Fungi
BOOMER
An ear-piercing shriek echoes in the cavern. The sound comes from
a human-sized mushroom whose stalk steadily swells with air as
it shrieks.
Thunderous Shriek. Boomers are a subspecies of
shrieker, nearly indistinguishable from their more innocuous
cousins. When shrieking, however, the stalk of the boomer
noticeably expands, swelling with air until it releases the air in a
thunderous burst of noise. Like its more common relative, it is
often deliberately cultivated by intelligent subterranean races as
a defensive measure against intruders.
BOOMER
Medium plant, unaligned
Armor Class 7 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1 (–5) 1 (–5) 12 (+1) 1 (–5) 3 (–4) 1 (–5)
Damage Immunities thunder
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened
157
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 6
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Deafening Boom. When a creature hits the boomer with a melee
attack, the boomer releases a blast of sound. Each creature
within 10 feet of the boomer that can hear it must make a DC 12
Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 5 (2d4)
thunder damage and is incapacitated until the end of its next
turn. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t
incapacitated.
Death Burst. When it dies, the boomer explodes in a cacophonous
burst. Each creature within 30 feet of the boomer that can hear
it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure,
a creature takes 7 (2d6) thunder damage and is deafened for 1
minute. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t
deafened.
False Appearance. While the boomer remains motionless, it is
indistinguishable from an ordinary fungus.
REACTIONS
Shriek. If bright light or a creature is within 30 feet of the boomer, it
emits a shriek audible within 300 feet of it. The boomer continues
to shriek until the disturbance moves out of range and for 1d4 of
the boomer’s turns afterward.
OPHIO
Row after row of bruise-purple fungus grows from the rocks
like living shelves. The air becomes hazy as the fungus lets out a
sudden puff of spores.
Ambitious Parasite. The ophio fungus is native to the
subterranean caverns that wind through Leng, but it has no
intention of remaining solely in its native world. The fungus
seeks to infect as many carriers as possible to distribute itself
across many planes and worlds.
Mind Control. The fungus attempts to infect carriers by
issuing clouds of microscopic spores. Once inhaled, these spores
attack the victim’s brain, sapping their willpower and eventually
leaving the victim under the control of the fungus.
Master Plan. Once a victim is infected with ophio spores, it is
entirely under the control of the fungus, connected to the parent
fungus by a psychic link that even reaches across planes. The
fungus uses these victims to carry pieces of itself to other places
or to lure more victims into its caverns.
OPHIO FUNGUS
Huge plant, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 119 (14d12 + 28)
Speed 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 6 (–2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 17 (+3) 17 (+3)
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
TOME OF BEASTS 2 F
 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
frightened, poisoned, prone
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this
radius), passive Perception 13
Languages Void Speech, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Hypnotic Secretion. When a creature starts its turn within

30 feet of the fungus, it must make a DC 15 Charisma
saving throw. On a failure, the creature is charmed for 1
hour and regards the fungus as a friendly acquaintance.
If the fungus or one of its allies harms the charmed
creature, this effect ends. If a creature stays charmed for
the full hour, it becomes infected with ophio spores (see
the Ophio Spores sidebar). If the creature’s saving throw
is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is
immune to the ophio fungus’ Hypnotic Secretion for
the next 24 hours. A creature that doesn’t need
to breathe is immune to the fungus’ Hypnotic
Secretion. A creature that does need to breathe
can still be affected, even if it holds its breath.
ACTIONS
Release Spores. The ophio fungus focuses its
spores on up to three creatures it can see
within 30 feet of it. Each creature must
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw.
On a failure, a creature takes 14 (4d6) poison
damage and, if it is a humanoid, it becomes
infected with ophio spores (see Ophio Spores
sidebar). On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t
infected with spores. A creature that doesn’t need to breathe
PIXIE’S UMBRELLA
automatically succeeds on this saving throw. A creature that does Dozens of flat, purple-capped mushrooms float and spin
need to breathe can still be affected, even if it holds its breath. through the air.
Huge colonies of pixie’s umbrellas inhabit the Underworld.
When they sense danger, they fill their caps to gain height then
release the air, using the flattened caps to slow their descent.
Migrating Fungus. Their ability to float allows pixie’s
umbrellas to make homes on hard-to-reach surfaces, frustrating
OPHIO SPORES those who enjoy the mushrooms’ bitter flesh. The ground
beneath wall- and cliff-dwelling pixie’s umbrellas is sometimes
littered with the skeletal remains of starving travelers who fell in
This disease affects humanoids who breathe. The eyes of their desperate attempts to gather food.
infected creatures become glassy, and purple bruising appears
on their spines, bulging as the disease progresses. At the Dizzying Drifters. Witnessing the migration of a colony of
end of each long rest after infection, an infected creature is pixie’s umbrellas can be fascinating to those who enjoy watching
wracked by terrible dreams or visions and must succeed a DC 15 large numbers of the mushrooms float from cavern to cavern.
Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion that Intelligent Underworld hunters sometimes use the migration
can’t be removed until the disease is cured. After the creature of pixie’s umbrellas to mask their approach, counting on the
has two levels of exhaustion, it moves to the second stage of the display to distract their prey.
infection. During the first stage of infection, a lesser restoration
spell or similar magic ends the infection. PIXIE’S UMBRELLA
At the end of each long rest after the creature reaches Small plant, unaligned
the second stage of infection, it must succeed on a DC 15
Armor Class 7
Constitution saving throw or become a thrall of the ophio
Hit Points 10 (4d4)
fungus, falling completely under its control. A victim in the
Speed 5 ft.
second stage of the infection or that is completely under the
fungus’ control can be restored only by killing the fungus that
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
caused the infection or through the use of a wish spell.
1 (–5) 5 (–3) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 1 (–5)

