Triple Threat: Bloodroot


Note: This is the creation of Hal “Wavefunction” Batty – not my own. Thanks for the contribution, Hal!

A Bloodroot is an enormous, tree-like creature. It main body consists of a broad tree trunk with two other trunks attached to the sides forming thick arms, jointed at the elbows, and ending in a mass of writhing roots. In its central trunk is a small hollow, through which can be seen a pale, human face. Bloodroots consume human prey, pulling them into themselves and keeping the body intact and alive, within themselves, with its face poking out through the hole in their torsos.  When they consume a new body, the old one is torn apart and used to increase the Bloodroot’s size, in fact when you peel back their thick wooden armor, it reveals a mess of muscle and bone from previous victims. The only good way to stop a Bloodroot is to kill or remove the body they’ve  engulfed, then hack them to pieces before they find a new one.

Any Campaign Setting…
ST: 35             HP: 35             Speed: 7.00
DX: 12            Will: 12           Move: 11
IQ: 6               Per: 12                        Weight: 2.5 tons
HT: 16            FP: 16             SM: +2
Dodge: 10       Parry: 10        DR: 20*
                     
Punch (14): 4d+7 crushing. Reach C-2.
Grapple (14): Reach C-2. No damage.
Consume (-):  The turn after grappling a target you may engulf it. They are pinned; see Pin (p. B370), and on this turn and every subsequent turn you may roll a quick contest of effective ST 37 vs. your victim’s ST or HT, whichever is higher.If you win, your victim takes damage equal to your margin of victory; otherwise, he takes no damage.
Traits: Blunt Claws; Cannot Kick; Constriction Attack (Engulfing); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Sleep; High Pain Threshold; Indomitable; Injury Tolerance (No Head; Unliving); Limited Camouflage 4 (Tree); Regeneration (Very Fast); Numb; Sadism (12); Supernatural Durability (Death or removal of engulfed human); Uncontrollable Appetite (12) (Humans); Unfazeable.
Skills: Brawling-14; Camouflage-8; Wrestling-14; Stealth-12
Notes: Affected by any magic that affects plants or flesh. The above represents an average Bloodroot, younger ones might be SM +1, whilst larger ones could be anywhere up to SM +7, adjust ST and DR as seems appropriate. If the GM is using Intrinsic Fright Check from GURPS Horror (p. 139), Bloodroot have a modifier of -4 or -6 if the PCs recognise its face.
*Semi-Ablative. Doesn’t cover engulfed target’s head.

For Dungeon Fantasy…
ST: 35             HP: 35             Speed: 7.00
DX: 12            Will: 12           Move: 11
IQ: 6               Per: 12                        Weight: 2.5 tons
HT: 16            FP: 16             SM: +2
Dodge: 10       Parry: 10        DR: 20*
                     
Punch (14): 4d+7 crushing. Reach C-2.
Grapple (14): Reach C-2. No damage.
Consume (-):  The turn after grappling a target you may engulf it. They are pinned; see Pin (p. B370), and on this turn and every subsequent turn you may roll a quick contest of effective ST 37 vs. your victim’s ST or HT, whichever is higher.If you win, your victim takes damage equal to your margin of victory; otherwise, he takes no damage.
Traits: Blunt Claws; Cannot Kick; Constriction Attack (Engulfing); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Sleep; High Pain Threshold; Indomitable; Injury Tolerance (No Head; Unliving); Limited Camouflage 4 (Tree); Regeneration (Very Fast); Numb; Sadism (12); Supernatural Durability (Death or removal of engulfed human); Uncontrollable Appetite (12) (Humans); Unfazeable.
Skills: Brawling-14; Camouflage-8; Wrestling-14; Stealth-12
Notes: Affected by any magic that affects plants or flesh. The above represents an average Bloodroot, younger ones might be SM +1, whilst larger ones could be anywhere up to SM +7, adjust ST and DR as seems appropriate.
*Semi-Ablative. Doesn’t cover engulfed target’s head.
For Monster Hunters…
ST: 35             HP: 35             Speed: 7.00
DX: 12            Will: 12           Move: 11
IQ: 6               Per: 12                        Weight: 2.5 tons
HT: 16            FP: 16             SM: +2
Dodge: 10       Parry: 10        DR: 20*
Fright Check: -4/-6†
                     
Punch (14): 4d+7 crushing. Reach C-2.
Grapple (14): Reach C-2. No damage.
Consume (-):  The turn after grappling a target you may engulf it. They are pinned; see Pin (p. B370), and on this turn and every subsequent turn you may roll a quick contest of effective ST 37 vs. your victim’s ST or HT, whichever is higher.If you win, your victim takes damage equal to your margin of victory; otherwise, he takes no damage.
Traits: Blunt Claws; Cannot Kick; Constriction Attack (Engulfing); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Sleep; High Pain Threshold; Indomitable; Injury Tolerance (No Head; Unliving); Limited Camouflage 4 (Tree); Regeneration (Very Fast); Numb; Sadism (12); Supernatural Durability (Death or removal of engulfed human); Uncontrollable Appetite (12) (Humans); Unfazeable.
Skills: Brawling-14; Camouflage-8; Wrestling-14; Stealth-12
Notes:  Use the skills listed under Cryptids in the Know Thy Enemy box in GURPS Monster Hunters 1: Champions(p. 16). Affected by any magic that affects plants or flesh. One Bloodroot is a fair fight for two champions. The above represents an average Bloodroot, younger ones might be SM +1, whilst larger ones could be anywhere up to SM +7, adjust ST and DR as seems appropriate.
*Semi-Ablative. Doesn’t cover engulfed target’s head.

†Use the second value if the PCs recognise the engulfed individual.
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