Vines and brambles flourished about the dark woods as the noble beast prowled through the towering trunks, its stately steps unimpeded by the verdant overgrowth. Sharp eyes scanned its domain as powerful claws flexed and found purchase in the rich earth of its domain. Its falconine gaze settled on the druid who stood nervously but resolutely before the koshai, taking steadying breaths. As the corded muscles of the beast flexed beneath its emerald hide, the druid found her steel and she reached a calming hand to the creature that was equal parts flora and fauna.
The almost supernatural aspect of the monsters from Dauntless make them very fun to try to build as creatures and while I haven't faced the koshai in any of my games, it seemed too cool to not stat out. Lore about it seems light, at least the lore not tied up in its world, but I was able to find the information that the koshai is almost equal parts plant as it is flesh and blood. While I stuck with magical beast for its creature type, I decided to represent that aspect of the creature with plant trait immunities. Despite being a terran creature, what I read up on said it was susceptible to fire, which is why I chose it for both is weakness and the damage that deactivates its regeneration. The regeneration is based around its description as well as its ability to grow vines to replace its tail if it's cut off. Maybe I should have made its regeneration higher, but I looked at a few other creatures of similar CR and saw a similar rate. The final of its defensive abilities, its whirling barrier represents the globe of wind and dirt it encases itself with the blocks ranged attacks make creatures unable to regenerate stamina within, which I tried to replicate by it sucking away the breath of creatures within it. While there's nothing in this game to suggest it, I liked the idea of plantsense for the koshai, based off of creatures like the brambleblight and the green man.
For its offensive capabilities, I included its ability to manipulate roots to create tunnels for it as a burrow ability while also making its antlers part of its core attack cycle. At range, it can use its thorns to impale prey, representing the wounded condition that its thorns inflict in-game. Finally, I had to replicate the tangling thorns it spreads across the landscape and sought to do that with its briar patch ability. I had hoped that there would be a more powerful version of entangle that just had more dangerous thorns, but I ultimately had to use its base effects with other stuff added in. The one ability I didn't try to include was the slow-falling thorn pods it launches that slap people with vines as they land as I couldn't figure out how to include it in a way that I liked. Pounce is my attempt at giving it the ability where it springs at a victim with both claws extended to slash at them. Finally, I picked up Lunge to cover its ability to extend the reach of its claws or tail with vines while Cleave and Greater Cleave represent the sweeping arcs that it swings them in. I also just liked Branch Pounce because it's not something that I see in a lot but I think is pretty cool. Finally, I figured it should be able to safely pass through its own briar patches, which led me to include its improved woodland stride.
Pathfinder 1e:
The biggest differences between the Pathfinder 1e koshai and Pathfinder 2e koshai is its Verdurous Overgrowth, which I simply thought was a fun and different sort of reaction then what I usually make for creatures. Since there obviously aren't feats in second edition, I gave it Vine Swipe to cover its arcing swipes that it makes with its tail and claws. I specifically had Vine Swipe represent its ability to extend its limbs with vines with this ability rather than it just making a normal sweeping strike. I did somewhat want to capture the second swing of its tail by giving it the backswing trait.
Pathfinder 2e:
Blue's D&D 5e:
ENCOUNTER HOOKS
Battle Amidst the Briars: A request for a rare and hard-to-find bloom from a specific tree lead the heroes deep into a thick forest populated by ancient and primeval creatures. Ruling the land they trespass upon is a koshai that fiercely defends its domain from the heroes, savagely attacking them. If the heroes cannot abscond with the bloom through a chase or convince it that you intend no harm to the region and just want the bloom, the koshai fights to the death or to the edge of its territory.
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Have a monstrous Monday!
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