Homebrews by TBC

[The Big Cheese]

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!

[Cheapy]

They're a bit on the strong side, especially for martial types. Most of their real downsides can be over come by boys of springing and striding and a hat of disguise.

[+5 Toaster]

What cheapy said, plus physical attraciveness is at least partially tied to the charisma stat, so if they ARE that hideous then a charisma penalty should be in place. the plausible way around that would be if they are so VERBALLY charismatic that they make up for the fact they are so nasty looking, but based on your fluff i just don't see that happening. by the way just a thought, but it would be cool to see a race trait similar to the tiefling's that would allow them to treat their charisma as 2 higher for the aberrant bloodline.

[The Big Cheese]

Thank you for your input, and I've edited accordingly.(-2/-2)
Anyways
I promised my next Homebrew.
My friends all seem to love this one.
We all love Goblins. It's hard not to, with their quirks, dirty, cowardly tactics and love of psychotic burning and destruction.
They make half-decent Monks to boot, my favorite class.
Therefore, upon the spurring of my friends, I made a Racial Archetype for the Monk for the Goblins to enjoy.

Irritating Boxer(Goblin, Monk)
When fair fighting isn't enough for some, others turn to cheap blows and vicious attacks to sensitive areas. Forgetting the hazards of provoking others, they run right under their foes, striking them where it hurts most.....

Alignment: Any Chaotic

Haymaker:
At 1st level, whenever making a Flurry, a Boxer can make an attack that deals 1 1/2 his Strength Modifier to damage(2x if using Dragon Style). At 8th level, he can make two Haymakers, just as he recieves more attacks, and can make 3 Haymakers at 15th level. A Haymaker is powerful, but expends a great deal of energy after the wind-up and the swing, so for a number of rounds equal to the number of attacks the Boxer made a Haymaker, he is fatigued. He cannot make Haymakers while Fatigued.
Replaces 1st level Bonus Feat

Cheap Shot:
At 1st level, whenever the opponent provokes an Attack of Opportunity, is flanked, Flat Footed, or otherwise helpless, the Boxer deals additional Precision Damage if using an Unarmed Strike or Brass Knuckles. This damage is 1d6 at 1st level, which increases to 2d6 at 5th and every 5 levels thereafter, to a maximum of 5d6.
This replaces Stunning Fist

Irritating Avoidance:
At 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the Boxer gains a cumulative +1 Dodge Bonus to AC vs. Attacks of Opportunity. At 9th level, the opponent provokes an Attack of Opportunity from the Boxer whenever he would provoke in turn. At 18th level, the Boxer can no longer be struck by Attack of Opportunity, but is still treated as provoking them for the purpose of opponents provoking.
Replaces Still Mind

Low Blows in a Row:
At 4th level, the Boxer can attack as many opponents in as many threatened areas he runs through equal to his Dexterity Modifier. Hence an Irritating Boxer with an 18 Dex could attack 4 foes whose threatened areas he runs through. In addition, he may choose one opponent he moves past to hit with his Cheap Shot. If he misses with this Cheap Shot, his movement ends in the nearest 5ft square behind the opponent he chose.
At 8th level and every 4 levels after, he may choose one additional opponent to hit with his Cheap Shot, though he lowers the dice of Cheap Shot by 1d6 after every attack, to a minimum of 1d6. If, at any time, he misses by 5 or more, he falls prone unless the Boxer makes a successful DC 20 Reflex Save.

Irritate:
At 15th level, he may, as a Standard Action, throw an insult, personal jab, or otherwise torment an enemy within 30ft who can hear or see him to the point of no return. The opponent must make a Will Save equal to 10 +1/2 Level + Wisdom Modifier or be subject as if he'd begun Raging as a 1st level Barbarian, save he gets no Ability Score increase, but does get the -2 AC and +2 Will Saves. They are Irritated until either they fall unconscious, or the Boxer is unconscious or dead. The Boxer may only keep one opponent Irritated like this at a time. Attempting to do this to another opponent ends the effect and passes it to the one being currently Irritated. This is a Mind-Affecting Effect.
This replaces Quivering Palm.

So What'd y'all think?
All of my buddies loved this, like I said.
I tried to do our Gobby buddies justice and make a Monk that represented their humor, their fun, and just how dastardly they can be.

[_Cobalt_]

Shoggoths, creatures created by HP Lovecraft, have quite an interesting back-story if you want to go by source canon.

Created by aliens to act as slaves, eventually gained sentience and rebelled. That's the TL:DR version. At The Mountains of Madness is where you would want to look for the full story.