The forests where dryads make their homes are incredibly enchanted areas teeming with plant and animal life. Even to the most inexperienced of travelers, it’s obvious that these verdant realms are something special immediately upon entering them. And the deeper that adventurers travel into their groves, the more the dryad’s influence on the life around them can be seen. Particularly, on those creatures that the Grovemother chooses as her guardians.
A Grovemother is the oldest and most powerful dryad in a grove, tasked not only with the protection of her forest but of all of her sisters within it. When a Grovemother feels that her home is threatened, she’ll reach out into the wilds and ensnare viable creatures to further defend her domain. These grovetouched creatures are forever changed, filled with earthen magic and more than ready to give their lives in service of their new dryad mistresses.
Grovetouched
When a creature is chosen by a Grovemother to help protect her domain, the creature is transformed into a grovetouched. Grovetouched creatures are amalgams of fey magic and living plant material, driven to fiercely defend the woods of their dryad patrons from outside threats.
Creatures chosen by the Grovemother to shield her children retain their original appearance, but their eyes glow bright green and vines, branches, or flowers erupt from their skin in various places.
Grovetouched Template
A beast, dragon, giant, or humanoid can become a Grovetouched. In addition to its original type, it gains the plant creature type, its alignment becomes neutral, and it learns the Sylvan language. Change its name to “Grovetouched [Name of Creature]” and make any adjustments to the challenge rating of the templated creature that you feel are necessary.
The grovetouched creature keeps its original statistics, but changes as follows:
Damage Vulnerabilities necrotic
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Plant Camouflage. The grovetouched has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
Regeneration. The grovetouched regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it is in contact with the ground. If the grovetouched takes necrotic damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the grovetouched’s next turn. The grovetouched dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Tree Stride. Once on each of its turns, the grovetouched can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one living tree within 5 feet of it and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of it that it can see, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be at least one size larger than the grovetouched.
Actions
Entangling Aura (Recharges after a Long Rest). Grasping roots and vines sprout in a 15-foot radius centered on the grovetouched, withering away after 1 minute. For the duration, that area is considered difficult terrain for non-plant creatures. In addition, each creature of the grovetouched’s choice in that area when the plants appear must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become restrained. A creature can use its action to make a Strength check, freeing itself or another entangled creature within reach on a success.
Reactions
Grove Guardian. When a dryad within 10 feet of the grovetouched takes damage, the grovetouched can use its reaction to magically take that damage instead of the dryad. This doesn’t transfer any other effects that might accompany the damage, and this damage can’t be reduced in any way.
Example Creature: Grovetouched Hill Giant
“All things considered, I would say it was the best smelling hill giant I’ve had to kill.”
– Akron Vess, Shatturan mercenary
Hill giants and their ilk are often chosen by Grovemothers to protect their groves, especially those whose territories consist of trees ancient and looming enough to allow these massive brutes to roam freely. Huge, intimidating, and very often a source of chaos and destruction when left to their own devices, the dryads see their alterations of these giants as boons to themselves and as blessings to the piteous creatures in question.
Grovetouched Hill Giant
Huge Giant, Neutral
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 105 (10d12+40)
Speed 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 21 (+5) | 8 (-1) | 19 (+4) | 5 (-3) | 9 (-1) | 6 (-2) |
Saving Throws Str + 5, Dex -1, Con + 4, Int -3, Wis -1, Cha -2
Skills Perception +2
Damage Vulnerabilities necrotic
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Giant, Sylvan
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Plant Camouflage. The grovetouched hill giant has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
Regeneration. The grovetouched hill giant regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it is in contact with the ground. If the grovetouched hill giant takes necrotic damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of its next turn. The grovetouched hill giant dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Tree Stride. Once on each of its turns, the grovetouched hill giant can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one living tree within 5 feet of it and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of it that it can see, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be at least one size larger than the grovetouched hill giant.
Actions
Multiattack. The grovetouched hill giant makes two greatclub attacks.
Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Entangling Aura (Recharges after a Long Rest). Grasping roots and vines sprout in a 15-foot radius centered on the grovetouched hill giant, withering away after 1 minute. For the duration, that area is considered difficult terrain for non-plant creatures. In addition, each creature of the grovetouched hill giant’s choice in that area when the plants appear must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or become restrained. A creature can use its action to make an additional Strength check, freeing itself or another entangled creature within reach on a success.
Reactions
Grove Guardian. When a dryad within 10 feet of the grovetouched hill giant takes damage, the grovetouched hill giant can use its reaction to magically take that damage instead of the dryad. This doesn’t transfer any other effects that might accompany the damage, and this damage can’t be reduced in any way.
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