Plant Traps and Creatures 2: Outer Plane Boogaloo

[sandmote]

this page on the homebrewery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/yrdaoiP9vgGM).

Oh, right, mentioning what this is.

The first bit here are some more plant creatures, because there's not many of those. Second bit (still on this post) is a series of relatively simple plant which work in the same way each time they are encountered, plus a sea anemone, formatted as traps rather than creatures, because plants don't really care so much if you sever parts and aren't going to drop dead/dying the same way animals do. I'm also treating fungi as plants for this, partially becuase they don't normally move much either and partially because that's the tradition for D&D.

The next post is a set of more dangerous traps themed around the outer planes. Most are carnivorous or paracarnivorous, but one's simply lawful and one is only a "trap" if someone pranks you about its biology (the point being that its on a plane where this is somewhat likely to happen). Commentary welcome as always.



Awakened Giant Fungus
Awakened in the same manner as many plants, including shrubs and trees, the spores of giant fungi can create powerful mind-altering effectsMedium plant, unaligned

Armor Class 11 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8+18)
Speed20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, stunned
Senses tremorsense 30 ft. Passive Perception 10
Languages –
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
False Appearance. While the fungus remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal giant fungus.

Actions
Mind Affecting Spores (Once per short or long rest). The fungus releases a cloud of spores in radius of 20 feet. Each creature other than constructs, plants, and undead must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as by the Hypnotic Pattern spell for 1 minute.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (2d4) poison damage..And then I suggest Enemies Abound, Hideous Laughter, Slow, and Entangle as alternative options.

Mantis Orchid
Both beautiful and deadly, mantis orchids take on a proactive method against predation. Animals passing by are quickly cut, clarifying the orchid is a poor choice of snack. The plant’s loose, mobile roots allow it to move to better spots for sunning or pollination, as well as to dig in against high winds.
The same internal components which allow a mantis orchid to move are highly coveted for alchemy and the crafting of magical items, and can be used instead of the typical material component when casting the Awaken spell on a plant.
Small plant, unaligned

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 18 (4d6+4)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 13 (+1)
Saving Throws DEX +5
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Damage Resistances Piercing
Senses tremorsense 30 ft. Passive Perception 12
Languages –
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Reactive. The orchid can make an attack of opportunity without expending a reaction. Once the orchid uses this feature, it can’t use it again until the start of the orchid’s next turn.

Glider. The orchid treats all falls as 30 ft. shorter for the purposed of determining fall damage. Additionally, the orchid can move up to its speed horizontally during its fall.

Actions
Multiattack. The orchid makes two attacks using its claws.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.

Bonus Actions
Take Root. The orchid sets its roots into the ground. The orchid counts as two sizes larger for the purposes of any effect that would forcibly move the orchid, and the orchid’s movement speed is reduced to 0 and cannot be increased until this condition ends. The orchid can end this effect as a bonus action."Orchid mantises" are a group of mantises with bright colors that help them remain camouflaged among flowers. I reversed the name and why they fight (to avoid being eaten, instead of to eat).

Sacrifice Plant
Sacrifice Plants grow oblong, glossy green leaves around a thick, stubby truck and are rarely found without a pile of dead and dying creatures surrounding their roots.
Masters of the Mind. Sacrifice plants can psionically move themselves for short distances, as well as to commandeer the minds of other creatures around themselves. Weaker creatures are compelled to bleed themselves dry over the plant’s roots, while more powerful victims are compelled to drag in prey from beyond the sacrifice plant’s psionic range. The plant gets its name from the grisly displays of its victims as they supply it with the remains of themselves and other living creatures.
Medium plant, neutral evil

Armor Class 10 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 90 (12d8+36)
Speed 5 ft., 5 ft. fly (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
4 (-3) 4 (-3) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 15 (+2) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws INT +7, WIS +5, CHA +3
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Psychic
Senses tremorsense 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 12
Languages –
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
False Appearance. While the plant remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal bush.

Magic Resistance. The plant has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions
Dominate Monster (Psionic). The sacrifice plant can cast the Dominate Monster spell, requiring no components. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw against this spell is immune to this effect of all sacrifice plants for 24 hours.

Mind Blast. The sacrifice plant magically emits psychic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) psychic damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.

Reactions
Strengthened Control. When a creature under the effects of a spell cast by the Sacrifice Plant makes a saving throw to end the spell, the sacrifice plant can force it to fail the saving throw.
2e has a creature known as the brain seed, and this is meant as a more generic version of the same concept. Yeah, its another blood drinking plant, but at least this one is specifically intelligent. Strengthened control is there to make it slightly harder to slap someone out of it, since the plant can force the first save each round to fail. If a creature is "under the effects of the spell" during the initial saving throw, I apologize for missing that, but I don't think this is the case?

Serpent Vine
The closest scholars have come to determining the origin of serpent vines is that they seem similar to owlbears, in that each appears to be an amalgamation of the parts of two incompatible organisms. In the case of serpent vines these are plants and snakes.
Beguiling Traps. The trait serpent vines are known for that they don’t share with either snakes or plants are their ability to create illusory fruits on their bodies to draw creatures in, then uses magical compulsion to hold some of its prey in place as it begins devouring the rest.
When dealing with large groups, the vine will typically try to dominate a creature, force it to make up an excuse to leave the group so it can eat them in peace, and then leave the rest alone. With smaller groups, however, the vine will typically suggest the prey to separate by various excuses, then pick them off one by one as much as it is able.
Steady Growth. When a particular vine slows the rate it hunts down to only what it needs to eat, this most likely means it is busy warming a clutch of 1d6+2 eggs inside a hollow branch or trunk nearby. Once the eggs hatch they’ll be sent out on their own, in a period during which they will mostly prey on tiny birds and mammals until they achieve greater size and casting power.
Huge plant, chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 126 (12d12+48)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1)
Skills Perception +7
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Damage Immunities Nonmagical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Psychic, nonmagical Fire damage
Senses Blindsense 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 17
Languages Telepathy 60 ft., understands common, elven, and deep speech but can’t speak
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
False Appearance. While the vine remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal vine.

Innate Spellcasting (psionic). The serpent vine’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
3/day each: hold monster, phantasmal force (harmless objects only), suggestion
1/day each: dominate monster, mass suggestion

Magic Resistance. The vine has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions
Multiattack. The vine makes one attack to constrict and one to bite or swallow.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) poison damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the vine can’t bite another target.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained. the vine can constrict up to two creatures of medium size or smaller or one creature that is large or larger.

Swallow. The vine makes one bite attack against a large or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the vine, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the vine’s turns. The vine can have up to one large creature or four creatures of medium size or smaller swallowed at a time. If the vine dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone. Again something taken from 2e and something I tried making higher level.

On to the traps that aren't actually part of the main sort I was trying to come up with:

Intermediate Trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)
The scintiliaing, impossible to miss violet fruit of this tree beckons passerby to eat it. The fruit can only be safely digested by a creature of large size or larger, or by a creature whose body restores itself at an enhanced rate.

Trigger. A creature within 60 feet sees a charmfruit still on the vine.

Effects. The creature must succeed on a DC 20 15 Charisma saving throw or attempt to reach the fruit. A creature immune to the charmed condition succeeds on this saving throw automatically. A target isn’t compelled to move into an obviously deadly hazard, such as a fire or pit, but it will provoke opportunity attacks to move toward the charm fruit.

Whenever the creature takes damage and once the creature has the fruit, it can repeat the Wisdom saving throw. On a success all effects of the charmfruit on the creature end and the creature is immune to the effects of all charmfruit for 24 hours. If the creature fails its save while holding the charmfruit, it must remove the charmfruit from the tree (if it isn’t removed already) and swallow the charmfruit as an action. A creature of medium size or smaller that swallows the charmfruit takes 1d4 force damage.

At the end of each long rest, a creature that has ingested a charmfruit must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 3d6 force damage, does not regain any hit dice, and does not reduce their levels of exhausion. On a success, the creature passes the charmfruit’s remains out of their body. A creature of large size or larger automatically succeeds on this saving throw. A creature that gains at least 1 hit point during a long rest has advantage on saving throws against the charmfruit’s effects for 24 hours.

Countermeasures. A DC 5 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify a charmfruit. A DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature that has not seen any charmfruit to identify a charmfruit tree. A creature that is aware of the charmfruit’s effects has advantage on Charisma saving throws against the charmfruit’s effects.

In the first hour after a charmfruit has been eaten, a creature can attempt a DC 20 Medicine (Wisdom) check to induce the creature that ate it to vomit out the fruit. On a success, the target takes 1d4 force damage and vomits out the fruit, ending its effects.

Charmfruit lose all harmful effects of being eaten after being cooked over a medium flame for at least 10 minutes.I have the idea of charmfruit growing in areas frequented by hill giants or particularly large animals, and stacks enchantment on top of the usual methods of enticing an animal to eat eat the fruit. As written, it is intended to allow two saving throws and has the effect of negating the next long rest unless treated.

Intermediate trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

The arms of this anemone are coated with enzymes that stick to and harm prey that passes by in the current. A medium anemone can grapple up to one medium or small creature and a large anemone can grapple up to four medium or small creatures. Coastal anemones are often brightly colored to warn off threats and deep sea anemones are often white, as not enough light reaches the ocean floor to make pigments worthwhile.

Trigger. A creature touches one of the anemone’s tentacles.

