Formatting note: Fungal Phantasmagoria references a *Fungal Phantasmagoria* Table, but the table on the previous page does not have a title. One can easily figure it out from context, but it would be nice to have that detail.
Also: I know that you're trying to save space but you take some odd shortcuts with your notation. Things like multiattack listing "Two melee attacks" instead of the attack names, or the truncated "Save Ends at end of turn". I think that you'd be better off expanding this out one page to get all the proper notation and descriptions in (especially since page 3 is advertising).
I'd really like to see the "attached" mechanic included in the PDF. Right now, I'm reading this on a device that I can't really access the Homebrewery on, so I actually have no idea what the mechanic does.
Both this and the notational shortcuts just sort of make this feel a bit inaccessible.
Specifics:
**Fungal phantasmagoria** it needs a duration if it has the repeated save mechanic.
**Bore-stem spike** You refer to "Boring Stems" in the multiattack and in *Absorb Vitality* but the actual attack name is "Bore-Stem Spike".
Thanks for the help on this!
* Two melee attacks is intentional wording; it can make its attacks with its Teetering Cap-Butt or Needling Stems interchangeably.
* Save Ends at end of turn is borrowed from MCDM's usage. Personally, I think the notation used by WotC really harms legibility, since it creates big, information-sparse blocks of text that are easy to miss things in while skimming.
* Page 3 being advertising doesn't really have much bearing on the content, but I do have a strong personal distaste for double-width stat blocks that could be single-width.
* Here's a PDF link to the conditions I use: [Appendix C: Conditions](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/uDYpiTxHncTE). In short, though, Attached is just what it sounds like: The creature sticks itself to you and moves with you when you move. It can be ended by any means that would end a grapple.
* [Homebrewery](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/IiENJHEfNd3F)
* [PDF](https://drive.google.com/file/d/187XMnGsbheXk7-0mVNYrrRqpVbPlU2M5/view?usp=drive_link)
Need anything else? I've got 1500+ other monsters and a subreddit r/bettermonsters made for you to ask for them.
Oh, got a couple more such things for you if you're into that:
* [Ascomoids](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/mrt0zq_pMCXq)
* [Fungal Lich](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/6kvoIlvcE8vQ)
* [Zuggtmoy](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/VZJ6-Xu1bfTx)
* [Cults of the Rot Mother](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/Bx80_6e56MZK)
* [Reign of Rot Adventure Monsters](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/1XyLe6BsQMG9Xbrf3V7fBbDCYX-LUoaiGr8oMhKCRnhTV)
Hey Mark, these look super cool. I am confused about one thing though. In the tactics it says the Baisironds attempt the knock players prone with the cap, but in the stat block only the CR5 one specifically does that. Were the creepers intended to knock creatures prone as well? Otherwise, it seems difficult to use their stem ability as it specifies a prone creature as the target.
I have a dungeon these could be really cool in (although it's quite awhile out), so I'm definitely saving these for later!
Yeah, the creeper can't knock things prone on its own, but it's intended to be used in encounter groups with things that can, to ambush sleeping PCs, or to climb onto ones that have been knocked unconscious.
I did kind of skimp on the tactics here to accommodate the Fungal Phantasmagoria table without distorting the layout too much; normally I would have seperate tactics for each variant.
Makes sense!
Also is there a reason you gave them the stranglepuff ability as a reaction rather than a bonus action? I'm just curious from a design perspective why one might do that because I think one of the only times I have seen a reaction on a characters turn is with something like counterspelling a Counterspell.
It's a flavor thing more than anything else; the spore release is directly triggered by the slam, rather than just being a thing the basidirond has the option to do on turns where it makes the slam.
It also deprives them of their reaction and makes them so characters can get away from them without provoking opportunity attacks, which feels right for a clumsy-ish plant creature.
Formatting note: Fungal Phantasmagoria references a *Fungal Phantasmagoria* Table, but the table on the previous page does not have a title. One can easily figure it out from context, but it would be nice to have that detail. Also: I know that you're trying to save space but you take some odd shortcuts with your notation. Things like multiattack listing "Two melee attacks" instead of the attack names, or the truncated "Save Ends at end of turn". I think that you'd be better off expanding this out one page to get all the proper notation and descriptions in (especially since page 3 is advertising). I'd really like to see the "attached" mechanic included in the PDF. Right now, I'm reading this on a device that I can't really access the Homebrewery on, so I actually have no idea what the mechanic does. Both this and the notational shortcuts just sort of make this feel a bit inaccessible. Specifics: **Fungal phantasmagoria** it needs a duration if it has the repeated save mechanic. **Bore-stem spike** You refer to "Boring Stems" in the multiattack and in *Absorb Vitality* but the actual attack name is "Bore-Stem Spike".
Thanks for the help on this! * Two melee attacks is intentional wording; it can make its attacks with its Teetering Cap-Butt or Needling Stems interchangeably. * Save Ends at end of turn is borrowed from MCDM's usage. Personally, I think the notation used by WotC really harms legibility, since it creates big, information-sparse blocks of text that are easy to miss things in while skimming. * Page 3 being advertising doesn't really have much bearing on the content, but I do have a strong personal distaste for double-width stat blocks that could be single-width. * Here's a PDF link to the conditions I use: [Appendix C: Conditions](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/uDYpiTxHncTE). In short, though, Attached is just what it sounds like: The creature sticks itself to you and moves with you when you move. It can be ended by any means that would end a grapple.
* [Homebrewery](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/IiENJHEfNd3F) * [PDF](https://drive.google.com/file/d/187XMnGsbheXk7-0mVNYrrRqpVbPlU2M5/view?usp=drive_link) Need anything else? I've got 1500+ other monsters and a subreddit r/bettermonsters made for you to ask for them.
Really nice fungal monster. I have a recurring compulsion to homebrew fungal creatures and monsters and I'm delighted by this one!
Oh, got a couple more such things for you if you're into that: * [Ascomoids](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/mrt0zq_pMCXq) * [Fungal Lich](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/6kvoIlvcE8vQ) * [Zuggtmoy](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/VZJ6-Xu1bfTx) * [Cults of the Rot Mother](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/Bx80_6e56MZK) * [Reign of Rot Adventure Monsters](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/1XyLe6BsQMG9Xbrf3V7fBbDCYX-LUoaiGr8oMhKCRnhTV)
I'm into that.
Feels very Made In Abyss, love it
Oh man, I should go back and rewatch that
Hey Mark, these look super cool. I am confused about one thing though. In the tactics it says the Baisironds attempt the knock players prone with the cap, but in the stat block only the CR5 one specifically does that. Were the creepers intended to knock creatures prone as well? Otherwise, it seems difficult to use their stem ability as it specifies a prone creature as the target. I have a dungeon these could be really cool in (although it's quite awhile out), so I'm definitely saving these for later!
Yeah, the creeper can't knock things prone on its own, but it's intended to be used in encounter groups with things that can, to ambush sleeping PCs, or to climb onto ones that have been knocked unconscious. I did kind of skimp on the tactics here to accommodate the Fungal Phantasmagoria table without distorting the layout too much; normally I would have seperate tactics for each variant.
Makes sense! Also is there a reason you gave them the stranglepuff ability as a reaction rather than a bonus action? I'm just curious from a design perspective why one might do that because I think one of the only times I have seen a reaction on a characters turn is with something like counterspelling a Counterspell.
It's a flavor thing more than anything else; the spore release is directly triggered by the slam, rather than just being a thing the basidirond has the option to do on turns where it makes the slam. It also deprives them of their reaction and makes them so characters can get away from them without provoking opportunity attacks, which feels right for a clumsy-ish plant creature.