A walking cactus standing between 30 and 50 feet tall, with up to 4 massive, branching arms, Saguaro sentinels are desert treant kin, and consider themselves as guardians of the plant and wildlife of those lands. Many believe that the supposedly harsher lands cause the saguaro to become harsher and less caring than the more well known forest treants, but there’s no strong evidence for that. Saguaro sentinels are exceptionally dangerous when they’ve been riled up by what they view as a threat to the land they protect, but that’s not unique to them. Treants are known for destroying entire towns that pollute or clearcut forests, so harsh retaliation is not indicative of a more vicious creature.
The thick skin of the sentinel repels many attacks. Bludgeoning and slashing blows will bruise and scratch the surface, but struggle to deal damage to the vulnerable tissue below the skin. Only attacks that pierce deep can land telling blows, puncturing the cactus’ organs and letting its watery blood flow out. They fend off most wild attacks with the thick thorns on their body, making them unappealing targets to even voracious monsters.
Originally from Sandstorm. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as a spot on the Paper and Dice Discord server, consider backing me there!
5th Edition
Saguaro Sentinel
Huge plant, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 125 (10d12 + 60)
Speed 20 ft.
Str 23 (+6) Dex 8 (-1) Con 23 (+6) Int 10 (+0) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 14 (+2)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, slashing
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 9 (5000 XP)
Thorny Skin. At the start of each of its turns, the saguaro sentinel deals 3 (1d6) piercing damage to any creature grappling it. Whenever a creature hits the saguaro sentinel with an unarmed or natural weapon attack, that creature takes 3 (1d6) damage.
Tough Flesh. The saguaro sentinel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other effects that deal necrotic damage, and spells that have an additional effect on a plants such as blight don’t have their additional effects against the saguaro sentinel.
Actions
Multiattack. The saguaro sentinel makes three attacks, only one of which can be a stomp.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6+6) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 22 (3d10+6) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Thorn Volley (6/Long Rest). Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d4+6) piercing damage.
13th Age
Saguaro Sentinel
Large 5th level troop [plant]
Initiative: +4
Vulnerability: Cold
Thorny Limbs +10 vs. AC (2 attacks) – 15 damage
Natural 14+: The target also takes 5 ongoing damage.
C: Hurl Thorns +10 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies) – 15 damage
Natural 12+: The target is also stuck (easy save ends, 6+). Limited Use: The saguaro sentinel can only use this attack when the escalation die is odd.
Thorny Skin: When a creature misses the saguaro sentinel with a melee attack and rolls a natural 1-5, the attacker takes 5 damage.
AC 21 PD 19 MD 15 HP 140
Writing and Rolling 