Absorb Essence. A creature swallowed by a bodythief must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or gain 2 points of exhaustion as their essence is drained. After a creature taking 6 points of exhaustion its body disintegrates and the bodythief absorbs its life essence. This is a death effect.
Spawn Pod Creature. Once a bodythief has absorbed the life essence of a Large or smaller creature, it can begin growing a duplicate of that creature as a free action. Growing a Tiny or smaller duplicate takes 1 round, a Small duplicate 3 rounds, a Medium duplicate 5 rounds, and a Large duplicate 10 rounds. Duplicates are identical to the creature whose life essence has been devoured, but their creature type becomes plant. They closely resemble the original creature and retain all its memories. The newly created spawn has none of the original creature’s equipment, though the bodythief can vomit forth any surviving swallowed gear as a reaction. As the duplicate hatches, the bodythief makes a Charisma (Deception) skill check to determine the resemblance to the original. The duplicate must be grown within 24 hours of the original’s digestion, or its essence and memories dissipate. Only a single duplicate can be made of any given creature.
Multiattack. The bodythief makes one bite attack and two tentacle attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature grappled by the bodythief, that creature is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the bodythief, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the bodythief’s turns.
If the bodythief takes 35 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, it must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the bodythief. If the bodythief dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 7) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The bodythief has four tentacles, each of which can grapple one target.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). The bodythief exhales a line of acid that is 80 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Vexing Vines. Each of the bodythief’s tentacle vines has its own reaction, giving the bodythief four reactions it can use to make attacks of opportunity each round. It cannot deliver attacks of opportunity with a portion of its body being used to grapple. The bodythief can also use one of its reactions with a tentacle to deflect a missile when it is hit by a ranged weapon attack. When it does, the damage the bodythief takes from the attack is reduced by half.
Transfer. A bodythief can make a bite attack against a creature it has grappled with a tentacle as a reaction.
The bodythief can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The bodythief regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Drain Spawn. A bodythief can drain one of its pod spawn. Doing this restores 10 (2d10) hit points and destroys the pod spawn, reducing it to a shriveled husk.
Pheromone Cloud (2 Actions). A bodythief can release a cloud of alluring pheromone in a burst of 120 feet, centered around itself. Creatures caught in the area of effect, must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be drawn to the bodythief. A target automatically succeeds on this saving throw if it can't be charmed. On a failed save, each affected target must use as much of its movement as possible to move towards the bodythief on its next turn. It can take its action before it moves. After moving in this way, it can make another Wisdom saving throw to try to end the effect.
A target isn't compelled to move into an obviously deadly hazard, such as a fire or pit, but it will provoke opportunity attacks to move in the designated direction.
Description
This immense plant has jaws inside its central flower and vines that thresh the air. Its ovular seedpods throb like beating hearts.
Lair and Lair Actions
A bodythief will root itself in a single location and form a small village around itself run by its spawn. This mimic town functions as a means of protection, and to lure in potential prey. Each meal grows its horde. It's not uncommon for even livestock to be used in this manner. While rooted in its lair, the bodythief gains the following abilities:
Possess Spawn. A bodythief can overtake any of its own spawn as a free action so long as it is within 1000 feet of it. While the spawn is possessed in this manner, the bodythief can speak through the spawn with any language it knows, perceive through the spawn's senses, and use any abilities the spawn might have. It can only possess one spawn at a time in this way, and can end the possession as a free action.
Ambrosia Fruit. While rooted in its lair, a bodythief can produce 1d20 ambrosia fruit per day. Eating the fruit restores 5 hit point and grants enough nutritional value for 3 days. Any creature that eats it however that is not a spawn, must succeed at a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be subject to the spell dominate monster. A creature that is immune to the charm condition automatically succeeds this check. The bodythief's pod spawn incorporate ambrosia fruit in their food and drinks as a means to further ensnare prey.
Natural Disguise. A bodythief rooted in its lair can take the guise of any natural fauna, appearing as a great oak, maple or any other kind of tree.
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