Effect. The creature must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the anemone. A creature grappled by the anemone is also poisoned by the anemone and takes 3d4 acid damage at the start of its turn. A creature can make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself from the anemone and ending the condition on a success. A creature can also make this check to free another creature within reach from the anemone.

A creature that hasn’t made any attempt to escape in the last turn is pulled inside the anemone’s column to be devoured, usually at initiative count 0. A creature inside the anemone is restrained by the anemone and takes 6d4 acid damage at the start of each of its turns.

Countermeasures. If you target the anemone with the blight spell, it withers and dies. An anemone also withdraws its tentacles for 10 minutes if it is removed from the water or its tentacles take any amount of slashing damage. An anemone withdraws its tentacles for 1 hour if fed a volume of food one size category smaller than the anemone. The anemone's tentacles have an AC of 15.

The anemone is cut open if the column takes at least 5 points of slashing damage (AC 10). A swallowed creature can make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to escape through such a hole, or be pulled through such an opening as an action, exiting prone. Such a cut typically heals after 1 week. It felt weird to write cnidarians or sponges as beasts, so I made it a trap instead, and stuck it with a bunch of plants because it works in a similar manner. I do assume severe cuts do kill sea anemones, but given the relatively simple biology I don't think I want them to drop dead once you deal enough points of damage.

Simple trap (level 1-4, moderate threat)

A sundew’s glittering leaves reach out into the sunlight, beckoning insects and other creatures to approach and lap up the sap. Once in contact, creatures find themselves stuck fast to the leaves, which then slowly coil up to dissolve the poor creature.

Trigger. A creaure touches one of the sundew’s leaves.

Effect. The creature must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the sundew’s leaf. A creature that starts its turn grappled by the sundew takes 1d4 acid damage. A creature can make a DC 10 Athletics (Strength) check, freeing itself from the sundew and ending the condition on a success. A creature can also make this check to free another creature within reach from the sundew.

A giant sundew typically bears 1d6+4 leaves. Each leaf can grapple one creature of medium size of smaller.

Countermeasures. If you target the sundew with the blight spell, the entire plant, including all leaves, withers and dies. A leaf of the sundew exposed to at least 2 points of fire damage becomes too dry for any creature to stick for 24 hours. Hey, an actual giant version a an actual carnivorous plant. About time, right?

Simple trap (level 5-10, deadly threat)

Used widely in alchemy and potion making, mandrake roots unleash a deadly shriek when first exposed to light.

Trigger. A mandrake is exposed to bright or dim light, such as by being removed from the soil in which it grows.

Effect. The mandrake releases a horrific shriek. Each creature within 60 feet that can hear the shriek must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 10d6 thunder damage and is stunned for 1 minute. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn. Once the mandrake shrieks, it cannot shriek again for 24 hours.

Countermeasures. A DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify a mandrake’s leaves. If the mandrake is dug out in darkness, it will not shriek until exposed to bright or dim light. An old folkloric plant, mandrakes shriek painfully when exposed to sunlight.

Simple trap (level 1-4, moderate threat)

Ousting mums grow in low patches, putting up large numbers of colorful, bunching flowers. They are occasionally used to keep animals out of gardens, and get their name from the sweet spelling acid they spray on larger creatures that might otherwise browse on or trample them.

Trigger. A creature of small size or larger steps into the space of a patch of ousting mum or deals damage to an ousting mum plant.

Effects. The plants sprays acid into the air that hangs in the air for 1 minute, or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Each creature in the patch’s space, must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 1d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.

Countermeasures. A DC 10 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the flowers. Once an ousting mum plant has expended its acid, it cannot spray again for 1 week. Ousting mums will also refuse to spray their acid while in the presence of severe heat, such as that of a torch. A 5-foot patch of ousting mums has 4 hit points (vulnerability to Fire damage, Immunity to Psychic damage) and is unable to spray after being destroyed. A decent way to introduce plants-as-traps to a party, as well as to warn that the security in a nice looking area is tighter than the party might assume.

Simple trap (level 1-4, Moderate threat)

The perfectly white, spherical, air-filled, foot wide mushroom caps stick up on top of a two foot stem. The caps erupt with a loud pop when brushed against, after which the wind or creature to pop the mushroom can carry its spores over a long distance. Once popped, the cap’s thin membrane hangs loosely over the upright stem.

Trigger. A creature or object knocks against the mushroom’s cap.

Effect. The mushroom erupts with a loud pop, audible from as far away as 300 feet. Each creature within 10 feet of the mushroom must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, becoming coated in the mushroom’s spores on a failed save. A creature coated in the mushroom’s glowing spores sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius and can’t benefit from being invisible for 8 hours or until it spends 1 minute scraping off the spores.

Countermeasures. A DC 10 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the fungus. The mushroom can be set off by strong winds (at least 10 miles per hour) or by an object hitting the cap. A creature can make a DC 10 Sleight of Hand (Dexterity) check to let the air out of the popshroom’s cap. The mushroom is triggered on a failure and disarmed on a success. The shrieker exists, but is so odd. I'd rather make you deal with a pop and a glowing effect when you're sneaking into a drow estate. Although I also expect that a drow estate should have one set of traps that are only there as a cultural legacy (ex: shriekers) and a second set of traps particular to the house that's intended to stop other drow (who presumably know how to bypass the most common traps)

Simple trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

This fungus grows mushrooms shaped like mounds of blood red tentacles. When disturbed, the fungus emits clouds of spores that sicken the body and slow the mind.

Trigger. A creature that walks within 5 feet of the of the patch of fungus triggers it. A flying creature that passes within 10 feet of the patch of fungus also triggers it.

Effects. The fungus releases a cloud of spores in a 5-foot sphere that hangs in the air for 1 minute, or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Each creature within the cloud at the start of its turn must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against poison. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned until the start of its next turn and slowed while it is poisoned in this way. Creatures that don’t need to breathe or are immune to poison automatically succeed on this saving throw.

Countermeasures. A DC 10 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the fungus. Any amount of fire or acid damage destroys the fungus, disabling the trap. And I think with this one I've finished the set of traps with the most generic effects (combined with the other set of traps in this post and my previous set (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?627648-Additional-Plant-Creatures-and-Bunch-of-Plant-Based-Traps).

[sandmote]

Because so many to the trap plants I've written have been fairly low level, I wanted to come up with some stronger ones. The method I came up with to give myself some additional direction was to try to make the plants native to particular outer planes, although some of these are explicitly found across multiple.

The Good Planes:

Intermediate trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

Arcadian creeper can be found in various shades of white and metal, naturally sprouting on the base of fences throughout the plane of arcadia. The vines grow as neatly as would be expected from a plane native to to this plane, but the leaves can be mistaken for having a chaotic bent, as they form vastly different shapes in different regions. In fact, the shape of the leaves of a particular plant will grow to match the heraldry of the ruler of the area the fence is placed, mimicking the leaves of other plants, the forms of various animals, and even approximating the form of crafted objects and geometric shapes.

Recently placed fences can be spotted by the lack of Arcadian creeper upon them, and moved fences identified by the vines growing across the ground onto them from the fence’s original location. Should a major disaster occur, previous land markings can be identified by mounding vines which will unfurl to latch onto replacement fencing.

Trigger. A creature that runs within 10 feet of the of the creeper while carrying something it has stolen. The creeper inquires a creature’s purpose for running psionically, and determines whether it considers anything it is carrying stolen in the same manner.

Active Effects. Raising the creeper's alarm sets off a series of effects to try to apprehend the supposed criminal.

Tangling Vines. The plant mentally assaults tries to physically apprehend suspected criminals When triggered, the creeper immediately leaps off the fencing and tries to grapple the thief. The target must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by the creeper.

Psionic Punishment. The plant psionically bombards creatures it considers criminals with an unending stream of decrees against theft, rowdiness, and various other suspected crimes. A creature that starts its turn grappled by the plant must make a DC 10 wisdom saving throw, taking 4d6 psionic damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this effect is rendered stable but unconscious.

Constant Effects. Once triggered, the metallic, bell-shaped flowers of the creeper begin ringing out an alarm which carries over to the creeper on the adjacent bit of fencing and running all the way back to the nearest settlement or constabulary.

Countermeasures. A DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the creeper. The creeper can be cut by dealing 5 points of damage to it, burnt by dealing 10 points of fire or acid damage to it, or burst with a DC 20 Strength check. A creature immune to being grappled or restrained does not need to worry about the psionic assault but still sets off the plant’s alarm, while one which is shielded from having its mind read or simply walks at a leisurely pace does not trigger the plant in the first place. I like the idea that part of what drives away chaos on the lawful planes is that fact even the plants are lawful and won't abide chaos. Also, the idea that the plants know who owns the land and where the borders are supposed to be and will let everyone else know when someone tries to pull a scam by moving them.

Simple trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

These fruit trees grow in groves on the plain of Elysium, and each full grown tree bears 1d4+1 fruits each day. The fruits themselves resemble a lotus and contain enough nutrients to sustain a medium size creature for one day. The flowers and entire tree releases a sweet, relaxing scent that brings creatures into a state of peaceful bliss. Most places on the material plane typically end up burning the trees from the edge of anywhere they take root, meaning they are typically found on the upper planes or small islands where the trees end up affecting all the local inhabitants.

Trigger. A creature able to smell walks within 30 feet of the tree. A creature with the Keen Scent feature must make the saving throw when it walks within 60 feet.

