Camellia Spray. The bloom hydra sprays a fine mist in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The bloom hydra can use this action only if it has at least 1 camellia vine. It can use Camellia Spray in place of one vine lash attack when making a multiattack.

The bloom hydra loses its Marigold Beam action and grows a camellia vine instead of a marigold vine.

Damage Resistances. The bloom hydra has resistance to acid damage. It can grow vines with its Flowered Vines trait if it has taken acid damage.

The bloom hydra loses its resistance to fire damage. It can’t grow vines with its Flowered Vines trait if it has taken fire damage since its last turn.

Penstemon Jolt. A creature that hits the hydra with a melee weapon attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) lightning damage. This trait functions only if the hydra has at least 1 penstemon vine.

The bloom hydra loses its Azalea Nectar trait and grows a penstemon vine instead of an azalea vine.

Translucency of the Haworthia. The bloom hydra becomes translucent when a melee attack is made against it, and the attacker has disadvantage on the attack roll. To do so, the hydra must see the attacker and have at least 1 haworthia vine.

The bloom hydra loses its Strength of the Dahlia trait and grows a haworthia vine instead of a dahlia vine.

New Magic Items and Spells

The following magic items and spells are inspired by the bloom hydra.

Azalea Skin

1st-level transmutation (druid, ranger)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (an azalea vine from a bloom hydra)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Dozens of azaleas blossom on your skin. For the duration of the spell, if a creature hits you while within 5 feet of you, it takes 1d6 poison damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for every slot level above 1st.

Bloom Hydra Cloak

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

This cloak of writhing vines has 8 charges and regains 1d6 + 2 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the vines wither and die, destroying the cloak.

While wearing the cloak, you have resistance to bludgeoning, fire, and necrotic damage. You can use an action to expend some of the cloak’s charges to cast one of the following spells from it (spell save DC 14): azalea skin* (1 charge), burst of pollen* (3 charges), daisy regrowth* (4 charges), marigold bloom* (2 charges), or shield (1 charge). If you have taken acid damage since the end of your last turn, you can’t use the cloak’s magic. (* new spells in this section)

Burst of Pollen

3rd-level evocation (druid, ranger)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15-foot-radius sphere)
Components: V, S, M (a hydra lily vine from a bloom hydra)
Duration: Instantaneous

You release a cloud of deadly pollen. Each creature in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on you must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes 6d8 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every slot level above 3rd.

Daisy Regrowth

5th-level transmutation (druid, ranger)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a daisy vine from a bloom hydra)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A circlet of daisies rests upon your brow. For the duration of the spell, you regain 1d4 hit points at the start of each of your turns. When you cast the spell, choose one damage type from the following: acid, cold, fire, or lightning. If you took damage from that source since the end of your last turn, you don’t regain hit points.

Grasping Whip

Weapon (any whip), uncommon (requires attunement)

When you hit a target with this magic weapon fashioned from a bloom hydra’s vine, the target is grappled if it is a Medium or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, you can use a bonus action to automatically hit the target with the whip, and you can’t make attacks against other targets with the whip. Alternatively, you can use a bonus action to release the whip, which continues to grapple the target.

Marigold Bloom

2nd-level conjuration (druid, ranger)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a marigold vine from a bloom hydra)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A vine tipped with a marigold grows from your arm. When you cast this spell, or as an action on a later turn, you can shoot a beam of fire at a creature within 60 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 fire damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for every slot level above 2nd.

Bloom Hydra Adventure Hooks

• A bloom hydra has ventured to the edge of its jungle domain where it prevents hunting by a nearby settlement. The village wishes to hire adventurers to remove the pesky plant, but the druid elder would greatly prefer the adventurers to relocate the creature rather than destroy it.
• A wizard wishing to dissect a bloom hydra specimen offers a considerable reward for the retrieval of one, no questions asked.

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