Rift Pulper
Level 17Attacks
Abilities
Requirements Initiative has not yet been rolled
Trigger A Small or larger creature comes within 10 feet of a rift pulper in its cyst
Effect The rift pulper's cyst explodes, inflicting 8d6 piercing damage to all non–rift pulper creatures within 20-foot area (DC 35 reflex save). The rift pulper emerges from the burst cyst and Strides, Climbs, or Flies once before it rolls Stealth for initiative.
The rift pulper rapidly chews on reality itself, gnawing open a short-lived rift into the liminal space between planes in any adjacent square. The rift pulper becomes Quickened for 1 round, and can use the extra action to Stride, Fly, or Strike. If another creature occupies the square in which the rift pulper Pulps Quintessence, it takes 18d6 bludgeoning damage as portions of its body are stretched and distorted painfully by the tear in reality (DC 38 fortitude save). The rift pulper can't Pulp
The rift pulper chews on the flesh of a creature Grabbed or Restrained by it, pulping the quintessence that makes up their soul. The creature takes (3d10+10)[spirit] damage (DC 38 will save). If the creature is a native to the outer sphere (such as a celestial or fiend) the damage increases to (3d12+12)[spirit] damage.
Saving Throw DC 38 fortitude
Maximum Duration 6 rounds
Stage 1 Enfeebled 1 (1 round)
Stage 2 Enfeebled 2 (1 round),
Stage 3 enfeebled 2 and Slowed 1 (1 round)
The rift pulper spends 1 minute digging into a Huge or larger tree or wooden object, then forms a cyst around itself. While inside the cyst, the rift pulper can only sense its surroundings via tremorsense and is Immobilized until the cyst is broken open. The cyst has AC 40, 50 HP, and shares the rift pulper's weaknesses. If the cyst is broken open by any means other than Burst Cyst, the rift pulper must succeed at a DC 40 fortitude save or become Stunned 3. While inside its cyst, the rift pulper
The rift pulper chews away at the planar structure of reality, eating quintessence to build their hideous hives. These bulbous structures look like partially melted wasp hives with the appearance of distorted faces, arms, and legs pressing against the walls from within.
Cleftwood fiends blend the properties of demons and wood elementals, their timber bodies distorted by burls, rot, and fungal growths. Planar scholars have debated into which category cleftwood fiends are better categorized, but to cleftwoods themselves there is no question—they feel much more at home in the Outer Rifts than they do the Plane of Wood.
Demonic Elementals Cleftwood fiends aren't true demons or elementals, but they possess both of those creature traits. Since they aren't formed from sinful souls, they lack the typical sin vulnerability most demons possess, and since they possess blood-like sap, they lack the typical immunity to bleed most elementals possess.
Other Cleftwood Fiends Rift pulpers and second spawn are the only types of cleftwood fiend currently active in Tanglebriar, but others exist in the Outer Rifts, particularly in the realm of Jeharlu. Here, one might encounter the blood-drinking stump-like splintertooth, the humanoid primal-magic-wielding blighted gardener, or the enormous horror of the fell deadfall.