These holly trees appear as others of their kind: waxy leaves of deep green and clusters of bright red berries. However, these trees respond to the approach of creatures by swinging their branches, clubbing at anything that moves within range of their senses. Victims of a hammer holly lie where they fall, becoming compost to feed the tree.

Experiment Gone Wild. Some scholars believe hammer hollies were magically engineered. They theorize the trees were early attempts to weaponize plants, acting as a passive security measure for the gardens and grounds of wealthy wizards.

Hammer Holly Wine. Like most hollies, the berries of the hammer holly are toxic. They are not poisonous to dust goblins however, and those humanoids enjoy a fermented beverage brewed from the berries that might generously be called wine. Hammer holly wine is a great delicacy for dust goblins and a rarity considering the difficulty in harvesting the necessary ingredient. Creatures who seek peaceful relations with dust goblins will find their chances greatly increased should they have hammer holly berries to offer in trade or as a bribe. Any creature other than a dust goblin that drinks hammer holly wine is poisoned for 1 hour. A successful DC 12 Constitution saving throw negates the poisoned effect. Each serving beyond the first causes a creature 3 (1d6) points of poison damage and increases the duration of the poisoned condition by an additional hour; a successful save halves the damage and negates the poisoned effect, but the DC for the saving throw increases by 1 for each additional serving drunk.

Incidental Treasure. Items belonging to victims of a hammer holly often linger long after their owners have decomposed. This works to the hammer holly’s advantage as new victims are often lured into range of the tree’s attacks by shiny objects glinting among the tree’s roots.

Hammer Holly

Huge plant, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 60 (8d12 + 8)
Speed 0 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	1 (−5)	10 (+0)	1 (−5)

Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

False Appearance. While the hammer holly remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal holly tree.

Actions

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (5d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage and target is stunned for 1 round. If the target succeeds on DC 12 Constitution saving throw, it is not stunned.