New Monster: The Pumpkin Deathvine

[ArmorArmadillo]

Have you ever wanted to try a Collosal creature? Usually, it's a waste, because the size and reach mean that the creature will be standing still and full attacking for the whole encounter.

Here's another take:

Pumpkin Deathvine
A light burns through the smile of the immense jack o’ lantern, and around you the ground breaks as a series of oversized, thorny vines rises from the ground. You’re surrounded by a deadly looking bramble patch, and the jack o’ lantern has sunk deeper into the constantly shifting thicket, still smiling…
Always NE Colossal Plant
Init +3; Senses Spot +1, Listen +1; Tremorsense 20 ft.
AC 16, Touch 1, Flatfooted 16
(+15 Natural, -8 Size, -1 Dex)
hp 81 (10d8+36); DR 10/Slashing and Cold Iron
Immune Precision Based Damage, Ability Damage/Drain, Negative Levels, Mind-Affecting
Vulnerably Fire, Cold
Fort +12, Will +8, Ref +4
Speed 0 Ft.
Melee Thorns (2d6+6/x2)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 0 Ft.
Base Atk +7; Grp +25
Atk Options Iron Maiden, Shriek (DC 18), Fatal Fire
Special Qualities Living Terrain, Weak Core, Destructible Vines, Regeneration 10
Abilities Str 23 Dex 9 Con 16 Int 6 Wis 12 Cha 18
Feats Toughness (2), Iron Will, Improved Initiative
Skills Hide +21 (+20 Racial)
Advancement 10-15 (Colossal)
CR 7

Iron Maiden (Ex) As a standard action, a Pumpkin Deathvine can attempt a grapple check against any stunned creature of size or smaller without making a touch attack. Every time it succeeds at a grapple check it automatically deals it’s Thorns damage. A Deathvine can maintain any number of grapples simultaneously.
Shriek (Su) As a standard action, the Pumpkin Deathvine can emit an terrifying sound, any creature within the space of the Pumpkin Deathvine must make a DC 18 Will save or be shaken for 1 minute. Any creature that fails the save by 5 or more is also stunned for 1 round. The Save DC is Con based.
Living Terrain (Ex) Creatures can freely enter spaces occupied by a Pumpkin Deathvine, although such spaces are treated as difficult terrain.
Regeneration (Ex) All damage dealt to a Pumpkin Deathvine is nonlethal damage, and the Pumpkin Deathvine heals 10 nonlethal damage each round. Fire and cold deal normal damage to the Pumpkin Deathvine.
Weak Core (Ex) Within the space of the Pumpkin Deathvine is a medium sized core, in the shape of a grinning Jack O’ Lantern. Melee or Ranged attacks targeting the core bypass the Pumpkin Deathvine’s damage reduction and deal normal damage to it. The Pumpkin Deathvine can reposition its core to any space it occupies as a move action.
Fatal Fire (Su) When reduced to 33% of it’s maximum hit points, the light in the core of the Pumpkin Deathvine bursts from the Jack O’ Lantern, sheathing its vines in fire. When this occurs, the Pumpkin Deathvine gains immunity to fire and cold, and each creature in its space takes 1d6 fire damage at the end of their turn.
Destructible Vines If damage is dealt to a Pumpkin Deathvine by a creature adjacent to a creature grappled by the Pumpkin Deathvine, the grappled creature gains a circumstance bonus on Grapple and Escape Artist checks made to escape the grapple.

Tactics: A Pumpkin Deathvine hides in natural terrain, visible only by it's immense pumpkin core. While successfully hidden, a DC 30 Knowledge (Nature) check is necessary to distinguish between a Pumpkin Deathvine and an ordinary Jack O' Lantern.
When enough targets enter it's space, it springs into action, trapping them in it's vines. From there, it uses it's shriek to immobilize and terrify opponents, and grasps vulnerable targets with its vines.
It moves its core so as to be as to keep it as safe as possible from threatening adventurers.

[TheLogman]

Definitely an interesting concept, but altogether its a little dull, no offense at all meant, but a grapple-based opponent just doesn't seem too interesting. Plus, you haven't listed what damage Thorns does, and I guess if it was enough, it could be a good monster.

Btw, awesome RE 4 reference.

[ArmorArmadillo]

Definitely an interesting concept, but altogether its a little dull, no offense at all meant, but a grapple-based opponent just doesn't seem too interesting. Plus, you haven't listed what damage Thorns does, and I guess if it was enough, it could be a good monster.

Btw, awesome RE 4 reference.

Actually never played RE 4;

Thorns is listed under the "Melee" section, (2d6+6)

I agree it can appear dull, but it's not necessarily meant to have a lot of abilities; it's a plant. What I was going for as the "Interest" of the fight was handling the difficulty of carrying out the combat "within" the monster, vulnerable to it's grapple and having to find the moving core, with Fatal Fire as the change-up when you start to make headway.

I do agree it is kind of a one-trick pony right now, I'd appreciate an ability I can add to zazz it's combat capabilities up a little.

[BisectedBrioche]

Where's the RE4 reference?

[TheLogman]

Iron Maidens, an exceptionally powerful monster in RE 4 have a move where they give you a great big bear hug, and bring you right up close to them, except that they are covered in spikes that are long enough to easily impale 3-4 men, so it does. Impale you that is.

The power Iron Maiden I assumed was a reference to the monster with the same ability.

As for the thorns, sorry I didn't see it, but the stats block isn't the same style and order I am used to. I think that 2d6 is enough, as long as everyone can remember how to grapple, and the team doesn't have one of those "Grapple Champs"

[ArmorArmadillo]

Iron Maidens, an exceptionally powerful monster in RE 4 have a move where they give you a great big bear hug, and bring you right up close to them, except that they are covered in spikes that are long enough to easily impale 3-4 men, so it does. Impale you that is.

The power Iron Maiden I assumed was a reference to the monster with the same ability.

As for the thorns, sorry I didn't see it, but the stats block isn't the same style and order I am used to. I think that 2d6 is enough, as long as everyone can remember how to grapple, and the team doesn't have one of those "Grapple Champs"
Actually, that RE 4 monster is a reference to the torture/execution device "The Iron Maiden" which is a coffin, of which one side is filled with spikes, so that, when closed on a person, they are either gored completely or partially impaled.

A grapple champ will only help so much, considering the Colossal creature's monster +29 grapple bonus. The grappling is meant to be escaped either through escape artisting or "Destructible Vines". I may remove Improved Grapple just to make it more reasonable.

[Zeta Kai]

Nice monster. The statistics format is that bizarre unpleasant mess from MM4, but once you slog past that, I see a well-balanced creature. Medium Yoinkage.

[Mewtarthio]

You know, a Medium-sized Jack-o-Lantern is pretty big. Did you intend that?

Also, what's the maximum size of a creature that is vulnerable to Iron Maiden?

[XBobbis]

Wait, so you just stand 35 feet away from it and blast the core itself. It can't touch you? (0 move speed)

[martyboy74]

If you heal it up to above 33%, does the Fatal Fire go away?

[ArmorArmadillo]

On the MMIV format, I never understood the aversion. It's the same format used for NPCs, and I find it easier to have the same for both.

As for the size of the Core, yes, it is a very big Jack O' Lantern, (although it's hardly unheard of to have a pumpkin that size)

Fatal fire, once activated, is there to stay.

As for blasting it from 35 ft. away, I may not have made it clear that the deathvine hides (note the +20 racial bonus) in the terrain until adventures wander into it's area; so they'd have to trudge back out, risking Shrieks and grapples. I'll update the tactics section. However, ranged attacks would be a weakness of the deathvine.