AC 10 (natural armor)
HP 13 (2d8 + 4; bloodied 6)
Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft.
Initiative Dex -4 (6), Insight -1 (9), Perception -1 (9)
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 9
Saving Throws Str -1, Dex -4, Con +2, Int -2, Wis +1, Cha -3
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 9
Languages —
Death Spore. When the mushroom is killed, it immediately recharges and uses Spore.
False Appearance. While motionless, the mindspore mushroom is indistinguishable from a normal fungus.
ACTIONS
Spore (Recharge 5–6). The mushroom releases a cloud of mindspores. Each creature within 20 feet makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. Creatures immune to poison and creatures with an Intelligence of 6 or less automatically succeed on this saving throw. On a failure, a creature is infected with the mindspores. On a success, a creature takes 9 (2d8) poison damage and is not infected.
Enchanting Glimmer. The mushroom’s luminous fronds glitter with sinister light. A creature of the mushroom’s choice within 60 feet that can see it must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by it until the end of its next turn. While charmed, a creature is incapacitated. On its turn, it moves up to its Speed towards the mushroom by the most direct route that avoids unavoidably damaging hazards.
Legends and Lore
With a Medicine or Nature check, characters can learn the following:
DC 15 Mindspore mushrooms are purple mushrooms that attract people with a hypnotic purple light.
DC 20 Even more dangerous than the mushroom are its spores, which infect a creature and cause it to act self-destructively. When an infected creature dies, spores burst from its body, potentially infecting more creatures.
A mindspore mushroom is a human-high stalk from which sprout several glistening purple toadstools. From each toadstool protrudes luminescent tendrils that seem to orient themselves towards passing creatures.
1-3 Waiting for creatures to infect
4 Young mushroom, visibly growing as it bursts from a dead creature’s body. It will be ready to attack in 1 or 2 turns
Malady: Mindspore Infestation
Mindspore mushrooms propagate by infecting creatures with mindspores, which act like a disease, but are in fact an intelligent parasite. With an Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma of 12 (+1), the mindspores are far more intelligent than the mushrooms they become. The mindspores try to manipulate host creatures into dying violently in the presence of as many creatures as possible— often by instigating a fight.
When an infected creature dies, it releases a cloud of spores as if it were a mindspore mushroom using its Death Spore trait. One day after the creature dies, a new mindspore mushroom sprouts from its corpse.
While a creature is infected with mindspores, the spores can see through the creature’s eyes and hear through its ears. Once per day, it can make a telepathic suggestion. The suggestion must sound reasonable and it can’t be inescapably deadly, although it can (and usually does) put the creature in danger. The creature makes a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. A creature immune to being charmed automatically succeeds on this saving throw. On a success, the creature realizes that it is being telepathically tampered with. On a failure, it thinks the suggestion was its own idea and tries to follow it to the best of its ability for up to 1 minute.
At the end of each long rest, an infected creature makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. After two successes, it recovers from the infection.
1 Partially-rotted corpse covered with ashy gray particles
2 Distant, pulsing purple light
3 A creature picking fights and acting impulsively
4 A creature inviting others to view a strange mushroom they found
Mindspore mushrooms most often flourish in dank swamps, but can be found wherever victims of their spores have died.
CR 0–2 1 or 2 mindspore mushrooms
Treasure intact polymer armor currently filled with the skeletal remains of a previous victim
CR 3–4 3 or 4 mindspore mushrooms
Treasure intact carbide plate armor currently filled with the skeletal remains of a previous victim
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.