DnDChick
Demon Queen of Templates
This originally appeared in Asgard Magazine, and then in the Tome of Horrors. It will appear once more in the 3.5e revised Tome of Horrors, due to be released as a non-DRM PDF within a couple of months.
Consider this a "sneak preview."
Enjoy!
Jack-O-Lantern
Medium Plant
Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+2); or fire seed +7 ranged touch (damage varies, see description of this ability); or pitchfork +6 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: 3 slams +6 melee (1d6+2); or fire seed +7 ranged touch (damage varies, see description of this ability); or pitchfork +6 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tendrils)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d6+2, rend, fire seeds
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., plant traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +3, Move Silently +12
Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Stealthy
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
This creature is a roughly humanoid shaped tangle of vines and leaves with a large pumpkin for its head. The pumpkin-head bears a leering face that appears to have been carved there, and glows from within with an eldritch fire.
A jack-o-lantern is an animated plant creature brought to life by a combination of druidic magic and fey sprits. The nature of the face generally reflects the alignment of the animating spirit.
Combat
A jack-o-lantern attacks with its many tendrils, rending and tearing at its prey; a given jack-o-lantern will have one tendril strong enough for attacking for every 2 HD it has. Occasionally one will be armed with a pitchfork or scythe.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a jack-o-lantern deals 1d6+2 damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a jack-o-lantern must hit with at last two slam attacks. It can then start a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to constrict or rend the foe following round.
Rend (Ex): A jack-o-lantern that hits with at least two slam attacks on a single opponent deals 2d6+3 points of damage at it wrenches and tears the flesh.
Fire Seeds (Su): 1/day—as the spell cast by an 11th level druid. The jack-o-lantern can only make use of the first version of this spell, and it casts them on its own pumpkin seeds rather than acorns; range 100 ft., ranged touch to hit, 11d8 damage divided among up to 4 seeds.
Skills: A jack-o-lanterns has a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.
Creating a Jack-O-Lantern
To create a jack-o-lantern, the caster must be a druid of at least 11th level. Creating a jack-o-lantern involves placing a single pumpkin seed into the mouth of a corpse and burying it in an open field. The body must be that of a humanoid of at least 6th level; the jack-o-lantern has the same HD and alignment as the humanoid did in life. Once the body is buried, the creator must cast control plants, awaken, summon nature’s ally IV, and fire seeds—in that order.
The pumpkin plant that grows from it must be carefully nurtured and tended, requiring a Profession (farmer) check (DC 15). The farming check does not need to be made by the creator. Several pumpkins will grow on the vine, one of which will contain the essence of the nature spirit that will eventually animate the plant. The creator must make a Knowledge (nature) check (DC 20) to determine which pumpkin holds the essence-all others must be picked off the vine and discarded. By harvest time, if the creator chose the right pumpkin, the jack-o-lantern will animate and seek out is creator for instructions.
15. Copyright Notice
Author Erica Balsley.
Consider this a "sneak preview."
Enjoy!
Jack-O-Lantern
Medium Plant
Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+2); or fire seed +7 ranged touch (damage varies, see description of this ability); or pitchfork +6 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: 3 slams +6 melee (1d6+2); or fire seed +7 ranged touch (damage varies, see description of this ability); or pitchfork +6 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tendrils)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d6+2, rend, fire seeds
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., plant traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +3, Move Silently +12
Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Stealthy
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
This creature is a roughly humanoid shaped tangle of vines and leaves with a large pumpkin for its head. The pumpkin-head bears a leering face that appears to have been carved there, and glows from within with an eldritch fire.
A jack-o-lantern is an animated plant creature brought to life by a combination of druidic magic and fey sprits. The nature of the face generally reflects the alignment of the animating spirit.
Combat
A jack-o-lantern attacks with its many tendrils, rending and tearing at its prey; a given jack-o-lantern will have one tendril strong enough for attacking for every 2 HD it has. Occasionally one will be armed with a pitchfork or scythe.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a jack-o-lantern deals 1d6+2 damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a jack-o-lantern must hit with at last two slam attacks. It can then start a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to constrict or rend the foe following round.
Rend (Ex): A jack-o-lantern that hits with at least two slam attacks on a single opponent deals 2d6+3 points of damage at it wrenches and tears the flesh.
Fire Seeds (Su): 1/day—as the spell cast by an 11th level druid. The jack-o-lantern can only make use of the first version of this spell, and it casts them on its own pumpkin seeds rather than acorns; range 100 ft., ranged touch to hit, 11d8 damage divided among up to 4 seeds.
Skills: A jack-o-lanterns has a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.
Creating a Jack-O-Lantern
To create a jack-o-lantern, the caster must be a druid of at least 11th level. Creating a jack-o-lantern involves placing a single pumpkin seed into the mouth of a corpse and burying it in an open field. The body must be that of a humanoid of at least 6th level; the jack-o-lantern has the same HD and alignment as the humanoid did in life. Once the body is buried, the creator must cast control plants, awaken, summon nature’s ally IV, and fire seeds—in that order.
The pumpkin plant that grows from it must be carefully nurtured and tended, requiring a Profession (farmer) check (DC 15). The farming check does not need to be made by the creator. Several pumpkins will grow on the vine, one of which will contain the essence of the nature spirit that will eventually animate the plant. The creator must make a Knowledge (nature) check (DC 20) to determine which pumpkin holds the essence-all others must be picked off the vine and discarded. By harvest time, if the creator chose the right pumpkin, the jack-o-lantern will animate and seek out is creator for instructions.
15. Copyright Notice
Author Erica Balsley.
