Flesh Gardener
Medium • Undead • Neutral Evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +0 (10)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 18 (+4) | 11 (+0) |
Saving Throws Wis +7
Skills Nature +4, Medicine +7
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan
CR 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)
Grafted Body. The flesh gardener has advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed or stunned.
Regeneration. The flesh gardener gains 10 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the flesh gardener takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn't function on the flesh gardener's next turn.
Unusual Nature. The flesh gardener doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The flesh gardener makes two Surgical Claw attacks. It can replace one of these attacks with a use of Corpse Explosion, Root Graft, or Spellcasting.
Surgical Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 11 (2d10) necrotic damage, and the target can’t regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
Corpse Explosion. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 15, each creature in a 10-foot emanation originating from one corpse within 60 feet of the flesh gardener that it can see. Failure: 18 (4d8) necrotic damage, and the target becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the flesh gardener’s next turn, and the corpse is destroyed.
Root Graft (Recharge 5-6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 15, one bloodied creature within 5 feet of the flesh gardener that it can see. First Failure: The target is restrained and repeats the save at the end of its next turn, ending the effect on itself on a success. Second Failure: The target is no longer restrained. As a bonus action, the flesh gardener can command the target how it acts and moves on its next turns. While affected like this, the target has only half its movement speed and makes attack rolls with disadvantage. The effect ends once the flesh gardener dies.
Spellcasting. The flesh gardener casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
1/day: enhance ability, gaseous form, hold person, speak with dead, spike growth
BONUS ACTIONS
Tendril Burst. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 15 (the creature affected by the root craft automatically fails), each creature in a 10-foot emanation originating from one creature affected by the flesh gardener’s Root Graft, including the affected creature. Failure: 15 (6d4) piercing damage, and the target becomes restrained until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The Root Graft effect ends on the affected creature.
Flesh Gardener
Medium • Undead • Neutral Evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +0 (10)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws Wis +5
Skills Nature +2, Medicine +5
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan
CR 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)
Grafted Body. The flesh gardener has advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed or stunned.
Regeneration. The flesh gardener gains 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the flesh gardener takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn't function on the flesh gardener's next turn.
Unusual Nature. The flesh gardener doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The flesh gardener makes two Surgical Claw attacks. It can replace one of these attacks with a use of Corpse Explosion, Root Graft, or Spellcasting.
Surgical Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage, and the target can’t regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
Corpse Explosion. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature in a 5-foot emanation originating from one corpse within 30 feet of the flesh gardener that it can see. Failure: 13 (3d8) necrotic damage, and the target becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the flesh gardener’s next turn, and the corpse is destroyed.
Root Graft (Recharge 6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, one bloodied creature within 5 feet of the flesh gardener that it can see. First Failure: The target is restrained and repeats the save at the end of its next turn, ending the effect on itself on a success. Second Failure: The target is no longer restrained. As a bonus action, the flesh gardener can command the target how it acts and moves on its next turns. While affected like this, the target has only half its movement speed and makes attack rolls with disadvantage. The effect ends once the flesh gardener dies.
Spellcasting. The flesh gardener casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13):
1/day: enhance ability, gaseous form, hold person, speak with dead, spike growth
BONUS ACTIONS
Tendril Burst. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 13 (the creature affected by the root craft automatically fails), each creature in a 10-foot emanation originating from one creature affected by the flesh gardener’s Root Graft, including the affected creature. Failure: 10 (4d4) piercing damage, and the target becomes restrained until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The Root Graft effect ends on the affected creature.
Flesh Gardener
Medium • Undead • Neutral Evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 110 (13d8 + 52)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +0 (10)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 13 (+1) |
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +9
Skills Nature +6, Medicine +9
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan
CR 10 (XP 5,900; PB +4)
Grafted Body. The flesh gardener has advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed or stunned.
Regeneration. The flesh gardener gains 15 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the flesh gardener takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn't function on the flesh gardener's next turn.
Unusual Nature. The flesh gardener doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The flesh gardener makes two Surgical Claw attacks. It can replace one of these attacks with a use of Corpse Explosion, Root Graft, or Spellcasting.
Surgical Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8, reach 5 ft. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 16 (3d10) necrotic damage, and the target can’t regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
Corpse Explosion. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 17, each creature in a 15-foot emanation originating from one corpse within 60 feet of the flesh gardener that it can see. Failure: 21 (5d8) necrotic damage, and the target becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the flesh gardener’s next turn, and the corpse is destroyed.
Root Graft (Recharge 4-6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 17, one bloodied creature within 5 feet of the flesh gardener that it can see. First Failure: The target is restrained and repeats the save at the end of its next turn, ending the effect on itself on a success. Second Failure: The target is no longer restrained. As a bonus action, the flesh gardener can command the target how it acts and moves on its next turns. While affected like this, the target has only half its movement speed and makes attack rolls with disadvantage. The effect ends once the flesh gardener dies.
Spellcasting. The flesh gardener casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17):
2/day: enhance ability, gaseous form, hold person, speak with dead, spike growth
BONUS ACTIONS
Tendril Burst. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17 (the creature affected by the root craft automatically fails), each creature in a 10-foot emanation originating from one creature affected by the flesh gardener’s Root Graft, including the affected creature. Failure: 20 (8d4) piercing damage, and the target becomes restrained until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The Root Graft effect ends on the affected creature.
QUICK REFERENCE
USING MONSTER VARIANTS
Monster variants allow the GM to adjust encounters to better match the party’s strength, narrative needs, or world-building logic. A weaker variant may represent a juvenile, wounded, or lesser specimen, while a stronger variant can serve as a leader, champion, ancient creature, or apex predator.
Variants can be used to fine-tune difficulty without changing the core identity of the monster, making them ideal for scaling encounters, reinforcing hierarchy within a faction, or creating memorable boss-style enemies. You can even use the same stat block but different variants in the same encounter if you want.
Design Note. Each monster is primarily balanced around its normal version. Weaker and stronger variants are derived adjustments and may not always preserve every tactical nuance or “feel” of the original creature. GMs are encouraged to review variants carefully and adjust abilities or tactics as needed to best suit their table.