Ascomoid

This creature appears as a large, wide puffball of living fungus. Its surface is brownish-green. Small pocks dot its form, and seem to function as some sort of sensory organs.

Ascomoid (CR 5)

Large Plant
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +1
Senses: Tremorsense 60 feet; Perception +0

Speed: 40 feet
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 17, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 52 (7d8+21)
Saving Throws: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +2
Damage Reduction: 10/piercing
Immunity: plant traits
Energy Resistance: electricity 10, fire 10

Offense

Melee: slam +8 (2d8+6)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: poison, spores, Trample (2d8+6, DC 17)

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
18 (+4)	13 (+1)	17 (+3)	-	11 (+0)	1 (-5)

Base Attack Bonus: +5
CMB +10
CMD 21 (can't be tripped)

Feats: Powerful Maneuvers

Skills:

Languages:

Special Abilities

Poison (Ex)

Spores-inhaled; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Str damage; cure 2 saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spores (Ex)

Once per round as a free action, an ascomoid can release a jet of deadly spores to a range of 30 feet. Upon impacting a solid surface, such as a wall or creature, the jet billows out into a cloud of spores that fills a 10-foot-radius spread. This cloud lasts for 1 round before dispersing. Any creature in the cloud must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or become nauseated as long as it remains in the cloud. Any creature that fails to save against this nausea is also exposed to the ascomoid's poison (see above). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ecology

Environment: Any Underground
Organization: solitary or cluster (2-8)
Treasure: none


Oversized fungi, ascomoids are frequently mistaken for giant puff balls until they begin to move, rolling toward any living prey that they sense. Once they have crushed the life out of a creature, they quickly move on, leaving spores behind in their victim's body to grow new ascomoids.

Ascomoids can grow to a width of 10 feet, but they rarely weigh more than 400 pounds. While ascomoids require no light to grow, they do require a moist environment. They do not keep traditional lairs, but often wander the same areas over and over, littering these routes with the bones of past victims.

Although they are typically solitary creatures, ascomoids dwelling in areas of ample moisture with generous sources of food-or frequent unwitting passersby- sometimes form deadly clusters. Such colonies of these giant fungi often lurk in large caverns among other pallid vegetation. Given ascomoids' ability to detect vibrations, the slightest quake or potential footfall sets them rolling, turning their cavernous lairs into churning meat grinders.

Bounding about violently, groups of ascomoids sometimes take hours to settle back down, unable to distinguish between the movements of prey and the tumbling of their own kind. In some cases, ascomoids have been known to lair at the top of steep rises, crushing climbers as they roll in terrible fungal avalanches.

Those crushed by an ascomoid or who fall victim to an ascomoid's spores face a revolting end, their bodies becoming hosts to quick-growing colonies of rampant fungi. Immature ascomoid mold sprouts quickly, typically appearing within 24 hours. After 48 hours, such victims become so overgrown with this furry, brown-green mold that they can no longer be restored to life by raise dead, as their bodies are too vitally pervaded and thoroughly consumed by the swiftly spreading mold.

Within a month, a new ascomoid emerges from the foul mess.