Instead of leaves, the gnarled black tree grew sharp, metallic slivers, ringing out like a thousand tiny bells in a constant trickle of wind. Stronger gusts often cause a razor or two to disconnect, falling lazily and slicing blades of grass in its descent. The accumulation of dismembered birds that lay by the tree in shapeless stacks of red ruin are a testament to their deadliness.

“An end to our financial woes!” Jorgard the wizard exclaimed joyfully, “this tree will fetch thousands!”

“Tens of thousands!” Vargania corrected him, appraising the tree with the trained eye of a thief. She knocked on the dark wood and added, “And the timber’s not bad either!”

The tree heard them and groaned with motion…

Razor treants are the evil and hateful cousins of treants, often fighting for control over vast primordial forests in distant, exotic lands. Unlike kindly treants, razor treants hate all non-plant creatures with a passion and enjoy torturing hapless passersby by inflicting hundreds of small wounds, savoring the slow, lingering pain and blood loss.

Razor Treant (CR 11)

CE Huge plant
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +5, Spot +5

DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 8, flat-footed 21 (-2 size, +14 natural)
hp 171 (18d8+90)
Fort +18, Ref +3, Will +8
DR 10/slashing
Weakness vulnerability to fire

OFFENSE
Spd 10 ft.
Melee 2 slams +22 (2d6+11/19-20 plus 1d4 slashing plus wounding)
Special Attacks bloody autumn, razor leaves

TACTICS
Combat Because of their slow movement, razor treants prefer to trick opponents into coming within reach and attacking with their slam attack. If surrounded by a large group they perceive as a threat, they might begin their assault with the bloody autumn attack and then pummel survivors to death with their hefty branches.

Groups of razor treants enjoy “playing” with their victims by hurling them at each other (using the Awesome Blow feat). Few are the heroes who have suffered these sadistic games and lived to tell the tale, and of those who survived, none ever dares to show their mangled faces in public again.

Morale The razor treant’s slow speed and great bulk make any escape practically impossible. Likewise, bribery is unlikely to work because razor treants rarely have any treasure. Because of this, when faced with overwhelming odds, the razor treant will attempt to make up some elaborate lie, such as being an enchanted princess or a cursed treant, and hope its enemies will fall for it. If this fails, it will fight to the death, promising horrible vengeance with its last breath.

STATISTICS
Str 32, Dex 11, Con 21, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 12
Base Atk +13; Grp +32
Feats Alertness, Awesome Blow (B), Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack
Skills Bluff +22, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (nsture), +23 Sense Motive +24
Languages razor treants speak their own ringing language, plus Sylvan and Infernal.

ECOLOGY
Environment temperate forests
Organization solitary or grove (3-5)
Advancement 19-23 (Huge), 24-28 (Gargantuan) or by character class

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bloody Autumn (Ex) The treant violently shakes itself (a full-round action), letting all its leaves fall off to the ground. All creatures within a 30-ft.-radius (+10 feet upwind) suffer 10d4 slashing damage (Reflex DC 20 halves). Those who fail their save must make an additional DC 20 Will save or lose their next action due to the unimaginable pain of being cut in hundreds of places at once.

Because this attack leaves the treant without razors for 2-6 days, it won’t use it unless extremely angered or desperate.

Razor Leaves (Ex) Razor treants grow razors instead of leaves. These extremely keen steel blades range from 1-3 inches in length and can easily cut through most materials. These blade leaves are considered keen and wounding (already incorporated into the statistics).

Every time a treant is struck for more than 15 damage, it sheds some of its heavier leaves. Everyone within a 30-ft.-radius of the razor treant must succeed on a DC 20 Reflex save or suffer 1d4 slashing damage

The author would like to dedicate this monster to the mouse who said “this is beautiful.”

(Open Game License)