Shadow-Cursed Shambling Mound

Model
Portrait

Stats

Size

Large

Type

Plant

Race

Shambling Mound

Balanced Difficulty Stats

Level

9

HP

156

AC

17

Initiative

+1

Proficiency

+4

Ability scores
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	5 (-3)	12 (+1)	5 (-3)

Saving throws
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+5	+1	+3	-3	+1	-3

Resistances ^(info)

Features

External Digestion
Can Devour any creature that is Restrained and steeping in its Digestive Juices.
Opportunity Attack
Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.
Perfect Sentry
Cannot be surprised.
Superior Darkvision
Can see in the dark up to 24 m / 80 ft.

Explorer Difficulty Stats

Level

9

HP

109

AC

17

Initiative

+1

Proficiency

+6

Ability scores
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	5 (-3)	12 (+1)	5 (-3)

Saving throws
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+5	+1	+3	-3	+1	-3

Resistances ^(info)

Features

External Digestion
Can Devour any creature that is Restrained and steeping in its Digestive Juices.
Opportunity Attack
Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.
Perfect Sentry
Cannot be surprised.
Superior Darkvision
Can see in the dark up to 24 m / 80 ft.

Tactician Difficulty Stats

Level

9

HP

202

AC

17

Initiative

+1

Proficiency

+4

Ability scores
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	5 (-3)	12 (+1)	5 (-3)

Saving throws
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+5	+1	+3	-3	+1	-3

Resistances ^(info)

Features

Tanglevine Form
Any creature making a melee attack against this mess of writhing vines may become Entangled
Magic Resistance
Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
External Digestion
Can Devour any creature that is Restrained and steeping in its Digestive Juices.
Opportunity Attack
Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.
Perfect Sentry
Cannot be surprised.
Superior Darkvision
Can see in the dark up to 24 m / 80 ft.

Honour Difficulty Stats

Level

9

HP

202

AC

17

Initiative

+1

Proficiency

+4

Ability scores
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	5 (-3)	12 (+1)	5 (-3)

Saving throws
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+5	+1	+3	-3	+1	-3

Resistances ^(info)

Features

Legendary Action: Wretched Growth
If a creature ends its turn within 5 m / 17 ft of the Shambling Mound, it will take 3d10Necrotic and Shadow-Cursed Vines will grow at its feet, possibly Entangling it.
Tanglevine Form
Any creature making a melee attack against this mess of writhing vines may become Entangled
Magic Resistance
Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
External Digestion
Can Devour any creature that is Restrained and steeping in its Digestive Juices.
Opportunity Attack
Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.
Perfect Sentry
Cannot be surprised.
Superior Darkvision
Can see in the dark up to 24 m / 80 ft.

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 by throwing a water bottle or using Create Water.

Immunity to these restraining conditions will make 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

Allies

Notable loot

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

Gallery

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

Spotted an issue with this page? Leave a comment! Note that your IP address will be publicly logged unless you create an account. You can also edit the page to fix the issue. See How to Contribute to get started, and maybe join our Discord so we can coordinate our efforts.