Alien Mind. If a creature tries to read the Spore Lord's thoughts or tries to deal psychic damage to it, that creature must succeed on a DC 27 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
Fungal Infestation. The Spore Lord's spores have the potential to infect other creatures, causing fungal growth to spread within their body, slowly taking them over. Whenever a creature fails a saving throw against spores spread by the Spore Lord by 5 or more, in addition to suffering the normal effect, it becomes infected by a disease. While infected, the creature is poisoned, charmed by the Spore Lord and takes 18 (4d8) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. Its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. If the creature drops to 0 HP, it dies and is reanimated as a spore servant under the control of the Spore Lord.
A creature can be cured by any spell or ability that cures diseases, but once it is cured, it must succeed on a DC 27 wisdom saving throw or develop an indefinite madness.
Fungal Network (5/day). The Spore Lord's mycelium is spanning an immense area, much larger than his lair. The Spore Lord can communicate with all plants, magical and nonmagical, within 10 miles of its lair. It also is aware of the presence of all creatures within 10 miles of its lair. In addition, five times per day it can cast a spell or release Spores from anywhere in the area covered by its mycelium.
Fungal Rejuvenation. If the Spore Lord is destroyed, as long as at least one creature or plant is still infected by its spores or mycelium, it gains a new body in 1d10 hours, regaining all his hit points and other expended ressources and becoming active again. The new body sprouts from the infected creature or plant.
Immutable Existence. The Spore Lord is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form or send it to another plane of existence.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The Spore Lord can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components, using intelligence as his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 27):
- at will: mage hand, mind sliver, dissonant whispers, detect thoughts, levitate, suggestion, Tasha's mind whip
- 3/day: dominate monster, modify memory, feeblemind, synaptic static, telekinesis,
- 1/day: psychic scream, weird
Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If the Spore Lord fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The Spore Lord has advantage on all saving throws against spells and magical effects.
Regeneration. The Spore Lord regains 30 hit points at the start of its turns. If he takes fire or radiant damage, that trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn. The Spore Lord dies only if he starts his turn with 0 HP and doesn't regenerate.
Telepathic Hub. With the help of his spores, the Spore Lord can use its telepathy to initiate and maintain telepathic conversations with multiple creatures at a time. The Spore Lord can let those creatures telepathically hear each other while connected in this way.
Multiattack. The Spore Lord makes four attacks with its Mycelium Tendrils. If a creature is grappled by at least two Mycelium Tendrils, it uses Engulf on it. It then makes one Pseudopod attack or releases Spores.
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8+6) bludgeoning damage plus 36 (8d8) poison damage and the creature must succeed on a DC 27 constitution saving throw or is poisoned for 1 minute.
A poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Mycelium Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 60 ft. one target. Hit: 24 (4d8+6) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage and the creature is grappled by the tendril (escape DC 23). While it is grappled, it is restrained. As an alternative to attempting to escape with a strength (Athletics) or dexterity (Acrobatics) check, a mycelium tendril can be destroyed by attacking it and dealing 30 damage to it (AC 20, same damage resistances and immunities as the Spore Lord).
Engulf. The Spore Lord engulfs a creature grappled by it with mycelium to consume it. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC 27 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of the Spore Lord's turns or has its strength score reduced by 1d4. If the creature's strength score is reduced to 0, it dies. Once engulfed, a creauture can no longer be freed by destroying mycelium tendrils.
Spores. The Spore Lord releases spores within a 30 feet radius centered on it, which linger for 1 minute. Each creature that starts its turn within that radius or enters it later, must make a DC 27 constitution save. On a failure it is poisoned, hallucinates and suffers one of the following effects until the end of its next turn:
| d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | The target is blinded and deafened. |
| 2 | The target falls asleep and is unconscious. |
| 3 | The target is under the effect of a slow spell. |
| 4 | The target is under the effect of a confusion spell. |
| 5 | The target takes 18 (4d8) poison damage and spends its action on its next turn retching and reeling. |
| 6 | The target is under the effect of a mental prison spell. |
If a target fails the saving throw by 5 or more however, in addition to the normal effect of the spores, it also is affected by the Spore Lord's Fungal Infestation.
Protective Thrall. When the Spore Lord is hit by a weapon attack, one creature within 5 feet of the Spore Lord that is charmed by it or friendly to it must use its reaction to be hit by the attack instead.
