Viper Vine
Description
A voracious, flesh-eating carnivore, the viper vine has a single enormous bloom arising from a thick, leafy tangle of snake-like vines. When the plant senses the approach of suitable prey through its sensitive, shallowly buried root system, it rises up like an agitated snake and unfurls its brightly colored bloom, an act that releases a cloud of mind-numbing pollen. While stories speaking of the plant's ability to lure prey into its clutches by virtue of its swaying motion persist, this effect is in fact created by this invisible, odorless pollen cloud.
Since viper vines gain nourishment through the consumption of creatures rather than through moisture and soil, they have developed rudimentary locomotion and are able to drag themselves along the ground with their tentacle-like root system. They even possess a form of rudimentary sentience, allowing them to not only discern differences in prey and make limited tactical decisions, but also to avoid creatures that are particularly large or dangerous looking. The area around the hunting grounds of these predators is often strewn with the remains of victims, and it is not unusual to find the rotting corpses of wild animals, ill-fated adventurers, and even giants in their immediate vicinity, along with a scattering of incidental treasure left behind by the plant's victims.
Combat Stats
- Melee
- bite +23 (2d6+8/19-20 plus 3d6 acid), 4 tentacles +21 (1d6+4 plus grab)
- Space
- 10 ft.
- Reach
- 10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Ability Scores
Special Attacks
Captivating Cloud — Once per day as a swift action, a viper vine can emit a transparent cloud of pollen in a 60-foot spread that has the power to lull the minds of those that smell it. Once activated, the cloud persists for 5 rounds unless dispersed by moderate or stronger wind. All creatures in the cloud must succeed on a DC 24 Will saving throw each round or become captivated. Once a creature becomes captivated, it takes no actions save to approach the viper vine via the most direct route possible. If this path leads it into a dangerous area, such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into peril. A victim that is attacked by the viper vine gets a new saving throw as a free action during each of the vine's attacks to overcome the effect. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.
constrict (1d6+8)
Feats
Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (tentacle), Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Special Abilities
Universal Monster Rules
Special Abilities
Feats, Traits & Items
You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus. With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.
You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. A condition that makes you lose your Dex bonus to AC also makes you lose the benefits of this feat.
When using the weapon you selected, your threat range is doubled.
The creature's secondary attacks with natural weapons take only a –2 penalty.
You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.
You gain +3 hit points. For every Hit Die you possess beyond 3, you gain an additional +1 hit point. If you have more than 3 Hit Dice, you gain +1 hit points whenever you gain a Hit Die (such as when you gain a level).
You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.
You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.
Skills
Perception +13, Stealth +13
- Type
- Plant
- Alignment
- N
- Size
- Large
- Environment
- temperate or warm forests or swamps
- Organization
- solitary
- Treasure
- incidental
- Senses
- low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +13
- Source
- Bestiary 2