
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Zibik, Green Man of Decay and Fresh Starts

“Zibik shepherds death, and life follows.” A common greeting among Zibik's followers, this saying encompasses many aspects of the green man's life and teachings. While typical green men concern themselves entirely with the wellbeing of plants, Zibik focuses on the persistent collapse and decomposition that allows environments to thrive. In many ways, he's the embodiment of a towering tree falling over, the loss of its expansive canopy allowing sunlight to reach a new generation of saplings. Fungus fascinates Zibik, and his long association with decay and regrowth has caused him to take on aspects of primal fungus.

Ages ago, before the Plane of Wood was sealed off, Zibik traveled there hoping to study and understand how a plane of unfettered growth could sustain itself. While exploring the Universe, he learned that many natural areas recovered from horrifying calamities to be stronger than before, while others stagnated after experiencing even mild changes to the environment. What allowed the Plane of Wood to eternally flourish? Did death and decomposition exist here as well, perhaps to an even greater degree? Or did the environment somehow thrive without natural cycles of decay? He learned much, but his investigations were short-lived, and he never returned to the Universe with his findings; the betrayal and conflict between the Elemental Lords sequestered the Plane of Wood, trapping Zibik there. However, these same events introduced Ayrzul's Blight, giving Zibik newfound purpose. The disease caused fascinating mutations, and even as it killed off swaths of plant life, it left new life in its wake.

As the blight spread, eradicating entire ecosystems, Zibik's fascination turned to desperate terror; natural diseases are part of life, but Ayrzul's Blight is anything but natural. For thousands of years, he's fought the blight by destroying vibrant frontiers (forming the equivalent of firebreaks), decomposing afflicted material, and absorbing disease and radiation into his own body so that blighted areas might regrow. The cycle of fighting the blight (involving Zibik's own cyclical death and rebirth) has increasingly shaped his moral perspective; he sees that drastic action against a part is sometimes the only thing that can save the whole.

Zibik focuses his efforts on remote areas of the plane, rarely interacting with settlements except to warn them of his intentions if they happen to be near an ecosystem he plans to transform. He often spends decades in a single blighted region before moving on. The Elemental Lords of Wood know to leave Zibik alone; he's largely helping the plane thrive, even when he must make sacrifices, and confronting him poses certain risks due to the tremendous levels of disease and blight afflicting the green man at any given time. Zibik's appearance shifts as he progresses through cycles of decay and regrowth. After rejuvenating, he looks stout and healthy, his stride and posture almost regal. As he absorbs diseases from the environment, sickly fungus sprouts all over his body, weighing him down and draining his energy, both physically and spiritually. However he appears, his voice always carries the same grim determination and pride.

Campaign Role

Zibik is by far the most powerful being the PCs encounter in the Wardens of Wildwood campaign. Thankfully for the PCs, they aren't likely to face him in combat, though he poses a grave threat to the Verduran Forest and nearby nations. In the adventure's final scene, the PCs must convince Zibik that Ruzadoya Swiftmane has deceived him. Should they fail to counter the graveknight's deceptive narratives about Avistan and its people, Zibik is sure to make his way through the portal to the Isle of Arenway. Once he does, few could stand in his way. In his current state, he would spread destruction, death, and disease. The blight would spread. Andoran and Taldor would be the first nations impacted, but without swift and decisive action, they would fail to stop Zibik. Most living things would be killed outright, survivors would experience agonizing disease, and decades of suffering would follow.

But in time, life would return to southern Avistan, the region forever transformed into something new. Something better. Stronger. More resilient. Zibik, his work accomplished, would be long gone—unless the people of Avistan proved Ruzadoya Swiftmane was right all along. Should they mount an offensive against Zibik, rather than letting him destroy the region and bring about new life, he might decide he has no choice but to stay on Golarion a while longer. So be it. Zibik shepherds death, and life follows.

Recall Knowledge - Fungus (Nature): DC 58
Recall Knowledge - Plant (Nature): DC 58
Unspecific Lore: DC 56
Specific Lore: DC 53

