The Big Cheese's page

Note: I'm putting this at lv. 20, which may not fully show how powerful it is, given how Wizards can own the universe at lv. 16 and up.

Anyways.
With my love of wolves I've wanted to make a Wolf-Rider that wasn't outclassed by something else.
I believe I may have succeeded.

The Mammoth Rider Prestige Class allows for some pretty nasty mounts.
I've(obviously) taken 10 levels of Barbarian, and Greater Ferocious Mount and all the Beast Totem Rage powers.
Now, I noticed Wolves get Trip.
Now this is an underestimated boon. I decided that it would be best to give the Wolfie Improved and Greater Trip, along with Improved Natural Attack(Bite) just for flavor.
Now, with two claws, a tripping bite, pounce, and causing the opponent to provoke when tripped, I discovered what happens on a charge:

With Pounce while charging(Spirited Charge included) I do triple damage four times with my lance while raging for superb damage. My mount attacks, first two claws are nothing shabby, until it gets its bite. With a+2 Size modifier, all that strength, and handy bonuses from Improved and Greater Trip, the opponent is now prone and has provoked an attack of oppurtunity. Something I read in the core rulebook stated that provoked attacks work for all opponents who threaten said opponent, therefore:
Wolfie and I get yet another attack each. Now while the charge is the main damage the first round, I can do this every round the opponent attempts to get up again, considering they'll provoke an attack of opportunity doing so, allowing Wolfie to merely trip them with his AoO and allow us more attacks again.

In essence, once the enemy is down, they do not get up again... ever.

Greetings!
I'm not new here, as an individual.
This account is new....
I'd never mustered the resolve to make an account here, but I've been reading for quite some time now.
Being content to watch and read from a distance, as is so often my way.
Regardless, I've decided to, every so often, post the Races, Archetypes, etc, I've homebrewed to see what you folks think. Balance? Overpowered?
Your new favorite? You spit at its mention? Flames are welcomed, as they roast my marshmallows. Criticism is also needed please.

Here we go.
My first topic, is a race. A race I designed solely for the purpose of getting my Lovecraft... love.... on.

The Aboleths, whether or not this is canon, have always been portrayed to be by my DM as the kind of masterminds who rule the ocean depths. In addition, who else usually dwells down in those deep ocean trenches?

Shoggoths.

I was given the impression Aboleths kept them as a sort of pet, feeding them useless slaves, etc...
So I came up with an idea.
Aboleths enjoy having slaves, just as they also enjoy magic.
Their close proximity with a certain black amorphous mass of sensory organs also assists in the creation of what the Aboleths call the 'Shoggothite.'

Yes indeed. The Magical fusion of slaves(mostly human) and Shoggoths.
The Mother's die giving birth to the horror created through this profane magic, but since Shoggoth's are Chaotic Neutral, and Aboleths use them as just tougher, bigger slaves, they generally keep an even mind, even if their intellect is dampened by their origins.

Here we go.

Shoggothites are a grotesque site at worst, and at best a sickening blight to the eyes. Appearing as very tall, thick-skinned creatures. Resembling largely humans, with areas of skin constantly shifting and...oozing, in dark grey patches where various sensory organs form and reform constantly.(Couldn't find a picture even CLOSE to my description)
They're always tall, at least a good foot over the average human, and minimum a few inches over even the tallest.
(6'08"-8'00", 200 lbs- 310lbs)
Their facial expression is often one of contemplation. In addition, their eyes glow an unnatural green light at all times that one can see diffused even when their eyes are closed. This helps them see in even the darkest waters. Hair color is usually grey to pitch black, and sexual difference are usually subtle, such as longer, more oily hair on women, and much more fluid, oozing skin on males, though large differences are as possible and unique as each Shoggothite.

Despite their imposing appearance, most prefer a nonviolent existence. Even though they despise being slaves under the Aboleths, those who escape usually do similar work they did under slavery, possessing intelligence that, on average, is too low to truly perform specialized jobs, and as such prefer to simply become pseudo homesteaders if they escape and move to the surface. Most who do escape head straight for the surface immediately, wanting a life out of the darkness and bondage. Being of creation by Aboleths, much like the Gillmen, most expect them to require water to breathe, but Shoggothites do not breathe water, nor do they truly breathe at all in the conventional sense. The patches of grey upon their bodies filters oxygen straight from the air or water, and their part-ooze bodies don't dry out due to filtering moisture from the air as well, or just absorbing it from the water. Even the dryest of air has enough moisture to keep a Shoggothite alive, albeit at minor discomfort.
Most flee from a Shoggothite on site, and it doesn't help most only speak Aklo, a language not very friendly to the ears of non-speakers. The only races who don't hate or mistrust the Shoggothites are the Fetchlings and Ratfolk. Both having lived under prejudice has nothing to do with their respect and kindness, it has to do because they believe them to be victims of fate and evil

Whenever a Shoggothite bothers to worship, usually they worship their Fathers, the Shoggoth whose essence spawned them.
Most have a sort of emphatic connection to their Fathers, knowing what condition their Father is no matter where they are, and how he's feeling, even if Shoggoths don't technically have gender.

Most Shoggothites who go adventuring prefer classes with set principles and functions. Things with schedule. Most become Monks, though some with the grace become Paladins, and a few talented enough and filled with enough of the magic and combined power of both the Aboleth Magic and the Shoggoth's fury become Sorcerers. However, those who lived under slavery too long often become hateful of law and order, and become violent outlaws, usually of a Chaotic Neutral Alignment, and are usually Barbarians.

However, as a whole Shoggothites are a Lawful Neutral or a Lawful Good Race, few becoming evil as they disdain reminding themselves of the Aboleths.

Humanoids with the Shoggothite subtype

Racial Traits:
Shoggothite's amorphous bodies are resilient, strong, and rather nimble for their height, but they lack the brainpower to excell at complicated tasks. +2 Constitution, +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence

Base Speed: 20ft(Slow and Steady), Swim 20ft(+8 Racial)

Languages: Aklo, any Human Language, Undercommon, Common

Deep Sight: Can see perfectly in the dark up to 120ft, and in the ocean waters, gain See In Darkness, even if the darkness is not entirely or partially in the water.

Countless Eyes: Shoggothites constant sensory organs forming on patches of their skin give them an effective way to avoid those attempting to catch them off guard. +4 Perception

Offensive Racial Traits:
Striker: Gain Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

Sticky: +2 on Checks made to Grapple, opponents take -2 on Escape Artist checks after the fact.

Defense Racial Traits:
Natural Armor: Shoggothites have an incredibly thick skin, giving them a +2 Natural Armor.

Weakness Racial Traits:
Shoggothites possess neither the thin fingers nor the skill to tinker with various things, and don't specialize in nearly anything.
-2 to Craft and Profession

Cacophony: Shoggothites, like their Fathers, make confounding, confusing noises when they speak, and thus, take a -2 to Diplomacy checks, unless the listener succeeds at a DC 15 Linguistics check to discern words, this is assuming they share a common language at all.
This ability does not affect other Shoggothites, Aboleths, or Shoggoths.

Next Homebrew coming next week!