Dreadweed

This humanoid figure appears to be comprised of a tangle of roots and vines.

Dreadweed (CR 8)

Medium Plant
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Initiative: +7
Senses: Low-Light Vision, Tremorsense 60 feet; Perception +9
Aura: enervating aura (10 feet, DC 19)

Speed: 30 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural)
Hit Points: 76 (8d8+40)
Saving Throws: Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +4
Negative Energy Affinity
Damage Reduction: 10/magic or good
Immunity: plant traits

Offense

Melee: bite +10 (1d8+4 plus poison)
Reach: 5 feet (20 feet with vine)
Ranged: 4 vines +10 (1d6+4 plus 1d4 negative energy plus pull)

Special Attacks: enervating ray, Pull (vine, 5 ft.)

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
18 (+4)	17 (+3)	21 (+5)	4 (-3)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)

Base Attack Bonus: +6
CMB +10 (+14 with Pull)
CMD 24

Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (vine)

Skills: Perception +9, Stealth +10

Languages:

Special Abilities

Enervating Aura (Su)

Negative energy weeps from a dreadweed's form. Living creatures in the area take 2d6 points of negative energy damage each round. A successful DC 19 Fortitude save negates the damage that round. A new save must be made each round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Enervating Ray (Su)

Once per round and no more than three times per day, as a standard action, a dreadweed can fire a ray of negative energy at a single target to a range of 30 feet. This ray functions as an enervation spell (CL 8th). Each time a dreadweed uses this ray, it suppresses its enervating aura for 1d4 rounds.

Poison (Ex)

Bite-injury; save DC 19 Fort; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Vines (Ex)

A dreadweed can extend up to four vines from its body at a time, launching them to a maximum range of 20 feet. A dreadweed's attacks with its vines resolve as ranged touch attacks. These vines are quite strong, but can be severed by any amount of slashing damage (a vine is AC 20).If a dreadweed uses its pull ability to pull a target within reach of its bite attack, it can immediately make a free bite attack with a +4 bonus on its attack roll against that target.

Ecology

Environment: Any Temperate or Warm Land
Organization: solitary or cluster (2-8)
Treasure: incidental


A dreadweed is a strange plant creature that grows on unholy ground. Infused with negative energy, it feeds on any living creature it encounters. A dreadweed never stops growing as long as it is able to find food, so in the right cursed soil these plants can grow to truly monstrous proportions.

At rest, a dreadweed resembles a matted, chaotic tangle of vines and undergrowth, filled with old sticks, briars, thistles, and nettles. Once roused, however, the dreadweed pulls together into a vaguely humanoid shape and emits a chilling aura that saps the life from living creatures. A dreadweed is about 6 feet tall but only weighs 75 pounds.

A dreadweed attacks with its vine-like tentacles, tearing at its prey and injecting a powerful poisonous sap with its bite attack. It often attacks in ambush, leaping towards its victim in a swirl of lashes. During battle, a dreadweed can focus its negative energy aura into a powerful ray that further damages its foes.