By Zac Chaney

The same old 5e monsters game after game can get stale. Drop any of these 5e monsters into your game to give your players a fun surprise!

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The Pollen Dragon

A massive collection of vines, leaves, and flowers amasses into a new form in a flash of beauty. Now resembling a legendary dragon, this creature stands ten feet tall with a heavy cloud of pollen wafting from its mouth with every breath.

Draconic Plant. Despite this creature’s resemblance to a dragon, it is, in fact, a true plant. Given life by the chaotic magic of the fey plane, it intends to spread its pollen across the land and create innumerable children. Alas, despite believing it has the best intentions, these children rise as horrid and corrupt mutations known as fetid mushrooms.

Terrifying Pollen. The pollen created by a pollen dragon has many effects. The pollen it exhales with each breath is an incredibly potent poison, so potent that those who succumb to its effects begin to die even while standing up. On a larger, slower scale, it can emit pollen that creates elaborate illusions which seem completely real, even to the touch. A sure way to know a pollen dragon is in the area is to light a building aflame, for you will feel the smoke and heat but never see it burn.

Pollen Dragon

Large plant, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40)

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7, Wis +7

Skills Arcana +3, Athletics +6, Perception +7

Damage Vulnerabilities slashing

Damage Immunities bludgeoning

Damage Resistances piercing, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned, prone

Senses blindsight 15 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages Sylvan, Telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)   Proficiency Bonus +3

Legendary Resistance (3/day). When the pollen dragon fails a saving throw, it may choose to succeed instead.

Innate Spellcasting. The pollen dragon’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:

At will: poison spray, entangle, healing word

1/day each: faerie fire, fog cloud, counterspell

Actions

Multiattack. The pollen dragon makes 2 attacks, one with its bite and one with its claws. It may cast poison spray in place of either of these attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Pollen Breath (Recharge 5-6). The pollen dragon exhales a breath of pollen in a 30 ft. cone. Each creature in that cone, other than plants, must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) poison damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Creatures who fail the saving throw are considered to have 1 permanent failed death saving throw, which only goes away on a long rest. Creatures killed by the pollen breath rise 24 hours later as a fetid mushroom.

Bonus Actions

Ingrain (1/day). The pollen dragon implants its roots into the ground as a bonus action, reducing its movement speed to 0 until the start of its next turn. When it does so, it regains 33 (6d10) hit points and is resistant to all damage until the start of its next turn. The pollen dragon must use its movement to land as quickly as possible before it can use this ability and cannot expend any additional movement. If it's already on the ground, it cannot move before using this ability.

Legendary Actions

The pollen dragon 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 pollen dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Claw (2 actions). The pollen dragon uses its claw action.

Fly. The pollen dragon flies up to half its movement speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Pollen Cloud. The pollen dragon releases a cloud of pollen within a 15 ft. radius of its current location. The cloud heavily obscures the area and dissipates at the start of the pollen dragon’s next turn. A strong breeze will blow the pollen away, ending the effect early.

Fetid Mushrooms

The foul mushrooms can be smelled from dozens of feet away. Their shambling forms, rotten and decaying, wander about. They vaguely resemble their previous lives, though the beings they once were are long gone.

Fetid Mushrooms. Fetid Mushrooms take their name from the mushrooms that adorn their body. They have a dark, rotten coloration, as creepy and terrifying as imaginable. There’s no sign of what they once were underneath, whether beast or man; all that remains is the mushroom.

Dangerous Mushrooms. Fetid mushrooms are notoriously dangerous in subtle ways. Each one is unique to the creature it once was, though there are some commonalities. Each strike from a fetid mushroom rots the flesh, and they’re always twisted beyond recognition. This is the result of a pollen dragon attempting to turn them into its children, a process that always results in their corruption.

Release by Death. Fetid mushrooms are not entirely immutable, and the form they once took can be discovered through their demise. When a fetid mushroom dies, the mushrooms that once took over its body fall away, leaving behind its original, albeit deceased, body. Of course, this is often easier said than done, particularly when they accompany a pollen dragon.

Fetid Mushroom (Beast)

Large plant, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 37 (5d10 + 10)

Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +6

Skills Perception +3

Damage Vulnerabilities piercing

Damage Immunities slashing

Damage Resistances bludgeoning

Senses passive Perception 13

Languages --

Challenge 2 (200 XP)      Proficiency Bonus +2

Keen Senses. The fetid mushroom (beast) has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that involve smell.

