Shroomog Mossback

Family: Fungofauna

Huge plant (fungofauna), chaotic good

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 229 (17d12 + 119)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	6 (-2)	25 (+7)	16 (+3)	17 (+3)	13 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +10, Dex +2, Con +11, Wis +7
Skills Intimidation +5, Perception +7, Stealth +2
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages understands Common but can’t speak, can communicate with plant creatures
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Keen Hearing and Smell. The shroomog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
• Mossy Fur. Any creature that grapples the shroomog or otherwise comes into direct contact with the shroomog’s fur must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for l minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the shroomog can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Poison Sense. The shroomog can detect whether a substance is poisonous by smell, taste, or touch.
• Shroompy Sense. The shroomog can pinpoint the location of shroompies within 300 feet of it and know if they are in distress.
• Shroomog Stamina. If damage reduces the shroomog to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken. On a success, the shroomog drops to 1 hit point instead.
• The Circle of Life. When the shroomog dies, it is reborn as a shroompy from the last spore on its body. The reborn shroomog has the statistics of a shroompy (CR 0) but retains its alignment and memories.

ACTIONS

• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the shroomog moved at least 20 feet straight toward a creature immediately before the hit, the creature must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the creature is prone, the shroomog can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.
• Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
• Torpor Spores (Recharge 5-6). The shroomog ejects spores from its cap at one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. Until this poison ends, the target is unconscious. The target wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

REACTIONS

• Protective Instinct. When a creature the shroomog can see hits a target within 5 feet of it with an attack, the shroomog can use its reaction to shield the ally from harm, becoming the target of the attack instead.

ABOUT

Towering over playful shroompies and young shroomogs, mossbacks are ancient shroomogs that have lived full lives and created countless shroompies.

Covered in poisonous moss and boasting terrifying strength, a shroomog mossback might seem intimidating at first, but these gentle giants are benevolent and wise, and still springy shroompies at heart.

A shroomog mossback will often ponder the meaning of life and reminisce its vast past staying virtually unmoving as young shroompies climb on its mossy back and use its dried cap as a platform for gliding.

If threatened, a shroomog mossback will first try to put enemies to sleep with its potent torpor spores and avoid violence, but it will charge into combat with its full might if its friends are in danger.

Shroompy Reborn. A shroomog mossback has stopped producing shroompy spores long ago, yet one last spore remains on its back. When the mossback’s body finally gives in to old age, the ancient creature will be reborn through that final spore, which will grow into a new shroompy with the mossback’s memories and jump off to play with the other younglings.

A reborn shroomog mossback will often guide its pack and will have a higher chance of becoming a shroompy sigma as it ages. In time, such a shroompy may eventually grow up to become a shroomog mossback again, continuing the cycle.