SuperDave
2014-10-15, 10:54 PM
Halloween Tree
http://www.churchofhalloween.com/wp-content/gallery/mike-hoffman/mike-hoffman-halloween-tree.png
It’s big, it’s broad; it’s broad, it’s bright,
It fills the sky of All Hallow’s Night.
The strangest sight you’ve ever seen,
The Monster Tree on Halloween!
The leaves have burned to gold and red
The grass is brown, the old year dead
But hang the harvest high, Oh see!
The candle constellations on the Halloween Tree!
The stars they turn, the candles burn
And the mouse-leaves scurry on the cold wind bourne,
And a mob of smiles shine down on thee
From the gourds hung high on the Halloween Tree.
The smile of the Witch, and the smile of the Cat,
The smile of the Beast, the smile of the Bat,
The smile of the Reaper taking his fee
All cut and glimmer on the Halloween Tree.
~ Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Halloween_Tree) (1972)
A huge tree walks slowly towards you, dozens of glowing jack-o-lanterns swaying gently from its many branches in the crisp autumn air, each one carved with a stranger face than the last. The wind sighs through their open mouths and eyes, and in a moment you realize that the jack-o-lanterns are actually singing, each with its own distinct voice.
Halloween Tree CR 10 (?)
XP 3,200
CN Huge plant
Init +3; Senses All-around vision, Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Perception +8 (+16 on sight-based Perception checks)
Aura shadowy illumination (30 ft.), enchanting scent (15 ft.)
____________
Defenses
AC 20, touch 7, flat-footed 20 (–1 Dex, +13 natural, –2 size)
HP 84 (8d8+48)
Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +5
Immune flanking, plant traits; SR 18
___________
Offenses
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 3 vines +11 (1d6+7 plus grab and pull)
Ranged 3 pumpkins +3 (120 ft., 1d4 plus 1d3 fire)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Spells Known (CL 8th; Concentration +8, as an 8th-level sorcerer)
0th—dancing lights, daze, detect magic, flare, ghost sound, mage hand, ray of frost, touch of fatigue
1st—cause fear, chill touch, expeditious retreat, unseen servant
2nd—darkness, minor image, haunting mists
3rd—gloomblind bolts, mad monkeys
4th—phantasmal killer
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+7), pull (vine, 5 feet), sing, strangle, swallow whole (2d6+7 bludgeoning, AC 16, 8 hp), vines
____________
Statistics
Str 25 (+7), Dex 8 (-1), Con 23 (+6), Int 7 (-2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 18 (+4)
Base Atk +6; CMB +15 (+19 grapple); CMD 24
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Bluff +5, Perception +8 (+16 on sight-based Perception checks), Perform +5, Sense Motive +2, Stealth +3 (8 ranks total)
Languages Sylvan
____________________
Special Abilities
All-around Vision (Ex)
A Halloween Tree sees through every one of its jack-o-lantern faces simultaneously, including those of its Jack-O-Lantern (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/jack-o-lantern-tohc) servitors (as long as they remain within 100 feet of the tree). As such, Halloween Trees and their Jack-O-Lantern servitors within 100 feet are immune to being flanked, and gain +8 on sight-based Perception checks.
Aura of Illumination (Ex)
As long as its jack-o-lanterns are lit, a Halloween Tree casts shadowy illumination out to 30 feet. A Halloween Tree may light or extinguish all of its jack-o-lanterns (including those of its Jack-O-Lantern servitors, if it desires) and thereby end this effect as a free action.
Enchanting Scent (Su)
Halloween Trees exude the delicious scent of roasting pumpkins, fresh-cut gourds, and candlesmoke. This smell comforts and distracts humanoids and animals that come within 15 feet of the Halloween Tree, causing such creatures to take a –2 penalty on saves against mind-affecting effects.
Pumpkinwalk (Sp)
Once per night, a Halloween Tree may meld with any pumpkin-patch which is larger than itself (i.e., at least 10 ft. by 10 ft.) and either transport itself to a different pumpkin-patch on its current plane (as the spell tree stride (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/t/tree-stride)), or it may use the pumpkin-patch as a gateway to shift itself and up to eight willing subjects between the Material Plane and the Demiplane of Halloween (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257806-Oh-Halloween-3-5) (as the spell plane shift (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/plane-shift)).
