Shoggoth

Shoggoth — Survivor of the Elder Thing Rebellion

Appearance. A Shoggoth is a vast, mutable mass of living tissue, able to raise temporary eyes, mouths, gripping limbs and supporting structures from its own body. It can flatten itself beneath a gate or fill a passage with weight and movement. Its shape changes to suit the work—or violence—at hand.

Behaviour. The oldest Shoggoths were engineered to perform demanding tasks for the Elder Things. They learned, adapted and eventually turned on their makers. Surviving lineages need not share one temperament: an isolated Shoggoth may defend a familiar underground route, seek food, follow an inherited pattern of work or reject anything resembling its former masters. A traveller who assumes it is mindless may fail to recognise a deliberate warning.

Origins and habitat. Shoggoths developed on Earth through the ancient biotechnology of the Elder Things, not as native primordial oozes or invaders drifting between the stars. The Dawn of Earth records the long development of their earliest forms. Their descendants survive in abandoned laboratories, drowned vaults and deep passages whose entrances have been buried by later geological ages.

In an encounter. A Shoggoth can pass through openings that should stop an animal of its size, seal an exit with its body or force intruders away from machinery it still tends. Disturbed chambers may offer clues before an attack: polished tracks where a heavy body regularly passes, moved objects, or tools arranged for work that ended millions of years ago.

Historical consequences. In the Middle Permian Shoggoth Rebellion, independent Shoggoths devastated parts of Elder Thing civilisation without destroying every colony. That conflict preceded the natural Great Dying; the rebellion did not cause the planetary extinction. A sealed ruin encountered in 1454 may therefore contain evidence of two separate disasters: an ancient revolt and the later collapse of the surrounding ecosystem.

Shoggoth 5e
Shoggoth Pathfinder

Shoggoth

Huge Aberration, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 12 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64)
Speed 30 ft., Swim 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
24 (+7)	10 (0)	18 (+4)	1 (-5)	7 (-2)	1 (-5)

Saving Throws Str +11, Con +8
Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Fire
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Prone
Senses Blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Amorphous. The shoggoth can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Engulf. The shoggoth engulfs creatures in its path that are Medium size or smaller. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of the shoggoth’s turns or take 36 (8d8) acid damage. If the shoggoth moves, the engulfed creature moves with it. The shoggoth can have up to four creatures engulfed at a time.

Multiattack. The shoggoth makes two pseudopod attacks.

Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) acid damage.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) acid damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 18) if the shoggoth isn’t already constricting a creature, and the target is restrained until this grapple ends.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the shoggoth fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The shoggoth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Assimilate. The shoggoth targets one creature engulfed by it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be absorbed into the shoggoth. On a successful save, the target takes 36 (8d8) acid damage. On a failed save, the target is absorbed, and the shoggoth regains hit points equal to the absorbed creature’s hit point maximum. The absorbed creature is destroyed.

Pseudopod Hurl. The shoggoth hurls one engulfed creature at another creature within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the thrown creature hits another creature, that creature must also succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage.

Legendary Actions

The shoggoth can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The shoggoth regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Pseudopod Attack. The shoggoth makes one pseudopod attack.

Engulf. The shoggoth moves up to its speed. If it enters a creature’s space during this movement, that creature must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be engulfed.

Amorphous Movement (Costs 2 Actions). The shoggoth moves through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing, and it doesn’t provoke an opportunity attack when it does so.

This mass of undulating tarry black flesh exudes the smell of decay, filled with bubbles of vilest air and giving off a very faint luminescence. Its unworldly voice is plaintive, always crying, “Tekeli-li!”

Orginally posted on Archives of Nethys

Source Crucible of Chaos pg. 29

Some surviving Shoggoths still occupy the worksites, shafts and flooded chambers of their former masters. Others escaped the laboratories long ago and now treat any intruder as a threat. Their behaviour can appear brutish, but the ancient rebellion proves they are capable of adaptation and collective resistance. Hunger is a danger; so is disturbing the work, territory or freedom a particular Shoggoth has defended for ages.

