Timber Dragons, from the Immortal's Handbook (Epic Bestiary I), are draconic druids that look like trees. I was curious to see how many age categories it would take to have a Timber Dragon that was hatched in the Triassic Period, as one of the first living creatures in the world. Doing the calculations, it turns out that you need at least 24 epic dragon age categories to go back that far, otherwise known as a Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Wyrm Timber Dragon, which from here on out I will abbreviate as simply, "Elder Dragon".
Why "Elder Dragon", you ask? Well, it's very appropriate, since 24 epic dragon age categories gives 24 divine ranks, which puts it into "Elder God" territory.
Now then... what being that looks like a tree would classify as an Elder God? Well... that's easy. Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Not that the World Tree gets up and moves very much, but Sidereals (Cosmic Entities), according to the Immortal's Handbook again, are all (or almost all) imprisoned, asleep, or otherwise banished anyway. So that'll explain matters easily enough!
The neat thing is the Immortal's Handbook offers rules for how Odin might have gained power from the Yggdrasil in this manner. See the "Divine Inspiration" and "Divine Presence" cosmic abilities in Ascention for what I'm getting at here. I altered Divine Presense for this situation though, into "Runes of Knowledge". See my writeup below for more details. This matches the legend closely enough, I hope.
Statblock[]
Yggdrasil, the World Tree
Yggdrasil CR 164
Female Elder Timber Dragon Divine Rank 24 (Elder One)
True Neutral Macro-Fine Dragon (Extraplanar, Plant)
Init +24, Senses Listen +232; Spot +232; Darkvision 240 ft. Cosmic Consciousness
Aura Crown of Vermin (10 ft., no save, 10d10 damage), Terrifying Presence (2880 ft., DC 150, panic 8d6 rounds)
Languages Draconic, Druidic, Sylvan
AC 220, touch 19, flat-footed 220 (-32, +24 divine, +17 deflection, +201 natural)
hp 44,772 (164d100double max+119728036 con + 3936 improved toughness x24 HD); DR 80/—; Regeneration 82/fire or acid
Immune poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorphing, stunning, disease, death effects, mind-affecting effects, nonlethal damage, ability drain or energy drain, natural and magic effects; SR 148
Fort +196, Ref +147, Will +188
Spd 640 ft., fly 1920 ft. (clumsy)
Melee Bite +237 (30d10+64), Claw +232/+232 (15d10+32), Wing +232/+232 (10d10+32), Tail Slap +232 (15d10+96)
Base Atk +164; Grp +276
Space ft. ft.; Reach ft.
Atk Options Breath Weapon (90 ft. Cone of Dessicating Death, DC 150, 164d12 damage, 164d20 vs. plants and water subtype), Crush (40d10+96 and pin, DC 150), Tail Sweep (10d10+96 DC 150), Uncanny Power Attack (Mastery), Great Cleave
Special Actions Alter Reality, Bleeding Wounds, Seventh Sense
Class Spells Prepared (CL 83): (6/16/15/15/15/15/13/13/13/13)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 164):
- At will - Animate plants, control plants, transmute metal to wood
- 3/day - Shambler, Verdigris, dreamscape
- 1/day - Lord of Nightmares, verdigris tsunami
- 1/week - Raise Island
Abilities Str 139 (+64), Dex 10 (+0), Con 109 (+49), Int 45 (+17), Wis 92 (+41), Cha 45 (+17)
Feats
- Metamagic - Automatic Metamagic Capacity x20, Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Widen Spell
- Metabreath - Clinging Breath, Lingering Breath, Enlarge Breath, Heighten Breath, Maximize Breath, Quicken Breath, Recover Breath, Shape Breath, Split Breath, Spreading Breath, Extend Spreading Breath, Tempest Breath
- Other - Supress Weakness (Fire), Overcome Weakness (Fire), Improved ToughnessB x24
- Power Attack - Power Attack, Improved Power Attack, Uncanny Power Attack, Power Attack Mastery
- Wildshape Feats - Colossal/Fine Wildshape, Diminutive/Gargantuan Wildshape, Dragon Wildshape, Magical Beast Wildshape, Plant Wildshape, Vermin Wildshape
Divine Abilities: Regeneration, Sacred Body, Sacred Mind, Sacred Soul, Sacred Spirit, Seventh Sense Cosmic Abilities: Abbrogate, Divine Inspiration, Runes of Knowledge
Skills All Strength Skills +255, All Dexterity Skills +191, All Constitution Skills +240, All Intellegence and Charisma skills +208, All Wisdom Skills +232
Description[]
Yggdrasil is the "World Tree", a gigantic ash tree, connects the nine worlds: Ásgard, Álfheimr and Vanaheim rest on the branches of Yggdrasil. The trunk is the world-axis piercing through the center of Miðgarðr (often called Midgard), around which Jötunheimr was situated, and below which lay Nidavellir or Svartálfheim. Its three roots stretch down to Hel, Niflheim, and Muspelheim, although only the first world hosted a spring for Yggdrasil.
