Dread Plants
Dread plants are a broad variety of carnivorous plants found within the pages of Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e). With very few exceptions these are no different from their mundane cousins, simply large enough to be a danger to adventurers.
Bloodroot
Bloodroots protrude through the floors, walls & ceiling of underground caverns, tunnels & passageways. At first glance, a bloodroot resembles the normal root structure of an ordinary tree reaching down through the earth searching for moisture & nourishment; only the deep red hue at the tips of the roots & the scattered bones of prior victims hint at the danger.
The bloodroot hangs motionless until an unwary creature moves within its reach, then strikes with the speed of a whip. Once immobilized in its preternaturally strong grasp, the carnivorous plant plunges its dagger-sharp appendages into its victim. Bloodroots inject a grappled victim with toxins that thin its blood, & then drain the fluid once the victim ceases to struggle. The desiccated husk is discarded to decay on the cavern floor.
Combat
Bloodroots grasp for their opponents with their long, animated roots. These appendages are tipped with razor-sharp, hollow needles. On a successful slam attack, the bloodroot attempts to grapple its opponent & immobilize it for easier consumption.
Bloodroot Sap
As the victim's brain grows starved for oxygen, the victim sinks into a euphoric haze. If a bloodroot is slain (but not completey destroyed), its blood-thinning sap can be drained to create a dose of the namesake poison... This poison is never quite as potent as it is "on the vine," but it is said to be mildly addictive.
Statblocks
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Bloodroot CR: 1
STR
14 +2
DEX
10 +0
CON
13 +1
INT
1 -5
WIS
10 +0
CHA
8 -1
False Appearance. While the bloodroot remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from normal roots. It takes a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice it before it attacks. Alternatively, the check can be made using Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Survival), or any check made with the dwarven feature Stonecunning.
Bloodroot Sap. The bloodroot's sap can be harvested after it is killed. This requires an DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check to retrieve one vial per slain bloodroot. This check is made at disadvantage if the bloodroot was slain with fire damage.
Ground Cover. The bloodroot can occupy another creature's space & vice versa.
Actions
Multiattack. The bloodroot makes two attacks, only one of which can be a gore attack.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 5' reach, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the bloodroot can grapple the target (escape DC 14). The bloodroot can not grapple another creature until it ends its grapple on the original target, which it can do so as a free action.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 5' reach, one willing creature, or one creature that is grappled by the bloodroot, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. The target must pass a DC 13 Constitution save. On a failure, the target takes 8 (2d8) necrotic damage and is poisoned for 10 minutes. On a success. the target takes only 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. The bloodroot regains HP equal to the amount of necrotic damage done to the target whether it fails or succeeds on the save.
Suggested Environments
Any Subterranean; Forest, Hill, Underdark, Urban
Bloodroot Sap (Vial)
Poison
Common
You can use the bloodroot sap to coat one slashing or piercing weapon, or up to three pieces of ammunition. Applying the poison takes an action. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 12 Constitution save. On a failure, the target takes 8 (2d8) necrotic damage & is poisoned for 10 minutes. On a success. the target takes only 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.The sap is a muddy crimson color with a milky consistency.
Cost: 100 gp
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e), p 113, 115
Dungeon Master's Guide (3.5e), p 80
Bloodrose
A predatory perversion of a beautiful flower, the blood rose feeds on the blood of its victims. It lures creatures near by appearing to be a lovely white rose bush. The bloodrose then lashes out with its sharp thorns, tearing into unprotected flesh & spilling blood into the soil where its roots wait to bring the plant nourishment. As the plant feeds, traces of crimson appear in the snow-white pedals, gradually turning the flowers crimson.
Legend has it that the bloodrose was created by a powerful druid mage as a weapon of vengeance against a lover who cast him aside. The truth of this tale, if indeed there is any, is lost in the Mists. The same holds true of the rumors that when harvested as pure white blooms, the flower has the ability to ward off vampires.
