Floral Dragons [Please PEACH]

[Debihuman]

I was inspired by the 5e floral dragons from Hit Point Press to create my own floral dragon for 3.5. Maybe I will update to Pathfinder 1e at a later date if I'm ever so inclined but don't hold your breath.

I didn't want to make a separate stat block for every kind of floral dragon so I decided to make a generic floral dragon and figured I could add specific flower abilities at a later date. I wanted a generic boilerplate to start.

If anyone has any ideas for customizing specific floral dragons, I'd love to incorporate those ideas as well.

These would be a welcome addition to my ecology of the silk grove as mulberry floral dragons would assist the fey in warding off intruders to the grove. See here:
Mulberry Tree Dryad and Monstrous Giant silkworm and sylvan silk armor (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php? p=21536693&postcount=1)

Floral Dragons
Medium Dragon (Augmented Plant)
Hit Dice: 8d12+16 (68 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), fly 120 ft. (Good)
Armor Class: 16 (+6 natural), flat-footed 16, touch 10
BAB/Grapple: +8/+10
Attack: Bite + 10 melee (1d8+2)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+2) and 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Poisonous petals or pollen (1 Con)
Special Qualities: Alluring scent, floral appearance, keen senses, plant feeding, plantlike, spell-like abilities, sunlight dependency
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +6 (add'l +4 against poison, stunning, polymorphing and mind-affecting effects)
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 11 Cha 12
Skills: Hide +14 (+22 with similar plants), Knowledge (Nature) + 11, Listen +11, Move Silently +14, Spot +11, Use Magic Device +12,
Feats: Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Stealthy
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or family (2 adults and 2-6 young or eggs)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Triple Standard
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 9-10 HD (Medium), 11-16 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Alluring Scent (Ex): Floral dragons smell like the flowers from which they were born. Creatures within a 30-foot radius of the floral dragon’s scent become placid and react favorably towards it. Any creature that fails a DC 16 Fortitude save against the aura improves its attitude toward the floral dragon one step closer to friendly. Creatures with the scent ability take a –4 penalty on this saving throw. Creatures in the aura must attempt a saving throw each minute. This is a mind-affecting poison effect. The DC is Constitution-based.

Floral Appearance (Ex): While the floral dragon remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary growth of plants of its kind. It has +8 racial bonus to checks made to Hide in areas covered in similar plants (already included in the above stat block).

Keen Senses (Ex): A floral dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Plant Feeding (Ex): If a floral dragon remains in the direct light of the sun for at least 4 hours, it does not need to eat that day.

Plantlike (Ex): A floral dragon counts as a plant for the purpose of spells and effects that specifically affect creatures of the plant type. Floral dragons can use magic items with powers or abilities that work specifically for creatures of the plant type. Floral dragons are still fully immune to sleep and paralysis and also have a +4 saving bonus against poison, stunning, polymorphing and mind-affecting effects incorporated in the stat block above.

Poisonous Petals or Pollen (Ex): A creature that touches a floral dragon or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it becomes poisoned and takes 1 point of Constitution damage (no save).

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): Floral dragons have CL equal to their HD and cast spell-like abilities as sorcerers using their Charisma bonus. At will—speak with plants. 3/day—entangle (DC 12) 1/day—control weather.

Sunlight Dependency (Su): A floral dragon becomes fatigued if it isn’t exposed to sunlight (not in an area of daylight or similar spells) for one hour a day. If it fails to be exposed to sunlight for more than 2 days, it becomes exhausted until it is exposed to direct sunlight for 5 hours.

Floral Dragons were once flowers and plants that became dragons, created by the Goddess Flora before she fell into obscurity. They were made to guard the beautiful, lush gardens cultivated by her followers. Their bodies are covered in the flowers that bear their name.

Floral dragons speak Common and can speak with plants at will.


ADDITIONAL SPECIAL ABILITIES UNIQUE TO CERTAIN FLORAL DRAGONS.
Specific types of plants may give a floral additional special abilities. For example, aquatic plants give the floral dragon a swim speed equal to its land speed, and they gain the Amphibious special ability as they breathe both air and water.

For floral dragons that have thorns (rose, holly, agave, etc.), there is the Thorny Extraordinary ability:

Thorny (Ex): The flora dragon is also covered with thorns amidst its flowers. A creature that attacks with natural weapons takes an additional 1d4+1 points of piercing damage from the thorns unless it is wearing armor.

Some flowers produce nectar which can be harvested by bees, giant bees, bee-like creatures and others. Some have poisonous nectar (and that would carry over into honey made from the nectar such as the Rhododendron floral dragon. Then there is the toxic Oleander floral dragon.

Nectar Producing (Ex): These floral dragons produce sweet nectar that bees and other creatures can harvest for food. Nectar producing dragons often attract bees, giant bees and bee-like creatures. The nectar can also be harvested for consumption of other creatures.

