Dungeons and Dragons Lore : Shambling Mound

The shambling mound first appeared in the official newsletter of TSR Games, The Strategic Review #3, August 1975. Also known simply as the Shambler, these carnivorous plants are more often encountered in temperate marches, but can be encountered anywhere. They are intelligent, carnivorous plant creatures, though they appear to be rotting heaps of vegetation and will consume any organic, living thing that they encounter.
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[@erroneous6947]

After your recent yellow musk creeper video I started making shambling mounds with yellow musk creepers growing in them. Just fill a burlap bag full of good dirt then put a yellow musk creeper bulb in the bag. Be careful to cut a few small holes for the young shoots to from through. Bury the bag inside the shambling mound. They work best in groups. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@AJPickett]

you are most welcome

[@Thorn99855]

My new fun variant on these: A summoned barlguru brought with it some demonic plant matter from its layer of the Abyss and also managed to escape its wizard captor.

[@That80sGuy1972]

I had a plot twist Shambling Mound. A half-elf ranger of renown went to a swamp to kill a shambling mound. The ranger never returned and the Shambling Mound was never again seen. The swamp also became more natural over time after that, swamp monsters were being cleared. Then, a gang of brigands made it their home. The players came across a panicked brigand at a tavern saying he's no saint, but the Shambling Mound lives! The players went to the infested brigand hideout to find the mound, waiting for the brigand or allies. It was remarkably intelligent. Every time it had the opportunity to kill members of the party, it just chose to capture. When the party was subdued, they came to find out this living, no-rot, highly intelligent Shambling Mound was the half-elf ranger who sacrificed himself in desperation to defeat it by allowing it to consume him with a special prayer to his goddess. He accepted the terms. I more or less made him an AD&D Swamp Thing based upon Shambling Mounds. I see you are familiar with comics, you used Marvel's Man-Thing as one image. Kudos, bro. I know, borrowing from comics is lame, but I LOVE Swamp Thing!

[@Slechy_Lesh]

Swamp Thing is awesome, my favourite "superhero". The Alan Moore run anyway

[@krispalermo8133]

Borrowing from comics is never .. lame .. Just shows you know how to research material for good stories. 1970's Batman & Swamp Thing had a lot of good plot hooks.

[@catyear75]

There used to be ads in comic books for AD&D, and they once featured a Shambling Mound --- instantly became my favorite Monster..!

[@DMachoMickey]

I'm turning one into a seaweed monster that was created by a sea hag to keep nosy adventurers out of her lair.

[@AJPickett]

Ooo, nice twist!

[@sephiose]

An interesting point you brought up with taking one of the still living core roots and keeping it in a jar. I can certainly imagine a party holding onto it and dropping it into the middle of an enemy encampment via a flying familiar or pet and take advantage of the chaos.

[@almitrahopkins1873]

Weren't those neutral in 2nd? It's a semi-intelligent compost heap. It doesn't spread decay and rot out of malicious intent. It consumes so it can continue to live. I could easily see a druid herding them as well, feeding and fertilizing the forests or making dry land in swamps.

[@mattnerdy9430]

Hello AJ. Yet another great video, I like the way you use the different pictures to help tell the story. Roc video also had us flying over the trees and mountains. Thanks AJ for your M.E. series!

[@AJPickett]

Most welcome Matt!

[@trajanfidelis]

Evil swamp thing! Cool!

[@davidfletcher6703]

I imagine a colossal Shambling Mound looking like the Final form that Biolante took near the end of Godzilla vs Biolante

[@trentonmaloney3280]

im suprised i havent crafted this yet. what a cool idea thanx aj.

[@AJPickett]

Think I might do one or two myself..

[@samsamsamsamsamanilla5281]

Wow, thanks for the video, AJ. As a kid my first love was comics that then sparked my interest in D&D. I never really thought of the Shambling Mound as nothing more than the Man-Thing and/or The Swamp Thing, thanks for the enlightenment😁

[@coreymerrill3257]

. That time my blade singer rolled a 1, killed the shambeling mound with a blow to the "brain" in its torso Problem is i hit a shrieker growing on its back and lost my arm...so sephearioth endness black thorn, the one armed blade singer...was super bad ass! ( there was no ff7 yet so 😝 i got the name from the book of names. Obviously its not in sylvan here. Fun fact. Always take acrabatics if your a blade singer. It really lets one show -boat their elven glory. With good rolls you can do things straight out of old kungfu movies... Backflipping onto the shpulders of a giant , landing on and standing on the hilt and pommel, driveing the sword in deep into the giants head, you quickly use your new height advantage to cast a spell like fireball or magic missles ,regrabbing the hilt of your sword you kick off the noe collapsing giants chest drawing the blade quickly and jumping to the ground. The ex living giant hits the ground and suddenlt blood gushes like its a horror anime...bladesingers. My favorite ! So rightfully pompous.

[@HowtoRPG]

Thanks AJ.

[@DarthRamzes]

I have put my players through encounter with Shambling Mound, which was home to swarms of rot grubs. That was nasty, but I have competent players, so they all have survived.

[@lordinquisitor6233]

Groots pissed off brother

[@destonlee2838]

Shamblers are great nesting egg monsters. I like to hide trolls in them, and beholders. And otyughs. Like 3 kobolds in an overcoat. Shamblers often foreshadow skull dragons or hags at my table.

[@RaptorsVevo]

I'm running an encounter soon where a Shambling mound is being tended to by several will-o-wisps which I altered to being fey again. It should be fun because the wisps can choose to zap it as a healing effect instead of attacking the players

[@AJPickett]

What sort of terrain is the encounter taking place in? Will it change over the course of the encounter? Are there any time sensitive events that will occur unless the player characters manage to intervene? Will certain actions during the encounter uncover more information about the relationship between the creatures?

[@bullroarer-took]

Love your vidoes mate, but may I make a suggestion: the sound effects/song at the beggining of the video is about 100 times louder than the actual video. Maybe we could equal those out? :D Cheers

[@AJPickett]

Old video, fixed the issue since, thanks for the feedback, it is how I learn and improve!

[@bullroarer-took]

You're awesome. Keep up the great work!!! I dont even play dnd anymore but I listen to these when I play video games lol

[@ironkeepgaming1936]

If this thing was a Pokémon it’s type would be grass/fairy

[@Purple.mind...Honored.one.]

Oh yeah if you found out more information on the shambling mounds recently it'd be cool if you redid that video after the dragons

[@stevenpeterson8582]

Increase the shambling mound's mental ability scores and you have Swamp Thing from the comic books. An intelligent shambling mound with druidic powers would be an ideal recurring NPC in a swampy area.

[@kurtoogle4576]

My first encounter with a shambling mound - 1980's comic book advertisement. 3.bp.blogspot.com/-GU1miwYDues/Txd-y0OZYxI/AAAAAAAACyc/C-6PEw7Ty0I/s1600/D%2526D+Adventure+001a.jpg Ever since, I've been adding Green Slime as a covering on shambling mounds - extra terrifying!