Effect. The creature must make a DC 10 saving throw or become charmed by the tree and be slowed for the duration they remain charmed. A creature charmed by the tree attempts to reach the tree. A target isn’t compelled to move into an obviously deadly hazard, such as a fire or pit, but it will provoke opportunity attacks to move toward the tree. On a succesful save the creature becomes immune to the effects of all fruits of Elysium for 8 hours.

While an effected creature is within the area of effect of the tree, the creature will refuse to leave the tree’s area, feeding off the fruit and lazing around. At the end of a long rest and each time the creature takes damage it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Countermeasures. A DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the trees and their effects. A creature under the effects of a Protection from Evil and Good spell is immune to the tree’s effects. The tree’s effects can be negated for 24 hours by a Dispel Evil and Good spell.

The effects of a fruit of Elysium tree cannot pass through the barrier created by a magic circle spell. The tree can be destroyed when dealt 135 (18d10+36) damage. A tree has AC 13, is resistant to bludgeoning and piercing damage, immune to psychic damage, and has vulnerability to fire damage. If less than 36 points of this damage is fire or acid damage, the tree begins to regrow within 1d6+1 months. Based on the lotus eaters from the odyssey, I mostly expect these to be used in the same way.

Intermediate trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

Considered related to rainbow plants, the dewey pine, and the vargouille pine, the mercy killer is a large plant found in the beastlands and on arcadia, covered in shining dew which releases brilliant shows of light.

Trigger. A creature which enters within 5 feet of the mercy killer will be telepathically asked “do you wish to continue?” The trap activates immediately should the target answer in the negative.

Active Effects. When activated, the mercy killer will extend a leaf into the target creature’s space, which is covered in pain numbing fluids and powerful digestive enzymes, grappling the creature. The target is restrained while grappled in this way. An unwilling creature must succeed on a DC 10 Athletics (Strength) or Acrobatics (Dexterity) check to avoid the grapple.

Passive Effects. A creature grappled by the mercy killer takes 2d6 poison damage and 2d6 acid damage at the start of each of its turns.

Countermeasures. A successful DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify mercy killer and its effects. The target or another creature within reach can make a DC 15 Athletics (Strength) check to free the target. On a success the target is freed, but continues to take 1d6 poison and acid damage each round. The poison damage can be ended with a successful DC 15 Medicine (Wisdom) check to purge the poison, by providing an antidote, or by casting Protection from Poison, Lesser Restoration, or similar magic. The acid damage can be ended by pouring at least 10 gallons of water over the creature or by spending 1 minute scraping the fluid off. How does a carnivorous plant become good-aligned? Ask before eating you. The idea behind the damage continuing is that the trapped creature presumably is fine with what's happening to them, and the plant kindly making sure they get what they told it they wanted.

Simple trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

Boilerplants grow from a central, cylindrical trunk 5 feet wide from which grows a ring of much taller stalks bearing wide, oval leaves on their tops. The plant’s bark is bright red and extremtly hot to the touch. The heat put out by the plant is so intense that the plant is killed each day by its own heat, only to be returned to life each day by the innate powers of Ysguard. Often cultivated and used as stovetops, the inhabitants of the plane often enjoy pranking unsuspecting visiters by claiming the plant also works like an oven and asking their guests to cut it open.

Trigger. A creature touches the boilerplant or deals 5 points of more cutting damage to the plant. Alternativly, the one of the boilerplant’s stems can be peeled off with a successful DC 25 Strength check.

Active Effects. Scorching heat erupts in a 15 foot cone from the spot the plant was cut or peeled off. Each creature inside the cone must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. Each successive time the trap is triggered the damage is reduced by 1d6.

Passive Effects. As long as the damage dealt by the trap is 2d6 or greater, a creature that touches the plant takes 1d4 fire damage. If the damage of the trap is reduced to 1d6 or ended, touching the plant deals 1 point of fire damage.

Countermeasures. A successful DC 20 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the boilerplant and its effects. If asked to cut open the plant, a creature can make an Insight (Wisdom) check contested by the asker’s Deception (Charisma) check to determine this is unlikely to be a good idea. The 5e DMG mentions that creatures on Ysguard are returned to life each day so they can keep fighting, so I figured a plant could develop on the plane that literally dies each day. The idea here is that the plant can be used as a stovetop, and the chaotic denizens don't consider killing a creature rude enough not to prank you by asking you to cut it open. It isn't evena trap otherwise, which I like as something from a good-aligned plane.



The plants from the evil aligned planes are more flexible in where you can expect them to grow, but also much nastier than the ones before.

Intermediate trap, (level 11-16, deadly threat)

Spread across Minauros, the third layer of Baatar, and Othrys, the outermost layer of Carceri, Suction plants are a growth which even devils fear, able to suction in unsuspecting travelers into its maw in an instant and leave little evidence of where they went.

When dug out from the ground, a suction plant resembles the traps of a bladderwort plant.

Trigger. A creature walks on top of the suction plant.

Effects. When triggered, the suction plant opens, sucking in the water and muck directly over it, along with any creature standing in the space. Each creature must make a DC 20 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (the creature’s choice) or be sucked into the plant’s maw. A colossal creature succeeds on this saving throw automatically.

On a failed save a huge creature is grappled by the plant. A large or smaller creature is grappled on a successful save. On a failed save, a large or smaller creature is swallowed and restrained by the plant. While restrained by the plant in this manner, a target creature is also blinded and has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the plant.

As an action, a creature grappled by the plant can make a DC 20 Athletics (Strength) check or Acrobatics (Dexterity) check, escaping from the plant’s maw on a success. A creature swallowed by the plant can make a DC 20 Athletics (Strength) or Acrobatics (Dexterity) check to emerge from the plants maw. On a success the creature ends the blinded and restrained conditions on itself and no longer has total cover against effects outside the suction plant’s maw, but is grappled by the plant. A creature adjacent to the plant can make a DC 20 Athletics (Strength) check. On a success, a restrained target only becomes grappled and a grappled target is freed.

Dissolving Maw. On initiative count 10, each creature grappled or restrained by the suction plant takes 31 (9d6) acid damage.

Countermeasures. Suction plants remains buried at all times, as the closing of their trap pulls additional muck over their surface. A creature must succeed on a DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check to spot the plant’s trigger hairs sticking up half an inch out of the surface in the trap’s space. A creature has advantage on this check 1d6+1 rounds after the trap activates, as the surrounding muck slowly evens out. Once the plant has been spotted, a creature must succeed on a DC 20 Nature (Intelligence) check to identify the plant.

Triggering the Trap. A suction plant can be triggered by pushing down the hairs sticking out of the ground in the trap’s space. Once the plant sucks up the surface material, it takes 10 minutes for the trap to be ready again.

Disabling the Trap. If a creature deals 20 or more points of slashing damage to the plant in a single turn they can sever the edge of the plant’s trap. Once the edge of the trap is severed creatures restrained by the plant are no longer blinded and only have three quarters cover from effects originating directly above the plant. Additionally, creatures gain advantage on checks made to escape the trap and on checks made to remove a creature from the trap. Based on bladderwarts, its a hidden trapdoor which swallows you whole and requires the party to figure out how to get you out quickly.

Simple trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

Mimicking surrounding vegetation as it grows, tormenting burdock has spread across the lower planes and into a variety of worlds on the material by sticking to and traveling with other creatures. Scholars suspect it originas from the plant of Gehenna, as inanimate objects are also able to spread many of the plant’s seeds there.

Tormenting bur is able to immitate plants it its vicinity, the burs hidden behind the leaves and stems, making it difficult to identify even to experts. This disguise allows it to impale and infuriate creatures that have experienced it before.

Trigger. If a creature touches the tormenting burdock, it attempts to impale. If the burdock is struck, as with a weapon or area of effect, it sprays instead.

Effects. The tormenting burdock not only strikes to cover passing creatures in burrs, but also to fling burs into the air if struck quickly or by blasts of magic.

Impaling. When the plant is triggered, burs spring from beneath the leaves to impale the target, making an attack with a +8 attack modifier. On a hit, 3d4 burs attach to the target, the creature takes 1d4 piercing damage for each bur that attached is this manner, and must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save the target is frightened by the bur plant for 1 minute.

While frightened by this effect, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the bur plant by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. The creature can repeat the saving throw on the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.

Spray. The plant sprays burrs in a 10 foot cone from each point it was struck. If the plant is engulfed in an area of effect, it sprays burrs in 10 feet in every direction. Each creature in the area of effect must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. 1d4+1 burrs attach to the target on a failed save, and half as many on a success.

The ground in the area of effect becomes covered in burs after the plant sprays, which lasts until the area is overtaken by tormening burdock or a creature spends 1 minute clearing it of burs.

Burrowing Motion. Each bur holds on tightly to creatures and clothing, digging deeper into the skin as the creature moves. Whenever a creature with burrs attached to it expends movement equal to its speed it takes piercing damage equal to the number of burrs attached. 1d4 hours after the burrs attach they split open, dropping their seeds.

Countermeasures. The bur plant’s deceptive growing habit makes it difficult to spot. A creature must succeed on a DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check to notice either the burs or the flaws in the plant’s disguise, after which a creature must succeed on a DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check to identify the plant.

Clearing the Growth. Clearing tormenting burdock is difficult, and care must be taken not to leave the burs to reseed after cropping or otherwise destroying the plant. Clearing a 5 foot square of burs takes 1 minute, and the creature doing so must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or have one of the burs attach to one of the creature’s limbs. A tormenting burdock plant has 39 (6d8+12) hit points, resistance to bludgeoning damage, and immunity to psychic damage. The individual burrs also have immunity to fire damage.

