Bitter Tree

Huge plant, neutral evil

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	8 (-1)	20 (+5)	12 (+1)	15 (+2)	17 (+3)

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)
Speed 5 ft.
Saving Throws Constitution +9, Charisma +7
Skills Perception +6, Survival +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning and piercing
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned
Senses blindsight 120 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages –
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Special Traits

• Charm. A creature that eats the fruit of the bitter tree, or drinks a brew fermented from the fruit, three times within a week must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is charmed by the tree. A creature that goes one week without eating or drinking of the tree’s fruit may repeat the saving throw. The tree cannot speak and does not directly give orders, but all those charmed by it, whether from the fruit or from its spells, feel compelled to eat of the fruit, to defend the tree, and to either corrupt or kill others.
• Corruption. A creature that remains charmed by the tree for one month shifts their alignment to evil, and their type becomes fiend.
• Spellcasting. The bitter tree is an 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It requires no material or verbal components to cast its spells. It has the following sorcerer spells prepared:
• Cantrips (at will): chill touch, dancing lights, minor illusion
• 1st level (4 slots): charm person, fog cloud
• 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, web
• 3rd level (3 slots): fear, major image
• 4th level (3 slots): blight, dominate beast
• 5th level (1 slot): dominate person, insect plague

Actions

• Multiattack. The bitter tree makes two slam attacks.
• Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) bludgeoning damage.

Reactions

• Old Bark. When the bitter tree is stuck by a critical hit, it can turn it into a normal attack.

Tactics

The most dangerous aspect of a bitter tree is the veritable armies of creatures it has charmed, but even alone it is formidable. It will tend to use its spells to confuse and isolate foes, then use its arsenal of enchantments to get creatures to eat of its fruit.

Description

A withered, twisted old tree bearing fruit that looks vaguely like human heads howling in pain, ghastly in appearance but succulent and sweet.

Ghastly Fruit. These foul things slowly corrupt all other flora in their area, until they are the only source of edible fruit. Creatures who eat of the bitter tree’s fruit are themselves corrupted, gradually turning into infernals under the sway of the tree, and protecting it with their own lives.

Dark Overlords. Bitter trees usually rule over dark glades in remote forests, but bitter trees might take over a village, perhaps as the result of a transplanted sapling, turning its inhabitants into slaves and the village itself into a death-trap for travelers.

Corrupting Brew. Some druids have learned to brew a potent fermented liquor from bitter tree fruit. They spread their brew, which retains the corrupting power of the fruit itself, to unsuspecting victims, and will also use it in dark rituals to willingly corrupt themselves.