PDA

View Full Version : The woods is attacking



Moses
2007-09-13, 08:52 AM
In my upcoming campaign the PCs are going to encounter a Dark Wizard who's bases is deep within a dead forest. I was thinking of using living but twisted (or undead) trees and other plant creatures as the first line of defense. Two creatures come to mind: one is a medium sized treeman (maybe a wood construct) like creature with claw attacks and maybe a special vine grapple attack. the second a large sized tree trunk creature (i think there is something in one of the MM but i don't have mine on me right now) that can use root attacks and maybe a slam attack.

If anyone has some suggestions or stated creatures that you have used i would be greatful

Kenbert
2007-09-13, 01:34 PM
I have a suggestion ... make sure the PCs meet a dwarven cleric with a phobia of trees who tells them of the trees are going to attack. They will laugh and think he's just being silly, only to discover later on in the campaign that he was right! Hmm ... this is starting to sound familiar ...

AKA_Bait
2007-09-13, 03:48 PM
Well, for the tree ones you could just change the flavor of a Treant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/treant.htm)but leave the stats alone i suspect.

Regarding the stump... were you thinking of Wood Woads? I think they are in MM3... I could be wrong though. You could graft some of the assassian vines (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/assassinVine.htm)abilities on to one of those. Just remember to raise the CR.

The haunts from MM5 could serve you well too I suspect. There is a Treant haunt in there.

What level are the poor fools PC's going in?

Reptilius
2007-09-13, 03:51 PM
The Giant's Charred Horror (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/6AaJhMSc1hfIf1zpbML.html) would be pretty neat to throw at them.

AKA_Bait
2007-09-13, 04:07 PM
The Giant's Charred Horror (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/6AaJhMSc1hfIf1zpbML.html) would be pretty neat to throw at them.

Oooh yeah. I forgot about those. Forget the treants go with that.

Triaxx
2007-09-13, 06:22 PM
Perhaps something like the trees from Wizard of Oz?

Paragon Badger
2007-09-13, 10:11 PM
Fair is foul, and foul is fair...


Err... I don't have much else to say. >_>

I'm not an expert on monsters, but I do know theatrics! Lull your players into taking a quick break, only to have the tree they're leaning against slowly grow around/over them, and when they wake up, they're half-covered in vines/branches. ^_^

DracoDei
2007-09-14, 02:52 AM
You might try "Monsterous Geographia: Forest" by Expeditious Retreat Press. I have misplaced my copy in the black hole that is my bedroom but there ought to be some good undead in there.

Dryad
2007-09-14, 05:16 AM
Ropers and the like make for twisted tree creatures, as well. Or you could create an evil wizard with a lot of druid-spells, and sit back and watch the fun. Or perhaps an evil druid.

DracoDei
2007-09-14, 06:21 AM
3.0 Had "Blighters"... basically anti-druids, and a good source of mechanics... not that that is ACTUALLY that hard, just apply the zombie and skeleton templates to animals... maybe a few ghost fae...

Mr. Moogle
2007-09-14, 08:51 AM
Right here on giantitp i give you the charred horror (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/6AaJhMSc1hfIf1zpbML.html) Its like a burnt out treant with a grudge against forests.

Mr. Moogle
2007-09-14, 08:54 AM
Oops. I didnt see that repitilius had posted the same thing earlyer in the form, my bad

Moses
2007-09-14, 09:44 AM
Im not sure what lvl they will be when they get there they are 4-5 right now but they are still a long journey away (about 2-4 weeks game time) depending on how they choose to get there, plus they need to finish a the task they are on right now (which should get them a lvl)

thanks for the ideas i may have to ajust a few stats on some of the creatures you have suggested if they are to low but i like the giants idea and may have to use it or something like it.

The evil wizard is going to be mostly necro but i wanted to use the forest as well (maybe i will make a evile druid cohort) btw the wizard is the elven son of one of the characters (he wrote the fall of his son in his backstory, so im using it against him (them))

What i'm thinking is that the PCs enter a small town near the edge of the forest shortly after (a day or two) a seasonal festival. Some of the villagers are upset because a few families from near the forests edge (a days travels for the village) failed to come to the festival. I,m hoping that the Pcs will offer to investigate as they are heading in to the wood shortly and here seems as good of a place as any. When they reach one farm houses they find it empty with what appears to be the remains of the family scattered around the area. No foot prints anywhere just strange markings everywhere. Within the house they will find it in perfect condition (no signs of theft or raiding). there will be a diary on a table with a recent entry about a young neighbor boy showing up a day before claiming that his family was a attack by the woods. (this should be found as one of the PCs has a great love for reading every book he can get his hands on)

From here it is up to where they choose to go. I know my PCs well and know that they never choose the way i stat out to i'm just going to gather a few encounters that i can use in few different situations in and around the forest.