Traits (plant)

Affinity (Ex) A pokemon who has access to a sorcerer bloodline gains access traits it's bloodline as two levels higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Pokemon who have access to a cleric domain can use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. At a GM's approval, this evolution can apply to other class-based traits that are selected by the player at level 1 and cannot be changed, like witch patrons or shaman spirits. Traits which manipulate plantlife are appropriate for this species.

Algal Bloom (Ex) Once every 2d4 rounds as a standard action while underwater, a blood algae swarm can release a cloud of red pigment in a 10-foot radius centered on the swarm. In this area, the water turns blood red and becomes opaque, blocking vision as obscuring mist. The pigment persists for 3 rounds before dispersing. The pigment colors the skin and clothes of any creature within the area a blood-red color for 1d4 hours, at which time the pigment fades. Scrubbing for several minutes with strong alcohol also removes the pigment.

Barrage (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, the creature can release a storm of rock in a 30-foot-radius spread. Those within range take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 2 Hit Dice the earth-infused creature possesses. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Bountiful Fruits (Ex) Once per week, this plant produces a handful of small fruits or berries that remain ripe for 1 week. Eating all of the fruit takes 1 minute and affects the eater as if she had consumed a berry affected by goodberry.

Burst of Leaves (Sp) As a standard action, the autumn death can unleash an assault of leaves upon its foes. The autumn death points its bony finger to any point it can clearly see within long range and the leaves burst out extending in a 20 ft. radius. All creatures within the burst radius sustain 9d4 points of force damage (Reflex save for half damage). The damage is based on the number of HD the autumn death posses (maximum 10d4).

Calming Fragrance (Ex)  The creature’s smell causes unusual effects on nearby creatures. Any living creature that approaches within 60 feet or begins its turn in that area must make a Will saving throw or at the start of its turn to avoid falling under the effects of calm emotions (DC = 10 + 1/2 the creature’s HD + its Con modifier) for 1 round. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same creature’s calming effect for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from the creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. This is a mind-affecting and poison effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Chlorophyll (Ex) In sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell, each of the creature’s speeds increases by +10 feet, and the creature gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, checks, and saves.

Devour (Ex) While a creature is under the effects of a xtabay’s soporific pollen, the plant may, as a full-round action, occupy the same square as the sleeping creature and slowly sap the life from it. Every round the xtabay uses this ability, the affected creature must make a DC 14 Fortitude save or take 1d2 Con damage. This feeding is curiously painless, and normally isn’t enough to waken a foe put to sleep by the plant. Each round this feeding continues, the sleeping victim can attempt a new DC 14 Will save to awaken. This save DC is Constitution-based.

• Soporific Pollen (Ex) As a standard action, a xtabay can release sleep-inducing pollen into the air around it. Each creature within a 10-ft.-radius burst centered on the xtabay must make a DC 14 Will save or fall asleep for 1d3 minutes. A creature that succeeds on the Fortitude save cannot be affected by the same xtabay’s soporific pollen for 24 hours. A creature put to sleep by this pollen can be awakened by vigorously shaking the sleeper (a standard action ) or by damaging it. This is a mind-affecting sleep effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Dream Pollen (Ex) This creature can expel pollen in a 15-foot cone. All creatures within the cone (as well as those who take damage from seed spray) must succeed at aWill save or fall asleep for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Encage (Ex) When a tarantula tree uses its freeze ability, it appears as a grove of trees with a tangled, shared canopy. Since the tarantula tree is Colossal, Large or smaller creatures can move through its space with ease, and the tarantula tree can move through a square occupied by a Large or smaller creature with ease. The tarantula tree never provokes attacks of opportunity from Large or smaller creatures as a result of such movement. As a swift action, a tarantula tree can extend thick, thorny branches from the sides of its trunk-like legs, forming a cage of sorts that functions as a wall of thorns (CL 17th) for the purposes of creatures attempting to move into or out of the tarantula tree’s space. While using its encage ability, a tarantula tree cannot move, but gains a +4 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against creatures in its space. It can retract these vines and resume its normal mobility as a move action.

Energy Bite or Energy Claw (Su) Choose a damage type. The pokemon’s natural attack damage deals 1d6 extra points of damage.

Energy Explosion: Choose a damage type. Once per day as a standard action, the monster can create a 20-foot-radius burst within 60 feet. This deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 + the monster’s HD of the chosen type to all creatures in the burst. A successful Reflex save halves the damage.

Energy Infusion: Choose a damage type. Each time the monster uses a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability that deals energy damage, it can choose to change the energy damage type dealt by that ability to the chosen type instead.

Fronds (Ex) Strangle weed attacks with fronds that can extend up to 20 feet from its central mass. Each strangle weed has 3-12 fronds. A strangle weed attacks with these fronds as a slam attack; although it can make only one attack per round, if it grapples a foe it is not denied its Dexterity bonus against non-grappled foes and can still make attacks of opportunity if it has any free fronds. Once a foe is grappled, the strangle weed can attempt to latch on 1-4 additional fronds each round as a standard action by means of a separate grapple check. Additional fronds attached to a foe do not do increased damage, but they do add a cumulative +2 bonus to the strangle weed’s CMB on subsequent grapple checks against that foe. To free itself, the foe must succeed on a grapple check against every frond grappling it.

Fruit Bombs (Ex) No matter what kind of tree a copsewight was before it died, the unliving plant now bears poisonous fruit, which grows continually and is rotten from the moment it forms on the branches. The tree can fling a fruit at an enemy as a ranged touch attack with a 20-foot range increment. The fruit splatters on impact, dealing 1d6 points of damage and exposing the target to the fruit’s poison. A creature that consumes a fruit or its juice is automatically exposed to 2 doses of the poison (see below).

Gloom (Su) A lovelorn’s presence causes unnatural, thorny vines to grow. After 5 days, an area claimed by a lovelorn grows cold, dark, and stale. This acts as a constant mirage arcana (DC 18) with a caster level equal to the lovelorn’s Hit Dice.

Lovelorns typically use this ability to conceal entrances to their lairs, but also to make their domains appear depressing and grim. A lovelorn can maintain only one gloom at a time, and while within an area of gloom, the lovelorn’s spell-like ability save DCs increase by 1.

Greensight (Su) The creature can see through thick plant matter as though it were transparent, usually with a range of 60 feet. Leaves, vines, greenery, and undergrowth offer no concealment to the creature’s sight, though solid wood still blocks its line of sight.

Grounding Curse (Su) Any living creature that takes damage from this creature's natural attack must make a Fortitude save or have hundreds of tiny seed pods injected into its body. These seeds grow rapidly; they explode through the victim’s skin on its next turn, dealing 1d6 points of damage and entangling it as runners and vines grow from its flesh and root themselves in the ground. The victim cannot move unless it makes a DC 10 Strength check to tear the plants from the ground, but doing so also deals 1d4 points of damage to the victim. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. Remove curse, blight, diminish plants, and similar spells instantly end this effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Grow Fruit (Ex) This plant can drastically speed up its fruiting process, producing an edible fruit without spines over the course of 1 minute. This fruit functions as though affected by goodberry and also provides the benefits of endure elements. Producing a fruit with these abilities is draining for the plant; as a result, it takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage.

Feed (Ex) The creature's roots can feed on a helpless or willing target. At the end of an hour of feeding, the victim takes 1d6 points of both Constitution and Intelligence drain, and the creature heals 3d6 points of damage.

Healing Sap (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds, the plant can cover a wound on a living creature with sap from its body. The sap cures 2d8 points of damage. When the plant uses this ability, it loses its fast healing ability until it can use this ability again. Healing from this ability does not deal damage to undead creatures.

Improved Woodland Stride (Ex) A sump steward can move through any sort of bog or undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at its normal speed without taking damage or suffering other impairments. It can also move without harm or impediment through bogs, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion.

Lesser Breath Weapon (Su) Choose a damage type. The pokemon gains a breath weapon that fires a tiny glob of energy, inflicting 1d6 points of damage on a single target within 30 feet after making a successful touch attack. This power may be used at will, but must wait 1d4 rounds between uses. At fourth level, and every three levels thereafter, the lesser breath weapon increases its damage by +1.

• Breath Weapon (Su) Choose a damage type. This pokemon breathes a stream of energy which does 1d6 damage for every 2 levels (minimum 1). This breath weapon has a range of either 60 ft or a 10ft cone, and requires a reflex save to halve the damage. The pokemon can use this ability twice per day (although it must wait 1d4 rounds between uses). Breath weapon does not replace lesser breath weapon.

Petal Spikes (Ex) This plant's petals are razor sharp, and as a standard action, the plant can launch up to four petals as a ranged attack (with a separate attack roll for each petal). This attack has a range of 180 feet with no range increment; the range is halved underwater. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other. The plant can launch only 16 spikes in any 24-hour period.

Photosynthesis (Ex) If the plant remains in the direct sunlight for at least 4 hours, it does not need to eat that day.

Plantsense (Ex) A widow creeper can automatically pinpoint the location of anything within 120 feet that is in contact with vegetation.

Plantspeech (Ex) Plant types can speak with regular plants as if subject to a continual speak with plants spell.

Pumpkin Form (Su) This plant can shrink in size, allowing it to blend in almost perfectly with normal pumpkins and take 20 on its Stealth checks to hide in plain sight as a normal pumpkin. While using this ability, the creature loses its fear aura. The creature can use this ability as a full-round action and end it as a free action.

Seal Wound (Ex) A suture vine instinctively latches on to a creature that suffers from bleed damage or is at less than half its normal hit point total. When it attempts to seal wounds in this way, it must make a normal vine attack but gains attach as per the universal monster rule. If it successfully attaches to the target (dealing damage as normal), any bleed damage currently suffered by the target immediately ends. The suture vine remains attached for 24 hours, gaining nutrients from sipping at the victim’s blood but never enough to cause any further damage. The vine drops off automatically once a target has no hit point damage or 24 hours have passed, whichever comes first. A suture vine can seal wounds in this manner only once per day.

Seed Spray (Ex) Three times per day, this plant can spray seeds in a 15-foot cone as a standard action. The spray deals 1d4 points of piercing damage to all targets in its area of effect. A successful Reflex saving throw halves the damage from this attack. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Seedpods (Ex) This creature sprouts explosive acorns, pine cones, or other seedpods, and can hurl these as ranged attacks. A seedpod has a range increment of 10 feet and detonates on contact to deal 1 point of bludgeoning damage (this damage is not modified by Strength). Anyone struck by a seedpod must succeed at a Fortitude save or be deafened for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) Upon taking this trait, the creature gains access to a number of spell-like abilities according to it's hit die bracket. It gains access to one spell from the following list according to its hit die bracket, which become usable once per day. If the creature has more than 4 hit die and knows at least one spell from the HD bracket one step lower, those spells will be usable three times per day. If it is higher than 9 hit die, the spells that it knows from the the HD bracket two steps below its own become usable at will. This ability can be taken multiple times to learn new spell abilities from any hit die bracket it has access to.

Spores (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds, as a standard action, the creature can release a choking cloud of spores in a 15-foot-radius. This cloud functions as an inhaled poison. Any breathing creature in the cloud must succeed at a Fortitude save or inhale the spores. A creature that remains in the area of the spore cloud must continue to attempt Fortitude saves against its effects. Multiple spore clouds from multiple creatures require multiple saves from any creature in an area where the clouds overlap. Chose one effect. This ability can be taken multiple times to gain additional effects.

• Paralyzing Spores: These spores, when inhaled, make the body go numb and give the afflicted the Paralyzed condition for 1d6 rounds. Cure 1 save.
  
• Poison Spores: Poison—inhaled; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the creature’s racial Hit Dice + the creature’s Con modifier; frequency 1/round for 1d6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con damage and fatigued for 1 minute; cure 2 saves
  
• Sleep Spores: 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.

Spores (Ex) As a standard action, a tsaalgrend can release a cloud of toxic spores in a 10-foot-radius spread. Each living creature within this area must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or become paralyzed with fear as it vividly hallucinates for 1d4 rounds. A creature that successfully saves against this effect is immune to the same tsaalgrend’s spores for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear and paralysis effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Storm of Leaves (Su) As a standard action, the autumn death can surround itself with a violent storm of whipping leaves that extends out in a 30 ft. radius. The leaves slice any living enemies within the area, dealing 4 points of damage every round (half of the autumn death’s hit dice). This damage cannot be stopped by armor but can be prevented with hardness, damage reduction or similar effects. Additionally, the leaves provide concealment (25% miss chance) for the autumn death. The autumn death can use this ability for 13 rounds per day. Once activated, the autumn death can keep this ability active as a free action. The duration of the storm of leaves is equal to the number of HD the autumn death possesses plus its Cha modifier.

Take Root (Ex) The creature can embed its roots in soil as a full-round action or uproot itself as a standard action. While the plant is rooted, it cannot move, but gains a +8 circumstance bonus to CMD against bull rush and other combat maneuvers that attempt to shift its location while it has taken root.

Thorn Cluster (Ex) A thorny can shoot a cluster of thorns from its back as a ranged attack against any target within 30 feet. If the attack hits, the target is struck by 1d3 poisoned thorns, each dealing 1d3 points of piercing damage. Each thorn applies a single dose of the thorny’s poison. A successful critical hit on this attack instead means the target has been struck by four poisoned thorns. A thorny can use this ability every 1d3 rounds.

Thorns (Ex) The plant bush can loose a cluster of needlesharp thorns at a single target within 20 feet as a standard action. An opponent hit by the thorns takes 1d8 points of piercing damage. Further, the target takes a –1 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks until the thorns are removed (full-round action to remove the thorns).

Treespeech (Ex) A treant has the ability to converse with plants as if subject to a continual speak with plants spell, and most plants greet them with an attitude of friendly or helpful.

Uproot (Ex) As a full-round action, the plant can thrust its vines into the soil and attack up to four creatures around it in a 10-foot radius. Creatures in this area take 1d8+5 points of damage (Reflex half). In addition, the plant can attempt to trip any creatures that fail their Reflex saves as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Verdant Healing (Ex) The creature regains 1 hit point for each full round that it remains in contact with a terrain full of rich plantlife. When struck by a magical effect utalizing plant life, the creature heals 1 point of damage per 10 points of damage that the effect would otherwise deal.

Vines (Ex) This plant's vines are primary natural weapons that deal bludgeoning damage and have a reach of 10 feet.

Upon taking this trait, the creature gains access to a number of spell-like abilities according to it's hit die bracket. It gains access to one spell from the following list according to its hit die bracket, which become usable once per day. If the creature has more than 4 hit die and knows at least one spell from the HD bracket one step lower, those spells will be usable three times per day. If it is higher than 9 hit die, the spells that it knows from the the HD bracket two steps below its own become usable at will. This ability can be taken multiple times to learn new spell abilities from any hit die bracket it has access to.

A fungal creature is an animate plant with the appearance of a living creature. It grows from spores implanted in the dead body of a host creature, and takes on the host creature’s basic form and many of that creature’s abilities. It retains none of the memories of the creature it grew from, yet it instinctively knows how to use the abilities it inherited from its host. How exactly this is possible is a question that continues to befuddle scholars. The leading theory is that the spores’ precise modeling of their host succeeds in capturing some of the creature’s physiology—essentially copying its mind—but that for some reason the departure of the creature’s spirit or soul upon death prevents the spores from copying the memories as well.

Fungal creatures are often content to sit in quiet contemplation, absorbing the nutrients they require from the life-giving earth. But when faced with living creatures, the overwhelming biological need to reproduce takes over, and the fungal creatures try to seed their spores into new hosts to spawn the next generation of fungal creatures.

Fungal creatures have the general appearance of the base creatures from which they spawned, but their skin is pale fungus rather than flesh and blood. Mushroom caps and shelf fungi sprout from a fungal creature’s body, along with fungal gills to deliver the fungal creature’s spores. As with many types of fungi, a fungal creature’s flesh is poisonous, and any creature that ingests any part of a fungal creature’s body risks infection by its spores (as described in the create spawn ability and fungal spores poison).

Creating a Fungal Creature

“Fungal creature” is an inherited template that can be added to any corporeal, living creature susceptible to Constitution damage (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A fungal creature uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

CR: Same as the base creature +1.

Type: The creature’s type changes to plant (augmented). Do not recalculate base class Hit Dice, BAB, saves, or skill points.

Senses: A fungal creature gains darkvision 60 feet.

Armor Class: The fungal growths that appear on a fungal creature’s body increase the base creature’s natural armor bonus by 2.

Hit Dice: Change all racial Hit Dice to d8s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected.

Defensive Abilities: A fungal creature gains immunity to disease in addition to all of the standard plant traits.

Speed: Each of a fungal creature’s speeds decreases by 10 feet from those of the base creature (minimum 5 feet).

Attacks: A fungal creature retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. If the base creature has no other natural attacks, the fungal creature gains a slam attack that deals damage based on the fungal creature’s size.

Special Attacks: A fungal creature gains the following.

• Create Spawn (Ex) A creature killed by Constitution damage from a fungal creature’s poison spore cloud transforms into a fungal spawn over a period of 24 hours. A plant growth spell halves the transformation time, and a diminish plants spell doubles it. A blight spell destroys the fungal spores and prevents the corpse’s transformation, but spells that remove disease are ineffective against the growing spores. Once a creature fully transforms into a fungal spawn, the corpse from which it grew is destroyed. A fungal spawn gains the fungal creature template, but it loses all class levels and memories of the base creature from which it was spawned. If the base creature has 1 or fewer racial Hit Dice and normally has class levels, use a 1st-level warrior version of it as the base creature. The fungal spawn awakens as a free-willed being that knows all it needs to know (including language) in order to use its abilities and survive. Although it bears no allegiance to the fungal creature that created it, the new fungal creature immediately recognizes other fungal creatures as its own kind.
• Poison Spore Cloud (Ex) Once per day, a fungal creature can release a choking cloud of spores in a 15-foot-radius spread that lingers in the air for 10 rounds. This cloud functions as an inhaled poison. Any breathing creature in the cloud must succeed at a Fortitude save or inhale the spores. A creature that remains in the area of the spore cloud must continue to attempt Fortitude saves against its effects. Multiple spore clouds from multiple fungal creatures require multiple saves from any creature in an area where the clouds overlap.
  • Fungal Spores: Poison—inhaled; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the fungal creature’s racial Hit Dice + the fungal creature’s Con modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con damage and fatigued for 1 minute; cure 2 saves.
• Poisonous Blood (Ex) A fungal creature’s blood and flesh are ingested poisons. Any creature that makes a bite attack against a fungal creature, swallows one whole, or otherwise ingests part of one must succeed at a Fortitude save or be afflicted by the poison. A fungal creature can drain its own blood to procure an ingested poison that functions as described above. However, its blood has a distinctive and largely unwelcome smell and taste, so most intelligent creatures would refuse to eat food tainted with it unless the taste was thoroughly disguised (which requires a successful DC 15 Profession [cook] check). The fungal creature must deal at least 1 point of damage to itself to get a full dose of poison, and the drawn blood (or amputated flesh) retains its poisonous nature for only 24 hours unless additional living fungal blood is mixed into it.
  • Fungal Blood or Flesh: Poison—ingested; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the fungal creature’s racial Hit Dice + the fungal creature’s Con modifier; frequency 1/minute for 6 minutes; effect 1 Str damage, 1 Dex damage, and nauseated for 1 minute; cure 2 saves.

Special Qualities: A fungal creature gains the following.

• Fungal Metabolism (Ex) Fungal creatures breathe, but they do not eat or sleep in the typical manner.
• Rejuvenation (Ex) A fungal creature gains all the sustenance it requires from contact with moist natural earth, but it must rejuvenate itself as often and for as long as humans need sleep. As long as it is in contact with moist natural earth, a resting fungal creature regains hit points as though it were undergoing complete bed rest and long term care (4 hit points per Hit Die for each day of rest). The fungal creature can engage in light activity during rejuvenation, but any strenuous activity (like fighting, running, or casting a spell) prevents it from regaining hit points for that day. Complete bed rest doesn’t increase the amount of healing a fungal creature gains from rejuvenation.

Abilities: Str +4, Dex –2 (minimum 1), Con +4.

Languages: If a fungal creature is able to speak, it gains the ability to speak Sylvan in addition to any other languages the base creature knows.

Life can thrive on death and decay; souls can resist the pull of oblivion with desperate strength. Sometimes, when a creature possessing magical powers dies surrounded with vegetation, its spirit melds with the surrounding mosses, fungi, and lichens and makes them grow into a replica of its original body inhabited by the original soul.

Rebirth as a moss lich is a traumatic experience, often turning the subject’s mind more feral, more primal. This process often strips away any veneer of civilized behavior, leaving bare anger and a keen will to survive in its place. After this transformation, the subject is no longer at risk of aging, remaining locked in a cycle of death and regrowth unless repeatedly destroyed before growing a new seed. Despite this cyclic immortality, a moss lich is not free of change—instead, it becomes more and more feral with each rebirth.

Ancient moss liches ultimately become wild but cunning beings that have no sympathy for culture, civilization and progress. They often devolve emotionally, caring only for their base needs—survival, shelter, and defense of territory they perceive as their own. After a few centuries of existence they often lose all sense of connection to other sapient beings, but they might become protective of denizens of their territory, considering them mobile but ultimately replaceable components of that territory. At the same time, moss liches usually become quite fond of more permanent elements of their territory, such as forests, individual ancient trees, streams, hills, mountains, and other landmarks.

Creating a Moss Lich

“Moss Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that is a spellcaster or possess spell-like abilities (hereafter referred to as the “base creature”). A moss lich retains all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +2.

Type: The base creature’s type changes to plant. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill ranks.

Senses: The moss lich gains low-light vision.

Armor Class: The moss lich’s natural armor increases by +5.

Hit Dice: Change all of the base creature’s racial HD to d8s.

Defensive Abilities: A moss lich gains DR 15/slashing and magic. The moss lich also gains the following:

Rejuvenating Seed (Ex)

A moss lich can spend 1d10 days growing a rejuvenating seed. After death, the moss lich fully regrows from this rejuvenating seed in 1d10 days. A moss lich can have only one mature rejuvenating seed at any one time. A moss lich that is destroyed again before his rejuvenating seed matures is permanently destroyed, but his remains may give birth to one or more lesser plant creatures in 1d10 years.

Verdant Healing (Ex)

A moss lich in contact with moist, fertile soil gains regeneration equal to his HD. This regeneration is stopped by death effects and negative energy damage. An hour spent in contact with moist, fertile soil counts as a single meal and an adequate amount of drink for one day.

Melee: A moss lich gains a slam attack if the base creature didn’t have one. Damage for the slam the moss lich’s seed depends on the moss lich’s size. Its natural attacks are treated as magic weapons.

Special Attacks: A moss lich gains following special attacks:

Entrap (Su)

Any living creature struck with the moss lich’s slam attack is infected with magical spores that immediately grow into a tangle of vines covering the target’s body, acting like the entrap special ability with permanent duration, hardness 5 and two hit points per the moss lich’s HD. The vines can be killed with any effect that kills plants.

Special Qualities: A moss lich gains following abilities.

Aura of Wild Growth (Su)

A moss lich’s presence makes local vegetation more vibrant but more wild as well. Plants within one mile of a moss lich grow twice as fast, but produce half the normal yield of crops due to an abundance of weeds and wild plants spreading through the fields and orchards.

Moss Magic (Su)

A moss lich gains a +1 bonus to caster level checks in areas of thick vegetation. When a spell allows the moss lich to utilize or affect trees, he may also utilize or affect patches of moss occupying at least one square.

Moss Shape (Ex)

At will as a standard action a moss lich can transform itself into a patch of moss his size or meld with an existing patch of moss at least his size at will as if using the tree shape spell.

Verdant Stride (Ex)

A moss lich can pass through natural vegetation of any type without leaving a trace, and he ignores vegetation-based difficult terrain both mundane and magical. A moss lich may selectively ignore any plant-based effects he created.

Abilities: Str +4, Con +4, Wis +4. Transformation into a moss lich renders the subject stronger, tougher and more in tune with his primal side.

Skills: Moss liches have a +8 racial bonus to Perception, Stealth and Survival checks. A moss lich always treats Perception and Stealth as class skills.

Feats: Moss liches gain Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude and Toughness as bonus feats.

The Moss Lich’s Seed

A talented spellcaster with expansive knowledge of arcane lore of the natural world can deliberately become a moss lich by cultivating a patch of moss and fertilizing it with their own blood and magical reagents for at least a year until it grows the moss lich’s first rejuvenating seed. Once the seed matures, the prospective moss lich has to kill itself and, assuming the rituals were properly conducted, be reborn from the seed. A caster that fails to become a moss lich often becomes a ghost with aura of wild growth and the ability to possess and animate nearby plants.

Cultivating a rejuvenating seed’s moss patch requires weekly a sacrifice of blood (causing 2d6 points of temporary Constitution damage) and 2,500 gp of rare components. Correctly performing the ceremony requires at least 9 ranks in both the Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (nature) skills as well as more esoteric requirements unique to each transformation ceremony.

Plant-imbued creatures are animals or magical beasts that have been magically converted to a plant-type creature through the use of powerful druidic spells (such as the plant enlightenment spell in the sidebar). These creatures not only gain some of the characteristics and abilities of plants, they also gain additional Wisdom and Intelligence. While they can be found in a wide variety of different locations, they are almost never found underground or in areas that get little sunlight. These mystical creatures are often in the company of druids, or found in areas where powerful druids reside. Once created, their additional Wisdom and Intelligence gives them the free will to go where they wish and learn new things about the world around them. Those plant-imbued creatures that do choose to learn more of the world can eventually become almost fey-like as they age.

Creating a Plant-Imbued Creature

“Plant-Imbued” is an acquired template that can be added to animal or magical beast (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A plant-imbued creature retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

CR: HD 8 or less, as base creature +3; HD 9 or more, as base creature +2.

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to plant. Do not recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Senses: Plant-imbued creatures gain darkvision to a range of 60 feet if the base creature did not already possess darkvision. If the base creature already possessed darkvision, that ability is extended by an additional 30 ft.

AC: The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +4. This stacks with any other natural armor bonus the base creature has.

Hit Dice: All current and future Hit Dice become d8s. If the base creature has less than 2 HD, advance it to at least 2 HD before applying this template. Plant–imbued creatures gain fast healing 5.

Defensive Abilities: A plant-imbued creature retains all the defensive abilities of the base creature, and also gains the following:

• Acute Senses (Ex) Plant-imbued creatures can instantly sense anything within 60 feet; they cannot be flanked or surprised and gain Improved Uncanny Dodge as if they possessed rogue levels equal to their Hit Dice. They can also detect invisible foes or opponents in heavy fog or other obscuring conditions allowing them to strike without any miss chance.
  
• Damage Reduction A plant-imbued creature gains damage reduction based on its Hit Dice.
  • HD Damage Reduction
  • 1-5 5/magic
  • 6-10 10/magic
  • 11-15 15/magic
  • 16+ 15/magic and cold iron
• Spell Resistance (Ex) Plant-imbued creatures gain spell resistance equal to their CR + 11 (maximum 25).

Spell–Like Abilities: At will—freedom of movement; 3/day—entangle, magic fang; 1/day—sunburst, tree stride. Caster level 9th. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are unchanged. Intelligence is replaced with a new score (roll 3d6). Wisdom is increased by + 1d6 points; base creatures with Cha less than 10 roll 2d6 and add the result to their Cha; if Cha is 11–14, add + 1d4; if Cha is 14+, the score is unchanged.

Skills: Plant-imbued creatures gain a +4 racial bonus Stealth checks in forested terrain. This bonus stacks with any similar bonus the base creature possessed.

Languages: Creatures created with this spell gain the ability to speak Sylvan, as well as other languages known by the caster based upon their Intelligence bonus.

Special Qualities: The plant-imbued creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature, and also gains the following:

• Woodland Stride (Ex) Plant-imbued creatures can move through any sort of undergrowth at their full movement rate without taking any penalties or suffering any damage. Magical enchantments designed to impede movement still affect them.

Environment: Any temperate or warm land.

Organization: Solitary.

Treasure: Standard

The Positive Energy Plane is a font of growth, life, and souls, and metaphysical currents bear these resources through the hearts of stars and onto the Material Plane. Especially potent bursts of positive energy or partially developed souls can wind their way through the Material Plane to quicken plant life in particular. Only hardy plant creatures can foster this extraplanar force and be transformed into fonts of unchecked growth. Such rampant creatures rapidly change their local environments, turning mundane plants into tangled masses of competing foliage that slowly develop into new creatures all their own.

Creating A Rampant Creature

“Rampant” is an acquired template that can be added to any plant creature with at least 8 Hit Dice, referred to hereafter as the base creature. A rampant creature uses the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: The base creature’s CR + 1.

Aura: A rampant creature has the following aura.

• Aura of Growth (Su) Living plants (but not plant creatures) within 1 mile of a rampant creature grow at triple their normal rate, and plants within 100 feet are affected as by the overgrowth function of plant growth. Overgrown plants return to normal after spending 1 hour outside the rampant creature’s presence, or immediately if the rampant creature takes negative energy damage.

Regeneration: A rampant creature gains regeneration 5 (negative energy).

Weaknesses: A rampant creature gains vulnerability to negative energy, and taking any negative energy damage disables the creature’s aura of growth for 1 minute.

Abilities: Con +4.

Special Quality: A rampant creatures gain the following special quality.

• Verdant Genesis (Su) Every week, a group of living plants within 1 mile of the rampant creature grows into new plant creatures with total combined Hit Dice no higher than the rampant creature’s total Hit Dice. For instance, a rampant quickwood with 10 HD could create two 4 HD assassin vines and two 1 HD vegepygmies. These new creatures are not under the rampant creature’s command. These new creatures each take 1 permanent negative level for each full day they spend more than 1 mile from the rampant creature that spawned them. A rampant creature cannot suppress its verdant genesis ability.

Thornies are the pets and companions of the vegepygmies. They are rarely encountered outside of a vegepygmy tribe or hunting party. Vegepygmies often use them to hunt prey. Although the most common thorny is dog-like, vegepygmies have managed to cultivate other types of thornies that resemble other animals in form and manner of attack.

Thornies reproduce by planting egg-like seeds (that the female lays) in the ground. Three to six months later, a small tree sprouts and buds, and from these buds are born the thornies. An average thorny tree is capable of producing 1d6+4 thornies. The tree dies once it buds and the thornies hatch.

Creating a Thorny

“Thorny” is an inherited template that can be added to animal (referred to hereafter as the base animal). A thorny retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

CR: Same as base animal +1.

Alignment: Always neutral.

Size and Type: The base animal’s type changes to plant. Recalculate its base attack bonus, saves, and skill points based on its improved Hit Dice (see below). Size is unchanged.

AC: The base animal’s natural armor bonus improves by +1.

Hit Dice: Add 2 Hit Dice to the base animal. All current and future Hit Dice become d8s.

Speed: The base animal’s land speed increases by +10 feet. It loses all other modes of movement, if any.

Special Attacks: A thorny retains all the special attacks of the base animal, and gains the following.

• Thorns (Ex) A thorny’s body is covered with sharp wooden thorns. Any creature attacking a thorny unarmed, with a handheld weapon, or with natural attacks takes damage from the thorny’s sharpened thorns. A creature that grapples with a thorny takes this same damage each round. The amount of damage dealt by the creature’s thorns is based on its size. A thorny modifies the total damage by its full Strength modifier (minimum 1 point of damage if its Strength modifier is actually a penalty). Use the table below to determine the damage value for a thorny’s thorns.
  • Size Thorn Damage
  • Fine 1
  • Diminutive 1d2
  • Tiny 1d3
  • Small 1d4
  • Medium 1d6
  • Large 1d6
  • Huge 2d6
  • Gargantuan 2d8
  • Colossal 3d8
    

Skills: Thornies have a +4 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks. The bonus on Stealth increases to +12 in swampy or forested areas. It retains all the racial bonuses of the base animal.

Environment: Warm forests.

Organization: Solitary or same as base animal.