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This adaptation copyright © 2001 Sean K Reynolds. Back to my Barsoom page.
Original creature created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and all rights to it belong to the Burroughs estate. This adaptation is not a challenge to the rights of the Burroughs estate over the original creation.
Illustration is a detail from the Michael Whelan cover of the Del Rey Books edition of The Gods Of Mars, 1984 printing.

Medium-Size Plant Hit Dice: 5d8 (22 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural) Attacks: Tail slap +7 melee, 2 bites +2 melee Damage: Tail slap 1d6+4, bites 1 Face/Reach: 5 ft. x 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Blood drain, improved grab, tail cleave Special Qualities: Plant Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 5 Skills: Jump +12*, Listen +12* Feats: Spring Attack ----------------------------------- Climate/Terrain: Any land Organization: Pack (5-20), mob (20-40), or swarm (20-40 and 5-8 Barsoomian white apes) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium-Size), 11-15 HD (Large)

A Barsoomian plant man is a blue-skinned humanoid creature with tentacle arms that end in suckered mouths. It has a muscular tail which it uses to great effect in combat.
    A Barsoomian plant man (or "plant man," to the natives) is approximately human-sized, with tough blue skin, a tail as long as its body, and large feet that allow it to jump great distances. The creature's face has only a single white eye surrounded by a ring of pale flesh, below which is a ragged hole that serves as a primitive nose. Its head is covered in thick, stringy hairs that constantly writhe about like snakes and act as the creature's ears. The face bears no mouth and is featureless below the "nose." Its arms are boneless tentacles, each ending in a suckered mouth surrounded by small claws.
    Plant men reproduce by budding, and are often seen with miniature plant men growing from their armpits. These smaller replicas of the parent grow up to a foot tall before dropping free as an independent creature, and are helpless while attached to the parent. The young quickly grow to adult size if suitable food is present.
    Plant men travel quickly, usually with great leaps and bounds. They subside on vegetable matter, but swarm over other kinds of prey if it is available. Sometimes they rove in large packs and accompanied by Barsoomian white apes, which they never attack (and vice versa).

Combat
Barsoomian plant men attack in packs, usually by leaping over an opponent and striking with their tails. In close quarters or when they cannot use this tactic, they leap upon their foes and attempt to grapple with their suckered mouths, bearing down opponents with their weight and by draining blood. When fighting, they emit a strange purring noise, which may be a signal to others of their kind that prey is near.
    Blood Drain (Ex): A plant man that has established a hold with its bite attacks automatically deals 1 point of Constitution damage (total for both attacks). Once it has drained 20 points of Constitution, the plant man detaches and only uses its tail attack on opponents until it can rest 12 hours to digest its meal.
    Improved Grab (Ex): If the plant man hits with both bite attacks, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. It may attempt this on any creature of its size or smaller. The plant man always conducts the grapple normally (rather than just using part of its body). Each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals 1 point of damage for each bite, plus blood drain for each bite. A plant man cannot use its tail against a creature it is grappling.
    Tail Cleave (Ex): A Barsoomian plant man may use the Cleave feat if it drops an opponent with its tail attack.
    Skills: *Barsoomian plant men receive a +8 bonus to Jump checks and a +12 racial bonus to Listen checks. They distance they can jump is not limited by their height.