Fungus, Giant Puffball

Family: Fungi

Large plant (fungus), unaligned

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 66 (7d10 + 21)
Speed 15 ft. (30 ft. when rolling, 60 ft. rolling downhill)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	13 (+1)	17 (+3)	1 (-5)	11 (+0)	1 (-5)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Damage Vulnerabilities fire, piercing
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11
Languages –
Proficiency Bonus +3
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Death Burst. The giant puffball explodes when it drops to 0 hit points. Each creature within 20 feet of it must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw for half of 10 (3d6) piercing damage. Creatures who take the full piercing damage must also make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, a target takes 4 (1d8) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Hive Mind. All fungi within 50 miles of are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. No fungus in a group is considered surprised unless all of them are.
• Overrun. The giant puffball moves up to 15 feet in a straight line and can move through the space of any creature smaller than Large. The first time it enters a creature’s space during this move, it makes a slam attack against that creature. If the attack hits, the target must also succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed ahead of the giant puffball for the rest of this move. If a creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is also knocked prone and takes 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage, or 22 (4d8 + 4) piercing damage if it was already prone.

ACTIONS

• Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Aggressive. As a bonus action, the giant puffball can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.

ABOUT

This giant spiky fungus rolls about with a life of its own!

Giant puffballs are highly mobile and aggressive variants of puffball mold that is often found on the forest floor. Unlike that fungus, giant puffballs are mobile and intentionally spread their spores by rolling towards movement with the intent of contact (and inevitably, explosion).

A giant puffball that explodes shoots sliver-like spores in all directions. Creatures who bear the brunt of it will find the spores act like syringes, injecting even more deadly fungi into their bloodstream.