Sing (Su)
When a Halloween Tree sings, all non-Jack-O-Lanterns within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or succumb to the music's mystical effects (see below). The effect depends on the type of song the Halloween Tree chooses, and continues for as long as the Halloween Tree sings and for 1 round thereafter. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by any of that Halloween Tree’s songs for 1 hour. These are sonic, mind-affecting effects. The save DC is Charisma-based. Enthralled creatures behave in one of the following four ways, which a Halloween Tree chooses when it begins singing.
Captivation: A Halloween Tree’s song has the power to infect the minds of those that hear it, calling them to a Halloween Tree’s side. When the tree sings, all creatures aside from its Jack-O-Lantern servitors within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 18 Will saving throw or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to the tree’s song for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward a Halloween Tree using the most direct means available. If the path leads them 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. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. A victim within 5 feet of the tree simply stands and offers no resistance to the tree’s attacks. This effect continues for as long as the Tree sings and for 1 round thereafter. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Fascination: Affected creatures are fascinated.
Obsession: An obsessed victim becomes defensive of a Halloween Tree and does all he can to prevent harm from coming to it, going so far as attacking his allies in its defense. The victim is not controlled by the tree, but views it as a cherished ally. This is a charm effect.
Slumber: The victim immediately falls asleep, rendering the creature helpless. While the tree is singing, no noise will wake the sleeping creature, though slapping or wounding him does. The creature continues sleeping for 1d4 minutes after a Halloween Tree stops singing, but can be awakened by loud noises or any other normal method.
Spawn Jack-O-Lantern Servitors (Su)
Once per day as a standard action, a Halloween Tree may shake loose 1d4+2 jack-o-lanterns from its branches, which fall to the ground in unoccupied spaces adjacent to the Halloween Tree and grow into advanced (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/advanced-creature-cr-1) Jack-O-Lanterns (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/jack-o-lantern-tohc) in one round. A Halloween Tree can have no more Jack-O-Lantern servitors active at one time than its total HD; if it spawns any new Jack-O-Lantern servitors beyond this limit, its oldest Jack-O-Lantern servitors immediately fall to the ground as lifeless carved pumpkins.
Vines (Ex)
A Halloween Tree’s vines are primary natural attacks that deal bludgeoning damage. When a Halloween Tree grapples a foe with its vines, the tree does not gain the grappled condition.
What A Haul! (Sp)
Once per night, a Halloween Tree may choose to disgorge truly obscene amount of candy from a jagged "mouth" near the base of its trunk. Consuming this candy duplicates the effects of a heroes' feast (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/heroes-feast) spell, with hot apple cider taking the place of the nectar-like beverage.
_________
Ecology
Environment temperate forests, hills, or plains (pumpkin patches); or the Demiplane of Halloween (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257806-Oh-Halloween-3-5)
Organization solitary, usually with 1d6 advanced (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/advanced-creature-cr-1) Jack-O-Lantern (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/jack-o-lantern-tohc) servitors
Treasure double standard, mostly candy and equipment from this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=14048349&postcount=32), plus 1d4 pillowcases of holding.
Halloween Trees are 30 feet tall and weigh 12,000 pounds; they and their Jack-O-Lantern servitors speak Sylvan.
Halloween Trees are large ambulatory trees which migrate annually to the Material Plane in order to reproduce, feed, and amuse themselves by scaring the living daylights out of random passersby. Or sometimes showering passersby with gifts, as the mood strikes them. Though they appear to be intelligent and self-aware, very few have ever coaxed a Halloween Tree to do more than sing, make spooky sounds, and ask the somewhat perplexing question “And what are YOU supposed to be?” Much of the trees’ behavior seems to depend on whether or not they like the answer to this question.
Halloween Trees are distinguished from normal trees by the multitude of jack-o-lanterns which hang from their branches, each with a grinning, grimacing, laughing, or roaring face carved into it, and a single candle burning within. Halloween Trees stand about fifty feet tall, and may superficially resemble any species of deciduous tree; though strangely, they are never seen with green leaves, only in varying shades of yellow, red, orange, and brown.