Removing Burs. Removing a bur requires making a successful DC 20 Sleight of Hand (Dexterity) or Medicine (Wisdom) check to remove a bur. If the check fails by 10 or more, the creature the bur is attached too takes 1d4 piercing damage. On earth, burs are annoying. Here, they're going to cause you a good bit of pain.

Intermediate trap (Level 11-16, moderate threat)

Hadean blackberry grows as series of canes reaching into the air, from which grow fruits that appear to all the senses as delectable sources of nourishment in the unending bleakness that characterizes this plane. In practice, creatures that attempt to retrieve these berries from the inside of the thicket quickly find themselves trapped by a series of vicious barbs facing inward to the thicket and dissolved to provide nutrients for the plant.

A thicket of headean blackberries typically has a 10 foot radius, bearing 3d4 shining black berries. A creature that succeeds a DC 20 Survival (Wisdom) check realizes the berries are actually gemstone quality ore. If the creature fails this check by 10 or less it instead concludes each berry would provide enough sustanance to keep a creature alive for 1 day.

Trigger. The thicket will not react to a creature moving toward its center. Portions of the thicket touching the creature are triggered when it tries to pick a berry or move away from the thicket’s center.

Active Elements. The plant makes an attack against each creature that triggers it. Each attack has a +8 attack bonus. On a hit the plant deals 6 (1d12) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the target is poisoned for 1 hour and its speed is reduced to 0 while it is poisoned in this way.

Constant Elements. The roots of hadean blackberries secret a substance that binds together the sandy soil of hades and dissolves flesh. Each creature laying prone in the blackberries’ space takes 2d4 acid damage at the end of each of its turns.

Dynamic Elements. The plant maintain several defenses against being pruned and cut down.

Acid Sap. Each time a cane is cut down the base of the stem spurts with the same fluid which the plants use to hold to the plane’s loose soil. Each creature within 5 feet of the cane must make a DC 15 dexterity saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 4d6 acid damage and is knocked prone. On a success the target takes half as much acid damage and isn’t knocked prone.

Countermeasures. A successful DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) or Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals the mostly dissolved remains of 1d4 larve lying in the base of the thicket. A succssful DC 20 Nature (Intelligence) check reveals the plant’s identity, that it slowly dissolves creatures that die in its vicinity, and that the berries actually consist of hematite gems grown by the plant to entice prey.

Canes. Each 5 foot square of hadean blackberries typically contains 2d4+2 canes. Each cane has AC 14, 10 hit points, and immunity to acid, bludgeoning, and psychic damage. A cane becomes severed if it is killed using piercing or slashing damage, but simply withers if killed using other types of damage. If half the canes in a particular space are severed, a creature moving through them gains advantage on dexterity checks made to evade the thorns. If all the canes in a space are severed, they can no longer prickle creatures passing through.

Acid. Anything that can provide 1 inch of cover on the ground between the canes will prevent creatures from taking acid damage while on the ground. If this is done by dumping material over the ground, creatures already prone in the thicket’s space when this effect is created must stand up or move to a different space before they stop taking the damage. The acid produced by hadean blackberries cannot dissolve metal. Heavy armor or 1 inch of physical material between a prone creature and the soil in the blackberries' space negates the acid damage. There was something similar in 2e material that lives on the outer planes and will kill you if you try to eat it berries. I found it strange the berries of a plant from the lower planes are edible at all, so I made them minor gemstones instead.
The rest of the plant design is based on an online hypothesis that blackberries are paracarnivorous, based on the fact their thorns are curved inward, causing them to prick you when you're moving away from the plant rather than toward it. So walking into a thicket is fairly easy, but you get hurt each time you try to get out. So I made this plant specifically do that and actually produce the digestive enzymes necessary to be defined as a "true" carnivorous plants. And to make it harder to cut your way out, the canes splash acid in your face if you cut one down.

Complex trap (level 11-16, deadly threat)

The layer of Cathrys on the plane of Carceri consists of a series of small plenary bodies lined up in an unceasing chain. the bodies themselves are dominated by dense jungle, the plants of which drip acid strong enough to melt through metal, broken only by clearings covered in razor sharp blades of grass. Most inhabitants of the plane ar used to and prepared for these threats, but still whisper of even more lethal threats native to Cathrys. Growing a series of leafy, venomous heads on the tips of long slender vines, the Carcerian hydra is one such danger.

Trigger. Carcerian hydra grows from a central woody root about 5 feet round, the plant’s long vines winding their way around surrounding foliage into hidden positions from which to strike. Each stem can grow up to 50 feet long, but they typically stay in a 30 foot sphere originating from the top of the root. The plant has tremorsense for 60 feet and is blind beyond this radius. The trap is triggered when a creature the base can sense passes within 10 feet of the tip of one of the vines.

Active Effects. Once activated, the tips of the hydra’s many vines begin to converge on the initial target, to help bring it down. When the hydra avoids losing heads vines over an extended period, stems they rot away until only 5 remain. On the turn the hydra is triggered, only one vine attempts to bite and entangle the target. On subsequent turns, the tip of each vine each head attempts to bite a creature on initiative count 20.

Biting Heads. Each attacking head has a +12 attack bonus. On a hit the stem head deals 14 (2d12+1) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned by the hydra for 24 hours. A creature can’t benefit to immunity from the poisoned condition against this effect unless is it also immune to the paralyzed condition.

Entangling Vines. The body of the vines of the Carcerian hydra attempt to surround and entangle creatures as their heads tips bite the target. The vines have a range equal to the range 10 shorter than that of the heads. The last 10 feet of the vine's length are unable to entangle a target. For newly grown vines, this is a range of 20 feet from the root. On initiative count 10 a creature within range of a vine must make a DC 20 Acrobatics (Dexterity) or Athletics (Strength) check. On a failed check the target is grappled by the vine.

Continuous Effects. Each creature poisoned by the hydra takes 4d6 fire damage and loses 10 feet of speed at the start of each of its turns. If the creature’s innate speeds are already reduced to 0 when this occurs, it becomes paralyzed instead.

Dynamic Effects. The Carcerian Hydra’s name is no misnomer, and regrows stems in a similar manner to the monstrosity it is named for.

Multiplying Heads. On initiative count 0 the hydra grows back two vines for each one that has been severed. Each new vine has a reach of 20 feet and the vine’s head a reach of 30 feet.

Countermeasures. A DC 20 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the Carcerian hydra. A successful DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check allow a creature to notice the stems return to a central point.

Severing Heads. Severing a Carcerian hydra plant’s vines offers temporary relief at best, but can be done by killing a vine. Each stem has 14 (4d4+4) hit points, AC 15, immunity to psychic, poison, and acid damage, resistance to bludgeoning, lightning, and radiant damage, a +5 bonus to dexterity saving throws, and +1 bonus to Constitution saving throws. A vine can also be torn with a DC 20 Athletics (Strength) check.

Ending the Poison. If an effect can only end poisons or end only a single status effect, the creature applying the effect must make a DC 20 Medicine (Wisdom) check. On a failure, the poison is not neutralized. A casting of Remove Curse, Greater Restoration or a similar effect which removes curses works against this effect and allows the poison to be neutralized normally.

Killing the Root. The root of the hydra has 126 (12d8+72) hit points, AC 15, immunity to psychic, poison, and acid damage and resistance to all other damage types except necrotic. Once killed the vines becomes sluggish and lifeless. Slightly worried I made this one a bit excessive, but I was getting tired of having so much stuff that deals acid damage, so I made the hydra into a plant. The venom is supposed to be a reference to how Heracles dipped his arrows in hydra venom and the description I've read of how he said it felt during the period where he was poisoned by one. I make no claims the version I read matches any of the old accounts of the myth. The thing with the poison is because so many extraplanar creatures have immunity to poison and I wanted it to affect at least some of them.

Also, I have a vague sensation a "carcerian hydra" is already a thing somewhere, but I don't recall where. If anyone has any information about that, I'd be glad to hear it.
Intermediate trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

When grown outside their native environment in the jungles on the layer of Cathrys on the plane of Carceri, the hydra plant’s ability to grow its characteristic lashing heads is severely reduced. They will still grow the typical inital 5 heads, but cannot regrow them nearly as quickly and they do not reach similar lengths to those in the wild. The reasons for this are disputed, but suspected to relate to possible symbiotes or other growths in wild hydra’s roots.

Trigger. Carcerian hydra grows from a central wooden base about 5 feet round, the plant’s long vines winding their way around surrounding foliage into hidden positions from which to strike. Each stem reaches 20 feet long, but they typically stay in a 15 foot sphere originating from the upper tip of the base. The plant is triggered when a creature walks within 10 feet of the tip of one of the vines.

Active Effects. Once activated, the tips of the hydra’s many vines begin to converge on the initial target, to help bring it down. When the hydra avoids losing heads over an extended period, stems rot away until only 5 remain. On the turn the hydra is triggered, only one vine attempts to bite and entangle the target. On subsequent turns, each head attempts to bite a creature on initiative count 20.

Biting Heads. Each attacking head has a +8 attack bonus and act on initiative count 20. On a hit the stem deals 7 (1d12+1) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned by the hydra for 1 hour. A creature can’t benefit to immunity from the poisoned condition against this effect unless is it also immune to the paralyzed condition.