Poisonous Rebuke. When the Spore Lord is hit by a weapon attack, it releases a cloud of poisonous gas. All creatures within 30 feet of it must make a DC 24 constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a failure or half as much on a success.
The Spore Lord can take 5 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 Spore Lord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
At-Will Spell. The Spore Lord casts one of its at-will spells.
Attack. The Spore Lord makes a Pseudopod or Mycelium Tendril attack.
Exert Will. One creature charmed by the Spore Lord that it can see must use its reaction to move up to its speed as it directs or to make a weapon attack against a target that it designates.
Engulf (costs 2 actions). The Spore Lord uses its Engulf on a creature grappled by at least two mycelium tendrils.
Sap Life (costs 2 actions). All creatures engulfed by the Spore Lord must make a DC 27 constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage. The Spore Lord regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
Description
The characters enter what looks like a huge cavern, full of various mushrooms and undefined fungal growth. The glow of some mushrooms and mycelia fills the cave with dim light, and there is a faint smell of moisture and decay. A vaguely humanoid figure seems to hover over a particularly large mushroom surrounded by brightly glowing fungal growth, wearing long robes. It must be a myconid... or not? Then they start hearing voices in their heads. Not one, but multiple. It is as if all the mushrooms in the cave are talking to them... Are the characters just hallucinating under the effect of spores...?
Lair and Lair Actions
The Spore Lord's Lair
The Spore Lord's lair is a huge cave system of the Underdark, from which it spreads out to the surface. Many mushrooms grow here, and their caps and some mycelium threads glow faintly, providing dim light to the place. As the characters go deeper into the lair, it becomes more and more overgrown, while spores and a smell of decay fill the air. They might encounter spore servants and other creatures controlled by the Spore Lord, before, in a great cavern, they eventually encounter the Spore Lord itself.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Spore Lord can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; the Spore Lord can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Spores. The Spore Lord uses its spores, but centered on a mushroom or fungus within the lair rather than on himself.
- Fungal Life. 1d4 gas spores and 1d4 undead shambling mounds consisting of mycelium and fungal mass, appear. As these shambling mounds are essentially parts of the Spore Lord, their creature type is plant and they share its mental stats and the ability to speak telepathically. Creatures summoned by this lair action disappear after 1 hour.
- Exert Will. Up to eight creatures friendly to the Spore Lord use their reactions to move up to their speed and make one weapon attack.
- Rampant Growth. The whole lair is affected by an effect resembling the entangle spell. The area counts as difficult terrain and all creatures of the Spore Lord's choice must make a DC 27 strength saving throw or are restrained. The effect lasts for 1 minute or until the Spore Lord uses this action again.
Regional Effects
The region around the lair of the Spore Lord is warped by his magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Mushrooms and fungal growth is unusually common within 10 miles of the lair, as are withered and corrupted plants, overtaken by fungi. People and creatures often suffer illness and hallucinations or otherwise behave erratically under the influence of the spores and spells of the Spore Lord.
- Also within 10 miles, Divination spells like locate creature and abilities used to detect the presence of other creatures always show that at least one creature of an unidentified type is present right next to the caster or user of the ability.
- Creatures within 5 miles of the lair sometimes feel as if they're being watched or as if another creature was standing right next to them. They also must succeed on a DC 20 wisdom saving throw or develop an indefinite madness if they stay as close to the lair for more than 24 hours.
- Within 3 miles of the lair, if a creature eats a ration, plant or another creature that has been there for more than 24 hours, it must succeed on a DC 20 constitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) poison damage and be poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned, the creature is incapacitated. If it fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it also is affected by the Spore Lord's Fungal Infestation. If it succeeds on the saving throw, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned.
- Within 1 mile of the lair, sometimes a strange glow is visible, originating from the lair itself, from glowing mushrooms and from mycelium growing underground. Creatures suffer serious headaches, and if they try to sleep for a rest, they must succeed on a DC 20 constitution saving throw or gain no benefit from the attempted rest.
If the Spore Lord is defeated, these effects fade over the course of the next 1d10 months.
Previous Versions
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8/4/2021 9:13:57 AM
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8/4/2021 10:34:41 AM
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8/5/2021 3:18:37 PM
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