Combat
The bloodrose looks much like a normal rosebush. Unwary creatures will not recognize their peril until the plant attacks. The bloodrose grows in patches of several bushes. Each bush in the patch occupies its own 5' by 5' square. When the attack begins, each bush in the patch makes one lash attack at any creature within its reach. A bloodrose continues to attack until its prey is slain or moves beyond its reach.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Bloodrose CR: 1/8
STR
10 +0
DEX
10 +0
CON
10 +0
INT
1 -5
WIS
15 +2
CHA
10 +0
Bloodrose Blooms. The bloodrose's blooms can be harvested as a vampire deterent. To successfully harvest one of the blooms from the living bush, a creature must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity check. The color of the bloom determines the effect the flower has on vampires:
- If a creature that can bleed has died within 5' of the bloodrose in the past week, the roses will be a shade of crimson. A creature holding a crimson bloodrose will attract the attention of vampires & similar undead, targeting that creature when the option is available.
- If no creatures that can bleed have died within 5' of the bloodrose in the past week, the roses will be white. A creature holding a white bloodrose will repel the attention of vampires and similar undead, avoiding that creature when the option is available.
False Appearance. While the bloodrose remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from normal rosebushes. It takes a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice it before it attacks. Alternatively, the check can be made using Intelligence (Nature), or Wisdom (Survival) check.
Salt Vulnerability. The bloodrose suffers 5 (1d10) necrotic damage if doused with a gallon of salt water. If a creature hit by the bloodrose is coated in salt, the bloodrose will recoil & will avoid attacking that creature again.
Actions
Thorny Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, 5' reach, one creature. Hit: 3 (1d6) slashing damage.
Bonus Actions
Thorny Embrace. The bloodrose uses its vines & branches to grapple all creatures in a 5' radius centered on the bloodrose. Each creature in the radius must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling vines. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.
The terrain within the radius is considered difficult terrain.
Suggested Environments
Temparate Climates; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Urban
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, p 113, 115-116
Bodytaker Plant
Whether hailing from the stars or sprouting from hidden depths, the malicious vegetation known as bodytaker plants seek to become the dominant form of life wherever they appear. These invasive organisms subvert whole societies by consuming individuals and replacing them with duplicates called podlings. Bodytaker plants view themselves as perfect organisms and seek to dominate the lands where they grow. To their minds, a world would be healthier and more efficient were they in control. Anyone who disagrees either lacks perspective or is fit to serve only as fertilizer.
A bodytaker plant roots deep, spreading near-invisible filaments through the soil. Should any of these fibers survive the plant's destruction, the bodytaker plant regrows after a matter of months. Salting or poisoning the soil where it grew destroys these filaments and prevents the plant from reappearing.
Doppelganger Plant
In Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e), an earlier version of the bodytaker plant is present under the name of the doppelganer plant. This is the lore from that previous edition.
Sightings of a falling star often presage the appearance of a doppelganger plant in the region. Sages have yet to discover the connection between these events, however. A doppelganger plant resembles nothing more than a thick tangle of vines & leaves. Upon closer examination, numerous large pods (each growing anywhere between 4'-8' long) sprout up from the vines... Although the plant cannot move, it slowly grows to cover a large area.
Doppelganger plants draw sustenance from the life energy of humanoids. As it extends it alien intelligence over the surrounding countryside, it enslaves humanoid minds, then controls its "podling" slaves even as it consumes them, using them to protect it & procure more food. A doppelganger plant is a monstrosly clever schemer, & will often sacrifice one podling to remove suspicion from another.
A doppelganger plant is in continuous telepathic communication with all the podlings it creates. This is the only way a doppelganger can communicate or sense its surroundings. The plant & all of its podlings know all languages spoken by any of its podlings.
Combat
The doppelganger plant has no physical way to defend itself. When a group of characters walk into its area, the creature attempts to use its dominate spells to take control of the character... If successful, the creatures quitely lures the character into one of the pods, which acts as the spell trap soul. Once in the pod, the character's body is physically eaten at the rate of 1 HP per round. When the character has died, the pod opens up & ejects an exact duplicate of the character, with the character's memories. The doppelganger acts exactly like the character & rejoins the party as if nothing happened. The doppelganger plant can use its dominate spells through the character clone to lure more party members into pods for duplication.