Between the autumnal equinox and the first snowfall of the year, the veil between the Material Plane and the Demiplane of Halloween (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257806-Oh-Halloween-3-5) grows thin, and Halloween Trees make their annual migration to the mortal world. Most suspect they do this in order to procreate: perhaps their seeds can only germinate on the Material Plane? In any case, they seem to enjoy their yearly forays for entirely personal reasons, such as getting to frighten the locals (especially children) half out of their wits. Though they love a good scare (and a good prank even better), Halloween Trees are not malicious: they do not seek out individuals, or seek to torment or harm them, merely to give them a thrill and a taste of life at its most intense. Unfortunately, they seem to have a poor estimation of how durable the average human is, and their enthusiasm for pranking does sometimes carry them past the bounds of safety or prudence.
The appearance of a Halloween Tree in a farmer’s pumpkin-patch is a mixed blessing, as Halloween Trees are objects of veneration for numerous faiths, both good, evil, and even neutral. Anyone who appreciates the changing of seasons, the transition from life to death, and the cycle of birth-death-rebirth (i.e., druids in particular) may have reason to seek out a Halloween Tree when it appears on the Material Plane. Many of these worshipers (or “trick-or-treaters”, as they are known) make pilgrimages throughout the autumn season to whatever location in which a tree has appeared, though the Eve of All Hallows is seen as a particularly auspicious night on which to complete one’s pilgrimage. Halloween Trees never appear in the same pumpkin-patch twice, and never give any indication ahead of time as to where (or even if) they will appear next year.
Combat
One can never be certain whether a Halloween Tree will offer “treats” or “tricks” to those who seek it out. In some cases, it will shower visitors with wealth, blessings, and (if it’s feeling particularly generous and the heroes have proven their worth to it) a limited wish. At other times, it will instead decide to give its potential worshippers the fright (or perhaps the fight) of their lives.
If a Halloween Tree feels it must fight (or if it simply wants to fight), it will attempt to shape the battle in its favor ahead of time, using psychological warfare against its opponents: a ghost sound here, a dancing light in the distance there; the smell of a rotting corpse, fresh blood, or the scent of a large predator; throwing darkness over the party’s light-sources; perhaps a minor image to attract their attention before finally bursting out of the woods itself, each of its many jack-o-lanterns emitting a fearful roar or a maniacal laugh (and sometimes, both at once) as their candles flare into light.
Halloween Trees like to soften up their opponents before wading into melee with thrown jack-o-lanterns, while spawning advanced Jack-O-Lantern servitors. Once engaged, it will pick the most dangerous opponent and attempt to strangle it, several feet above the ground if possible, thus ensuring that one or more of the opponents allies become more focused on getting their friend down than attacking the tree directly. Opponents who prove especially troublesome may find themselves swallowed whole by a jagged mouth which opens near the base of the tree's trunk, just above its roots.
If a battle turns against it, a Halloween Tree will typically snuff all of its jack-o-lanterns at once and cast darkness over as many if its enemies as it can. Then it will flee, taking advantage of its opponents’ momentary night-blindness and leaving its Jack-O-Lantern servitors (usually with their own candles still lit, to maximize glare) to fight to the death while it escapes. Often it will conceal its escape by creating diversionary ghost sounds to imitate another very-large creature moving in an opposite direction (or better yet, in several directions at once).
Note: when "Jack-O-Lantern" is capitalized, it refers specifically to the Halloween Tree's advanced Jack-O-Lantern servitors. When "jack-o-lantern" is lower-case, it refers to the Tree's non-sentient carved-pumpkin lanterns, which can be used as thrown weapons and/or as sources of illumination.
With apologies to Ray Bradbury. :smallwink:
So this has been rattling around in my head since last year or so, when I first discovered CthulhuEatYou's Oh Halloween! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257806) thread and felt an overwhelming urge to contribute to it. I realize that his thread is 3.5 and this is Pathfinder, but Pathfinder is what I know, so Pathfinder is what I used.
I couldn't recall how to calculate a few of the DCs for its abilities and SLAs, but I thought it was better to get this out there before Halloween, while it's still seasonally appropriate, and correct the math later.
