Blighted Grove

False Appearance. The blighted grove is indistinguishable from mundane rotting and dead trees.

Regeneration. The blighted grove regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn if it is in contact with the ground. If the blighted grove takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the blighted grove’s next turn. The blighted grove dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.

Floral Network. The blighted grove consists of at least 6 trees no more than 30 feet apart and can perceive and act from any tree in this network. 

Multiattack. The blighted grove makes two Slam attacks, one Hurl Branch attack, or one Root attack.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Hurl Branch. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d4 + 4) piercing damage. 

Root. The blighted grove attempts to grapple one target it can sense. The target makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target is grappled (escape DC 15) and takes 15 (2d10+4) bludgeoning damage. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage and is not grappled.

Animate Twig Blight. The blighted grove shakes loose a small rotted branch creating two twig blights. The twig blights roll their own initiatives.

Legendary Actions

The blighted grove 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 blighted grove regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Attack. The blighted grove makes one Slam attack, one Hurl Branch attack, or attempts to Root one target.

Crush. The blighted grove attempts to crush the targets grappled by its Root or Legendary Actions. The targets DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 15 (2d10+4) bludgeoning damage.

Animate Lesser Blights. The blighted grove braids short lengths of roots together into two Needle Blights or two Vine Blights (see Monster Manual). The lesser blights rolls their own initiative. Only four lesser blights can be created in this way at once. 

Animate Major Blight. (Costs 2 Actions) One of the trees in the blighted grove shudders and steps up from the soil creating an Awakened Tree (see Monster Manual) or a Treant Sapling (see The Wild Beyond the Witchlight). The major blight rolls its own initiative. Only two major blights can be created in this way at once.  

Mythic Actions

If the blighted grove’s mythic trait is active, it can use the options below as legendary actions. The blighted grove’s mythic trait is active as long as it has less than half its maximum hit points remaining.

Spike Growth. (1/day) The blighted grove causes the area in a 60 ft radius centered between its connected trees to grow small thorny spikes. The area becomes difficult terrain. When a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 1d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet it travels. The blighted grove’s detached trees and blights ignore this difficult terrain and damage.

Drag Below. The blighted grove attempts to pull one creature grappled by its Root 2.5 ft into the soil. The target makes a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is restrained (escape DC 15) and takes 15 (2d10+4) bludgeoning damage. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage, is not restrained, and is not pulled downwards. Once a creature is pulled into the soil far enough to completely enclose it, the creature begins to suffocate.