Plant (monster class)

Plants are a class of monster consisting of "true" plants as well as fungi. Plant monsters are affected by Plant spells,Dungeon Fantasy: Monsters 1, p.4 allowing them to be enhanced or damaged from them. Knowledge of plant monsters is covered by the Naturalist skill.DFRPG Monsters 1, p.4 While they vary widely in shape and size, they tend to be able to bury their toes in the ground and survive off of sunlight, making them more patient than most creatures.Fanon speculation
== Examples ==
Creature 	Description
CrushroomDFRPG: Monsters 1, p.19 	A man-sized, ambulatory fungus, with tentacle-like feet. Territorial.
"Fungus" 	Umbrella term for some immobile but strange fungus. Naturalists will tell this is different than Molds, which are slimes.
RedthornDFRPG Monsters 2, p.36-37 	Dire plants, some call them. They can scamper around on small but swift little legs.
TrétroldDFRPG Monsters 2, p.50-51 	Tree-people with a primal connection to the forest they live in, and a higher purpose to protect it.
ShamblethornPyramid 3/108: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game III, p.14-15	Nasty "plant men" with a skeletal shape. Likely a creation of evil magic or dark fey. Usually damp enough to resist fire--and even gain strength from lightning.
BoneflowerPyramid 3/77: Combat, p.35 	Vaguely necromantic plant with a sunflower-like shape. They reproduce through "spitting" bonelike spines at opponents. Nasty stuff. Unaffected by Plant spells and Plant Empathy... but affected by Necromancy spells and Spirit Empathy.
WindrootPyramid 3/98: Welcome to Dungeon Fantasy, p.19 	Pollen-heavy, self-shaking "dandelions" about 10 feet tall. They have a symbiotic relationship with excrementalssee Pyramid 3/98: Welcome to Dungeon Fantasy, p.14, which compost foes that the windroot kills. It's rumored that windroots guard druidic holy places, meaning they aren't necessarily mindless, punching trees.
Tomb TreePyramid 3/106: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game II, p.35 	Technically, tomb trees are Undead Plants. They seem to be possessed by angry spirits--usually one from a corpse stashed in the tree itself, which didn't like being buried there. It's likely to be a sort of "slasher killer" type enemy that has to be fought in spectacular fashion and/or avoided until its soul can be avenged.
== Fanon Tactics ==
When designing plant monsters, focus on what separates plants (and fungi, of course) from animalian monsters.
Trait 	Notes
Overall Body Plan 	Plant monsters can have very unusual body plans with no need for bilateral symmetry. As long as the body can balance on top of their rooty legs, it works!
Legs / Feet 	
* Odd numbers of legs are possible
* Terrain adaptation (to mud or waterlogged ground)
* Can become Sessile temporarily (perhaps it helps negate knockback?)
Bark 	
* Plant monsters usually have some amount of natural damage resistance
* Perhaps tree- or bush-themed plant monsters have sap for "blood". An unfortunate treefolk might have sap wounds after a battle, as might an enemy tree-monster... and perhaps some plant-based creatures have sap that has healing properties--especially for the injuries inflicted by that creature!
Chlorophyll 	
* Plant-monsters can afford to be patient, working as opportunistic ambush predators (similar to cold-blooded reptiles like some snakes and crocodiles). Plant monsters take this to the next level, staying dormant for much longer, possibly entire seasons. Perhaps some "walking plants" are only dangerous during the hottest time of the year.
* If the plant-monster is a type of "fruit" from a non-mobile tree, then they may appear yearly. Perhaps the originator tree is always cut down, but the new fruit-creatures become trees, and every 2-5 yearssuch as the time from saplings to fruit-bearing apple trees, for instance new "fruit men" wander down from the hills...
Communication 	
* Like the ents of old, some plant-class creatures may be able to communicate, but operate on a very different timescale, only roused to action by dire circumstances
* Flipping this on its head, perhaps some plant creatures are shorter-lived, rapidly-growing, and surprisingly fast learners, representing fast-growing organisms like bamboo, kelp, duckweed, or even algae blooms.
Amphibiousness 	Aquatic plant monsters are likely unhindered by water (see Amphibious) and can breathe underwater as long as they get enough daily sunlight. This could make for dastardly nighttime attacks--when not bathing in the sun, perhaps they feed on the living...
Undying Pursuit 	Fungus in particular, representing decay in pure form, may make an excellent returning antagonist--if not burned, cleansed, or blessed away, a supernatural spore-based entity might hunt the PCs, always returning after seemingly being slain.
Strange Seedbearers	Perhaps some plants in your fantasy setting don't rely on regular pollinators to spread seeds. Perhaps plants (or their fruits) walk around, getting into fights, and their seeds eventually drop back onto the ground. Fighting figs, perhaps.
== See Also ==
* Monster Classes
* Plant College
== References ==