Podlings
Bodytaker plants either capture unsuspecting victims with their vines or accept captives brought to them by their podling servants. In either case, they drag creatures into their central pod, where potent chemicals render the captive comatose. Over the course of hours, the creature is dissolved and its body repurposed into a podling duplicate.
Podlings are near-perfect mimics of the creatures they replace. Despite having the knowledge of those they mimic, podlings frequently miss the nuances of interactions between sapient beings. These duplicates make excuses about their odd behavior, but those familiar with an individual replaced by a podling can often tell something's amiss. Roll on the Podling Behavior table to see what unusual habits a podling might demonstrate.
Podling Behavior
| d6 | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 1 | The podling abandons the habits and hobbies of the creature it's mimicking. |
| 2 | The podling lavishes affection on plants and views houseplants with excessive sympathy. |
| 3 | The podling relishes exposing its skin to the sun. It resents clothing and hair. |
| 4 | The podling often reacts as if some unseen force is speaking to it, staring into the distance or nodding. |
| 5 | The podling often communicates to other podlings using Deep Speech. |
| 6 | The podling no longer understands the nuances of a relationship, system, or instrument. |
Statblocks
Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (5e)
Bodytaker Plant CR: 7
STR
18 +4
DEX
8 -1
CON
20 +5
INT
14 +2
WIS
14 +2
CHA
18 +4
Podling Link. The plant can see through and communicate telepathically with any of its podlings within 10 miles of it.
Rejuvenation. When the plant dies, it returns to life in the place where it died 1d12 months later, unless the ground where it took root is sown with salt or soaked with poison.
Unusual Nature. The plant doesn't require sleep.
Actions
Multiattack. The plant makes three Vine Lash attacks.
Vine Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained. The plant has four vines, each of which can grapple one target.
Entrapping Pod. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature grappled by the plant. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) acid damage, and the target is pulled into the plant's space and enveloped by the pod, and the grapple ends. While enveloped, the target is restrained, and it has total cover against attacks and effects originating outside the pod. The enveloped target must also immediately succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned by the plant's sapping enzymes until it is removed from the pod or the plant dies. The enveloped target doesn't require air and gains 1 level of exhaustion for each hour it spends in the pod. If the target dies while enveloped, it immediately emerges from the pod as a living podling, wearing or carrying all of the original creature's equipment.
As an action, a creature within 5 feet of the bodytaker plant that is outside the pod can open the pod and pull the target free with a successful DC 15 Strength check. If the plant dies, the target is no longer restrained and can escape from the pod by spending 10 feet of movement, exiting prone. The plant has one pod, which can envelop one creature at a time.
Suggested Environments
Forest, Swamp, Underdark
Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (5e)
Podling CR: 1/2
STR
15 +2
DEX
11 +0
CON
14 +2
INT
10 +0
WIS
10 +0
CHA
10 +0
Semblance of Life. The podling is a physical copy of a creature digested by a bodytaker plant. The podling has the digested creature's memories and behaves like that creature, but with occasional lapses. An observer familiar with the digested creature can recognize the discrepancies with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check, or automatically if the podling does something in direct contradiction to the digested creature's established beliefs or behavior. The podling melts into a slurry when it dies, when the bodytaker plant that created it dies, or when the bodytaker plant dismisses it (no action required).
Unusual Nature. The podling doesn't require sleep.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Suggested Environments
Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e), p 118-119
Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (5e), p 226-227
Crawling Ivy
Like many monstrous plants, crawling ivy turns the tables on nature, feeding on the blood & bodily fluids of animals. Its leaves appear to be a dark, glossy green like normal ivy, but close examination reveals that pale magenta veining. The underside of each leaf is covered in tiny pores. Crawling ivy is semi-intelligent & can sometimes be trained to serve a master. It acts as a guardian in exchange for regular feeding.