But it definitely needs some polishing, and a good math-check. Does it have too many SLAs? Are they appropriate to the creature and to its fluff? Should the Jack-O-Lanterns have the advanced template added to them?
http://www.churchofhalloween.com/wp-content/gallery/mike-hoffman/mike-hoffman-halloween-tree.png
It’s big, it’s broad; it’s broad, it’s bright,
It fills the sky of All Hallow’s Night.
The strangest sight you’ve ever seen,
The Monster Tree on Halloween!
The leaves have burned to gold and red
The grass is brown, the old year dead
But hang the harvest high, Oh see!
The candle constellations on the Halloween Tree!
The stars they turn, the candles burn
And the mouse-leaves scurry on the cold wind bourne,
And a mob of smiles shine down on thee
From the gourds hung high on the Halloween Tree.
The smile of the Witch, and the smile of the Cat,
The smile of the Beast, the smile of the Bat,
The smile of the Reaper taking his fee
All cut and glimmer on the Halloween Tree.
~ Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Halloween_Tree) (1972)
A huge tree walks slowly towards you, dozens of glowing jack-o-lanterns swaying gently from its many branches in the crisp autumn air, each one carved with a stranger face than the last. The wind sighs through their open mouths and eyes, and in a moment you realize that the jack-o-lanterns are actually singing, each with its own distinct voice.
Halloween Tree CR 10 (?)
XP 3,200
CN Huge plant
Init +3; Senses All-around vision, Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Perception +8 (+16 on sight-based Perception checks)
Aura shadowy illumination (30 ft.), enchanting scent (15 ft.)
____________
Defenses
AC 20, touch 7, flat-footed 20 (–1 Dex, +13 natural, –2 size)
HP 84 (8d8+48)
Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +5
Immune flanking, plant traits; SR 18
___________
Offenses
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 3 vines +11 (1d6+7 plus grab and pull)
Ranged 3 pumpkins +3 (120 ft., 1d4 plus 1d3 fire)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Spells Known (CL 8th; Concentration +8, as an 8th-level sorcerer)
0th—dancing lights, daze, detect magic, flare, ghost sound, mage hand, ray of frost, touch of fatigue
1st—cause fear, chill touch, expeditious retreat, unseen servant
2nd—darkness, minor image, haunting mists
3rd—gloomblind bolts, mad monkeys
4th—phantasmal killer
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+7), pull (vine, 5 feet), sing, strangle, swallow whole (2d6+7 bludgeoning, AC 16, 8 hp), vines
____________
Statistics
Str 25 (+7), Dex 8 (-1), Con 23 (+6), Int 7 (-2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 18 (+4)
Base Atk +6; CMB +15 (+19 grapple); CMD 24
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Bluff +5, Perception +8 (+16 on sight-based Perception checks), Perform +5, Sense Motive +2, Stealth +3 (8 ranks total)
Languages Sylvan
____________________
Special Abilities
All-around Vision (Ex)
A Halloween Tree sees through every one of its jack-o-lantern faces simultaneously, including those of its Jack-O-Lantern (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/jack-o-lantern-tohc) servitors (as long as they remain within 100 feet of the tree). As such, Halloween Trees and their Jack-O-Lantern servitors within 100 feet are immune to being flanked, and gain +8 on sight-based Perception checks.
Aura of Illumination (Ex)
As long as its jack-o-lanterns are lit, a Halloween Tree casts shadowy illumination out to 30 feet. A Halloween Tree may light or extinguish all of its jack-o-lanterns (including those of its Jack-O-Lantern servitors, if it desires) and thereby end this effect as a free action.
Enchanting Scent (Su)
Halloween Trees exude the delicious scent of roasting pumpkins, fresh-cut gourds, and candlesmoke. This smell comforts and distracts humanoids and animals that come within 15 feet of the Halloween Tree, causing such creatures to take a –2 penalty on saves against mind-affecting effects.
Pumpkinwalk (Sp)
Once per night, a Halloween Tree may meld with any pumpkin-patch which is larger than itself (i.e., at least 10 ft. by 10 ft.) and either transport itself to a different pumpkin-patch on its current plane (as the spell tree stride (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/t/tree-stride)), or it may use the pumpkin-patch as a gateway to shift itself and up to eight willing subjects between the Material Plane and the Demiplane of Halloween (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257806-Oh-Halloween-3-5) (as the spell plane shift (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/plane-shift)).
