[3.5] Most Playable Plant?

[Thurbane]

Just wondering, what is considered to be the most playable plant race?

Assume official sources only, and WotC assigned LA applies.

Volodni and Needlefolk are the two most mentioned. Are there others?

Assuming not gaining the plant-type through a PrC like Verdant Lord or Talontar Blightlord. Also not talking about temporarily getting the plant type through spells, items or class features; and no mind-swapping with a plant, PAO or other shenanigans.

Templates with listed LA are acceptable.

Cheers - T

[Doctor Despair]

Adu’ja (DR317 p22) LA+2
+2 Wis
+2 Cha
–2 Str
Medium Size
• 30’ Movement
• Low-light vision.
• Woodland Stride, as the Druid class ability.
• +4 Racial bonus on Diplomacy, Perform, &
Survival checks.
• –4 penalty on Bluff & Sense Motive checks.
• Survival is always an in-class skill.
• Plant creature.
• Photosynthesis – only consume ¼th as much as a Human as long as it has 4 hours of direct sunlight each day. Without sunlight, must consume as much as a Human.
• Photoregeneration – if allowed to rest in the sunlight with 1 gallon of water for a day, heals 2x Character level. Otherwise heals normally. Able to regrow severed limbs in one month (2 weeks with bed rest)
• Vulnerability to Fire – +50% damage from fire.
• Speak with Plants, 1/day at caster level 1st
.

[RedMage125]

Isn't there one in Races of the Wild? I think it's Killoren or something? Or are they not plants? I forget.

[Thurbane]

Isn't there one in Races of the Wild? I think it's Killoren or something? Or are they not plants? I forget.

They are Fey that look like plants.

[ShurikVch]

Myconid, Junior Worker
Twig Blight

Both are from Monster Manual II, 1 HD and LA +2

[ben-zayb]

I was gonna say Killorens, but I remembered they're fey.

It may not necessarily be the most playable, but Wood Woad from MMIII is pretty fun to play. Having 8 plant RHD with LA+3 isn't ideal for casters, but their ability can make for some interesting scout or charger characters. At-will Warp Wood is no joke, but its most fun ability is Treewalk.

Treewalk is an at-will, free action, Supernatural teleportation effect that allows it to enter from one tree and exit from it or another tree up to 60ft away, and it can run or charge through trees this way. This gives combo potential for things like Sun School feat, Shadow Pounce, or Battle Jump.

Alternatively, it can stay inside a tree indefinitely and still sense outside normally. Imagine a Wood Woad Fiend of Possession "piloting" animated trees, or a Wood Woad Ardent with Burrowing Power.

As an aside, you now have a way to use Tree Feather Tokens for PO/TO.

[Doctor Despair]

I suppose the Woodling tempalte is of note here. You don't actually get the plant type, but you get plant traits. +3LA

[Thurbane]

I suppose the Woodling tempalte is of note here. You don't actually get the plant type, but you get plant traits. +3LA

True. Greenbound and Wood Element Creature do change type to plant, but are LA +8 and LA -- respectively (unless Wood Element Creature got an update?).

[Saintheart]

I know you don't particularly like Dragon, but the Cactacae race from China Mieville's novel Perdido Street Station were imported into 3.5 in Dragon 352. They're basically a race of living cacti.

+4 STR
+2 CON
-4 DEX
- Base speed 30 feet, even when wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load
- +1 Natural Armor to AC
- Plant Type
- Powerful Build
- 1d6 spine damage
- Treat rivebows and greatcleavers as martial rather than exotic weapons
+2 on Craft checks related to wood
- LA +2. No racial hit dice.

[ShurikVch]

Green Warder (Monsters of Faerûn): 4 HD and LA +4
Wizened Elder (Monster Manual IV): 4 HD and LA +3

Fungi in Monster Manualgot ECL in Dragon #293:
Phantom Fungus - ECL 8 (LA +6)
Violet Fungus - ECL 7 (LA +5)
(Assassin Vine was supposed to get ECL too, but - alas - the place where should be some number is empty. Did they meant it "the same as the closest" - 7 - ? Or, maybe, "0"? Who knows?..)


True. Greenbound and Wood Element Creature do change type to plant, but are LA +8 and LA -- respectively (unless Wood Element Creature got an update?).
Wood Element Creature got LA +5 in the Manual of the Planes 3.5 update booklet

[Particle_Man]

I had fun with a treant. Although group teleports became impossible due to my size. I think the dm liked that part. 😀

[ShurikVch]

Briarvex (Monster Manual IV): 8 HD and LA +4

Myconids (Monster Manual II):
Average Worker - 2 HD and LA +2
Elder Worker - 3 HD and LA +3
Guard - 4 HD and LA +4
Circle Leader - 5 HD and LA +5
Sovereign - 6 HD and LA +6

If you can fix Int issue, you may try Fungus Zombie (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20020519a) at LA +3 (LA for "standard" Zombie from Dragon #293)

[PraxisVetli]

Thorns (MM III) have 6RHD and LA +2 (Cohort).

[Morty_Jhones]

If you are alowing strange backstories then the 'Awaken' spell introduces some intresting combos, as long as the template affects living creatures.

for example an Awoken Willow with the shadow touched template springs to mind. now you Are the haunted forest.

A animated object with int,wis and cha score of 3d6 and plant type that has the ability to shadow step.. I am sure the kiddies can run with this and come up with some realy bizaro and OP combos.