Entangling Vines. The body of the vines of the Carcerian hydra attempt to surround and entangle creatures as their heads tips bite the target. On initiative count 10 one creature within 10 feet of the root must make a DC 20 Acrobatics (Dexterity) or Athletics (Strength) check. On a failed check the target is grappled by the vines.

Continuous Effects. Each creature poisoned by the hydra takes 2d6 fire damage and loses 5 feet of speed at the start of each of its turns. If the creature’s innate speeds are already reduced to 0 when this occurs, it becomes paralyzed instead.

Countermeasures. A DC 20 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the Carcerian hydra. A successful DC 10 Perception (Wisdom) check allow a creature to notice the stems return to a central point.

Severing Heads. Severing a Carcerian hydra plant’s vines stops them from attacking. Each vine has 10 (4d4) hit points, AC 15, immunity to psychic, poison, and acid damage, resistance to bludgeoning, lightning, and radiant damage, a +5 bonus to dexterity saving throws, and +0 bonus to Constitution saving throws. A vine can also be torn with a DC 15 Athletics (Strength) check. The plant can regrow a severed head after 1 minute.

Ending the Poison. The stunted form of the hydra weakens its poison, allowing it to be neutralized normally.

Killing the Root. The root of the hydra has 90 (12d8+36) hit points, AC 15, immunity to psychic, poison, and acid damage and resistance to all other damage types except necrotic. Once killed the vines become lifeless and inert.Anyway, I made a less extreme version, based on the idea it can survive but not thrive off of the layer of Carceri where is originates.

Complex trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

Growing up to 30 feet tall and covered in a series of sticky hairs, these huge plants are named for their most common victim: the tiny vargouilles which flit across the lower planes and attempt to lap up whatever ichor or blood they find. Each plant grows six massive trunks, five of which ring the outside of the plant, gathering prey, swatting threats, and otherwise protecting the seeds that develop on the central, fruiting trunk.

Trigger. A creature within 30 feet attacks the vargouille pine or otherwise deals damage to it. A creature picking up to one seed and up to one flower from the central trunk will be left alone, but the plant will proceed to beat away a creature that attempts to remove multiple of either. The plant will not trigger in response to creatures removing the pollen inside flowers, however.

Active Effects. Each time the vargouille pine determines a creature to be dangerous, it lashes out with the nearest of the five outer trunks, slamming an area in a 5 foot wide, 30 foot line from the plant’s base. Alternatively, the pine can attack each creature within its space instead. In either case the tree makes an attack roll with a +8 modifier on each creature in the area of effect. On a hit a creature takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the pine’s sticky surface. The trunk then returns to its normal, vertical position, taking along any grappled creatures of medium size or smaller.

Passive Effects. A creature grappled by the pine takes 2d4 acid damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature stuck to one of the pine’s trunks can free itself with a successful DC 15 Athletics (Strength) check, at which point it falls if not kept aloft by other means.

Dynamic Effects. The pine presents new threats to creatures grappled by it and those drying out the sticky sap along the surface of the outer trunks.

Attacking Attached Creatures. Creatures grappled by the pine are attacked when the pine uses the grappling trunk to attack the same area (either outside or within the plant) and the pine has advantage on attacks against creatures it is grappling.

Trapped Vargouilles. When a 5 foot section of an outer trunk intersects with an area of fire, there is a 50% chance an attached vargouille will escape and attack the nearest creature. When an entire trunk is cleared of sap (as by having a fireball spell cast on it) 3d4 varguilles escape instead.

Severed Trunk. A felled trunk of the plant continues to twist and bend where it lays for 1 hour after being felled. On initiative count 10, the trunk makes an attack against each creature within 5 feet. These attacks function the same as those of attached trunks ,except that the bludgeoning damage is reduced to 1d6.

Countermeasures. A successful DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the pine and its effects. A successful DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check allows a creature to notice the ground pounded flat within 30 feet of the plant’s base and the vargouille sticking to the outer trunks.

Drying the Sap. When a section of the plant’s trunk is exposed to an area of effect that deals fire damage, it becomes too dry to stick to creatures. A creature grappled by a section of trunk which dries out ceases to be grappled by the tree, at which point it falls if not kept aloft by other means.

Severing the Trunk. The trunks of the vargouille pine are too thick to sever with anything short of Mordenkainen’s Sword, a Blade of Disaster, a beheading blow from a vorpal sword, or a blow of similar power. The flailing of the plant’s trunks typically makes it impossible to cut them down with a series of weaker blows. If attacked with such a weapon, the each trunk has AC 16. One thing about formatting this as a trunk is that its easier to keep a part of the creature dangerous after being severed, even if I also ended up making that difficult. This one is based on the dewey pine, a tue carnivorous plant, even though it ended up acting more like a paracarnivorous plant. I probably also could have come up with something tied to Zuggtmoy, but I preferred something with fewer mind altering effects: that seems to be the default WotC goes with, and as much as I don't have many differentiated ideas I still wanted to limit it among these plants.

Intermediate trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

In the constant howling within the unending caverns of pandemonium, there exists a few small spots of solace creatures can take from the maddening noise. One such type of quiet spot exists around what are known as relief plants, specifically due to the magical silence they emit in their vicinity. Easily mistaken for something good and organized that can be found on this chaotic evil plane, relief plants actually place a curse on creatures which prevents them from being able to comprehend sound and take physical harm from it.

In a rare few places villages exist on the plane where the inhabitants raise and spread relief plants, staying within the plant’s effect and collecting the remains of travelers who attempt to leave. The plants themselves grow in large bushes with leaves shaped like hands raised to shush someone, the extended “index finger” ending in a small spike.

Trigger. A creature enters within 100 ft. of the relief plant.

Passive Effects. The plant creates a shield against noise, including the howling of the plane, to draw creatures in and places a curse on them to keep them there.

Deafness. Each creature to trigger the plant is deafened for as long as they remain within range of the plant.

Curse. A creature cursed by the relief plant takes thunder damage the first time hears a noise. The first round the creature is subject to this effect, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 4d6 thunder damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. In either case the curse weakens, dealing 1d6 less damage the next time you are forced to make the saving throw. After the damage would be reduced below 1d6 the curse ends.

Active Effects. The plant places a curse of creature to keep them nearby and uses the curse against them if they try to harm it.

Placed Curse. After spending 1 hour within range of the relief plant, a creature becomes cursed by the plant. If the creature was already cursed by the plant in this manner, the strength of the curse returns to maximum.

Ending the Quiet. Each time the plant takes damage the surrounding silence effect ends. The plant beings emiting the silence again on initiative count 0 on the next round.

Countermeasures. A DC 20 Nature (Intelligence) check allows a creature to identify the plant. A DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) or Insight (Wisdom) allows a creature aware of the edge of the plant’s effect to determine the effect is created by the plant.

The Curse. The relief plant’s curse can be dispelled with a successful dispel magic (DC 15), or a remove curse, greater restoration, or dispel evil and good spell to break the enchantment.

Protection. The plant’s deafening effect cannot extend into the area of a Magic Circle, and time spent inside the magic circle doesn’t count toward the duration for the plant’s curse to set in. Creature inside the magic circle have immunity to damage from the plant’s curse.

Killing the Plant. The plant has a +3 modifier to Constitution saving throws and 76 (9d10+27) hit points. It has immunity to psychic damage and resistance to lightning and bludgeoning damage. Finally, the Relief of Pandemonium grants relief from the maddening noise native to the plane, and then curses you for staying too long. Once cursed you take damage if you try to leave the plant's area of effect or it drops the zone of effect.

[brian 333]

Alpine meadows or stony river/stream banks are home to these bright green plants with spikey leaves. When in flower, they show deep violet blooms which have the silhouette of a purple-robed monk.

In winter these plants are dead stalks, but with the spring stiff shoots spring up to six feet in height, budding the purple flowers on dense profusion. Later in the year they flower irregularly all the way through to Autumn.

Stalks topped with flowers are motile, though they are bound in place by their roots. They can strike with 5' reach any target in range, but will preferentially attack wolves, canines, and shapeshifters with the ability to assume wolf form. They attack as monks between first and sixth level, their leaves being treated as tiny kamas.

The purpose of their attacks is to draw blood which is used to provide food for their seeds. Leaves on the perimeter may delay attacks to allow unsuspecting creatures to become surrounded before attacking.

The plants can detect vibration and movement within their strike range, and have chemoreceptors which are triggered by wolf pheromones. They are not intelligent to any measureable degree.

Their flowers are powerful reagents in potions and other uses related to harming or warding against wolves or canines, and against shapeshifters.

[Metastachydium]

This thread, it calls to me! (And also answers my "what'syourcurrentproject" question from earlier, so bonus points for that!) I'm yet to go through the trap stuff (not that I know a damn thing about 5e trap design), but on the creature front,


Mantis Orchid
Both beautiful and deadly, mantis orchids take on a proactive method against predation. Animals passing by are quickly cut, clarifying the orchid is a poor choice of snack. The plant’s loose, mobile roots allow it to move to better spots for sunning or pollination, as well as to dig in against high winds.

That's a cute little flower that I apporve of. Reactive is nice. Glider fits a tree orchid neatly and Take Root is such a planty thing to do!

I only have two contentions:


The same internal components which allow a mantis orchid to move are highly coveted for alchemy and the crafting of magical items, and can be used instead of the typical material component when casting the Awaken spell on a plant.