Combat
Crawling ivy is a patient predator & often waits for its victims to come as close as possible before it launches its attack.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Crawling Ivy CR: 3
STR
10 +0
DEX
6 -2
CON
10 +0
INT
4 -3
WIS
15 +2
CHA
8 -1
False Appearance. While the crawling ivy remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from normal ivy. It takes a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice it before it attacks. Alternatively, the check can be made using Intelligence (Nature), or Wisdom (Survival).
Flowers & Berries. Crawling ivy produces clusters of tiny yellow flowers. The nectar of these flowers aids blood clotting. By pressing a flower against a creature's wounds, it can be used to automatically stablize a dying creature or otherwise stop bleeding. The flowers can also be used to make potions of healing. These flowers quickly form into clusters of bitter berries that can be planted to start a new ivy.
- The flowers & berries can be harvested after it is killed. This requires an DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check to retrieve 9 (2d8) flowers or berries. It is up to the DM's discretion as to whether berries or flowers are available.
Ground Cover. The crawling ivy can occupy another creature's space & vice versa.
Actions
Crawling Embrace. The crawling ivy uses its vines to grapple all creatures in a 15' radius centered on the crawling ivy. Each creature in the radius must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling vines. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check again. On a success, it frees itself.
The terrain within the radius is considered difficult terrain.
Bonus Actions
Blood Drain. All creatures grappled by the crawling ivy at the start of the ivy's turn take 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage, & the ivy regains hit points equal to that amount.
Suggested Environments
Any Temperate or Warm Climate; Forest, Grassland, Hills, Swamp, Urban
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, p 113, 116-117
Death's Head & Death's Head Tree
The death's head tree & its fruit were updated for Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (5e). For more information, see Death's Head article for more details.
Dread Treant
Dread treants are treants that have absorbed the corruption of the Realm of Dread from its very soil. Any treant in Ravenloft is ultimately doomed to turn evil, as if subject of an Awaken spell (see "Spells in Ravenloft" setting book). Although their statistics & abilities are unchanged from the Monster Manual, dread treants develop a taste for humanoid flesh. If provoked, they delight in wreaking their vengeance, destroying their foes in an orgy of destruction & torture. Dread treants prefer to eat their prey while it is still alive.
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, p 122
Monster Manual, 5e, p 289
Fearweed
This bizarre mutant is almost indistinguishable from harmless milkweed, marked only its unusually extensive & spongy root structure. However, the plant's innocent facade shield a terrifying surprise for the unwary. Creatures exposed to fearweed pollen suffer nightmarish hallucinations. When these terrified creatures lash out at each other, the weed's roots absorb their spilt.
Combat
When fearweed detects the proximity of living creatures, it releases a cloud of odorless, colorless gas containing its nearly microscopic pollen.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Fearweed CR: 1
STR
5 -3
DEX
1 -5
CON
16 +3
INT
1 -5
WIS
9 -1
CHA
2 -4
False Appearance. Fearweed is indistinguishable from common milkweed. It takes a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice it. Alternatively, the check can be made using Intelligence (Nature), or Wisdom (Survival) check.
Actions
Fear Pollen (1/Day). The fearweed dispenses a cloud of pollen in a 20' radius sphere centered on the fearweed. Any creature that is breathing within that radius at the beginning of its turn must succeed a DC 13 Constitution save or suffer vivid hallucinations. The cloud of pollen remains in the air for 1 minute or until blown away by a strong wind.
On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened. At the start of each of the creature's turns before the spell ends, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or spend its turn to make an attack on the nearest creature. On a successful save, the effects of the fear pollen ends.
Suggested Environments
Any Climate or Terrain
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, p 114, 119-120
Lashweed
Lashweeds are comprised of thick, veiny stems that coil around a central black stalk, from wich oozes the digested blood of its victims. The leaves are dark green with serrated edges stained dark crimson. The plant moves on a mass of wiggling fibers that allow it to move through any vegetation as it runs down its blinded prey.
Lashweeds gather in patches of 5-20 plants. The patch tries to spread itself out as far as possible, forming a rough circle with 20 to 30 feet separating each plant. They sometimes straddle a trail through woods or forest, lying in wait for passing victims.
