FOREST MAGIC From the pages of Dragon magazine
Original 3rd Edition design by James Jacobs, updated for 5th Edition by R P Davis
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NLIKE OTHER EXAMPLES OF CLIMATE, BRACERS OF FOESMITING
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forests are the most common wilderness Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a spellaster)
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places in which adventurers prowl. Magic,
whether spell or item, which adventurers These wooden bracers are cunningly carved to depict
find useful in the woods are quite common scenes of woodland creatures in their natural habitat. The
(or as common as magic items might be). bracers possess a metamagic enchantment which modifies
Yet even greater wonders have been created the area of destructive spells you cast. When you cast a
in the heart of the forest. spell which deals acid, cold, lightning, fire, or thunder
damage, you can choose to exclude harm natural
Some of the magic herein merely makes exploring a forest vegetation, ground cover, plant creatures, or beasts in the
a bit more safe. Some are much more powerful! DMs, use area. You must be able to see the creature or object to
MAGIC ITEM SPECIAL ABILITY
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caution when using them in your game. exclude it from the damage, and you can exclude a number
of creatures equal to your spellcasting ability modifier
(minimum 1).
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Some items have a special magical ability which only
triggers under a specific circumstance. These special FEYTRACKER
abilities can be conferred on any magic item as part of the Wondrous item, rare
enchantment process. This increases the rarity of the item
by one degree, and if the regular item doesn’t require This item is a ring of cold iron, fashioned
attunement, enchanting the item with a special into a monocle set with a crystal lens.
ability means the modified item requires While you wear the item and use it in
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attunement. wooded terrain, you have advantage on
Wisdom (Survival) checks you make to
Cutting. Any slashing weapon can be imbued track beasts and plant creatures. In
with the cutting weapon quality, which is addition, you automatically succeed
specially designed to help fight against plants and on Wisdom (Survival) checks you
plant creatures. A cutting weapon's blade make to track fey creatures,
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becomes serrated, a and deals an extra damage rangers, and druids, as well as
die of its type against a plant or plant creature. creatures under the effect of a
pass without trace spell or
MAGIC ITEMS similar ability.
BEAD OF BRACHIATION HORN OF THE
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement) WAKENED FOREST
Wondrous Item, legendary
While you wear this gold hair bead, you gain a
(requires attunement)
climb speed of 20 feet as long as you're in a forested
area. In addition, while you use your climb speed, When you first encounter it, a horn of
you gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. the wakened forest looks like a mundane
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ram's horn, but closer examination reveals that it If you blow the horn in a forested area, three
is carved from a kind of wood so rare you effects occur simultaneously:
can't identify it. These fantastically rare
and powerful items are carved by Grasping Growth. All the
dryad druids from the living hearts undergrowth in an 80-foot sphere
of trees who were willing to centered on you animates and
sacrifice themselves as part of a functions as an entangle spell
mighty ritual. against creatures you choose in
the area. The saving throw DC
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As an action, you can blow the for this effect is equal to 19 plus
horn. When you do, the horn your Wisdom modifier. After
generates a low, rumbling 24 hours, this effect fades.
tone that seems to resonate
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through the very bones and Healing Growth. Each
roots of creatures and trees creature you designate in the
around you. area is refreshed by the verdant
growth, immediately regaining
If you blow it in a built-up area of 8d8 hit points. In addition all
wooden or half-timbered buildings, the levels of exhaustion are removed.
sound causes all wood in an 80-foot sphere centered on
you to rumble, writhe, and seethe as the spirits of the Leafy Allies Assemble. Six trees of your choice in the area
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wooden planks and boards come to life and rebel against
being made into things. All wooden buildings in the area
immediately collapse. A creature caught inside a collapsing
structure must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw,
are immediately transformed into treants with maximum
hit points. These treants serve you without question, as
long as your goals don't seem to work against the safety of
the surrounding forest. The treants can travel beyond the
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taking 8d8 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, and half initial area, and once 24 hours have passed, they revert to
as much damage on a successful one. In either case, such a normal trees.
creature is pinned beneath the rubble. Pinned creatures are
Once you use the horn, you can't use it again until you
restrained. A pinned creature can repeat the saving throw
finish a long rest.
