Verdance, the Hollow Grove
Armor Class: 18
Hit Points: 217
Speed: 30 ft.
Saving Throws: strength, constitution, wisdom
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning (nonmagical), Piercing (nonmagical)
Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Druidic
Challenge: fourteen
STR 24 (+7)
DEX 8 (-1)
CON 22 (+6)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 18 (+4)
CHA 17 (+3)
Traits
- Magic Resistance. The creature has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
- False Appearance. While Verdance remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a dead, moss-choked tree at the heart of a rotting grove.
- Rooted Regeneration. Verdance regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn if it is touching natural earth or living soil and has at least 1 hit point. If Verdance takes fire or acid damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn. Verdance dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Actions
- Rotting Slam. The target is grappled (escape DC 18) if it is a Large or smaller creature and Verdance does not already have two creatures grappled. Grappled targets are pulled into the blighted heartwood and take an extra 7 (2d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of their turns.
- Hurl Deadwood. Verdance wrenches a limb from its own rotting canopy and hurls it. On a hit, spores burst from the impact; the target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Bonus Actions
- Grasping Undergrowth. Verdance causes roots and brambles to erupt in a 15-foot square it can see within 60 feet. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of Verdance's next turn.
Reactions
- Deadfall. A heavy, rotten bough crashes down on the creature. It must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Legendary Actions
- Rotting Slam.
- Blightspit. Verdance spits a glob of caustic rot at one creature it can see within 60 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and have its hit point maximum reduced by the same amount until it finishes a long rest.
- Grapple. The creature makes one attack to grapple a target.