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Arboreal Shepherd

Shepherds develop an eccentric fascination with local fauna. These shepherds eagerly bear fruit to feed their friends, provide roosts for bats, and invite beasts to gnaw nesting niches directly into their trunks.

Recall Knowledge - Plant (Nature): DC 20
Unspecific Lore: DC 18
Specific Lore: DC 15

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Arboreal ShepherdCreature 5

Huge Plant 
Source Pathfinder #201: Pactbreaker pg. 82
Perception +15; low-light vision
Languages Arboreal, Common, Fey; speak with animals
Skills Athletics +11, Diplomacy +12, Nature +14, Stealth +8 (+12 in forests)
Str +4, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +5, Cha +3
AC 22; Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +14
HP 80; Resistances bludgeoning 5, piercing 5; Weaknesses axe vulnerability, fire 5
Axe Vulnerability An arboreal shepherd takes 5 additional damage from axes.Defend the Friends [reaction] Trigger An animal within the arboreal shepherd's reach takes area damage or splash damage from an effect; Effect The arboreal shepherd partly shields the creature. Reduce the damage dealt to the animal by an amount equal to 1d10 + the animal's weakness to the effect, if any. The arboreal shepherd takes an equal amount of damage.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] branch +15 [+10/+5] (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d8+6 bludgeoningPrimal Innate Spells DC 22; 3rd animal allies (×2); 2nd animal messenger; Constant (2nd) speak with animals
Exalt the Little Ones [one-action] (auditory, linguistic, primal) The arboreal shepherd encourages its friends to overcome titanic odds. For 1 round, allies with the animal trait in a 50-foot radius gain a +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. If the animals have the swarm trait, the saving throw DCs to resist their damaging actions gain a +1 status bonus. This bonus increases to +2 for allies whose level is 2 or lower.Healing Haven [one-action] (healing, manipulate) Frequency Once per hour; Effect The arboreal shepherd scoops up a willing Medium or smaller animal (or animal with the swarm trait) within its reach, sequestering the animal into a recess in the arboreal's trunk. While sequestered, the animal cannot act, gains greater cover, and gains fast healing 5. At the beginning of its turn after regaining Hit Points, the animal can choose to exit by reappearing in any space adjacent to the arboreal as a free action.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Occult Nutrients

While drawing water, nutrients, and trace primal energy from the soil, an arboreal sometimes absorbs psychic impressions that shape its growth. Taking root in haunted landscapes or abandoned fairgrounds can result in truly sinister or frolicsome arboreals.

All Monsters in "Arboreal"

NameLevel
Arboreal Archive12
Arboreal Reaper7
Arboreal Regent8
Arboreal Sapling2
Arboreal Sapstriker6
Arboreal Shepherd5
Arboreal Warden4
Awakened Tree6
Canopy Elder19

Arboreal

Source Monster Core pg. 24 1.1
Arboreals are guardians of the forest and representatives of the trees. As long-lived as the woods they watch over, arboreals consider themselves parents and shepherds of trees rather than their gardeners. Consequently, while arboreals tend to be slow and methodical, they are terrifyingly swift when forced to fight in defense of the woods. Though they rarely seek out the companionship of short-lived folk—even elves are fugacious in the eyes of arboreals—and have an inherent distrust of change, arboreals have been known to tolerate those who seek to learn from their long-winded, rambling monologues, especially if such pupils also express a desire to protect the timberlands. Against those who threaten their realm, such as loggers eager to harvest lumber or settlers aiming to establish croplands or a town, arboreals' wrath is unwavering and devastating. Perhaps ironically, arboreals are gifted at tearing down what others build—a trait that serves vengeful members of their kind well.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Felled Arboreals

Arboreals have a great respect for dead members of their species. Their elaborate burial rituals involve laying the fallen arboreal down in a mossy bed in the center of a grove of saplings. The decomposing arboreal nourishes the saplings, ensuring the growth of a new generation of trees.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fungus Networks

Particularly old arboreal regents and other powerful arboreals can tap into the extensive network of fungus that connects the roots of all the trees in the forest. By doing so, the arboreal can learn of threats throughout the entire woodland, even from miles away.