Sing (Su)
When a Halloween Tree sings, all non-Jack-O-Lanterns within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or succumb to the music's mystical effects (see below). The effect depends on the type of song the Halloween Tree chooses, and continues for as long as the Halloween Tree sings and for 1 round thereafter. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by any of that Halloween Tree’s songs for 1 hour. These are sonic, mind-affecting effects. The save DC is Charisma-based. Enthralled creatures behave in one of the following four ways, which a Halloween Tree chooses when it begins singing.
Captivation: A Halloween Tree’s song has the power to infect the minds of those that hear it, calling them to a Halloween Tree’s side. When the tree sings, all creatures aside from its Jack-O-Lantern servitors within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 18 Will saving throw or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to the tree’s song for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward a Halloween Tree using the most direct means available. If the path leads them 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. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. A victim within 5 feet of the tree simply stands and offers no resistance to the tree’s attacks. This effect continues for as long as the Tree sings and for 1 round thereafter. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Fascination: Affected creatures are fascinated.
Obsession: An obsessed victim becomes defensive of a Halloween Tree and does all he can to prevent harm from coming to it, going so far as attacking his allies in its defense. The victim is not controlled by the tree, but views it as a cherished ally. This is a charm effect.
Slumber: The victim immediately falls asleep, rendering the creature helpless. While the tree is singing, no noise will wake the sleeping creature, though slapping or wounding him does. The creature continues sleeping for 1d4 minutes after a Halloween Tree stops singing, but can be awakened by loud noises or any other normal method.
Spawn Jack-O-Lantern Servitors (Su)
Once per day as a standard action, a Halloween Tree may shake loose 1d4+2 jack-o-lanterns from its branches, which fall to the ground in unoccupied spaces adjacent to the Halloween Tree and grow into advanced (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/advanced-creature-cr-1) Jack-O-Lanterns (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/jack-o-lantern-tohc) in one round. A Halloween Tree can have no more Jack-O-Lantern servitors active at one time than its total HD; if it spawns any new Jack-O-Lantern servitors beyond this limit, its oldest Jack-O-Lantern servitors immediately fall to the ground as lifeless carved pumpkins.
Vines (Ex)
A Halloween Tree’s vines are primary natural attacks that deal bludgeoning damage. When a Halloween Tree grapples a foe with its vines, the tree does not gain the grappled condition.
What A Haul! (Sp)
Once per night, a Halloween Tree may choose to disgorge truly obscene amount of candy from a jagged "mouth" near the base of its trunk. Consuming this candy duplicates the effects of a heroes' feast (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/heroes-feast) spell, with hot apple cider taking the place of the nectar-like beverage.
_________
Ecology
Environment temperate forests, hills, or plains (pumpkin patches); or the Demiplane of Halloween (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257806-Oh-Halloween-3-5)
Organization solitary, usually with 1d6 advanced (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/advanced-creature-cr-1) Jack-O-Lantern (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/jack-o-lantern-tohc) servitors
Treasure double standard, mostly candy and equipment from this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=14048349&postcount=32), plus 1d4 pillowcases of holding.
Halloween Trees are 30 feet tall and weigh 12,000 pounds; they and their Jack-O-Lantern servitors speak Sylvan.
Halloween Trees are large ambulatory trees which migrate annually to the Material Plane in order to reproduce, feed, and amuse themselves by scaring the living daylights out of random passersby. Or sometimes showering passersby with gifts, as the mood strikes them. Though they appear to be intelligent and self-aware, very few have ever coaxed a Halloween Tree to do more than sing, make spooky sounds, and ask the somewhat perplexing question “And what are YOU supposed to be?” Much of the trees’ behavior seems to depend on whether or not they like the answer to this question.
Halloween Trees are distinguished from normal trees by the multitude of jack-o-lanterns which hang from their branches, each with a grinning, grimacing, laughing, or roaring face carved into it, and a single candle burning within. Halloween Trees stand about fifty feet tall, and may superficially resemble any species of deciduous tree; though strangely, they are never seen with green leaves, only in varying shades of yellow, red, orange, and brown.
