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Weird, Fungus

This creature appears to be a large serpent formed of fungus, plants, and tangled vines. As it moves toward you, it flicks its vine-like tongue and sways back and forth.

Fungus Weird CR 4

XP 1,200
N Large plant (fungus)
Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)
hp 39 (6d8+12)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +3
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune plant traits

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d8+4 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks sleep spores

TACTICS

A fungus weird is an ambush and opportunity hunter, lying in wait in its pool until its prey comes within range. Once a potential target is close by, the fungus weird springs from its pool and attempts to bite and grab its target. A grabbed opponent is pulled into its pool where it is entangled. A creature that struggles, or any additional creatures assaulting the fungus weird are met with a spray of sleep spores.

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +4; CMB +8 (+12 grapple) +4; CMD 21 (can't be tripped)
Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Perception +12, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +8
Languages Common, Terran, Weirdling
SQ camouflage, fungus pool, reform

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Camouflage (Ex)

A fungus weird is effectively invisible in its pool until it attacks. It takes a successful DC 20 Spot check to notice a fungus weird in its pool before it attacks.

Fungus Pool: A fungus weird's "pool" is not a pool at all, but an entanglement of leaves, branches, mosses, funguses, and plants. A typical pool covers a 20-foot radius, and a fungus weird (being bound to its pool) can never leave this area.

A creature that enters a fungus weird's pool (on its own or with the aid of the fungus weird) is automatically entangled (as the entangle spell) until it escapes. An entangled creature can break free and move half its normal speed by using a full-round action to make a DC 15 Escape Artist check or a DC 19 Strength check. The check DCs are Constitution-based and the Strength check includes a +4 racial bonus.

Sleep Spores (Ex)

Once every 1d4 rounds, as a standard action, a fungus weird can release a puff of greenish-yellow spores in a 10-foot cone. These spores induce sleep (as the sleep spell) if the opponent fails a DC 15 Will save. Unlike the sleep spell, there is no HD limit or maximum HD affected. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Reform (Ex)

When reduced to 0 hit points or less, a fungus weird collapses back into its pool. Four rounds later, it reforms at full strength minus any damage taken from firebased spells and effects.

ECOLOGY

Environment underground
Organization solitary
Treasure incidental

Though this creature resembles other weirds, initial suggestions are that this creature is in fact not related to those creatures at all (since other weirds are extraplanar and this creature seems to be native to the Material Plane). The origin of the fungus weird is shrouded in mystery. Legends hint that this weird was created by an ancient race of druids for less than honorable purposes (the exact purpose is unknown).

A fungus weird's diet consists of flesh and blood (which there never seems to be a shortage of in the Underdark thanks to meddlesome adventurers). Though the creature isn't required to eat that often (and can actually go the entire winter months without requiring any food at all), when it does consume food, it ravenously devours it all, leaving nothing but a mass of bent and broken bones (and any other things, such as gear and equipment).

A fungus weird resembles a 10-foot long snake composed of various hues of plants, vines, mushrooms and other funguses. Two dark splotches function as eyes. A vine-like tongue flicks in and out of its mouth.

Weirds are creatures from the various inner and outer planes (including the demi-, para-, and quasi-elemental planes as well as the elemental planes).

They are sometimes encountered on the Material Plane, often in the employ of a powerful spellcaster. Bribery is the usual means of gaining the services of a weird, though some spellcasters resort to even more deceitful practices or trickery to gain the services of these creatures. Spellcaster beware! Weirds are intelligent creatures and do not take kindly to deception (unless they are the ones engaging in such trickery).

All weirds, regardless of their makeup, are serpent-like creatures about 10 feet long, and being of an evil and malign nature. Weirds speak the common language of weirds and the language native to their home plane. Some speak more languages, and still some can speak Common.

Section 15: Copyright Notice - Tome of Horrors Complete
Fungus Weird from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.