dayanimate plants, barkskin, commune with nature, endure elements, goodberry, liveoak, plant growth, quench, transmute metal to wood, wood shape (living wood only)

Abilities: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +2, Wis +4, Cha +6.

Feats: A green warden gains Leadership as a bonus feat if it does not already have it. It often has plants, fey creatures, or even magical beasts as followers.

Skills: A green warden gains a +10 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature), Perception, and Survival checks. Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (geography) are always a class skill for green wardens and can be used untrained.

Special Qualities: The green warden retains all the base creature’s special abilities and gains those described here.

Favored Terrain (Ex)

The environment a green warden inhabits is considered favored terrain (as the Ranger ability) for that green warden. If the green warden has ranger levels, this stacks with similar favored terrains chosen by this ability. A green warden must reside in its particular territory for more than half of the year to gain and maintain this ability.

Natural Druid (Su)

If a green warden has druid levels, its effective level is one higher for gaining druid spells and other abilities.

Trackless Step (Ex)

A green warden leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. It may, however, choose to leave a trail if it desires.

Alignment: Any evil

Aura: A green blighter gains the unnatural aura (30 ft.) ability.

Special Attacks: Replace Renew Deadwood with the following.

Blighting Spells (Su)

Any of a green blighter’s spells or spell-like abilities that affect living plants can now only affect dead, diseased or rotting plants. Further, spells that heal, such as goodberry, now cause damage for the same amount. Additionally, any water or food a green blighter creates is mildly poisonous. Any creature imbibing it is nauseated for 1d6 rounds (Fortitude save vs. the spell’s DC reduces this to 1 round). Further, any created water kills normal plants that are watered with it in 24 hours (Creatures with the plant type are not killed, but nauseated as above).

Deadwood (Su)

Once every 1d4 rounds, a green blighter can produce an effect like that of a warp wood spell (caster level equals green warden’s racial Hit Dice), except it affects only living wood. Any living wooden objects affected by this ability turn into deadwood. A green warden cannot “unwarp” wood or return it to its normal shape with this ability. Creatures with the plant type take 1d4 damage times the green blighter’s total HD from this effect (maximum 20d4). A Fortitude save negates the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Spell-like Abilities: Change the green warden’s spell-like abilities to the following.

At willcreate water, pass without trace, putrefy food and drink, tree shape, tree stride

1/daybarkskin, commune with nature, endure elements, goodberry, liveoak, plant growth, quench, transmute metal to wood, undead plants, wood shape.

Variant: The Green Blighter

Some green wardens are warped into the corrupters or destroyers of the natural world. These creatures, the “green blighter” or just “blight,” seek to destroy and corrupt all plant life in the area, spreading rot, disease and decay where they can. To make a green blighter adjust the green warden template as follows:

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Advanced Bestiary, Copyright 2014, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author Jeff Hersh, Developer Owen K.C. Stephens

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