In order to harvest the nectar, the floral dragon has to be at least friendly. It takes one hour to harvest enough nectar to feed a Medium-sized Humanoid and a successful Survival check (DC 16).

Taking the nectar by force or by knocking the floral dragon unconscious can also be done, but is not recommended least you earn the enmity of the floral dragon and those it guards.

Poisonous Nectar (Ex): Sometimes the nectar (and any honey made from the nectar) of the floral dragon is poisonous except to those that pollinate these types of floral dragons. For example, Rhododendron floral dragons would have this ability. You must make a successful Fortitude save vs. Poison (DC 16) or become nauseated for one hour after eating the nectar or honey. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Some floral dragons are just toxic such as the Oleander floral dragon. Every part of the dragon is toxic. Luckily, Oleander floral dragons do not produce nectar.

Toxic (Ex): Eating any part of an Oleander floral dragon is risky except to those that pollinate Oleander floral dragons. Their poison is more powerful than standard poisonous floral dragons (DC 18) and anyone who fails the save is sickened for one day (24 hours). Anyone who fails their save by more than 5 points must make a secondary save at a -2 penalty to avoid dying. The save is Constitution based and includes +2 racial modifier.

Some actually roost in flowering trees (magnolia) or in the water (Kelp). I'm gonna be up to my eyeballs in floral dragons coming up with individual abilities.


EDITED INFORMATION

Open Content material I included:
Hit Point Press was just a jumping off point. I actually converted Sunlight Dependency from 5e to 3.5 from their first Floral Dragon book. Poison Petal and Pollen was also a conversion from 5e Poison Petal (which I changed to petal and pollen) to 3.5 with a lot of changes from their second Floral Dragon book.

Alluring scent [from Herald of Passion] is from Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods © 2014, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Sean K Reynolds, with Amanda Hamon, James Jacobs, John Ling, Mark Moreland, David N. Ross, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber E. Scott, Tork Shaw, James L. Sutter, Jerome Virnich.

Plantfeeding from Plantblood Template from Advanced Bestiary by Green Ronin.

The Plantlike Extraordinary ability is from the Starfinder Universal Monster Rules. It is a fairly basic ability and easy to customize. It shows up in a variety of creatures that are open content).

After making sure everything was open content, I then modified the heck out of abilities to make it specific to floral dragons. These are literally nothing like the 5e monsters that inspired them as the rules don't convert easily.

Floral dragons have similar (almost identical) stats of a very young green dragon and modified them as a generic floral dragon. It's so much easier when I don't have to start from scratch and can just modify existing rules.

Floral Dragons should have 66 skill points. They can have a max of 11 ranks in each skill. I'm giving them max ranks in 6 skills.

Some rules were bent such as Floral Dragons have Dragon Features and Modified Plant traits. Because it made sense to do it that way. The biggest was the Augmented Subtype.

"Augmented Subtype
A creature receives this subtype whenever something happens to change its original type. Some creatures (those with an inherited template) are born with this subtype; others acquire it when they take on an acquired template. The augmented subtype is always paired with the creature’s original type. A creature with the augmented subtype usually has the traits of its current type, but the features of its original type."

Because floral dragons have dragon features and plant traits, it is reversed from the norm, still allowed due to USUALLY.

This is why it is so important to look at the rules and try not to break them but to use them in the best way possible.

Debby

[Metastachydium]

Floral Dragons

[Appears with great haste.]


Medium Dragon (Augmented Plant)
Hit Dice: 8d12+16

(68 hp).


Initiative: +4
Speed: 60 ft.

(12 squares).


Skills: Hide +13 (+21 with similar plants), Listen +11, Move Silently +8, Spot+11

Some 27 skill points should remain available for spending.


Alluring Scent (Ex): Floral dragons smell like the flowers from which they were born. Creatures within a 30-foot radius of the floral dragon’s scent become placid and react favorably towards it. Any creature that fails a DC 14 Fortitude save against the aura improves its attitude toward the floral dragon one step closer to friendly. Creatures with the scent ability take a –4 penalty on this saving throw. Creatures in the aura must attempt a saving throw each minute. This is a mind-affecting poison effect. The DC is Constitution-based.


DC 16 (+4 HD, +2 CON); but otherwise, I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS ABILITY SO MUCH.


Floral Appearance (Ex): While the floral dragon remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary growth of plants of its kind. It has +8 racial bonus to checks made to Hide in areas covered in similar plants (already included in the above stat block).

What do they look like when not motionless? I'd be interested in seeing a description.


Plant Feeding (Ex): If a floral dragon remains in the direct light of the sun for at least 4 hours, it does not need to eat that day.

The name's a bit odd, but eh. Photosynthesis is always nice! Still, do remember that planties also need at least water (and usually additional mineral resources).


Poisonous Petals or Pollen (Ex): A creature that touches a floral dragon or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it becomes poisoned and takes 1 point of Constitution damage (no save).

HAH! No hitting the flower lizard!


Sunlight Dependency (Su): A floral dragon becomes fatigued if it isn’t exposed to sunlight for one hour a day. If it fails to be exposed to sunlight for more than 2 days, it becomes exhausted until it is exposed to direct sunlight for 5 hours.

That checks out, basically. (Does it need to be bright light?)


Floral dragons speak Common and can speak with plants at will.

Bonus points are awarded for this.

Overall, I like this one a lot, and will readily fight anyone who doesn't. Please do ALL the variants if and when inspiration cometh knocking.

[Debihuman]

[Appears with great haste.]
Overall, I like this one a lot, and will readily fight anyone who doesn't. Please do ALL the variants if and when inspiration cometh knocking.

Thanks for the feedback. I should know better than to stay up all night working on this. I actually just copied some abilities from Pathfinder sources that are open content. I should acknowledge them I know but I wanted to put this down before I changed my mind about them.

1st Edit:
Corrections added above.


2nd Edits and beyond:
Added my sources. I think that's all of them but I might have missed something.

Sunlight dependency has to be actual sunlight (but not in an area of daylight or similar spells). I will add that information in. See Universal Monster Rules Pathfinder for Sunlight Powerlessness. Mostly I take open content material from Pathfinder and stick it to my 3.5 creatures even if I have to edit things a bit.

There could be an exception for underground floral dragons. Potatoes actually turn into tomato-like fruits when they bloom and they're poisonous (related to nightshade) so don't eat them.

Rhizanthella are orchids that flower underground. They live in symbiosis with a fungus.

Debby

[Beni-Kujaku]

The enthusiastic blue flower already said most of what needed to be said. The monster is very nice, and alluring scent is a well-thought-out ability (and an original one, being a poison with a mind-affecting effect). Something with 8 dragon RHD, such a high speed and weird auras like that should probably at least be CR 5, probably even 6.

I understand the whole thing with "usually have the traits of one", but is the Augmented subtype really necessary here? The Augmented subtype only applies when a template or a spell changes the type of an already existing creature. While here, the base of the dragon are just inanimate plants (which don't have the Plant type), so there's no reason for an Augmented subtype. In general, those kinds of creatures simply have a special quality that says "Plant traits" or "Partial Plant traits" (similar to your Plant-like quality), see for example the Woodling template, the Blood Amniote from LM, or the Hullock (https://web.archive.org/web/20161101150521/http:/archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebed/20070115), and don't have the augmented subtype.

I would add a sentence after "Creatures in the aura must attempt a saving throw each minute." to specify if they fall deeper in the dragon's thrall (thus improving their attitude by more than one rank) or if the further saves are only to keep the initial attitude improvement.

Poisonous Petals or Pollen : In general, in 3.5, being within 5ft is not taken into account, but using a weapon with reach is, so if you're Large but attack with a melee weapon, you're still subject to retributive abilities. See Hamatula (Barbed Devil), or Bloodstriker dinosaur : "Weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.". "While within 5ft" is the 5e wording. There's also no need to specify (1 Con) in the statblock unless it's a standard ability like Spell Resistance that is not further explained in the text.

"12 squarres"-> "12 squares"



For the variants, a floral dragon made of Flame Lilies could have additional fire damage to its attacks, one made of orchids of various colors could put some of its flowers on the outside to change colors and gain hide in plain sight (and maybe keep its racial Hide bonus anywhere), one made of edelweiss would be immune to cold and have a cold breath weapon, one made of bee orchids, or simply from lavender could attract a lot of bees and be constantly surrounded by the equivalent of a wasp swarm (Fiend Folio). Maybe not quite flowers, but a dandelion seedhead floral dragon could disperse its seeds into something similar to a gaseous form and reform basically at will (not being able to stay in the seedcloud form for more than a few rounds at a time). One made out of Drosera/sundew carnivorous plants would have Improved Grab on both its attacks and grapple as if one size larger.

[Metastachydium]

I wanted to put this down before I changed my mind about them.

I endorse that decision!


Rhizanthella are orchids that flower underground. They live in symbiosis with a fungi.

I'm a FLOWER and didn't know that. Nice!


I kinda expect floral dragons to have flowers growing out from their heads, back and tails so when they lie down in flower beds they blend in with the flowers. Their bodies could be any color of the flowers [so you could have red, orange, yellow and pink rose dragons for example].
Some actually roost in flowering trees (magnolia) or in the water (Kelp).

Aw. I like that!


These are literally nothing like the 5e monsters that inspired them as the rules don't convert easily.

The right call, I'd say. 5e monsters have an unfortunate tendency to be… Kinda lackluster.


Floral dragons have similar (almost identical) stats of a very young green dragon and modified them as a generic floral dragon.

Okay, that's just pure genius.


The enthusiastic blue flower already said most of what needed to be said.

[Waves.]