Between the autumnal equinox and the first snowfall of the year, the veil between the Material Plane and the Demiplane of Halloween (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257806-Oh-Halloween-3-5) grows thin, and Halloween Trees make their annual migration to the mortal world. Most suspect they do this in order to procreate: perhaps their seeds can only germinate on the Material Plane? In any case, they seem to enjoy their yearly forays for entirely personal reasons, such as getting to frighten the locals (especially children) half out of their wits. Though they love a good scare (and a good prank even better), Halloween Trees are not malicious: they do not seek out individuals, or seek to torment or harm them, merely to give them a thrill and a taste of life at its most intense. Unfortunately, they seem to have a poor estimation of how durable the average human is, and their enthusiasm for pranking does sometimes carry them past the bounds of safety or prudence.
The appearance of a Halloween Tree in a farmer’s pumpkin-patch is a mixed blessing, as Halloween Trees are objects of veneration for numerous faiths, both good, evil, and even neutral. Anyone who appreciates the changing of seasons, the transition from life to death, and the cycle of birth-death-rebirth (i.e., druids in particular) may have reason to seek out a Halloween Tree when it appears on the Material Plane. Many of these worshipers (or “trick-or-treaters”, as they are known) make pilgrimages throughout the autumn season to whatever location in which a tree has appeared, though the Eve of All Hallows is seen as a particularly auspicious night on which to complete one’s pilgrimage. Halloween Trees never appear in the same pumpkin-patch twice, and never give any indication ahead of time as to where (or even if) they will appear next year.
Combat
One can never be certain whether a Halloween Tree will offer “treats” or “tricks” to those who seek it out. In some cases, it will shower visitors with wealth, blessings, and (if it’s feeling particularly generous and the heroes have proven their worth to it) a limited wish. At other times, it will instead decide to give its potential worshippers the fright (or perhaps the fight) of their lives.
If a Halloween Tree feels it must fight (or if it simply wants to fight), it will attempt to shape the battle in its favor ahead of time, using psychological warfare against its opponents: a ghost sound here, a dancing light in the distance there; the smell of a rotting corpse, fresh blood, or the scent of a large predator; throwing darkness over the party’s light-sources; perhaps a minor image to attract their attention before finally bursting out of the woods itself, each of its many jack-o-lanterns emitting a fearful roar or a maniacal laugh (and sometimes, both at once) as their candles flare into light.
Halloween Trees like to soften up their opponents before wading into melee with thrown jack-o-lanterns, while spawning advanced Jack-O-Lantern servitors. Once engaged, it will pick the most dangerous opponent and attempt to strangle it, several feet above the ground if possible, thus ensuring that one or more of the opponents allies become more focused on getting their friend down than attacking the tree directly. Opponents who prove especially troublesome may find themselves swallowed whole by a jagged mouth which opens near the base of the tree's trunk, just above its roots.
If a battle turns against it, a Halloween Tree will typically snuff all of its jack-o-lanterns at once and cast darkness over as many if its enemies as it can. Then it will flee, taking advantage of its opponents’ momentary night-blindness and leaving its Jack-O-Lantern servitors (usually with their own candles still lit, to maximize glare) to fight to the death while it escapes. Often it will conceal its escape by creating diversionary ghost sounds to imitate another very-large creature moving in an opposite direction (or better yet, in several directions at once).
Note: when "Jack-O-Lantern" is capitalized, it refers specifically to the Halloween Tree's advanced Jack-O-Lantern servitors. When "jack-o-lantern" is lower-case, it refers to the Tree's non-sentient carved-pumpkin lanterns, which can be used as thrown weapons and/or as sources of illumination.
With apologies to Ray Bradbury. :smallwink:
So this has been rattling around in my head since last year or so, when I first discovered CthulhuEatYou's Oh Halloween! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257806) thread and felt an overwhelming urge to contribute to it. I realize that his thread is 3.5 and this is Pathfinder, but Pathfinder is what I know, so Pathfinder is what I used.
I couldn't recall how to calculate a few of the DCs for its abilities and SLAs, but I thought it was better to get this out there before Halloween, while it's still seasonally appropriate, and correct the math later.
But it definitely needs some polishing, and a good math-check. Does it have too many SLAs? Are they appropriate to the creature and to its fluff? Should the Jack-O-Lanterns have the advanced template added to them?