Plant Wild Shape Questions

[Brother MacLaren]

A few quick questions on plant wild shape:

1) Can druids speak in any plant form, or only those that have a language listed (e.g. treant)? The wild shape text makes specific mention of not being able to speak in animal form.

2) Are plant creatures killed when decapitated? Does a shambling mound even have a head?

 

[Jer]

A few quick questions on plant wild shape:

1) Can druids speak in any plant form, or only those that have a language listed (e.g. treant)? The wild shape text makes specific mention of not being able to speak in animal form.

2) Are plant creatures killed when decapitated? Does a shambling mound even have a head?

The Wild Shape text specifically says:

A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

Given the part in bold, I'd say that a druid wild-shaped to a plant would also be limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained plant-creature can make. I'd also say that if they can learn how to speak intelligently (like a treant) then the druid can talk in that form (regardless of the word "training"), but then I'm a big softie with my players...

As for the second part, the only place in the rules that I find mention of decapitation is under the "vorpal" magic item attribute, which says:

Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off.

So, if I were the DM, I'd say that if the plant-creature didn't have a "head" of some kind where its "brains" were stored, then decapitating it wouldn't be possible. On the other hand, if the plant-creature had some kind of obvious "head" appendage that did the thinking, then it could be decapitated. I'd also note that, like undead and oozes, plants are immune to critical hits - so that would at least make me feel good about making that kind of call.

 

[Bad Paper]

Are plant creatures killed when decapitated? Does a shambling mound even have a head?

I don't know if the current version of D&D has this, but previous versions have the Shambling Mound's brain in its abdomen, so decapitation only makes it angry.

 

[mikebr99]

When changing into a plant...

Plant Type

You get the following:

-- Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). (Natural ability.)

-- Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning. (Another natural ability.)

-- Not subject to critical hits. (Another natural ability.)

-- Proficient with its natural weapons only. (You don't forget what you know, but a change to plant form doesn't get you any weapon proficiency that's not listed here.)

-- Proficient with no armor. (You don't forget what you know, but a change to plant form doesn't get you any armor proficiency that's not listed here.)

-- Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep. (A natural ability.)

You don't get the following:

-- Low-light vision. (Extraordinary special quality.)

Mike