Huge plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (vines 15)
Hit Points 76 (8d12 + 24)
Speed 0 (see below)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +3 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 1 (-5) | 16 (+3) | 7 (-2) | 14 (+2) | 10 (-1) |
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Languages Common
Senses tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Vulnerabilities cold, lighting
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Hallucinatory Perfume. A hangman tree can release a hallucinatory perfume at will, and it does so when prey is within range of tremorsens. Those who inhale the perfume believe the hangman tree to be a normal tree, or even a treant, depending on the mood of the tree. Wisdom saving throw to avoid the effect.
Magic Resistance. A hangman tree draws power from its environment. It has advantage on saving throw against spells and other magical effects.
Appendages. The tree attacks by dropping noose-like vines around prey. Although each tree has 1d4+5 appendages, it can control only three of them at any one time. It takes 15 points of damage to sever a vine; this is in addition to the damage needed to kill the tree.
Actions
- Multiattack. The Hangman tree makes three vines attacks.
- Vines. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
- Swallow. When the Hangman Tree hit a victim with a vine, the the vine tightens and lifts its prey to the opening in the upper trunk. The target can make only one strenght check DC 20 to break free; victims who fail the roll cannot escape. The victim is dropped into the hangman tree’s stomach and suffers 3d4 + 12 points of acid damage per round until dead, and is then digested. Escape from the stomach is impossible. Many sharp growths surround the top of the opening, they point inward and down. About three man-sized victims can fit in the tree’s stomach at one time.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
A hangman tree is a rare and sinister plant that resembles a thick oak with few branches and sparse foliage. It has a shallow root system and a large opening on its upper trunk that serves as its mouth. The opening is surrounded by sharp growths that point inward, preventing prey from escaping. The hangman tree also has several rope-like vines that it uses to ensnare and strangle its victims. These vines can lift creatures weighing up to 1,000 pounds and drag them into the tree’s digestive cavity. The hangman tree has knot-like sensory organs on its trunk that allow it to see and hear its surroundings. It can also speak haltingly in Common, though it is not very intelligent. The lower trunk has a slash-like opening for the expulsion of indigestibles.
COMBAT
A hangman tree prefers to lie in wait near remote forest tracks and game trails, waiting for unsuspecting prey to wander by. It can release a cloud of spores that causes creatures within 50 feet to become passive and believe the hangman tree to be an ordinary or friendly tree-like creature. This effect lasts for several minutes, during which the hangman tree can strike with its vines. The hangman tree can control up to three vines at a time, each of which can constrict and suffocate a creature in its grasp. The hangman tree then tosses the prey into its mouth, where it is digested by acid. The hangman tree can also use its vines to defend itself from attackers, though it is vulnerable to fire and slashing weapons. Darkness also causes it to slow its activities, so it functions at half efficiency.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A hangman tree is usually solitary, though it may occasionally form alliances with other evil creatures that share its territory. It can be found in temperate to subtropical climates, especially in forests where it can blend in with other trees. A hangman tree is very patient and can wait for months in a single location for food to approach. It may also lure prey by imitating sounds or voices that it hears. A hangman tree has a rudimentary sense of self-preservation and will flee or bargain if threatened by a superior foe. A hangman tree reproduces by dropping seeds that sprout into saplings after a few years. A sapling can move slowly until it finds a suitable spot to grow into a mature tree. During freezing weather, a taproot is put down and the tree is dormant.
ECOLOGY
A hangman tree is a carnivorous plant that feeds on animals and humanoids that it catches with its vines. It does not need much sunlight or water, as its sparse leaves and shallow roots do not provide it sufficient nutrition. A hangman tree can live for centuries, growing larger and more powerful with age. A hangman tree has a magic resistance based on its age, as it draws power from the environment. Hangman trees have no interest in treasure and, because they move constantly, it is unlikely that treasure would be found near one, although they do expel undigestible items periodically.
Hangman Tree is employed as material component to empower the following spells: