The Will-o-Hive
Don't follow the lights
Will-o-wisp are known to lure adventurers to deep into woods & swamps, often to their doom. When enough of them gather, the corpses they leave contort & grow, amassing into a single monster. They intermingle with the fauna of the environment, growing into something both plant & undead: a Will-o-Hive.
The Will-o-Hive exists for one purpose, to grow; Each corpse that it consumes is stitched into its hulking mass of fungus & flesh.
Inspiration behind the Monster
The Last of Us had me thinking of fungus zombies, & I love a good symbiotic relationship. The Will-o-Wisp is an incredibly spicy-- & underused-- statblock. This was the perfect opportunity to correct that mistake!
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Will-o-Hive
Huge Undead (Plant)
- Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 114 (10d12 + 50)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 9 (-1) 20 (+5) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
- Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
- Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Friend of the Wisps (1/short) When the Hive is threatened, Will-o-Wisps appear to defend it. When initiative is rolled, 1d4 Will-o-Wisps are summoned. These appear in different locations within 30ft of the Hive. They then roll initiative normally.
False Appearance. While the Hive motionless, it is indistinguishable from normal fauna-- appearing as a large tree covered in fungus.
Actions
Multiattack. The hive makes two slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 14), and the hive uses its Engulf on it.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Engulf. The hive engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it, or a corpse. An engulfed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the Hive. It must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of their turns or take 17 (3d8 + 4) slashing damage as undead hands inside the Hive tear away at their flesh. If the hive moves, the engulfed target moves with it. The hive can have only one creature engulfed at a time.
If a creature is reduced to 0hp while Engulfed, or the target of this engulf is a corpse, the hands rip its body apart, killing the creature & destroying its body. Its corpse becomes part of the Hive, healing it for 4d12 HP.
How the Will-o-Hive hunts
The Will-o-Hive lays motionless, inactive while it cannot sense living creatures near it. Instead, it waits for a Will-o-Wisp to lure adventurers closer with their tricks.
Once a Will-o-Wisp lures them close enough, the Hive comes to life, letting out a low rumbling growl (and unfortunately, preventing surprise-- it's not a smart creature). This growl lets nearby Will-o-Wisps (1d4) know they should join the fight via Friend of the Wisps.
From there, the Hive makes 2 slams each turn, Engulfing where possible. If it can engulf a corpse, that's great as it will heal it, but engulfing a living creature is better, as that effectively takes them out of the fight.
The Wisps provide a small amount of bonus damage, but their Consume Life ability lets them finish off downed players as a bonus action.
Very Spicy!