1. This… It's a bit creepy. Like, it's a non-Evil, sapient being. That's like saying "Human brains are highly coveted for alchemy and can be used instead of the typical material component when casting the Awaken spell on an animal [assuming that's a thing in 5e and does roughly the same thing it did in 3.5]". Is that intentional?


STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 8 (-1)


2. Is there any reason why a cunning, twitchy, highly mobile pretty plant needs to have low CHA and very low INT?


Serpent Vine

I see you ended up doing the Snake Plant thing yourself, in the meantime! Steady Growth is an interesting touch and I like it. I mean, ecology that's not just fluff but also gives clues on the tactical side of things? Solid concept. My main issue here would be that… Well, this doesn't really feel like a plant. It's really just a big constrictor snake with good mimicry, both in what it does and in how it behaves.

[sandmote]

Stalks topped with flowers are motile, though they are bound in place by their roots. They can strike with 5' reach any target in range, but will preferentially attack wolves, canines, and shapeshifters with the ability to assume wolf form. They attack as monks between first and sixth level, their leaves being treated as tiny kamas. I think they'd work better if they flowered like agaves, meaning rarely enough that most living wolves (if not most living humans) haven't seen one before are don't know to avoid them.


This thread, it calls to me! (And also answers my "what'syourcurrentproject" question from earlier, so bonus points for that!) Yeah, sorry. It felt like I'd be hijacking your thread to mention this there.

But if you can comment on the general "feel" of the traps, I'd be very happy. 5e trap design isn't well made, so there's not too much anyone can really comment on the math. Mostly just "feels a bit high/low" for how much it does damage.

1. This… It's a bit creepy. Like, it's a non-Evil, sapient being. That's like saying "Human brains are highly coveted for alchemy and can be used instead of the typical material component when casting the Awaken spell on an animal [assuming that's a thing in 5e and does roughly the same thing it did in 3.5]". Is that intentional?
5e dropped the "anything with 3+ Int is sapient rule," and most of the animals got higher numbers. This thing is smarter than the average dolphin, but not by much, so it didn't register to me as sapient.

For an actual reason, the biggest difference between the 5e and 3,5e versions of this spell is that 5e doesn't have xp costs, so the published version of the spell lists a material component of "an agate worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes." I don't see druids having an easy time getting their hands on gemstones (given how destructive mining can get), and figured this would a) make it easier to explain awakened plants in an area, and b) give the party a reason to try to chase one down.

Also, I did have 2e on the brain, where this sort of thing pops up often enough that you can tell the writers were expecting the party to try selling every corpse for money.



2. Is there any reason why a cunning, twitchy, highly mobile pretty plant needs to have low CHA and very low INT?I feel like an average Int of 8 or higher means a creature is definitely sapient, which is how I ended up with 7. That number I might actually reduce, to make it less creepy.

For Cha I wanted to justify why it needs to attack a beast in order to scare them off, but I'll go ahead and buff it a bit. Slightly above a humanoid seems fine.


I see you ended up doing the Snake Plant thing yourself, in the meantime! Steady Growth is an interesting touch and I like it. I mean, ecology that's not just fluff but also gives clues on the tactical side of things? Solid concept. My main issue here would be that… Well, this doesn't really feel like a plant. It's really just a big constrictor snake with good mimicry, both in what it does and in how it behaves. The actual thing called a "snake plant" isn't like this, but now that you mention it this probably the general expected concept for a "snake plant." Something actually similar to a snake plane would probably just end up as a lower CR Viper tree.

And the reason it looks like this is because I converted it from 2e, rather than coming up with it myself. Steady growth, the intelligence, and the spellcasting work mostly the same way. I really only added the swallow effect.

[brian 333]

Wizard Tree

The Wizard Tree is a sapient tree. Its bark varies from ghostly pale to rich brown to jet black, and can be exceptionally rough, smooth, or anything between. They can be tall and narrow like fir trees, short and broad like live oaks. They can range from the size of shrubbery to immense redwoods.

Wizard trees of any type have leaves of silver and gold, in the shapes of moons and stars respectively. The leaves look metallic, but have no valuable metals in them. Their sap is the color of blood, though it tends to be thick and sticky. They almost always have distorted knotholes and contours which appear face-like.

Players may be inclined to attempt to deduce the Alignment of the tree by its appearance, but this would be a mistake. The appearance and personality of each tree is dictated by the DM.

Wizard Trees can cast Wizard Spells. The life stages of the tree dictate spells per day, corresponding to wizard spell levels.

Seedling Level 0 less than 1 year
Sprout Level 1-2, 1- 5 years
Sapling Level 3-4, 6-12 years
Pole Level 5-6, 13-24 years
Tree Level 7-8, 25-75 years
Mature Tree Level 9, 76-150
Ancient Tree 150+ Epic Level

A Wizard Tree is permanently rooted, but its branches can move sufficiently to perform the somatic gestures required by a spell. It never requires spell components, and any verbal components are spoken by the face on the tree's trunk. Its spells known list is determined by the DM. It casts spells as a wizard of the level dictated by its age. Int, Wis, and Cha are 3d6 plus level and age modifiers. Str and Con are 3xLevel. Dex is 3d6 but any modifiers do not apply to AC.

A Wizard Tree fights as a wizard. Damage is always 1 die, the size of which is determined by age category.
Seedling d2, Sprout d3, Sapling d4, Pole d6, Tree d8, Mature Tree d10, Ancient Tree d12.
Reach is 1/2 the radius of the tree.

All wizard trees are created by druids who bury a dead wizard, plant a tree over the grave, and cast a ritualized version of the Resurrection spell. The spirit of the dead wizard is contained in the tree, though it becomes a new personality, as does anyone who is resurrected by the druid spell. A ritualized version of the Awaken spell may be cast by the druid which will restore the memory of the past life to the Wizard Tree. In this case, the Wizard Tree's known spells may be determined by the previous life's known spells.

[Metastachydium]

Yeah, sorry. It felt like I'd be hijacking your thread to mention this there.

No problem, and I wouldn't have minded your dropping a link or anything either. Good PLANTY stuff is always welcome, so far as I'm concerned!


But if you can comment on the general "feel" of the traps, I'd be very happy. 5e trap design isn't well made, so there's not too much anyone can really comment on the math. Mostly just "feels a bit high/low" for how much it does damage.

Roger that. I went through the more mundane ones for now; will take a look at the planar ones later.


5e dropped the "anything with 3+ Int is sapient rule," and most of the animals got higher numbers. This thing is smarter than the average dolphin, but not by much, so it didn't register to me as sapient.

Ah. So a PC with rolled stats can be literally dumber than their horse, and yet still smarter?


For an actual reason, the biggest difference between the 5e and 3,5e versions of this spell is that 5e doesn't have xp costs, so the published version of the spell lists a material component of "an agate worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes." I don't see druids having an easy time getting their hands on gemstones (given how destructive mining can get), and figured this would a) make it easier to explain awakened plants in an area, and b) give the party a reason to try to chase one down.

Still makes me sad.


Also, I did have 2e on the brain, where this sort of thing pops up often enough that you can tell the writers were expecting the party to try selling every corpse for money.

Ah, the beauty of diseased rat liver economies!


The actual thing called a "snake plant" isn't like this,

There's, like, three planties called that in English though.


but now that you mention it this probably the general expected concept for a "snake plant." Something actually similar to a snake plane would probably just end up as a lower CR Viper tree.

But yeah, I could see that happen.


[SPOILER=Charmfruit]Intermediate Trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

Effects. The creature must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or attempt to reach the fruit.

Whenever the creature takes damage and once the creature has the fruit, it can repeat the saving throw. On a success all effects of the charmfruit on the creature end and the creature is immune to the effects of all charmfruit for 24 hours.

A creature of medium size or smaller that swallows the charmfruit takes 1d4 force damage.

At the end of each long rest, a creature that has ingested a charmfruit must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 3d6 force damage

As written, it is intended to allow two saving throws and has the effect of negating the next long rest unless treated.

Hm. Two saving throws, as in two DC 20s before its eaten, or two saving throws as in a DC 20 and a DC 15 each time it deals damage?


[SPOILER=Giant Sea Anemone]Intermediate trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

Coastal anemones are often brightly colored to warn off threats and deep sea anemones are often white, as not enough light reaches the ocean floor to make pigments worthwhile.

Pigmentation that MAKES SENSE! (Eat that, stupid Drow!)


A creature that hasn’t made any attempt to escape in the last turn is pulled inside the anemone’s column to be devoured, usually at initiative count 0. A creature inside the anemone is restrained by the anemone and takes 6d4 acid damage at the start of each of its turns.


The anemone is cut open if the column takes at least 5 points of slashing damage. A swallowed creature can make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to escape through such a hole, or be pulled through such an opening as an action, exiting prone.

Doesn't that mean a creature must be unconscious, otherwise incapacitated or very stupid before it can be swallowed? (Also, given how I believe ability checks work in 5e, freeing a swallowed being or just incapacitating the anemone is disproportionately easier than grappling with it and making checks.)


I do assume severe cuts do kill sea anemones, but given the relatively simple biology I don't think I want them to drop dead once you deal enough points of damage.

Good call.


[SPOILER=Giant Sundew]Simple trap (level 1-4, moderate threat)


Effect. The creature must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the sundew’s leaf. A creature that starts its turn grappled by the sundew takes 1d4 acid damage. A creature can make a DC 10 Athletics (Strength) check, freeing itself from the sundew and ending the condition on a success. A creature can also make this check to free another creature within reach from the sundew.