In the top of the tree is perched a giant eagle named Vidofnir, and sitting upon its forehead was a hawk named Vedrfolnir (Old Norse: Veðrfolnír). The Niflheim roots of Yggdrasil were gnawed at by a dragon, Níðhöggr. Ratatosk, a squirrel, scurries up and down the tree between Níðhöggr and the eagle, forwarding insults between them. There are also four stags feeding on the bark of Yggdrasil: Duneyrr, Durathror, Dvalin, and Dainn.
But Yggdrasil is more than a tree. A hundred million years ago, Yggdrasil the oldest terrestrial dragon in the world, even then at least two hundred million years old, was cast into a deep slumber during The Dimension War, weaving her into the fabric of the tapestry of reality itself, becomming fundamental to the existence of the entire world, as it is known today.
The statistics above are applicable only when Yggdrasil is awake, which as a rule, is never. Perhaps at the end of the world she will awaken, or partially awaken. Or perhaps she will slumber on regardless, until the next world is born.
Yggdrasil sleeps, and dreams. And with powerful magic, it may be possible to tap into her dreams, as Odin did once. In his words:
- I hung on that windy tree for nine nights wounded by my own spear.
- I hung to that tree, and no one knows where it is rooted.
- None gave me food. None gave me drink. Into the abyss I stared
- until I spied the runes. I seized them up, and, howling, fell.
The runes which Odin sought were granted by Yggdrasil, even as she still slept.
Níðhöggr bothers her, even in the midst of her slumber. Occassionally, the bother is significant enough that druidic gods can hear, or even feel her pain. Though she will not stir herself, these others will act in her stead.
Details[]
Aura[]
Terrifying Presence (Ex): Yggdrasil’s frightful presence extends to 2880 feet. All creatures failing their will saves (DC 109) become panicked for 8d6 rounds, those who successfully save are still treated as shaken, unless wholly immune to fear.
Crown of Vermin (Su): In combat Yggdrasil is constantly protected by an effect similar to a crown of vermin spell, except that the damage is only 10d10 per round. This effect has a radius of 10 feet.
Offense[]
Abrogate (Su): Any single opponent within 6960 feet has its greatest ability negated. This can be an ability score, feat, class feature, or one of its other abilities (divine, cosmic etc.). A "negated" ability score is reduced to 10.
Alter Reality: Yggdrasil is part of the fabric of reality. Once per round as a free action she can duplicate any spell of level 29 or lower. This ability can also duplicate any epic spells of a DC equal to 228 or lower.
Bleeding Wounds (Su): Wounds delivered by the thorned limbs of Yggdrasil continue to bleed after the injury is inflicted. Each wound bleeds 1 point of damage per round thereafter. Multiple wounds result in a cumulative effect. The bleeding can only be stopped by a successful DC 15 Heal check or the application of any cure spell or other healing magic.
Breath Weapon (Su): Yggdrasil can breathe a withering 90 foot cone of desiccating death. This delivers 164d12 points of damage, similar to a horrid wilting spell. The effect deals d20 damage per Hit Dice to plants and water based creatures. Once used, Yggdrasil cannot use her breath weapon again for 1d3-1 rounds (unless modified by metabreath feats, which usually increase this waiting time).
Uncanny Power Attack (Mastery) (Ex): On your action, before each attack, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add twice that same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty and bonus only apply to each attack you make seperately, and the number can be changed between attacks.
If you attack with a two-handed weapon, or with a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands, instead add quadruple the number subtracted from your attack rolls.
Defense[]
Cosmic String (Ex): Yggdrasil can only be permanently destroyed by a being of equal or better divine status. If Yggdrasil is destroyed by a being of a lower divine status she simply rejuvenates within 1d10 minutes. During this time of rejuvination she is vulnerable to imprisonment.