One made out of Drosera/sundew carnivorous plants would have Improved Grab on both its attacks and grapple as if one size larger.

(Apparently somewhat hot) take: carnivorous planties are massively overused as a source of inspiration when designing Plants. I'd recommend against doing so.

[Beni-Kujaku]

(Apparently somewhat hot) take: carnivorous planties are massively overused as a source of inspiration when designing Plants. I'd recommend against doing so.

Meh. I think D&D has more cactus monsters than it has monsters based on carnivorous plants. And it really does not have that many cactus-based monster. There are more mind-controlling fungi than there are carnivorous plants! And fungi aren't even plants! Also, carnivorous plants are unique, so of course people are going to use them. There is no problem in that anymore than there is a problem designing a monster that looks like a lion, especially if it has a nice spin to it, like making it in the shape of a dragon animated by a flower goddess. But if you have a better proposition for something that could give a variant floral dragon Improved Grab or a similar ability, I'm listening.

[Debihuman]

These are plants that were changed into dragons so the Augmented Subtype is perfect for their history. I haven't created an actual Template to do this, but given enough time and chocolate I probably could come up with something. In the meantime, I am fairly satisfied with how they came out. Any deity with the plant domain could be the source of these creatures. Wizards to enough to make weird hybrids and I wanted something a bit grander than that.

As for subsequent abilities:

For floral dragons that have thorns (rose, holly, agave, etc.)

Thorny (Ex): The flora dragon is also covered with thorns amidst its flowers. A creature that attacks with natural weapons takes an additional 1d4+1 points of piercing damage from the thorns unless it is wearing armor.

Some flowers produce nectar which can be harvested by bees, giant bees, bee-like creatures and others. Some have poisonous nectar (and that would carry over into honey made from the nectar such as the Rhododendron floral dragon. Then there is the toxic Oleander floral dragon.

Nectar Producing (Ex): These floral dragons produce sweet nectar that bees and other creatures can harvest for food. Nectar producing dragons often attract bees, giant bees and bee-like creatures. The nectar can also be harvested for consumption of other creatures.

In order to harvest the nectar, the floral dragon has to be at least friendly. It takes one hour to harvest enough nectar to feed a Medium-sized Humanoid and a successful Survival check (DC 16). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Taking the nectar by force or by knocking the floral dragon unconscious can also be done, but is not recommended least you earn the enmity of the floral dragon and those it guards.

Poisonous Nectar (Ex): Sometimes the nectar (and any honey made from the nectar) of the floral dragon is poisonous, such as from Rhododendron floral dragons. You must successfully save vs. Poison (DC 16) or become nauseated for one hour after eating the nectar or honey. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Some floral dragons are just toxic such as the Oleander floral dragon. Every part of the dragon is toxic. Luckily, Oleander floral dragons do not produce nectar.

Toxic (Ex): Eating any part of an Oleander floral dragon is risky except those that pollinate Oleander floral dragons. Their poison is more powerful than standard poisonous floral dragons (DC 18) and anyone who fails the save is sickened for one day (24 hours). Anyone who fails their save by more than 5 points must make a secondary save at a -2 penalty to avoid dying. The save is Constitution based and includes +2 racial modifier.

Do these make sense?

If I think of anything else, I'll continue to post them.

Debby

[Metastachydium]

Meh. I think D&D has more cactus monsters than it has monsters based on carnivorous plants.

I'm not sure about the cactus thing (I can think of, like three of those off the top of my top?), but… That's fair. It's more "let's make this Plant randomly carnivorous or an ersatz vampire" that's everywhere.


There are more mind-controlling fungi than there are carnivorous plants! And fungi aren't even plants!

Emphasis mine. THEY DON'T COUNT!!


Also, carnivorous plants are unique, so of course people are going to use them. There is no problem in that anymore than there is a problem designing a monster that looks like a lion, especially if it has a nice spin to it, like making it in the shape of a dragon animated by a flower goddess. But if you have a better proposition for something that could give a variant floral dragon Improved Grab or a similar ability, I'm listening.

Creepers. That's, like, half the strategy of grapevines, of all things. Grow long appendage; let it lengthen until it hits something; wrap around; profit.


Thorny (Ex): The flora dragon is also covered with thorns amidst its flowers. A creature that attacks with natural weapons takes an additional 1d4+1 points of piercing damage from the thorns unless it is wearing armor.

Something I've seen done before and liked a lot is thorny thornies dealing damage equal to base thorn damage plus the opponent's STR modifier. There's some beutiful irony to one literally hurting oneself trying to punch a planty.


Nectar Producing (Ex): These floral dragons produce sweet nectar that bees and other creatures can harvest for food. Nectar producing dragons often attract bees, giant bees and bee-like creatures. The nectar can also be harvested for consumption of other creatures.

