Monster: Dire Tumbleweed

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Dire Tumbleweed
A rolled up ball of dried plant fibers and thorns.

CR 1/2; XP 200
N Small Plant
Init +0; Senses tremorsense 120 ft.; Perception +0

Defense
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 11 (+1 size)
hp 11 (2d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune plant traits

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +2 (1d4 plus seeds)
Special Attack roll through, seeds

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int –, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +1; CMB +0 (+4 overrun); CMD 10 (can't be tripped)
Skills Acrobatics +10; Racial Modifiers +10 Acrobatics

Ecology
Environment dry plains and hills, deserts
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (5–30)
Treasure none

Roll Through (Ex) As a part of charge, dire tumbleweed can attempt to overrun multiple opponents in a straight line, making a combat maneuver check against each of them in order they pass through, with a +4 racial bonus. When a dire tumbleweed exceeds the target's CMD by 5 or more, it deals its slam damage to the target in addition to knocking it prone. When a dire tumbleweed fails its combat maneuver check while using roll through, it bounces away 1d6 × 5 feet in a random direction like a missed splash weapon.

Seeds (Ex) When a dire tumbleweed deals its slam damage to a living creature, it leaves some of its seeds embedded in the victim's flesh. For the next 2d6 days or until the wounds of such creature are cleansed with a successful Heal check (DC 15), fully healed with magical healing, or subject to effects that kill plants, the seeds keep draining fluids from the victims, forcing them to consume additional pint of water each day to ward off thirst. After that time, the seeds turn into small sproutlings that fall off and in time will grow into more dire tumbleweeds.


Dire tumbleweeds are more aggressive form of common tumbleweeds, no longer thralls to the whims of wind. They actively spread their seeds, using various animals and humanoids as a source of moisture for their development.