Patch of Pumpkin Jacks

Large swarm of Small plants, neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	7 (-2)	10 (+0)	17 (+3)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Cha +6
Skills Perception +6, Survival +3
Damage Resistances acid
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Regeneration. The patch regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the patch takes fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the patch’s next turn. The patch dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
• Swarm. The patch can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the patch can move through any opening large enough for a Small pumpkin jack. The patch can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points except from its Regeneration trait.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The patch makes two Claw attacks.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the patch’s space. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage, or 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage if the patch has half of its hit points or fewer, plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
• Cackle (Recharge 4-6). The patch unleashes a chilling laugh. Each creature of the patch’s choice within 60 feet of it that can hear it must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 18 (4d8) psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is restrained for 1 minute unless it is immune to the frightened condition. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t frightened.

TACTICS

Pumpkin jacks are hunters by nature, filled with a zeal for the destruction of life like the murders that brought them into existence. They are found primarily on the Material Plane, but equally if not, more dangerous breeds have been birthed by murder in the Shadow Realm, Fey Realm, or on any plane that has the soil necessary to gestate the creatures.

Other creatures known for their murderous zeal have trained pumpkin jacks, keeping the plants as pets and physical warnings of their own personal power. Battles fought with hatred in soldiers’ hearts have birthed entire pumpkin jack patches. While single pumpkin jacks are capable of instilling fear in their adversaries with their cackle, patches can freeze foes in their tracks with their murderous chorus.

ABOUT

The mixture of blood and soil where pumpkins grow can create something truly terrifying. If the mix is just right and the moon is clear, a pumpkin jack might emerge. Seen from afar, these creatures seem to be lights dancing in the breeze. But when a jack gets closer, their horrific visage becomes clear.

Pumpkin jacks look like bipedal creatures sewn together from vines. They are most likely to grow in soil beneath where murders have occurred. The more gruesome the murder, the more likely a pumpkin jack will appear.

Many believe that these creatures require pumpkin seeds to be created, but the truth is that the pumpkin color of its head mostly comes from the gore of a murder mixing with the soil to create its orange hue.

Fatal Instinct. The emotion behind the death that spawns a pumpkin jack fuels a murderous drive within it.

Pumpkin jacks born on other planes take on aspects of those environments in the most aggressive way possible.

Poisoned by Hate. The deeds that give rise to a pumpkin jack are heinous, committed by those with poisoned souls.

The poison of these acts courses through the veins of a pumpkin jack, making their strikes even more painful. Some wicked souls have harvested this bile from the jacks to use as a potent poison.