Violet Fungus

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Violet Fungus (CR 8)

Of the many vegetable horrors that inhabit the wilds, ruins, and dungeons of the world, violet fungus is one of the most feared and hated.

The reason is two-fold:

First, violet fungi are incredibly poisonous. Their spores infest the area around them whenever they are disturbed, and the touch of their bilious flesh is anathema. Their heavy vine-tentacles are long, covered in needle-sharp thorns, and dripping with flesh-eating enzymes.

Second, violet fungi seem to be...sentient. It is a dim, slow, vegetable consciousness, but it is, indeed, an awareness. It is alien and calculating, and it holds deadly intentions for anything that is not plant. All other orders of life are enemy to the violet fungi, and the vile growths have the means to ensure that all their enemies perish.

GENERAL

CR 8 Hit Dice 12

XP 4,800

NE, Medium, Plant

Init +4; Senses tremorsense 60ft, Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 17, flat-footed 21 (+5 armor, +6 dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection)

hp 125

Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +7

Aura: Spore Cloud

SR: -

Special Defenses: -

Immunities:

• poison
• sleep
• polymorph, paralysis, stunning

Note that since violet fungi have an Int score, they are susceptible to mind-affected effects.

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 10 ft.

Single Melee Tendril Whip +14 (2d8+7/x2) + Rot Poison

Full Melee 2x Tendril Whip +14 (2d8+7/x2) +Rot Poison

Ranged None, but see Spore Cloud

Special Attacks Spore Cloud

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 12, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 9

Base Atk +8; CMB +13; CMD 23

Feats None

Skills None

Languages Violet Fungi cannot speak, but can comprehend Slough and Vegepygmy

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Spore Cloud (Ex)

Spore cloud is an aura which activates at the beginning of the second round of combat. It may affect any creatures within 30 feet of the violet fungus, at the beginning of the fungi's turn. Spore cloud is dispersed by a violet fungi's actions in combat, and is spread unevenly, far and wide, with the plant's dim intelligence seeking to cause enemies farthest away the most harm. As a result, the enemy creature that is furthest away from a violet fungus is the only one that is affected each round. If there are more than one enemies all equally far away, they are all affected. Creatures affected by Spore Cloud must make a DC 18 Reflex save or take 4d6+1 points of acid damage and are affected by Rot Poison. Those who succeed on their save take only half damage and are not affected by the Rot Poison.

Rot Poison (Ex)

A creature struck by a violet fungus's tentacle whip attack or spore cloud must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or the flesh around the point of contact, or their face, begins to rot away, exposing raw bone with shocking swiftness. This hideous affliction causes 1d4 points of Constitution damage plus 2d6 of subdual damage. This is a poison effect. The save DC is Constitution-based. Afflicted characters must make this save each round to avoid the effects. Making the save one time ends the condition.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 3,250 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Violet Fungi are quite stupid, but for a plant, they are positive geniuses. They will seek to grow where there is plenty of carrion to nourish them, and as such can be found haunting water holes, paths to springs, salt licks, game trails, and the like. They prefer to melee their hated mobile enemies to death, and will move steadily to the attack, trusting to their spore cloud to drive plenty of foes within reach of their deadly tentacles. Once foes are killed, they feast. They do not have or use much in the way of tactics, but it is common for violet fungi to make deals with other monstrous creatures to serve as guards, in return for fertilizer, water, and spore beds. In such cases, violet fungi are often paired with shriekers.

Shriekers and violet fungi make a deadly garden indeed, and if found together, approach with caution!