Parents often caution their children about the perils of the forest, recounting tales of lost kids or those who, injured and helpless, couldn’t find their way home. The blame rarely falls on a lesser known creature, the brancher, which is often the culprit. Getting lost or injured only increases the likelihood of falling prey to these elusive creatures. Branchers prefer to remain concealed deep within the woods, emerging occasionally in search of a meal, typically a small deer or similar creature. However, a lost person can quickly become a satisfying feast.
These forest-dwellers seamlessly blend into the tree canopy, patiently waiting for unsuspecting creatures to pass beneath them. When the moment is right, they drop down, ensnaring their prey with vines and limbs before hoisting it into the canopy for consumption. The bite of a brancher carries a poisonous venom, debilitating its victim and making them easier to kill. Following a successful hunt, a brancher proceeds to digest the entire body, bones included, over the course of two to three weeks. As a byproduct of this digestion, it leaves behind a deep black sap that nourishes the surrounding flora.
Branchers typically prefer solitude, selecting a single tree as their lifelong home. Occasionally, a colony of branchers may form around a particularly significant tree, especially one that attracts visitors. Witnessing a colony of branchers concealed in a tree’s canopy, feasting on a traveling party, is a truly horrifying sight.
Brancher
Medium Plant, Unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 17 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 7 (-2) |
Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +2, Stealth +5
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
False Appearance. While the brancher remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree branch or large root.
Spider Climb. The brancher can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target has the grappled condition (escape DC 13).
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., a creature that is grappled by the brancher. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or it has the poisoned condition for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turn, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Bonus Actions
Vine Walk. The brancher extends its vines up to 15 feet to a sturdy object that is not being worn or carried and pulls itself to it.
Downloads
Further Reading
Looking for more plant buddies? Take a look at the flora golem and fungeratu.
Imagery created with Midjourney.
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