The Vistani claim that lashweeds were first created from a band of druids who were defeated by a powerful necromancer & staked out in a field to die. As they slowly died, the druids chanted in unison, cursing the necromancer for their fate. The Dark Powers sensed their pain & anguish, & the first lashweeds grew from their corpses to seek revenge.
Lashweeds emit a drum-like pounding to locate prey. Some sages believe that lashweeds can alter this pitch & rate of their drummings as a form of communication, but no observers have ever survived long enough to prove this theory.
Combat
Lashweeds spend much of their time standing motionless, waiting for prey. When a lashweed senses the vibrations of a passing creature, it emits a loud thrumming noise & shambles forward to attack. Other lashweeds that detect this thrumming will also creep forward to investigate. Lashweeds always launch an attack by spraying poison to blind their prey, then close in for the kill, lashing out with their long, barbed tendrils.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Lashweed CR: 2
STR
18 +4
DEX
12 +1
CON
16 +3
INT
4 -3
WIS
14 +2
CHA
12 +1
Echolocation. The lashweed can make a rhythmic thumping noise as a free action. While doing this, the lashweed's tremorsense increases to a 60' radius, but is blind beyond this radius. The lashweed also has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while using this feature.
Woodland Stride. If terrain is considered rough terrain due to thorns, briars, overgrown areas, or similar foliage, the lashweed does not suffer a speed penalty.
Actions
Multiattack. The lashweed can make four vine whip attacks.
Vine Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 10' reach, one creature. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage.
Entangle (3/Day). The lashweed uses its vines to grapple all creatures in a 15' radius centered on the lashweed. Each creature in the radius must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling vines. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make the Strength check again. On a success, it frees itself.
The terrain within the radius is considered difficult terrain.
Spray Poison (Recharges 5-6). The lashweed releases a black spray of airborne poison in a 10' cone. All creatures within the cone must pass a DC 15 Constitution save or be blinded for 2 (1d4) days. The condition can be healed using magic such as a casting of the Lesser Restoration spell, a paladin's Lay on Hands feature, or similar magic.
Suggested Environments
Temperate or Warm Climates; forest, grasslands, hills, swamp
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, p 114, 120-121
Quickwood
Quickwoods, also known as spy trees, resemble oak trees at first glance. Closer examination reveals depressions in the tree's trunk that resemble a distorted human face. In combat, this face opens to reveal a jagged maw. Peaceful unless provoked, quickwoods can be persuaded by powerful creatures to become border guardians or forest spies.
Quickwoods are usually found in groves with normal oak trees. Some sages believe that quickwoods are created by powerful spellcasters who plant mandragora roots in a powerful rite; others hold that quickwoods are a natural race that simply straddles the boundary between animal & plant.
Quickwoods speak Sylvan. Their masters may teach them other languages as well. When in distress, they can emit a hollow drumming sound that can carry for a mile or more.
Combat
Quickwoods sustain themselves on sunlight & soil nutrients, like normal plants. They usually attack only when directed to by a master or when attacked. A quickwood can move its trunk only with great difficulty, so it attacks by extending its roots to attack.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Quickwood CR: 10
STR
23 +6
DEX
7 -2
CON
20 +5
INT
12 +1
WIS
14 +2
CHA
12 +1
Channel Fear. If the quickwood is directly targeted with any spell by a creature within 45' of the quickwood, the creature targeting it must make on a DC 15 Wisdom save. On a failure, the spell is absorbed by the quickwood with no effect. It then produces a 45' radius aura of fear that all creatures in the radius must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom save or become frightened of the quickwood until the end of the creature's next turn.
Drums of the Dark Woods. The quickwood can communicate with other quickwoods by emitting a hollow drumming sound that can be heard upto two miles. Other creatures can learn the different meanings of the drums, but only the general idea.
False Appearance. The quickwood is indistinguishable from mundane oaks. It takes a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice it before it attacks. Alternatively, the check can be made using Intelligence (Nature), or Wisdom (Survival) check.