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

ZibikCreature 24

Unique Medium Fungus Leshy Plant 
Source Pathfinder #203 Shepherd of Decay pg. 90
Male variant green man
Perception +42; darkvision, plantsense 60 feet
Languages Arboreal, Fey, Muan, Wildsong; green tongue
Skills Acrobatics +39, Athletics +42, Deception +40, Diplomacy +40 (+44 vs. plants), Intimidation +40 (+44 vs. plants), Medicine +48, Nature +48, Plane of Wood Lore +48, Stealth +41, Survival +44
Str +12, Dex +9, Con +11, Int +7, Wis +10, Cha +8
Green Tongue A green man can communicate with plants, with the effects of speak with plants, and can use Diplomacy to Make an Impression on plants and Request things from plants.
Plantsense A green man can sense life force via plants. This allows them to observe a living or undead creature's vital essence within 60 feet of the green man, but they can also use this precise sense to observe any living or undead creature within 60 feet of any plant matter within 120 feet of the green man. This allows the green man to see living things through solid plant matter, as well as seeing through other barriers if there are plants on the other side.
AC 51; Fort +43, Ref +39, Will +42
HP 525; Resistances bludgeoning 20, piercing 20; Weaknesses axe vulnerability, fire 20
Aura of Absorption (aura, fungus, primal) 120 feet. Zibik constantly absorbs toxins and pathogens from his surroundings. Zibik automatically absorbs afflictions from non-creature plants, increasing his drained value by 1 each round he absorbs any afflictions from such plants (with no maximum). Living creatures in the area can attempt a saving throw against any disease or poison afflicting them each round, increasing their degree of success for the save by one step. If a creature succeeds, Zibik automatically counteracts the affliction and increases his current drained value by 1 (with no maximum). When Zibik removes an affliction with this ability, he automatically advances to Stage 1 of the affliction and must continue to attempt saving throws as normal. Zibik can choose to exclude any number of creatures in the area from this effect, and generally does so to absorb Ayrzul's Blight while allowing natural afflictions to run their course.Axe Vulnerability A green man takes 20 additional damage from axes.Fungal Rebirth (fungus, primal) When Zibik dies as the result of a disease or his Aura of Absorption, fungus rebuilds his body over the course of 3d6 days. If his body is destroyed before then, the process restarts. When restored to life, he's bolstered by primal might; he gains a +3 circumstance bonus to saving throws against diseases for a number of weeks equal to the number of days it took his body to regrow, and he's unaffected by the drained condition for the same duration (though he can still gain the condition).Green Caress (aura, incapacitation, plant, primal, transmutation) 60 feet. Living creatures in the area other than plants slowly transform into non-creature plants. The green man can exclude creatures from this effect, but they must be aware of a creature's presence and location to do so. A non-plant creature in the area must attempt a DC 45 Fortitude save immediately before the start of its turn. Critical Success The creature is unaffected, or if it is slowed by green caress, it reduces its slowed value by 2. Success The creature is unaffected, or if it is slowed by green caress, it reduces its slowed value by 1. Failure The creature becomes slowed 1, or if it was already slowed by green caress, increases the slowed value by 1, as their body transforms more and more into a non-creature plant. If the creature ever becomes slowed to the point they have no actions left for their turn, they become an inanimate plant, a condition that can only be reversed by primal phenomenon or similarly powerful magic. Critical Failure As failure, except the creature becomes slowed 2 (or increases the condition value by 2).Root In Place [reaction] Trigger A creature within the green man's reach uses a move action or leaves a square during a move action it's using; Effect The green man lashes out to hold the foe in place. The green man makes a vine Strike against the triggering creature. If the attack hits, the green man disrupts the action. If the creature was Flying when its action was disrupted, it falls.
Speed 40 feet, climb 40 feet
Melee [one-action] vine +46 [+41/+36] (deadly 3d12, versatile P), Damage 4d10+27 bludgeoning plus absorb magic and Improved GrabRanged [one-action] thorn +43 [+38/+33] (fatal d12, range increment 120 feet, reload 0), Damage 4d8+27 piercing plus embedPrimal Innate Spells DC 48; 10th flourishing flora (×3), heal (×3), nature's pathway (at will), regenerate (×3), truesight; 9th energy aegis, entwined roots; 8th desiccate, life-draining roots, unfettered movement; Cantrips (10th) detect magic, read aura
Rituals DC 48, green rituals; 10th wish; 8th control weather; 6th awaken animal, commune, primal call; 4th plant growth
Absorb Magic [one-action] The green man's vines leach away magic and transform it into life essence for the green man. On a successful vine Strike, the green man attempts to counteract one spell active on the target (typically one vexing the green man, or determined randomly if they aren't aware of specific effects), with a counteract level of 10 and a modifier of +38. If the effect is counteracted, the green man gains 30 temporary Hit Points that last for 10 minutes.Embed The green man's thorns embed themselves into any creature they damage, taking root into the ground. A target damaged by a thorn has its Speeds halved, and it can't Step, Fly, air walk, or otherwise leave the ground until the thorn is removed. Removing a thorn requires 3 Interact actions, which don't have to be consecutive. If the creature performing the final action doesn't succeed at a DC 45 Medicine check as part of that action, the target takes 10d6 damage upon the thorn's removal.Focus Vines [two-actions] The green man focuses all their vines against a single vexing foe, making a single vine Strike. On a success, the target takes 5d10 additional damage and is affected by Absorb Magic three times. Even on a failure, the target takes the normal effects of a hit with a vine Strike, but on a critical failure, the vines miss completely.Green Grab A green man can use their Improved Grab action against a creature of any size.Green Rituals A green man can perform all their rituals without secondary casters, relying on their own primal ties to the vital essence in spirits of nature. A green man's awaken animal and primal call rituals work on plants instead of their usual range of choices. Most green men also know the ritual to create various types of leshys and possibly even magic allowing the creation of arboreals or more powerful plant creatures.Purge Plaguebearers [two-actions] (fungus, primal) Zibik exudes a cloud of spores in a 30-foot-radius emanation. They cling to all creatures currently afflicted with any disease in the area. Afflicted creatures take 25d6 void damage with a DC 48 basic Fortitude save. A creature that fails its save becomes doomed 1 for 1 minute and sickened 3. Zibik can choose to exclude any number of creatures in the area from this effect. Zibik can't use Purge Plaguebearers again for 1d4 rounds.Vine Forest [two-actions] The green man lashes out with all six vines to attack many opponents. They make up to six vine Strikes, each against a different target; this counts as one attack for their multiple attack penalty, increasing only after all the attacks are made.