Shadow-Cursed Shambling Mound

Shadow-Cursed Shambling Mound is a type of Shambling Mound boss enemy found in the Shadow-Cursed Lands of Act Two.

Overview

Shadow-Cursed Shambling Mound, like the Shadow-Cursed Vine Blight and the Shadow-Cursed Needle Blight, conceals itself within the surrounding vegetation in order to ambush passersby. The party must pass a  DC 30 Perception check to spot it and avoid being surprised.

Combat

The shambling mound's most dangerous ability is  Devour which can instantly kill a target provided it is  Restrained and covered in  Digestive Juices. Digestive juices can be applied with its  Digestive Sap ability which costs just a bonus action. This means that in a single turn, the shambling mound can combo Digestive Sap into Devour to potentially instantly kill a restrained party member. Furthermore, restrained imposes  Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws which is what Digestive Sap targets, so this combo is likely to succeed.

As a result, a key aspect of this fight is to avoid being restrained and, failing that, to free allies from their restraints before they can be devoured. There are a number of sources of  Restrained to watch out for:

• The shambling mound's own  Multiattack,
• The two accompanying Shadow-Cursed Vine Blights with their  Constrict ability,
• The  Shadow-Cursed Vines left by Shadow-Cursed Needle Blights upon death,
• (Tactician and above only) Attacking the shambling mound or vine blights with a melee attack,
• (Honour mode only) Ending your turn within 5 m / 17 ft of the shambling mound.

All forms of restrained can be removed with the  Help action. Allies can also be freed from vine blight's Constrict ability by breaking the blight's concentration. Digestive sap can also be removed with water, such as throwing a water bottle or using  Create Water.

Immunity to these restraining conditions makes this fight far less dangerous. Some sources of immunity include  Land's Stride: Plants,  Freedom of Movement, and  Elixir of Guileful Movement.

Attacks and abilities

 Adhesive Whip ()

Seize a target to drag it towards you and possibly make it fall  Prone.

 DEX Save

 Range: 15 m / 50 ft

 Devour ()

Devour a creature that's Restrained and marinating in your  Digestive Juices.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft

 Digestive Sap ()

Regurgitate your  Digestive Juices over nearby enemies, priming them to be  Devoured if they are also  Restrained.

 DEX Save

 Multiattack ()

Damage: 16~50

2d8 + 5⁠Bludgeoning

+ 1d4⁠Necrotic

+ 2d8 + 5⁠Bludgeoning

+ 1d4⁠Necrotic

Aim two attacks at a target. If both hit, the target becomes  Entangled.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft

Recharge: Per turn

Immunities

•  Bleeding
• Blinded conditions, such as  Blinded and  Colour Spray
•  Difficult Terrain: Vines
•  Entangled
•  Gaping Wounds
•  Shadow-Cursed Vines
•  Surprised

Allies

•  Shadow-Cursed Harper - 2x
•  Shadow-Cursed Needle Blight - 6x
•  Shadow-Cursed Vine Blight - 2x

Loot

•  Ironwood Club
•  Ring of Self Immolation (in a locked chest atop the tower behind the Shambling Mound)
•  Shadowroot Sac
•  Wood Bark

Gallery

• 
  Concept art by Jane Katsubo
• 
  Mound's in-game appearance.

Notes

• Despite its similarities to the Blights, Shadow-Cursed Shambling Mound is a ⁠Shambling mound, a separate type of plant creature.

External links

• ⁠Shambling mound on the Forgotten Realms Wiki