Actions
Multiattack. The quickwood can make up to 3 melee weapon attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, 5' reach, one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing & 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, 5' reach, one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Animate Trees (1/Day). The quickwood magically animates one or two trees it can see within 180' of it. These trees have the same statistics as a quickwood, except they have Intelligence & Charisma scores of 1, they can't speak, and they have only the Slam action option. An animated tree acts as an ally of the quickwood. The tree remains animate for 1 day or until it dies; until the quickwood dies or is more than 180' from the tree; or until the quickwood takes a bonus action to turn it back into an inanimate tree. The tree then takes root if possible.
The quickwood can see through all of the trees that it animates.
Bonus Actions
Root Grapple (Recharge 6). The quickwood's roots attempt to grapple all hostile creatures in a 90' radius centered on the quickwood. All targets within that radius must succeed on a grapple check (DC 20) or be grappled by the quickwood. On the quickwood's next turn, all creatures that are still grappled by it must pass a DC 20 Strength save or be pulled 30' towards the quickwood. The quickwood can repeat this on each of its turns until the grappled creature is within 5' of the quickwood.
A grappled creature can use its action to repeat the saving throw on its turn. A grappled creature can also be freed by destroying the root that is grappling them (AC 15, 9 hit points).
Constrict. A creature grappled by the quickwood at the start of the quickwood's turn must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution save or take 9 (1d6 + 6) of bludgeoning damage. On a success, the creature takes half damage.
Suggested Environments
Any Climate; Forest
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, p 114, 121-122
Undead Treant
Thoroughly corrupted by evil in life, many dread treants assumed a vampiric existence in death. Undead treants gain sustenance from the blood of living creatures. They prefer innocent victims & love to terrorize & torture travelers in their territory. Like their living kin, undead treants appear to be normal trees, though their branches never bear leaves. Their blackened bark is thick & dry, & their trunks & branches are gnarled & twisted. These creatures often rule a grove of evil treants.
Combat
Undead treants retain most of the abilities they possessed before death, but can no longer animate trees. Like living treants, undead treants can easily smash their way through most foes. If they need to feed, however, they snatch up living creatures to drain their blood.
Statblock
Homebrew, Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness (3.5e)
Undead Treant CR: 11
STR
29 +9
DEX
6 -2
CON
21 +5
INT
12 +1
WIS
15 +2
CHA
12 +1
Blood Drain. Once per turn after hitting a creature with a melee weapon attack, the treant's branches & roots can consume some of the target's blood. The creature takes an additional 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, & the treant regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
False Appearance. While the treant remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.
Siege Monster. The treant deals double damage to objects and structures.
Trample. If the treant moves at least 30' in a straight line, any creatures or objects in its path must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 12 (1d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage. On a success, the creature takes only half damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The treant makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 31 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage.
Suggested Environments
Forest
Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness, 3.5e, 122-123
Contents
- Bloodroot
- Bloodroot Sap
- Bloodrose
- Bodytaker Plant (Doppelganger Plant)
- Podling
- Crawling Ivy
- Death's Head & Death's Head Tree
- Dread Treant
- Fearweed
- Lashweed
- Quickwood
- Undead Treant
Domain of Dread Affiliations
Borca - The darklord Ivana Boritsi maintains a massive greenhouse on her estate for alchemical research. Among the variety of fungi & flora are several specimens of dread plants she uses for experiments & security.
Souragne - This domain has a massive population of quickwoods that are fiercely territorial of the bayou. Their drumming can be heard growing louder the deeper intruders venture into the swamp.
Valachan - A tropical rainforest domain that actively hungers for blood is a perfect habitat for a variety of dread plants.
Dark Powers Association
- The Uncanny Fool. The bodytaker plant's appetite for humanoids & ability to replace its victims with podling duplicates feeds into the fear of family & friends being replaced with manipulative monsters.
- The Twisted Priest. Most dread plants are disguised as mundane flora, which could cause victims to question the reality of their environment. There are also the handful of dread plants that have psychoacitve effects, such as fearweed.
- The Relentless Archer. The idea of carnivorous flora ambushing or actively hunting humanoid prey helps to fuel this entity's power.
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