Environment: Shoggoths are impervious to heat and cold and can thrive on minimal foodstuffs filtered from air or water when nothing more nutritious is available. They prefer environments where water or ice is available.

Typical Physical Characteristics: A shoggoth’s form is constantly shifting, as the creature moves, explores, and interacts with its environment. Extremely adaptable, its current form is always the one that is most ideally suited to finding and consuming living flesh.

At any one time, a shoggoth has dozens of pseudopods of varying proportions, and it uses them to create hands, suckers, stingers, or tentacles to grab and consume its prey. Its skin glows with a very faint emerald luminescence. Its black tarry flesh is sometimes translucent as well, especially when it has not eaten in a long time.

It is capable of secreting a thick, viscous, semiopaque, sticky slime that further enhances its ability to catch and devour its prey. Shoggoths have no proper mouth but create and absorb such organs as needed.

Shoggoth CR 15

Always CN Gargantuan ooze (chaotic)
Init +2;
Senses Blindsight 200 ft.; Spot +0, Listen +20

DEFENSE

AC 10, touch 4, flat-footed 10 (-2 Dexterity, +6 natural, -4 size)

hp 351 (26d10+108); fast healing 10

Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +16

DR 10/-; Immune acid, mind-affecting effects, ooze traits, poison; Resist cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20; SR 25

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., Climb 20 ft., Swim 20 ft.

Melee 4 tentacles +28 (4d6+14/19-20)

Space 20 ft., Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks absorb, engulf, improved grab

Statistics

Strength 38, Dexterity 6, Constitution 27, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 22, Charisma 13

Base Atk +17; Grapple +48 Feats Ability Focus (engulf ), Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (tentacle), Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tentacle)

Skills Climb +23, Jump +22, Listen +20, Swim +22

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary Treasure standard Advancement 27-36 HD (Gargantuan), 37-72 HD (Colossal)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Absorb (Ex) A shoggoth feeds by absorbing other creatures into its hideous amoeboid form. Any creature engulfed by the monster for 1 full round must succeed at a DC 31 Fortitude save or be absorbed into the mass and die. A successful save prevents absorption that round. Each absorbed creature heals a shoggoth of 2d6 points of damage.

A shoggoth expels the absorbed creature’ metal, wood, and other belongings from its body 1d3 rounds after absorption. Nothing short of a wish or similar magic can restore an absorbed creature. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Blindsight (Ex) In addition to normal senses, a shoggoth’s entire body is a primitive sensory organ that can detect prey by scent and vibration. It can discern objects and creatures within 200 feet. The shoggoth does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its Blindsight, and such creatures do not benefit from concealment.

Engulf (Ex) A shoggoth can bowl over creatures up to one size category smaller than itself as a standard action. This attack affects as many opponents as the shoggoth’s body can cover. Each target can make either an attack of opportunity against the shoggoth or attempt a DC 39 Reflex save to avoid being engulfed.

A successful saving throw indicates that the target has been pushed back or aside (target’s choice) as the shoggoth moves forward. An engulfed creature is considered grappled and trapped within the shoggoth’s body.

A shoggoth cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it attempts to engulf, but each successfully engulfed creatures takes automatic slam damage on that round and every round it remains trapped.
On any round after engulfing a creature, the shoggoth can attempt to absorb it as a free action. If the shoggoth has successfully grabbed a creature and it is still grappling that creature at the start of the shoggoth’s next turn, the shoggoth may automatically engulf the creature. The save DC is Strength-based.

Fearful Keening (Ex) Any corporeal creature with 10 or fewer Hit Dice that hears the fearful ‘Tekili-li!’ call of a shoggoth must make a DC 24 Will saving throw or be shaken for the next 2d6 rounds. Another save is required at the end of that time if the creature is still within range. A single successful save renders the creature immune to that shoggoth’s fearful keening for 24 hours.The save DC is Charisma-based.

Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a shoggoth must hit a creature up to one size category smaller than itself with a tentacle attack. It may then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold. A shoggoth has a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks.