Fetid Mound
Fetid Mound (CR 11)
A Fetid Mound is a massive pile of dead and decaying vegetable matter, similar to a compost heap, that has become animated by an undead spirit. They are malevolent and murderous, killing anything that lives to add to their bulk. Oddly enough, Fetid Mounds target plants as much as they do animals and people, and will "graze" upon the plants in an area to maintain their rotting hulk.
Fetid Mounds are surprisingly common, and often form after large floods in areas with zombies, as flood debris including zombie bodies form ideal seed masses for them. They can also be made deliberately, and unlike most horrors, making a fetid mound is quite easy: Throw zombie corpses into a compost heap. More often than not, you wind up with some fetid mounds.
Fetid Mounds are why the only safe way to dispose of undead corpses is to burn them, and even then, they will eventually reform.
GENERAL
CR 11 Hit Dice 16
XP 12,800
NE, Large, Plant(undead)
Init +5; Senses blind to normal sight, tremorsense 30 feet, Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 31, touch 19, flat-footed 26 (+7 armor, +5 dex, +5 natural, +4 deflection)
hp 229
Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +14
Aura: -
SR: -
Special Defenses: DR10/slashing
Immunities: Undead Immunities, Plant Immunities. NOTE: Fetid Mounds have an Intelligence score, and are therefore not immune to mind-affecting effects.
Weaknesses: -
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Single Melee Debris Bite +16 (2d8+11/x2)
Full Melee Debris Bite +16 (2d8+11/x2), 2x Fibrous Claws +16 (2d6+3/x2)
Ranged Hurled Debris +16 (2d8+6/x2) Range 30, 50 percent miss chance past 60 feet.
Special Attacks Engulf
Action Points 0
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 10, Con -, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +11; CMB +17; CMD 27
Feats Cleave EFFECT: Once per round, after a successful attack, may roll again against an adjacent foe, if there is one. Bonus attack is at full BAB.
Skills -
Languages Common, Thanic, Slough
SPECIAL ABILITIES
- Engulf (Ex)
During a full-attack action, a Fetid Mound may make a 5-foot step and simply engulf any Large or smaller creatures in its path. It can still make two fibrous claws attacks during a round in which it engulfs, and those attacks may be against the target of its engulf or any other target it wishes. The fetid mound merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make attacks of opportunity against the mound, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw against the engulf. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity can attempt a DC 20 Reflex save to avoid being engulfed—on a success, they are pushed back or aside (victim's choice) as the cube moves forward (this is forced movement). Engulfed creatures gain the pinned condition, and are trapped within the fetid mounds body until they are no longer pinned. At the beginning of each of the Fetid Mounds turns after a creature is engulfed, each engulfed creature takes 3d6 of fire and bludgeoning damage, from the hot, crushing interior of the fetid mound. Up to four living medium (or smaller) creatures or one large living creature may be engulfed at any time. Creatures that are engulfed do not have line of sight or line of effect out of the mound. Once creatures are slain, they no longer occupy space within the cube and more creatures may be engulfed.
TREASURE
sell value of approximately 6,500 gp
COMBAT TACTICS
Fetid Mounds are not smart, but the fact they have a mind at all is a huge surprise, considering how they arise. Fetid Mounds are blind, and sense the world through vibrations in the ground and air. While they can tear off masses of their substance and make ranged attacks with their Hurl Debris attack, any ranged attacks made past the limits of their tremorsense are made at a 50 percent miss chance, assuming they can figure out which square to aim out.
In a battle, Fetid Mounds like to close in against enemies and use their reach to make Cleave attacks on as many foes as they can. Due to their reach, they can Cleave into a 'second rank' of enemies with ease, and it's one of their favorite actions.
Once they are adjacent to their foes, they will try to Engulf as many as possible into their wretched fever-hot interior.