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on
a success. TENDRICULOS SEED
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If used in a natural area not dominated by wooded terrain, Wondrous item, uncommon
such as a plain or desert, blowing the horn causes an
This brown object looks like a mundane pinecone. It
explosive eruption of plant growth. The terrain in an 80-
rattles when you shake it, and it feels heavier than it looks.
foot sphere centered on you violently transforms into a
As an action, you can throw it on the ground in an
dense forest. Any nonplant creatures in this area must
unoccupied space within 20 feet of you and speak the
make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 12d8
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command word. The seed instantantly bursts open and
bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much
transforms into a fully grown awakened tree under your
damage on a successful one. In addition, creatures that fail
control. The tree remains for 24 hours before it wilts and
their saves end up 3d4x10 feet in the air, suspended in the
disappears.
tangled branches of the trees. Medium and smaller
creatures are restrained there. Creatures size Large or larger If you activate a tendriculos seed in a forested area, the
can't be supported by the branches and immediately fall, awakened tree gains a +4 bonus to its Strength, Dexterity,
taking falling damage equal to the distance they fall. You and Constitution scores.
can choose any number of creatures in the area to be
immune to the effects of the explosive growth. The forest
so created by this use of the horn is real, and if the
surrounding terrain is hospitable, the forest thrives.
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TREEBED CREAKING CACOPHONY
Wondrous item, uncommon 3rd-level illusion
Popular with rangers, a treebed looks like an ordinary Casting Time: 1 action
bedroll. If you unroll it in the branches of a tree, however, Range: 150 feet
it attaches to the tree, creating a hammock. Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
While you sleep in the treebed, you can tolerate Class: Druid
temperatures as low as −50 degrees and as high as 150
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degrees Fahrenheit without any additional protection. In You fill an area you can see within range with a terrible
addition, you remain dry and comfortable even in the most din. Inside the 40-foot-radius, 40-foot-high area, the
violent downpours and blizzards. Finally, when you deploy sound is overwhelming and maddening. When a creature
it, the treebed casts an alarm spell centered on it. that can hear enters the area for the first time on a turn or
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starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw.
SPELLS On a failed save, the creature is deafened and incapacitated
for the duration, even if they subsequently leave the area.
The veil is often paper-thin between the Feywild and the On a success, a creature has disadvantage on Wisdom
forests of the Material Plane. Whe the veil falls, what is (Perception) checks while they're within the spell's area.
otherwise a perfectly natural, mundane forest might
temporarily serve as the haunt of mysterious and often In addition, each creature in the area has vulnerability to
quite powerful fey creatures in command of mighty magic. thunder damage as the creaking cacophony enhances and
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The fey and druids have always known that a special magic
hides in the trees. Even if druids jealously guard this
power, sometimes the fey see fit to bestow this magic upon
focuses the energy.
The sound is as loud as a pitched battle and is audible out
to 300 feet.
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favored allies from outside the forest.
DEADFALL
Special Note. The class lists on which a spell might be 8th-level conjuration
found are included in the spell’s stat block. As always, the
existence of any spell, much less which class list in appears Casting Time: 1 action
on, is up to you as Dungeon Master. Range: 400 feet
Components: V, S
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ACORN OF FAR TRAVEL Duration: Instantaneous
2nd-level transmutation Class: Druid
Casting Time: 1 minute You create a tangled mass of huge branches, logs, and
Range: Self fallen trees in a 20-foot-radius, 40-foot high cylinder
Components: V, S, M (an acorn still growing from an oak tree) centered on a point you can see within range. The deadfall
Duration: 1 day
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immediately collapses in on itself with terrific force and a
Class: Druid colossal din. Creatures and objects in the area must make a
Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 10d6
As you finish casting the spell, the acorn drops off the tree bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. On a success, a
into your hand. As long as you carry the acorn, you can use creature takes half damage and isn't prone.
your class powers as though you were standing under that
oak tree in a forested area, gaining access to your Favored After you cast the spell, a considerable volume of dead
Terrain abilities, if any. wood remains behind. This pile of brush is 5 feet high,
with a 20-foot radius. The pile is difficult terrain for
In addition, you can use the acorn as an oak tree for spells Medium and larger creatures, and is impassible to Small
like tree stride or transport via plants; doing so consumes the and smaller creatures. In addition, the pile provides half
acorn.