Medium plant, lawful neutral
Armor Class 18 (natural armor, shield)
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +5 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) | 13 (+1) | 8 (-1) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +7, Con +6
Skills Athletics +7, Perception +4, Stealth +4
Damage vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Magic Club. In the wood woad’s hand, its club is magical and deals 7 (3d4) extra damage (included in its attacks).
Plant Camouflage. The wood woad has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
Regeneration. The wood woad regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it is in contact with the ground. If the wood woad takes fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the wood woad’s next turn. The wood woad dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Tree Stride. Once on each of its turns, the wood woad can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one living tree within 5 feet of it and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of it that it can see, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The wood woad makes two attacks with its club.
- Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
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 wood woad is a plant creature that resembles a humanoid made of wood. It has a thick bark that covers its body, a crown of branches on its head, and a hole in its chest where its heart used to be. Its eyes are small and black, with faint motes of light flickering in them. A wood woad carries a wooden club and shield, which it uses to defend its territory or its assigned duty. A wood woad is created by a ritual that involves sacrificing a living person’s heart and planting a seed into it. The seed then grows into a new body that contains the soul of the sacrificed person. A wood woad is loyal to the one who created it or gave it orders, and will follow them until death or release. A wood woad can speak Sylvan, the language of the fey, but rarely does so unless necessary.
COMBAT
A wood woad is a formidable opponent in combat, as it has high strength and durability. It can use its club and shield to deal powerful blows and deflect attacks. It can also use its roots to grapple and restrain enemies, or to climb trees and walls. A wood woad is vulnerable to fire, which can quickly burn its wooden body. A wood woad is immune to charms and fear, as it has no emotions or desires other than fulfilling its duty. A wood woad can also blend into living wood, making it hard to spot in a forest environment.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A wood woad usually lives in temperate forests, where it guards a certain area or a druidic site of importance. It does not need food or water, as it draws nutrients from the soil and sunlight. It does not sleep either, as it remains vigilant at all times. A wood woad does not seek companionship or friendship, as it is focused on its task. However, it may ally with other creatures that share its goal of protecting the forest, such as treants, druids, dryads, centaurs, gnomes, and eladrin. A wood woad may also respect those who show reverence for nature and avoid harming the trees.
ECOLOGY
A wood woad is a true plant, not an animal or a fey. It reproduces by seeds, which it can scatter around its territory or give to others who wish to create more wood woads. Some primitive druidic circles know how to perform the ritual that creates a wood woad, using blood and magic to infuse a seed with a soul. The ritual requires a willing or unwilling sacrifice, whose heart is removed and placed inside a tree. The sacrifice’s body is then buried nearby, and the tree is bathed with blood. After three days, a new wood woad emerges from the ground, ready to serve its creator or master. A wood woad that is released from its duty may find a new place or person to protect, or wander the forest until it finds a purpose.