In order to harvest the nectar, the floral dragon has to be at least friendly. It takes one hour to harvest enough nectar to feed a Medium-sized Humanoid and a successful Survival check (DC 16). The save DC is Constitution-based.


That's not a save DC. Otherwise I like it, especially the "befriend the plant!" bit. Maybe you could attach some explicit use case for the nectar? Make it something like a fluid Trail BarCAdv (very light, very nutritious, but sickens if one consumes too much).


Taking the nectar by force or by knocking the floral dragon unconscious can also be done, but is not recommended least you earn the enmity of the floral dragon and those it guards.

No being mean to the Flower Dragon Creatures! I continue to approve.


Poisonous Nectar (Ex): Sometimes the nectar (and any honey made from the nectar) of the floral dragon is poisonous, such as from Rhododendron floral dragons. You must successfully save vs. Poison (DC 16) or become nauseated for one hour after eating the nectar or honey. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Could dedicated pollinators get an immunity, as with below?


Toxic (Ex): Eating any part of an Oleander floral dragon is risky except those that pollinate Oleander floral dragons. Their poison is more powerful than standard poisonous floral dragons (DC 18) and anyone who fails the save is sickened for one day (24 hours). Anyone who fails their save by more than 5 points must make a secondary save at a -2 penalty to avoid dying. The save is Constitution based and includes +2 racial modifier.


Ooh. Get sick and die as a poison? Insidious. Yes, please.

[Debihuman]

Something I've seen done before and liked a lot is thorny thornies dealing damage equal to base thorn damage plus the opponent's STR modifier. There's some beautiful irony to one literally hurting oneself trying to punch a planty.

While it is an interesting feature, I don't think it is especially appropriate to floral dragons.


That's not a save DC. Otherwise I like it, especially the "befriend the plant!" bit. Maybe you could attach some explicit use case for the nectar? Make it something like a fluid Trail BarCAdv (very light, very nutritious, but sickens if one consumes too much).

It was a check. Removed the save. It was a copy/paste error.


No being mean to the Flower Dragon Creatures! I continue to approve.

Thank you. Trying to make these as best as possible. I am a tad rusty as I haven't put on my monster-making gloves in a while. It is very helpful to have feedback on this.


Could dedicated pollinators get an immunity, as with below? Why yes they could. I'll fix that too.


Ooh. Get sick and die as a poison? Insidious. Yes, please.

The feedback has been immensely helpful. Corrections will be done shortly.

Edit: So far I've added thorny, nectar producing, poisonous nectar producing and toxic abilities. If anyone has any other ideas for floral dragons let me know.

Debby

[rel]

A few more ideas for the extra special abilities:

Corpseflower (Ex): This ability replaces Alluring Scent. These floral dragons emit a foul stench. Creatures beginning their turn within a 30-foot radius of the floral dragon must make a DC 16 Fortitude saving throw or become sickened until they have spent a full minute more than 30 feet away from the floral dragon.
A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same floral dragons stench for one minute.
Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected by the stench, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.

Obscuring Petals or Pollen (Ex): Clouds of pollen or petals shower off the floral dragon during combat shielding it from harm. Attacks made against the floral dragon from more than 10 feet away suffer concealment. Targeted abilities used from more than 10 feet away suffer a 20% chance of failing to function.
Abilities that allow one to see through mist or fog such as blindsight also negate the effect of the obscuring petals.

Blinding pollen (Su): The floral dragon can breath out a 30 foot cone of pollen every 1D4 rounds. Creatures caught in the area are blinded for 1D4+2 rounds or until they clear the pollen from their eyes by washing with water or some similar activity. The pollen also coats everything in the AOE revealing invisible creatures and objects until it is brushed away. Creatures in the AOE can attempt a DC 16 reflex saving throw to avoid being blinded.

[Saintheart]

I have no feedback to offer other than awwwwwwwwwwww! and a terrible pun in that I hope that we get a variant called the Snapdragon floral dragon.

[Debihuman]

A few more ideas for the extra special abilities:

Corpseflower (Ex): This ability replaces Alluring Scent. These floral dragons emit a foul stench. Creatures beginning their turn within a 30-foot radius of the floral dragon must make a DC 16 Fortitude saving throw or become sickened until they have spent a full minute more than 30 feet away from the floral dragon.
A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same floral dragons stench for one minute.
Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected by the stench, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.

Obscuring Petals or Pollen (Ex): Clouds of pollen or petals shower off the floral dragon during combat shielding it from harm. Attacks made against the floral dragon from more than 10 feet away suffer concealment. Targeted abilities used from more than 10 feet away suffer a 20% chance of failing to function.
Abilities that allow one to see through mist or fog such as blindsight also negate the effect of the obscuring petals.

Blinding pollen (Su): The floral dragon can breath out a 30 foot cone of pollen every 1D4 rounds. Creatures caught in the area are blinded for 1D4+2 rounds or until they clear the pollen from their eyes by washing with water or some similar activity. The pollen also coats everything in the AOE revealing invisible creatures and objects until it is brushed away. Creatures in the AOE can attempt a DC 16 reflex saving throw to avoid being blinded.

Nice. I am still in process of incorporating new floral dragons though I'm a lot further behind than I'd like. I am not sure how I'd use corpseflower, but I like the idea of it. Good for a floral dragon that lives in a fetid swamp. I'm thinking skunk cabbage flower dragon or carrion flower floral dragon spring to mind.

Debby

[brian 333]

Auras for older floral dragons.

Aura of Entanglement: while in an area that has ground cover, the mood of the floral dragon is picked up by the natural plants, which become animated within a 20' radius, acting as an Entangle spell when the Floral Dragon is in combat.

Aura of Somnolance: the perfume of this dragon's flowers induces Sleep, as a Sleep spell.

Aura of Hayfever: this dragon's pollen sets off bouts of sneezing and runny eyes which imposes a -4 penalty to Attack, Defense, Skill Use attempts, or Savings Throws. No save vs. this effect for any creature 10 or more levels lower than the Floral Dragon.

[Bhu]

Congrats, these are some nifty critters!

[Metastachydium]

I have no feedback to offer other than awwwwwwwwwwww! and a terrible pun in that I hope that we get a variant called the Snapdragon floral dragon.


Nice. I am still in process of incorporating new floral dragons though I'm a lot further behind than I'd like. I am not sure how I'd use corpseflower, but I like the idea of it. Good for a floral dragon that lives in a fetid swamp. I'm thinking skunk cabbage flower dragon or carrion flower floral dragon spring to mind.

Debby

I'll try to be more helpful in the long run, but for now, suffice it to say that I very much approve of both of these ideas.

[brian 333]

Vine Floral Dragons
Vine Floral Dragons have double the normal reach when using their vines, which they hurl out in a special constriction attack. If the dragon successfully grapples with the hurled vines, in the second and subsequent attacks the dragon squeezes its victim for 1d6 per round held, so on the second round, 1d6, 2d6 on the third, 3d6 on the fourth, ad so on.

Wisteria Floral Dragon
Jasmine Floral Dragon
Trumpet Floral Dragon
Morning Glory Floral Dragon
Clematis Floral Dragon

[Metastachydium]

Morning Glory Floral Dragon

Oh! Did you know that morning glory seeds (for some sepcies commonly referred to as such anyhow) contain LSA, a chemical very similar in terms of both composition and effect to LSD? I kinda see the Ex ability already: anything that, say, bites the Morning Glory Dragon must make a CON-based Fort save or be, I don't know, first dazed, and then confused by disturbing visions!

[brian 333]

Oh! Did you know that morning glory seeds (for some sepcies commonly referred to as such anyhow) contain LSA, a chemical very similar in terms of both composition and effect to LSD? I kinda see the Ex ability already: anything that, say, bites the Morning Glory Dragon must make a CON-based Fort save or be, I don't know, first dazed, and then confused by disturbing visions!

Vines are deceptively powerful. I once waged a 20 year war with a wisteria. I lost.

Jasmine is said to induce sleepiness, trumpet vines cause rashes, and so on.

If anyone looks around online there will be websites promoting all of these as beneficial in many ways. Antioxidant pops up a lot. But blueberries are also antioxidant, and are seldom toxic. Vines, when inexpertly prepared, almost always contain toxins which could lead to a wide variety of health risks. So before you make Jasmine Tea from your wild yellow jasmine, be sure you know what you are doing. (Or you might wind up with the most beautiful, youthful skin of everyone in the dialysis clinic.)

[Morphic tide]

Floral Dragons for Vines could neatly draw options from Arms & Equipment Guide Moon-Ivy armor, with Poison Ivy dealing temporary Constitution damage, bonus to Charisma checks from some manner of pheremone-bearing vine, and explosive spores that apply Nausiated in an Area of Effect. Moon-Ivy itself could make for a neat Symbiont, whether or not it can graft other Floral Dragon options.

[Metastachydium]

Vines are deceptively powerful. I once waged a 20 year war with a wisteria. I lost.

HAH! Go, Wisteria, Defeater of Brian!


Jasmine is said to induce sleepiness, trumpet vines cause rashes, and so on.

Heck, trumpet creepers take houses apart. I made a full monster based on them.


If anyone looks around online there will be websites promoting all of these as beneficial in many ways. Antioxidant pops up a lot. But blueberries are also antioxidant, and are seldom toxic. Vines, when inexpertly prepared, almost always contain toxins which could lead to a wide variety of health risks. So before you make Jasmine Tea from your wild yellow jasmine, be sure you know what you are doing. (Or you might wind up with the most beautiful, youthful skin of everyone in the dialysis clinic.)

I have a Mandevilla living in the same room as my humble self. Their entire genus comes with a "you may not want to handle without gloves" disclaimer – for humans, anyhow. We get along fine.

