Archer Bush

[BOZ]

makes sense. they're an odd-looking plant, but easily overlooked due to size and otherwise unremarkability.

 

[Shade]

I'm on-board with what has been discussed thus far.

Another consideration is variants. Now that we have the oversized flavor text section to fill up, we could mention variants. Perhaps an advanced form known as a "sniper bush" fires but a single dart, but with incredible precision (i.e. sneak attack). We could do a play-on-words with the real-life burning bush and have one that's darts ignite once fired. Things like that.

This critter is so simple we should have some room to get creative.

 

[BOZ]

are we being forced to go full-page? sure, we can add in a variant or twelve. maybe we can even make use of the differences between the B3 archer bush and the version used in later sources.

 

[Shade]

I'm not sure...we'll have to find out, eh?

 

[BOZ]

i don't think they'll stick us with the full-page format; they didn't for the last CC article.

 

[demiurge1138]

i don't think they'll stick us with the full-page format; they didn't for the last CC article.

Yeah, but they did for the last article I wrote. MMIV standard is now Dragon Magazine standard, although that may change when they truly realize how space-consuming it is.

Demiurge out.

 

[demiurge1138]

Sticking to topic, I like both the sniper bush and the burning bush variants.

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

The porcupine cacti and tumbling mound (both from Sandstorm) have abilities that might work for the "bite" attack:

Thorns (Ex): A porcupine cactus's thorns tear at any creature that touches it, dealing 1d4 points of piercing damage. Creatures that strike a porcupine cactus with natural attacks or unarmed strikes, or that try to grapple the cactus (presumably to pull it out of the ground), are subject to this damage, but creatures striking with melee weapons are not. A creature that is pushed into or falls onto a plant also takes damage from its thorns.

The tumbling mound's thorns are similar, except it also has a slam attack and improved grab. Since the archer bush is mobile, it could use its thorns offensively by charging into someone.

 

[demiurge1138]

It does thorn damage on a bull's rush attempt? Or are you considering giving it a slam attack (which I am all for)?

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

I'm fine with either. We've got precedent for both with mobile plants.