A giant sundew typically bears 1d6+4 leaves. Each leaf can grapple one creature of medium size of smaller.

DC 10 seems kind of very trivial for something that can, in theory, eat up to 10 Medium creatures at once and as such, is supposedly built for that.


[SPOILER=Mandrake]Simple trap (level 5-10, deadly threat)


Good old Mandrake! A classic indeed. No comment here beyond how renaming sonic and using thunder instead is one of 5e's few ideas that resonate well with me.


[SPOILER=Ousting Mum]Simple trap (level 1-4, moderate threat)

Ousting mums grow in low patches, putting up large numbers of colorful, bunching flowers. They are occasionally used to keep animals out of gardens, and get their name from the sweet spelling acid they spray on larger creatures that might otherwise browse on or trample them.

Good flavour making good sense! I approve.


Effects. The plants sprays acid into the air that hangs in the air for 1 minute, or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Each creature in the patch’s space, must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 1d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.

DC feels right too, given what it's trying to achieve.


[SPOILER=Popshroom]Simple trap (level 1-4, Moderate threat)

That name. [Shudders.] But don't mind me; I'm just not that much into portmanteau puns.


Effect. The mushroom erupts with a loud pop, audible from as far away as 300 feet. Each creature within 10 feet of the mushroom must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, becoming coated in the mushroom’s spores on a failed save. A creature coated in the mushroom’s glowing spores sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius and can’t benefit from being invisible for 8 hours or until it spends 1 minute scraping off the spores.

Yup. The comparison with Shrieker you made was just yearning to happen on its own. And yes, it's so much better, both as a trap and as something an actual organism would do. Numbers feel right once more. All nice, all good.

[sandmote]

Ah. So a PC with rolled stats can be literally dumber than their horse, and yet still smarter? There is the rule to roll when there's a possibility a character can determine something, which (when followed) mostly prevents beasts from making most Intelligence based rolls. And most beasts were carried over with listed intelligence scores of 1 or 2 (including the horses).

But yes, if you do roll something for the horse's intelligence, you can end up with a PC whose Int modifier is lower than their Horses' Int modifier.


Hm. Two saving throws, as in two DC 20s before its eaten, or two saving throws as in a DC 20 and a DC 15 each time it deals damage? Two DC 20's before it is eaten: one when you see the fruit and one once you have the fruit.



Whenever the creature takes damage and once the creature has the fruit, it can repeat the saving throw. On a success all effects of the charmfruit on the creature end and the creature is immune to the effects of all charmfruit for 24 hours. If the creature fails its save while holding the charmfruit, it must remove the charmfruit from the tree (if it isn’t removed already) and swallow the charmfruit as an action. A creature of medium size or smaller that swallows the charmfruit takes 1d4 force damage.

Although thanks for pointing out the DCs are inconsistent between the Wisdom and Constitution saves. The plant is classified as "dangerous," per the rules given in Xanathar's guide to everything, so they should all be 15s. And I'll go back and specify you're repeating the Wisdom save in the text from above.


Doesn't that mean a creature must be unconscious, otherwise incapacitated or very stupid before it can be swallowed? (Also, given how I believe ability checks work in 5e, freeing a swallowed being or just incapacitating the anemone is disproportionately easier than grappling with it and making checks.)Creatures without a swim speed have disadvantage with most weapons while under water, and all exceptions deal piecing damage. Also, its in that weird line of not quite being a creature, so I'd still prefer fighting the trap to be more effective than merely escaping it. This helped me catch that I forgot to list an AC for the anemone though, so thanks.


DC 10 seems kind of very trivial for something that can, in theory, eat up to 10 Medium creatures at once and as such, is supposedly built for that.
Its still intended to be dealt with by PCs below level 5, so making a mundane (if giant) plant that so hard to escape from felt weird. Also, like the anemone there's a alternate way to escape (dying the leaves in this case).


Good old Mandrake! A classic indeed. No comment here beyond how renaming sonic and using thunder instead is one of 5e's few ideas that resonate well with me. Ba-dum-tis.

[brian 333]

Tiger Trap Tree

What appears to be an ordinary tree leans over a hole in the ground. The diameter of the hole is ten times the diameter of the tree, and its depth is about the same as the height of the lowest tree branch. The tree's roots dangle into the hole, creating hand and footholds suitable for climbing.

At the bottom of the hole will be something shiny: possibly armor or adventuring gear. One may conjecture that the hole was dug as a cache and its cover was removed or never constructed.

As soon as a creature places weight upon the floor of the hole, the tree roots animate and weave themselves into a grate which covers the hole. Once set, these roots have the strength and hardness of iron bars.

Over time the roots appear to draw the opening closed, reducing the diameter of the opening by a foot per hour, until the hole closes.

Attempting to dig into the hole, adventurers will find that the roots with the hardness and strength of iron surround the hole like a cage.

Excavating the entire structure reveals that the base of the hole is a disc of root-like material from which hundreds of roots of various sizes grow in the shape of a vase. When they reach the surface, these roots dangle into the hole above the disc. The largest root which grows from the disc becomes the tree when it reaches the surface.

The Tiger Trap Tree is a hybrid plant/animal, similar to a coral. It feeds on rotting meat and algae colonies in its leaves live in symbiosis with it, giving the animal's leaves the green color of a plant. The disc is the stomache, brain, and locomotive apparatus. (It can only dig down.) The tree is the respiratory, sugar producing, and sex organ. The roots are its sensory organs, detecting ground vibration within 100 feet of the pit.

The tree flowers both male and female blossoms. The bright red, palm-sized female blossoms only grow on the tips of new branches, while the green male catkins only grow in the joints of older branches. Tiger Trap Trees cannot fertilize themselves, but the white dusty pollen created in the catkins can blow for many miles on a dry summer day. The trees flower from mid-spring to mid-summer. Pollinators of many kinds, bees and wasps, birds, bats, and even squirrels, can assist.

When pollen meets ovum, the flower withers and a seed pod grows, producing four to six seeds which are approximately the size and shape of a nickel. The hard exterior of these seeds can only germinate if they are eaten. In the stomach of its victim, the seed softens and swells, and within six hours it begins to grow tendrils which penetrate the flesh of the seed eater. These embryonic Tiger Trap Trees now control the host, compelling it to find their way to a forest clearing where the eater dies as the new Tiger Trap Tree consumes it.

The embryo then begins to dig down into the soil, lining the hole with its net of roots. In its early stages it traps insects and other tiny creatures. As it grows it continues to dig deeper and it's roots widen the hole. Much of the dirt is absorbed by the growing disc, while the rest is flung away by the roots.

When the hole is large enough to allow burrowing animals to become curious, the sudden additional nutrition allows the Tiger Trap Tree to begin growing the tree portion, and in a few years it will begin to put forth a few female flowers. Male catkins only grow after the tree has branches splitting with each branch about an inch in diameter. As trees reach old age in sixty to eighty years, the tree produces fewer female flowers and instead grows great dangling clumps and strings of male catkins which generate a white fog like haze as its pollen blows on the warm summer breeze.

[Metastachydium]

[SPOILER=Arcadian Creeper]Intermediate trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

In fact, the shape of the leaves of a particular plant will grow to match the heraldry of the ruler of the area the fence is placed, mimicking the leaves of other plants, the forms of various animals, and even approximating the form of geometric shapes.

That's pretty clever actually.


Tangling Vines. The plant mentally assaults suspected criminals When triggered, the creeper immediately leaps off the fencing and tries to grapple the thief. The target must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by the creeper.

Psionic Punishment. The plant psionically bombards creatures it considers criminals with an unending stream of decrees against theft, rowdiness, and various other suspected crimes. A creature that starts its turn grappled by the plant must make a DC 10 wisdom saving throw, taking 4d6 psionic damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this effect is rendered stable but unconscious.


Benefit of the Doubt is proper procedure!


Constant Effects. Once triggered, the metallic, bell-shaped flowers of the creeper begin ringing out an alarm which carries over to the creeper on the adjacent bit of fencing and running all the way back to the nearest settlement or constabulary.


Lawful is efficient. Fits fine.


[SPOILER=Fruit of Elysium]Simple trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

Man. Why is Elysium so creepy in all its incarnations?!


[SPOILER=Mercy Killer]Intermediate trap (level 11-16, moderate threat)

Trigger. A creature which enters within 5 feet of the mercy killer will be telepathically asked “do you wish to continue?” The trap activates immediately should the target answer in the negative.


The idea behind the damage continuing is that the trapped creature presumably is fine with what's happening to them, and the plant kindly making sure they get what they told it they wanted.

Hm. It seems intelligent. Can one reason with it? (Yes, I know, that's a weird question to ask about a trap, but still.) I suppose the relative ease of avoiding the grapple is a good way to signal it's ultimately not malevolent, but I'd find, at least, something like the trapped creature having an easier time escaping than being saved by a third party interesting.


[SPOILER=Boilerplant]
The 5e DMG mentions that creatures on Ysguard are returned to life each day so they can keep fighting, so I figured a plant could develop on the plane that literally dies each day.

I mean, there are planties that spectacularly bloom themselves tio death in real life, and that these ones keep coming back makes that a bit less sad.


The idea here is that the plant can be used as a stovetop, and the chaotic denizens don't consider killing a creature rude enough not to prank you by asking you to cut it open. It isn't evena trap otherwise, which I like as something from a good-aligned plane.