Natural and Magic Immunity (Ex): Yggdrasil is unaffected by any magical or natural effects such as: ability damage, disease, natural elements (cold, drowning, fire, lava, lightning etc.), poison and so forth. She can still be affected by artifacts (epic magic items) and epic spells.
Seventh Sense (Ex): Yggdrasil can replay 24 rounds per day. When she replays a round, everyone else uses the same actions, whereas she can change her actions based on the knowledge of what they are going to do, and how the rolls of the dice are going to turn out. She can only replay a given round once before the time stream becomes too muddied and confused. Slipstream is no defense against this ability.
Traits[]
Divine Rank 24 (Su): Yggdrasil possesses 24 divine ranks, qualifying her as an Elder One. As such, she gains a divine bonus to: armor class; attack rolls; checks (ability checks, caster level checks, skill checks, turning checks); difficulty class (for any special abilities, spell-like abilities, spells); initiative; saving throws and spell resistance. This has been already been factored in above.
Integrated Druid Levels (Ex): Yggdrasil has 83 integrated levels of druid, granting her the following abilities:
- Spontaneous Casting - Swap any prepared spell for an equivelent level Summon Nature's Ally spell.
- Animal Companion (Ex) - +56 HD, +56 natural armor, +28 str/dex, 29 bonus tricks
- Link, share spells, improved evasion, devotion, multiattack
- Nature Sense (Ex) - +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival (not included in the skills above)
- Wild Empathy (Ex) - 1d20+100, acts as diplomacy with animals
- Woodland Stride (Ex) - No natural movement penalties in forest
- Trackless Step (Ex) - Cannot be tracked in the wilderness
- Resist Nature's Lure (Ex) - +4 to saves from fae abilities
- Wild Shape (Su) - 16/day (fine to colossal), elemental 3/day
- A Thousand Faces (Su) - Disguise self at will in normal form; not illusionary
Runes of Knowledge (Su): Yggdrasil has an aditional divine ability not listed in the statblock above that can be changed, as a free action, once per round. This divine ability is written in a secret place located on Yggdrasil's skin, invisible to any except those that Yggdrasil chooses to allow to see it. No form of magic, epic or otherwise, can reveal these runes if they are not voluntarily revealed by Yggdrasil.
Only one living person at a time can read the runes. Once read, the reader gains that divine ability for as long as Yggdrasil allows that creature to possess it, whether or not they have the required prerequisites. If Yggdrasil changes the ability as described above, the person possessing the runes automatically loses them, although they may be offered the chance to read the new runes at her discretion.
Virtual Size Categories (Ex): Yggdrasil's tremendous strength stems from her massive density, which also makes her natural weapons more formidable, grants her additional constitution, and toughens her already hard natural armor even further. These modifications are already factored in above.
Animal Companion[]
Vidofnir and/or Veðrfölnir
Teratoid Legendary Eagle Advanced +24 HD
Neutral Huge Outsider (Augmented Animal, Extraplanar, Familiar)
Init +16, Senses Listen +31; Spot +39; Low-light vision
Languages Avian
AC 120, touch 24, flat-footed 104 (-2 size, +16 dex, +96 natural)
hp 644 (56d8+392 HD)
Fort +35, Ref +44, Will +30
Spd 90 ft. (18 squares), fly 720 ft. (good)
Melee Talons +82/+82 (2d6+28), Bite +82 (2d6+14)
Base Atk +56; Grp +92
Space 15 ft. ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Atk Options Adroit Flyby Attack, Rend, Power Attack, Power Dive, Snatch, Wingstorm
Special Actions Hover, Power Climb, Wingover
Abilities Str 66 (+28), Dex 43 (+16), Con 24 (+7), Int 2 (-4), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 6 (-2)
SQ Link, share spells, devotion
Feats Improved EvasionB, MultiattackB
Adroit Flyby Attack[1], Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Manueverability[1], Improved Multiattack[1], Power Attack, Power Climb[1], Power Dive[1], Rend[1], Snatch, Wingstorm[1], Wingover
Esoteric Ability Celerity
Skills Balance +18, Intimidate +27, Survival +31
Description[]
Vidofnir quarrels constantly with Níðhöggr, but since it never leaves its perch, the squirrel Ratatosk conveys insults and snappy comebacks between the two.
Veðrfölnir sits at the end of the skies and brings about the winds with his wings. His name means "the one bleached by the weather."