[brian 333]

HAH! Go, Wisteria, Defeater of Brian!

A lot of sap was shed in that war.


I have a Mandevilla living in the same room as my humble self. Their entire genus comes with a "you may not want to handle without gloves" disclaimer – for humans, anyhow. We get along fine.

I wonder if you ever decided to eat it? I'm guessing you are a bit smarter than that. Also, low dosage toxicity is an issue. You may be developing medical issues that you won't know about for decades.

Or not.

What?

I'm not a botanist, pharmacist, toxicologist, or any other kind of ist.

Daisy Dragons
These burrowing dragons prefer to lie just beneath the turf in sunny places with their sensory organs, (daisy clusters,) breaking through and reaching for sunlight. They are virtually invisible as they lie in wait for some mobile fertilizer to come along.
Their larger cousins are the Sunflower Dragons.

See also: Buttercup Dragons, Indian Blanket Dragons, Dahlia Dragons, and Poppy Dragons.

[enderlord99]

I wonder if you ever decided to eat it?

Don't compost neighbors without explicit consent, granted pre-mortem.

[brian 333]

Don't compost neighbors without explicit consent, granted pre-mortem.

Tell that to live oak trees. Those things are murder machines.

A friend bought a pair of Japanese Mulberry trees to frame her driveway entrance. One of them is fifty feet away from the trunk, and at least ten feet from the nearest branch of a live oak. The mullberry died.

She bought a replacement. Then another. The one on the far side of the driveway is flourishing. Same soil, sunlight, water. Then a local garden club advisor came to look.

"Have you ever noticed," he asked, "That the ground beneath your live oaks is bare?"

It turns out that while there are some plants that can co-exist with the constant chemical warfare of the live oak, the mulberry is not one of them.

The idea that plants are hippies who love all life is based on their lack of teeth. Plants are vicious, predatory, and speciesist. Most get murdered in infancy by larger plants just to prevent them from growing up. Plants starve, choke, and poison each other as a normal part of daily life. A plant is far more likely to be killed by another plant than by any grazer, browser, or sap-sucker.

You think middle-school is tough? Try being a seedling in a forest.

[Metastachydium]

A lot of sap was shed in that war.

Curse thee, fiend!


I wonder if you ever decided to eat it? I'm guessing you are a bit smarter than that. Also, low dosage toxicity is an issue. You may be developing medical issues that you won't know about for decades.

I'm a FLOWER. I'll be fine.


Tell that to live oak trees. Those things are murder machines.

(…)

"Have you ever noticed," he asked, "That the ground beneath your live oaks is bare?"

Evergreens can be like that, but most oaks are quite friendly! It's the pine you need to look out for. Lots of acid in those needles.


The idea that plants are hippies who love all life is based on their lack of teeth. Plants are vicious, predatory, and speciesist. Most get murdered in infancy by larger plants just to prevent them from growing up. Plants starve, choke, and poison each other as a normal part of daily life. A plant is far more likely to be killed by another plant than by any grazer, browser, or sap-sucker.

You think middle-school is tough? Try being a seedling in a forest.

That's bombastic and mean-spirited! Most planties are friendly and green, and I'm about 98% sure that's not what predatory even means. Also, all that coming from a heterotroph, of all people… It's your kingdom that literally can't survive, for the most part, without selfishly harming others!!


Don't compost neighbors without explicit consent, granted pre-mortem.

Careful; I might start to like you!

[brian 333]

Curse thee, fiend!

I assure you that I am a native of the Prime Material Plane. I'm not even a tiefling.


That's bombastic and mean-spirited! Most planties are friendly and green, and I'm about 98% sure that's not what predatory even means. Also, all that coming from a heterotroph, of all people… It's your kingdom that literally can't survive, for the most part, without selfishly harming others!

I note that you did not claim it was untrue!

However, if plantie aggression was a part of Floral Dragon psychology, they would be both more subtle and more ferocious than the hexapodal reptiloids we know and love.

Magnolia Dragons
At rest these massive plants dig their bodies into the ground so that their ventral surfaces can extend roots into the soil in search of nutrients and moisture. Their wings reach up, sometimes in excess of 90 feet, and brachiate with leaves along the end-most branches, which are typically tipped with buds in late winter, flowers in the spring and summer, and morph into seed-bearing pods which burst open in the fall exposing dozens of bright red seeds. Birds eat them then scatter them wherever they go. The leaves of the Magnolia Dragon are dark green and slick on the top, but tan underneath. These leaves are Heliotropic with the shiny up-side following the sun throughout the day.

A Magnolia Dragon can estivate in this position for years, until dense smoke, physical damage, or excessive browsing awaken it. Within 1d6 rounds it can shake off its torpor and free it's roots from the soil. The leaves and branches flatten and layer themselves onto overlapping feather-analogues. The wingspan of this creature is twice the height of the 'tree' form, and the body is 70% of the length of one wing. Its legs, tail, and neck are thick roots from which smaller roots branch out.

