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Hippopotamus Topiary
One of the rarest types of living topiaries is the hippopotamus. These large shrubs are formed from souls with larger-than-life personalities. While less agile and perceptive than smaller topiaries, they're much more aggressive and territorial. As such, they tend to live solitary lives around swamps and marshes, giving them plenty of water and vegetation to roam around in.Recall Knowledge - Plant (Nature): DC 28
Unspecific Lore: DC 26
Specific Lore: DC 23
Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level
Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.
Elite Hippopotamus TopiaryCreature 12
Huge Plant Source Monster Core 2 pg. 215
Perception +22; branchlocation (precise) 30 feet, low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet
Languages Muan; (can't speak any language)
Skills Athletics +25, Nature +23, Stealth +25
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +4, Int -2, Wis +0, Cha +3
Branchlocation The hippopotamus topiary can tap its branches together and use its hearing as a precise sense at the listed range.
AC 32; Fort +26, Ref +23, Will +20
HP 240; Immunities bleed; Weaknesses fire 14
Speed 25 feet, swim 30 feet; walk through plants
Melee [one-action] jaws +24 [+19/+14], Damage 2d10+2+15 piercing plus Grab and swamp feverMelee [one-action] hoof +24 [+19/+14], Damage 2d8+2+15 bludgeoningAbsorb Water When in water or exposed to a water effect, the hippopotamus loses its weakness to fire until the start of its next turn.Jaw Crush [one-action] Requirements The hippopotamus topiary has a creature grabbed; Effect It forcefully bites down on whatever is in its mouth, dealing 6d8 piercing damage with a DC 29 basic Reflex save. On a critical failure, creatures take 1d8 persistent bleed damage.Pruning [one-action] (concentrate, manipulate, polymorph) The hippopotamus topiary twists and contorts its shape, shedding branches and leaves as needed to change into a topiary of a Huge or smaller animal. Until the next time it acts, the topiary has an automatic result of 42 for Deception checks and DCs to appear as a mundane topiary.Swamp Fever (disease) Saving Throw DC 28 Fortitude; Onset 1 day; Stage 1 sickened 1 (1 day); Stage 2 sickened 2 (1 day); Stage 3 sickened 2 and 1d8 persistent bleed damage (1 day); Stage 4 sickened 2, drained 1, and 2d8 persistent bleed damage (1 day); Stage 5 dead
All Monsters in "Living Topiary"
| Name | Level |
| Hippopotamus Topiary | 11 |
| Hound Topiary | 3 |
| Tiger Topiary | 5 |
Living Topiary
Source Monster Core 2 pg. 214Topiaries are an extremely common sight across Golarion, especially within the gleaming and well-manicured lawns of nobility. Living topiaries develop from the death of a lone soul in an overgrown area of deep primal magic, with the soul exploding into the plants around it and causing them to grow together into the form of an animal, often influenced by the personality of the dying person. Once fully formed, the living topiary lacks their original memories; however, they're filled with the desire to protect the area they were formed in, driving off invaders and those who would do harm to the flora and fauna.
Corrupted Topiaries
Most living topiaries are territorial without being actively malevolent; however, when the creation of a living topiary occurs within an area of intense necromantic energy, the topiary can take on a sinister personality. Stories abound of abandoned manors that have corrupted living topiaries prowling their hedge mazes for hapless victims.
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