Decaying Plant. When the fetid mushroom (beast) hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 7 (2d6) necrotic damage (included in the attack).

Pack Tactics. The fetid mushroom (beast) has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.

Vine Whip. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.

Bonus Actions

Plant Growth. When the fetid mushroom (beast) hits a target with its vine whip attack, it may use a bonus action to cause plants within a 10 ft. radius of that creature to become thick and overgrown. A creature that is not a plant treats that area as difficult terrain. When a creature starts its turn in an overgrown area, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the start of its next turn. The plants return to normal after 1 minute.

Fetid Mushroom (Humanoid)

Large plant, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21)

Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Str +5, Con +5

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

Damage Immunities piercing

Damage Resistances slashing

Senses passive Perception 11

Languages the languages it knew before being transformed

Challenge 3 (450 XP)      Proficiency Bonus +2

Spores. Any creature other than a plant that starts its turn within 10 feet of the fetid mushroom must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and be poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful saving throw or at the end of the effect, the creature is immune to the spores of fetid mushrooms for 1 hour. A creature poisoned in this way can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a success.

Decaying Plant. When the fetid mushroom (humanoid) hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 7 (2d6) necrotic damage (included in the attack).

Actions

Multiattack. The fetid mushroom makes 2 attacks with its slam attack.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have its maximum HP reduced by the amount of necrotic damage dealt.

Spore Cloud (Recharge 5-6). The fetid mushroom releases spores in a 20 ft. line. Each creature in that line that is not a plant must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed until the end of their next turn. While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0.

Mycelial Humanoid

The large mushroom wanders about aimlessly. Its movements seem addled, clumsy. It pays no heed to any sounds around it, seeming disoriented or confused. As the barbarian rushes through the street, it turns its gaze towards him, with hostile intent clear on its mind.

Untrue Form. The mycelial humanoid is what a fetid mushroom (humanoid) appears to be while within the effect of a pollen dragon’s pollen. Fortunately for those who face it, its abilities are muted as a result of the illusion it resides in, making it marginally less dangerous.

Mycelial Humanoid

Medium plant, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21)

Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Str +5, Con +5

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

Damage Immunities piercing

Damage Resistances slashing

Senses passive Perception 11

Languages the languages it knew before being transformed

Challenge 2 (450 XP)      Proficiency Bonus +2

Spores. Any creature other than a plant that starts its turn within 10 feet of the mycelial humanoid must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful saving throw or at the end of the effect, the creature is immune to the spores of mycelial humanoids for 1 hour. A creature poisoned in this way can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a success.

Actions

Multiattack. The mycelial humanoid makes 2 attacks with its slam attack.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

Spore Cloud (Recharge 5-6). The mycelial humanoid releases spores in a 20 ft. line. Each creature in that line that is not a plant must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or they become charmed until the end of their next turn. While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0.

Spring Wolf

A winding, weaving collection of vines appears almost like a wolf. It sniffs the ground, trying to detect a scent; it hears a scuffle in the dirt some ways away. A vine lashes out towards the sound, snapping on the ground. As it does, the plants in the area suddenly become thick and overgrown in response.

A True Curiosity. Spring wolves appear naturally in the world, occasionally springing up in places where the magic of the fey runs strong. They’re also the appearance that a fetid mushroom (beast) takes on when it’s near a pollen dragon’s pollen. The connection these two beings have is entirely unknown, though it surely runs deeper than the connection between other creatures.

Spring Wolf

Medium plant, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)

Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +6

Skills Perception +3

Damage Vulnerabilities piercing

Damage Immunities slashing

Damage Resistances bludgeoning

Senses passive Perception 13

Languages --

Challenge 1 (200 XP)      Proficiency Bonus +2

Keen Senses. The spring wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that involve smell.

Pack Tactics. The spring wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.

Vine Whip. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage.

Bonus Actions

Plant Growth. When the spring wolf hits a target with its vine whip attack, it may use a bonus action to cause plants within a 10 ft. radius of that creature to become thick and overgrown. A creature that is not a plant treats that area as difficult terrain. The plants return to normal after 1 minute.

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