The head is in the shape of a flower bud which, when opened, reveals a flower-face. The 'throat' can be used to spray a cloud of perfume which can 'charm' creatures in a spread that extends up to the length of one wing. A Ref save is not allowed to avoid the cloud because it is invisible. Detect Magic allows the magical effect to be seen by the detector, but by the time it is cast. The effect allows no save for creatures less than 1/4 of the Magnolia Dragon's and normal Fort saves above this number. The charm effect causes the victim who failed its save to stand staring at the Magnolia Dragon's flowers for 1d10 rounds.

[rel]

Ghost Flower (Su):
This ability replaces Plant Feeding and Sunlight Dependency. The plants covering the bodies of these dragons are pale white. Once per day the floral dragon can take an action to draw sustenance from nearby plants and animals, dealing 3D6 damage to all creatures within 30 feet. If used in an area with plentiful life, this also provides the dragon with nourishment for the day, and the dragon recovers 3D6 HP.

[Debihuman]

Magnolia Dragons
At rest these massive plants dig their bodies into the ground so that their ventral surfaces can extend roots into the soil in search of nutrients and moisture. Their wings reach up, sometimes in excess of 90 feet, and brachiate with leaves along the end-most branches, which are typically tipped with buds in late winter, flowers in the spring and summer, and morph into seed-bearing pods which burst open in the fall exposing dozens of bright red seeds. Birds eat them then scatter them wherever they go. The leaves of the Magnolia Dragon are dark green and slick on the top, but tan underneath. These leaves are Heliotropic with the shiny up-side following the sun throughout the day.

A Magnolia Dragon can estivate in this position for years, until dense smoke, physical damage, or excessive browsing awaken it. Within 1d6 rounds it can shake off its torpor and free it's roots from the soil. The leaves and branches flatten and layer themselves onto overlapping feather-analogues. The wingspan of this creature is twice the height of the 'tree' form, and the body is 70% of the length of one wing. Its legs, tail, and neck are thick roots from which smaller roots branch out.

The head is in the shape of a flower bud which, when opened, reveals a flower-face. The 'throat' can be used to spray a cloud of perfume which can 'charm' creatures in a spread that extends up to the length of one wing. A Ref save is not allowed to avoid the cloud because it is invisible. Detect Magic allows the magical effect to be seen by the detector, but by the time it is cast. The effect allows no save for creatures less than 1/4 of the Magnolia Dragon's and normal Fort saves above this number. The charm effect causes the victim who failed its save to stand staring at the Magnolia Dragon's flowers for 1d10 rounds.

Nifty idea. This wouldn't exactly work for my idea of magnolia dragons (mine have the Dragon Type not the Plant Type). I like the idea of a giant magnolia tree that can transform into dragon shape. If the magnolia dragon is at least Large size, it's perfume should have a range of at least 10 feet (and to be fair if it is a spray, it should be a minimum of a 20-foot cone).

Have you considered doing a full stat block for this?

Debby

[brian 333]

Magnolias can be huge. Not redwood or even Douglas fir huge, but red oak size is very common.

I had not envisioned a 'transformation' or shape change effect. My idea was, it looks like an ordinary tree until it moves.

I don't typically stat out creatures because there are seven versions of D&D plus Pathfinder and a host of OGL variations out there. And, as you showed, DMs might have big changes in mind rendering any ideas I had for statting irrelevant.

[Debihuman]

Magnolias can be huge. Not redwood or even Douglas fir huge, but red oak size is very common.

I had not envisioned a 'transformation' or shape change effect. My idea was, it looks like an ordinary tree until it moves.

I don't typically stat out creatures because there are seven versions of D&D plus Pathfinder and a host of OGL variations out there. And, as you showed, DMs might have big changes in mind rendering any ideas I had for statting irrelevant.

I just stat things for standard 3.5 because that has the easiest stat block to for me to use. I figure if it is standard, anyone can just modify it to suit their needs. Magnolias can be several sizes so you can just make a large tree and advance to huge and gargantuan. How are you making homebrews if you don't stat things out? Just curious.

I've been so busy working on a weekly Pathfinder game that I haven't had time to do much monster designing. I might stat out some next week but no promises.

Debby

[brian 333]

I have notebooks full of fully started monsters that were used once or never. I have no player group to drop them on these days because my gaming groups have moved on. (Some literally, some figuratively.) In a few years I might try getting a few sessions going in the old folks home, but I won't be doing long campaigns because I don't want the game to fall apart when the paladin dies.

I've been playing since Expert was new, and until the floods of 2016 I had the original core rulebooks, with Trampier cover art. (Crowbar in the statue's eye is my favorite.)

Feel free to use anything I post in this forum for any non-commercial purpose. (I expect my cut of commercial purposes!) So stat them how you like.