Concur on the latter! Killing something for wanton fun would normally sound more Evil than Chaotic to me, though. Of course, we're talking a plane where people go to kill each other repeatedly, so…


♣

I'll take a better look at the Evil ones later. I skimmed them before, but I want to read through everything properly and I'm kind of low on energy these days.

[sandmote]

I'm kind of low on energy these days. I'm sorry to hear you're doing poorly.


Hm. It seems intelligent. Can one reason with it? (Yes, I know, that's a weird question to ask about a trap, but still.) I suppose the relative ease of avoiding the grapple is a good way to signal it's ultimately not malevolent, but I'd find, at least, something like the trapped creature having an easier time escaping than being saved by a third party interesting. In my head its only capable of rephrasing the question slightly if you don't give a yes/no sort of response, but a trap you can debate could be interesting. Same for a non-lethal trap that's easier to escape than to cut someone free from, although what kind of trap would specifically work like that I'm less sure on.

I think Elysium comes out creepy because unadulterated, pure goodness takes into account neither any sort of larger scale thing you might be a part of nor any differing individual desires between different individuals? Lawful good planes have either the idea of "the large scale organization makes it easiest to help everyone," or "everyone is best served when we set up this large scale organization." Chaotic planes care that different creatures have different desires and will want to be doing something different. Elysium leans in neither direction, so it ends up with this sort of wishy washy goodness where nothing is accomplished and each individual's desires are washed out into a single standard.

[Metastachydium]

Oh, and one more thing on that. Aren't the Mercykillers some kind of already existing planar faction? Planescape stuff, I believe? That's something to keep in mind, I suppose.


The plants from the evil aligned planes

[SPOILER=Suction Plant]Intermediate trap, (level 11-16, deadly threat)

Frighteningly brutal. Good job with the effects according to size breakup. I like it.


[SPOILER=Tormenting Burdock]Simple trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

Very unpleasant but not actively malicious and actually really just doing its thing to spread? Solid concept.


[SPOILER=Hadean Blackberries]Intermediate trap (Level 11-16, moderate threat)

A thicket of headean blackberries typically has a 10 foot radius, bearing 3d4 shining black berries. A creature that succeeds a DC 20 Survival (Wisdom) check realizes the berries are actually gemstone quality ore. If the creature fails this check by 10 or less it instead concludes each berry would provide enough sustanance to keep a creature alive for 1 day.

Is this some kind of odd skill-based mind-affecting magical effect, or are the berries just that big?


Trigger. The thicket will not react to a creature moving toward its center. Portions of the thicket touching the creature are triggered when it tries to pick a berry or move away from the thicket’s center.


Insidious!


Acid. Anything that can provide 1 inch of cover on the ground between the canes will prevent creatures from taking acid damage

I don't know how 5e handles this, but I assume worn items are treated as part of the creature, right? Armour with padding beneath should otherwise be usually enough to counteract the acid. Which, in fact makes sense, though. Can one dress up enough to no sell this?


[SPOILER=Carcerian Hydra]Complex trap (level 11-16, deadly threat)

It might be a me thing, but I have difficulty picturing this one. Are there two kinds of vines? One with "heads" (how's a "leafy venomous vine" that's also a head look like? Does it have teeth?) and a different kind that only grapples?


Slightly worried I made this one a bit excessive, but I was getting tired of having so much stuff that deals acid damage, so I made the hydra into a plant. The venom is supposed to be a reference to how Heracles dipped his arrows in hydra venom and the description I've read of how he said it felt during the period where he was poisoned by one. I make no claims the version I read matches any of the old accounts of the myth. The thing with the poison is because so many extraplanar creatures have immunity to poison and I wanted it to affect at least some of them.


At any rate, this is not excessive at all. In fact, compared to "insert as much venom as a few arrowheads can accomodate into a big, biff centaur; let it get into the bloodstream; let the blood dilute it hard; let it age a lot: still bad enough to brutally torture a demigod to death after!" the poison it has is pretty vanilla, even. I feel like this could have been a creature, though.


[SPOILER=Vargouille Pine]Complex trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

Severed Trunk. A felled trunk of the plant continues to twist and bend where it lays for 1 hour after being felled. On initiative count 10, the trunk makes an attack against each creature within 5 feet. These attacks function the same as those of attached trunks ,except that the bludgeoning damage is reduced to 1d6.


Good modularity there.


[SPOILER=Relief of Pandemonium]Intermediate trap (level 11-16, dangerous threat)

Mechanically, all good as far as I can tell. I like the "locals will sometimes go all »still worth it«" angle. Do the local powers that be do something about these, or is it going to eventually take over Pandemonium and make it the Quiet Plane of Deaf People?

[sandmote]

Oh, and one more thing on that. Aren't the Mercykillers some kind of already existing planar faction? Planescape stuff, I believe? That's something to keep in mind, I suppose. After looking it up, yes, there is such a group. The only alternate name I can think of would be a "euthanasia plant," though, and I'm not sure how that sounds.


Is this some kind of odd skill-based mind-affecting magical effect, or are the berries just that big? I think they'd need to be big to be noticeable, but I was trying to come up with a reason someone would want to enter the thicket beside a mental compulsion effect.

Fair point on the armor; I'll increase the required thickness to negate the effect and add aerial roots to justify why you'd be surrounded even in armor. And maybe halving the damage if you're in heavy armor would work too.


It might be a me thing, but I have difficulty picturing this one. Are there two kinds of vines? One with "heads" (how's a "leafy venomous vine" that's also a head look like? Does it have teeth?) and a different kind that only grapples? On review, yeah, that wasn't phrased very clearly. In my head there's a long vine ending in a larger growth with fangs; the length of the vine is wrapping around the target as the tip of the same vine bites.


Growing a series of leafy, venomous heads on the tips of long slender vines, the Carcerian hydra is one such danger.
..
Active Effects. Once activated, the tips of the hydra’s many vines begin to converge on the initial target, to help bring it down. When the hydra avoids losing heads vines over an extended period, stems they rot away until only 5 remain. On the turn the hydra is triggered, only one vine attempts to bite and entangle the target. On subsequent turns, the tip of each vine each head attempts to bite a creature on initiative count 20.

Biting Heads. Each attacking head has a +12 attack bonus. On a hit the stem head deals 14 (2d12+1) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned by the hydra for 24 hours. A creature can’t benefit to immunity from the poisoned condition against this effect unless is it also immune to the paralyzed condition.

Entangling Vines. The body of the vines of the Carcerian hydra attempt to surround and entangle creatures as their heads tips bite the target. The vines have a range equal to the range 10 shorter than that of the heads. The last 10 feet of the vine's length are unable to entangle a target. For newly grown vines, this is a range of 20 feet from the root. On initiative count 10 a creature within range of a vine must make a DC 20 Acrobatics (Dexterity) or Athletics (Strength) check. On a failed check the target is grappled by the vine.

Is that any clearer?


Mechanically, all good as far as I can tell. I like the "locals will sometimes go all »still worth it«" angle. Do the local powers that be do something about these, or is it going to eventually take over Pandemonium and make it the Quiet Plane of Deaf People? Given you need to spend an hour within the plant's range to become cursed, I was thinking they're easily destroyed by whatever creatures use the noise to their advantage. Additionally, the plant's effect of dropping the zone of silence doesn't work properly where the effects of two plants overlap, so I don't think they'd be this effective at spreading across the plane.

[Metastachydium]

After looking it up, yes, there is such a group. The only alternate name I can think of would be a "euthanasia plant," though, and I'm not sure how that sounds.

Translate that one back to English as Good Death or Kind Death and call it a day?


Fair point on the armor; I'll increase the required thickness to negate the effect and add aerial roots to justify why you'd be surrounded even in armor. And maybe halving the damage if you're in heavy armor would work too.

Sounds good.


On review, yeah, that wasn't phrased very clearly. In my head there's a long vine ending in a larger growth with fangs; the length of the vine is wrapping around the target as the tip of the same vine bites.


Growing a series of leafy, venomous heads on the tips of long slender vines, the Carcerian hydra is one such danger.
..
Active Effects. Once activated, the tips of the hydra’s many vines begin to converge on the initial target, to help bring it down. When the hydra avoids losing heads vines over an extended period, stems they rot away until only 5 remain. On the turn the hydra is triggered, only one vine attempts to bite and entangle the target. On subsequent turns, the tip of each vine each head attempts to bite a creature on initiative count 20.

Biting Heads. Each attacking head has a +12 attack bonus. On a hit the stem head deals 14 (2d12+1) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned by the hydra for 24 hours. A creature can’t benefit to immunity from the poisoned condition against this effect unless is it also immune to the paralyzed condition.

Entangling Vines. The body of the vines of the Carcerian hydra attempt to surround and entangle creatures as their heads tips bite the target. The vines have a range equal to the range 10 shorter than that of the heads. The last 10 feet of the vine's length are unable to entangle a target. For newly grown vines, this is a range of 20 feet from the root. On initiative count 10 a creature within range of a vine must make a DC 20 Acrobatics (Dexterity) or Athletics (Strength) check. On a failed check the target is grappled by the vine.

Is that any clearer?


Much clearer, thanks.


Given you need to spend an hour within the plant's range to become cursed, I was thinking they're easily destroyed by whatever creatures use the noise to their advantage. Additionally, the plant's effect of dropping the zone of silence doesn't work properly where the effects of two plants overlap, so I don't think they'd be this effective at spreading across the plane.

Fair enough!