AC 15 (natural armor)
HP 190 (20d8 + 100; bloodied 95)
Speed 0 ft.
Proficiency +4; Maneuver DC 15
Saving Throws Int -1, Cha -1
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, fatigue, frightened, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 90 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11
Languages —
Ethereal and Material. The dead man’s fingers lives simultaneously on the Ethereal and Material Planes. Its senses extend into both planes, and it can touch and be touched by creatures on both planes.
Ethereal Shift. When a creature on the Material Plane touches the dead man’s fingers or hits it with a melee attack, the creature is magically transported to the Ethereal Plane. The creature can see and hear into both the Ethereal and Material Plane but is unaffected by creatures and objects on the Material Plane. It can be seen as a ghostly form by creatures on the Material Plane. It can move in any direction, with each foot of movement up or down costing 2 feet of movement.
If the creature is still on the Ethereal Plane when the dead man’s fingers dies, the creature returns to the Material Plane. If this would cause a creature to appear in a space occupied by a solid object or creature, it is shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and takes 10 (3d6) force damage.
Flammable. After taking fire damage, the dead man’s fingers catches fire and takes ongoing 11 (2d10) fire damage if it isn’t already suffering ongoing fire damage. It can spend an action or bonus action to extinguish this fire.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dead man’s fingers makes two tendril attacks.
Tendril (Ethereal or Material Plane). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage. A target on the Material Plane is subject to the Ethereal Shift trait.
Ethereal Spores (While Bloodied, Ethereal Plane Only). Each creature within 30 feet makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw , taking 31 (9d6) necrotic damage on a failed save or half damage on a success. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage dies. If a creature killed by this attack remains on the Ethereal Plane for 24 hours, its corpse disintegrates, and a new dead man’s fingers sprouts from its place.
BONUS ACTIONS
Telekinetic Pull (Ethereal or Material Plane). One creature within 90 feet makes a DC 15 Strength saving throw . On a failure, it is magically pulled up to 60 feet straight towards the dead man’s fingers.
Combat
The dead man’s fingers uses Telekinetic Pull to move a distant creature near it. It uses Ethereal Spores if there are creatures within range on the Ethereal Plane.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Nature check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Endless varieties of fungi exist. It is difficult to tell whether a fungus is dangerous just by looking at it.
DC 15 While some fungi are edible, just as many are poisonous. Some fungi can move on their own, albeit slowly.
DC 20 Even otherwise harmless mushrooms may produce strange side effects when consumed.
Dead man’s fingers are deadly fungi that exist simultaneously on the Ethereal Plane and the Material Plane. They resemble a cluster of swaying, six-foot-tall fingerbones. Dead man’s fingers transport prey from the Material to Ethereal Plane in order to feed. Those who escape the fungus there may find themselves trapped, unable to return to their home plane. Creatures fearful of ethereal intrusions sometimes use dead man’s fingers to defend their lairs.
1 A musty smell
2 A musty smell and floating spores in the air
3 Moist air
4 A feeling of lightheadedness
5-6 Giant mushrooms
Giant fungi flourish in swamps and forests and take the place of plants in caves and caverns.
CR 0–2 1d6 normal giant mushrooms with 1d6 shriekers ; 1d4 violet fungi ; violet fungus with 1d6 shriekers
CR 5–10 dead man’s fingers
CR 11–16 2 dead man’s fingers ; dead man’s fingers with 1 or 2 ghosts
Treasure 1,800 gp, flame tongue longsword (all on the Ethereal Plane)
Plant creatures are magical fungoid or plant-like creatures. Ordinary plants, such as trees, are not plant creatures. A treant is an intelligent plant creature that resembles a tree.