Leechroot

This tangle of rotten, lifeless roots resembles a mess of bodily organs, its visceral tendrils grasping for sustenance.

Leechroot (CR 4)

Large Undead
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Initiative: -1
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Tremorsense 30 feet; Perception +3

Speed: 5 feet, Burrow 5 feet
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 18, touch 8, flat-footed 18 (-1 Dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 32 (5d8+10)
Saving Throws: Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +7
bloodthirst, Channel Resistance +2
Damage Reduction: 5/slashing
Immunity: undead traits

Offense

Melee: 2 roots +7 (1d6+5 plus bleed and Grab)
Reach: 10 feet

Special Attacks: Bleed (2), bloody sap, drag under

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
20 (+5)	8 (-1)	-	-	17 (+3)	15 (+2)

Base Attack Bonus: +3
CMB +9 (+13 Grapple)
CMD 18 (can't be tripped)

Feats:

Skills: Stealth +11

• Racial Modifiers: +16 Stealth

Languages:

Special Qualities: earth barrier

Special Abilities

Bloodthirst (Su)

A leechroot can absorb blood directly from its victims' cuts. The leechroot gains fast healing equal to the number of creatures with the bleed condition it is grappling (if any).

Bloody Sap (Su)

The viscous resin that exudes from a leechroot's tentacles is infused with negative energy, preventing both natural and magical healing. The DC of any Heal check to stop the bleeding caused by a leechroot's attacks is increased by 2. Casting a cure spell on a creature bleeding because of a leechroot's attacks requires a successful caster level check (DC 15 + the spell's level) or the spell has no effect on the bleeding creature.

Drag Under (Ex)

As part of an action to maintain a grapple, a leechroot can move the grappled creature up to 5 feet (within the leechroot's reach) and bury it partway into the ground. The buried creature is pinned and can't receive help to break free from the grapple. A buried opponent that escapes the grapple remains pinned unless it spends a move action to dig itself free and it succeeds at a DC 10 Strength check.

Earth Barrier (Ex)

A leechroot burrowing 5 feet below the surface is partially visible, can make attacks using its normal reach, and gains concealment and partial cover. It can be uprooted with a successful drag maneuver. It can burrow back under the earth as a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Ecology

Environment: Any Forest
Organization: solitary
Treasure: none


The brutal Goblinblood Wars created the first leechroot, which emerged from the remains of plants drowned in the blood-drenched soils of Chitterwood. A chaotic intertwining of rotten roots, this monstrosity quickly spread its curse by soaking other dead plants in its sap. Moving underground, leechroots dispersed to forests all over Avistan, reaching as far as the Shudderwood in Ustalav.

A leechroot is driven solely by its thirst for blood. It hides below the earth while waiting for prey and snatches victims with its razor-sharp tentacles, feeding directly from their wounds. The absorbed blood mutates into a thick red sap that runs through the leechroot's body.

An adult leechroot averages 12 feet across (not including its root appendages) and weighs 700 pounds.