Octopus Tree

Sailors sometimes tell stories of strange and terrible forests of trees in the middle of the ocean; most of these forests most likely had their genesis at the bottom of a mug of grog, but a few certainly come from close encounters with octopus trees.

An octopus tree is a rubbery, black-barked tree that roots near shore and stands upright or floats with the currents on the surface of the sea. Many long and numerous broad black roots spread out around its base like a thick mat of seaweed; these roots are mobile and can propel the tree with great speed across the surface of the water. The tree’s branches are long, thick tentacles covered with tiny, sharp, dark green leaves. Hidden in the base of the tree’s trunk just below the water is a large maw filled with teeth.

Octopus trees are rightfully feared by sailors, for these terrible plants command powerful magical abilities that allow them to wreak havoc on wooden ships. Many large groves of octopus trees have the skeletons of ships lodged among their roots, and many explorers and treasure seekers have been lured to their doom in these dangerous groves.

Octopus trees understand Common, but they lack the body parts necessary for speech.

Combat

Octopus trees gain a fair amount of nourishment from photosynthesis, but without flesh, a tree ceases to grow in size. These plants often dwell near the fringes of busy shipping lanes; upon sighting a ship, they move quickly to intercept it, using magic if necessary. They use their tentacles to pluck food (passengers or crew) from the deck, eating one or two morsels quickly and holding anyone else they grab underwater so the victims drown. Octopus trees usually occupy areas with heavy seaweed growth so they can use their spell-like abilities to their full extent.

An octopus tree can be summoned using a summon nature’s ally IX spell.

Frightful Presence (Ex): An octopus tree inspires terror in all creatures within 30 feet that have fewer Hit Dice or levels than it has. Each potentially affected opponent must succeed on a Will save (DC 19) or become shaken, a condition that lasts until the opponent is out of range. A successful save leaves that opponent immune to that octopus tree’s frightful presence for one day.

Improved Grab (Ex): If an octopus tree hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with a tentacle attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +28). If it gets a hold, it can transfer the opponent to its maw with another successful grapple check, dealing automatic bite damage. Alternatively, the octopus tree has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its tentacle to hold the opponent (−20 penalty on grapple check, but the octopus tree is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite damage.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​diminish plants, entangle, obscuring mist, plant growth, warp wood; 3/day⁠—​call lightning, repel wood, wall of thorns. Caster level 14th; save DC 12 + spell level.

Swallow Whole (Ex): An octopus tree can swallow a single creature that is at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check (grapple bonus +28), provided it already has that opponent in its maw (see Improved Grab). Once inside the octopus tree, the opponent takes 2d6+9 points of bludgeoning damage and 2d4 points of acid damage per round from the plant’s internal cavity, which has an AC of 22 and 20 points. See Swallow Whole for escape methods and other information. (An octopus tree cannot reguritate; victims must cut their way out or escape its maw.) An octopus tree’s cavity can hold 1 Large, 4 Medium-size, or 16 Small or smaller opponents.

Regeneration (Ex): An octopus tree takes normal damage from fire and cold. See Regeneration.

Skills: Octopus trees have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard and can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 130. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Changed turn wood in Spell-Like Abilities to repel wood.