F TOME OF BEASTS 2 158

 Hidden in View. Shiftshrooms can often be found
interspersed with deadlier fungi. The Underworld hides colonies
of the fungus wherein only a few of the mushrooms toward the
outer edges of the group are dangerous varieties of fungus, and
the remainder are disguised shiftshrooms.

SHIFTSHROOM
Medium plant (shapechanger), unaligned
Armor Class 5
Hit Points 18 (4d8)
Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

12 (+1) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 1 (–5)

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened

Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 7
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Shapechanger. The shiftshroom can use its action to alter its

appearance into a more frightening fungus, such as a poisonous
deathcap mushroom, or back into its true form. Alternatively, it can
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened change back into its true form as a reaction when it takes damage.
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Its statistics are the same in each form, and it reverts to its true form
Perception 7 if it dies. While in its frightening form, the shiftshroom can take only
Languages —
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

False Appearance. While the pixie’s umbrella remains motionless, it

is indistinguishable from an ordinary fungus.
ACTIONS
Twirl. The pixie’s umbrella twirls, spinning its spores at nearby
creatures. Each creature within 5 feet of the pixie’s umbrella must
make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) poison
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
one. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also
poisoned until the end of its next turn.
REACTIONS
Float. When a pixie’s umbrella senses motion within 30 feet of it, it
fills its cap with air and flies 20 feet away from the motion without
provoking opportunity attacks.

SHIFTSHROOM
The plain, white mushroom suddenly shifts and twists into a
poisonous deathcap.
In their natural form, shiftshrooms are white mushrooms with
bifurcated stalks. Their natural ability to disguise themselves
as other mushrooms evolved as a defense against creatures
harvesting them for food.
Sought for Food. Roasted shiftshroom has a nutty flavor and
aroma and is considered a delicacy by many of the Underworld’s
denizens. Discerning surface world gourmands pay respectable
sums for shiftshroom caps due to the difficulty in harvesting
them from the Underworld and the difficulty in growing them
above ground.

159 TOME OF BEASTS 2 F

 the Dodge, Disengage, and Hide actions. Any creature that starts dizzying effect unless the area’s ambient light is bright light.
its turn within 10 feet of a shiftshroom in its frightening form must Each creature within 60 feet of the strobing fungus and that can
succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the see the light must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or
shiftshroom until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded creature can repeat the saving
throw, the creature is immune to this feature for 24 hours. throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on
a success.
ACTIONS
Unless surprised, a creature with a shield or other similarly-sized
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 object can use its reaction to raise the object and protect its eyes
(1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage. from the light, avoiding the saving throw. If it does so, it can’t use
that object for anything else. For example, a creature using a shield
STROBING FUNGUS to protect its eyes loses the shield’s bonus to its Armor Class while
using the shield in this way. If the creature looks at the strobing
This creature is translucent with a white core and is composed
fungus or lowers or uses the object protecting its eyes, it must
of a narrow stalk topped with a bulbous head. It suddenly emits immediately make the save.
a powerfully bright light, then flashes bright and dark in rapid While emitting light, the strobing fungus can’t attack. It can stop
succession. emitting light at any time (no action required).
Chemical Warrior. The strobing fungus’ body houses ACTIONS
chemicals that, when mixed together, cause it to shine brighter
Multiattack. The strobing fungus makes two attacks.
than a torch. It also uses those chemicals for self-defense. When
Chemical Burn. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
it senses danger, it mixes the chemicals inside a pouch within
ft. or range 30/120 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) acid damage.
its body and secretes the mixture, which it can then shoot at
the creature threatening it. Once exposed to the open air, the
chemicals become highly corrosive and toxic.
Wandering Mushroom. Unlike many fungi,
the strobing fungus is able to move, albeit at a slow
pace. It does this by severing the portion of its
base anchoring it in place and secreting some of
the chemicals within its body to help it glide
along to a new location. When it has reached
its intended destination, it stops secreting
the chemical, its movement stops, and the
creature quickly attaches to the ground at the
new location.
Popular Guards. Strobing fungi are
often employed as guardians, particularly
by creatures that have blindsight. The fungi
understand rudimentary Common and can
obey commands not to attack their master’s
allies. They typically assume anyone who has
not been specifically introduced to them is
an enemy and behave accordingly.

STROBING FUNGUS
Medium plant, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 76 (9d8 + 36)
Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) 5 (−3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened

Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 11
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Strobe. As a bonus action, the strobing fungus can start emitting

a powerful, strobing light. It rapidly alternates between shedding
bright light in a 60-foot radius and shedding no light, creating a

F TOME OF BEASTS 2 160