Triple Threat: Shoggoth

Note: This is a creature from H. P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos.

Shoggoth

Iridescent black masses of bubbling protoplasm with random eyes, mouths, and less definable organs forming from and receding into the body, Shoggoths were created the servants of the Elder Things using alien biotechnology about a billion years ago. Shoggoths are malevolent, mocking, and dangerous, using their strength and size to crush, rip or suck opponents apart and eat or toy with them. They are easily hypnotized and enslaved, but murderously rebellious if the hypnotic control is ever relaxed or broken, but their strength makes them valuable despite an increasingly cunning evolving intelligence. This is a “small” Shoggoth, larger ones are possible (and can be epic in their proportions). As one of my players said “You do not fight a shoggoth you just hope you can run faster than the other guy before he gets eaten.”
Any Game System…
ST: 55                    HP: 100                Speed: 5.00
DX: 10                   Will: 10                Move: 5/10
IQ: 7                      Per: 14                 Weight: 40 tons
HT: 12                   FP: 14                   SM: +6
Dodge: 9               Parry: 11              DR: 0
Fright Check: -9 (Cosmic, Sanity-Blasting)
Area-Slam (-): Billows out, automatically hitting anyone within seven yards. The only defense allowed is diving for cover (p. B377); this must succeed and move the defender out of range. On a hit, roll 12d and divide by victim’s ST-2 for knockback in yards. See Knockback (p. B378) for effects, like being knocked down and hurled into walls. Anyone backed up against a hard surface is instead “trash-compacted” for 6d-1 crushing.
Bite (17): 3d-2 cutting. Reach C-7.
Digest (-): Once a target has been Engulfed (see below), the Shoggoth can begin to digest its target, doing 2d of damage (which also heals it a like amount) until the target is dead or no longer Engulfed. It can digest any living (or once living) matter, gaining HP while its target loses them.
Engulf (-): If your target doesn’t break free from between when you grapple him and the next turn, you automatically pin him (Pin, p. B370). This pin is completely “hands free.” Victims with abilities such as Innate Attack and Spines can hit you automatically while engulfed, however. If so, you get no active defense.
Pseudopod Blow (17): 6d crushing. Reach C-7.
Pseudopod Grapple (17): Reach C-7. No damage. On your next turn, and each successive turn, roll a Quick Contest: your 28 vs. your victim’s ST or HT, whichever is higher. If you win, your victim takes damage equal to your margin of victory; otherwise, he takes no damage. Treat this as a two-handed grapple. Made using five pseudopods and as a Deceptive Attack (-5 to defend against).
Traits:  360º Vision (Panoptic 2); Amphibious; Appearance (Horrific); Cannot Speak; Combat Reflexes; Constriction (Engulfing; Weak, 1/2 ST); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Extra Arms 18 (Extra Flexible); Extra Attack 3; Extreme Fanaticism (To Its Masters); Fit; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control (Accessbility, not against specific dark rites*); Indomitable (Cosmic); Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction 2; Limited, Fire or Electricity only); Injury Tolerance (Diffuse); Invertebrate; Magic Resistance 5; No Fine Manipulators; Regeneration (Fast; 10 HP/6 seconds); Reprogramable; Shrieks “Tekeli-li!”; Social Stigma (Monster); Temperature Tolerance 14 (-79°F to 114°F); Unfazeable (Cosmic); Very High Pain Threshold; Universal Digestion (Matter Eater); Weak Bite.
Skills: Brawling-17; Wrestling-17.
Notes: Sterile. Has no facing. If the GM is using Intrinsic Fright Check GURPS Horror, (p. 139) Shoggoths have a modifier of -9 and are considered to be “Sanity-Blasting.”
* This requires a Research, Thuamatology, or Hidden Lore roll at -10. This blasphemous magic almost always requires sacrifices – especially humans and are therefore unfit for most PCs.

Dungeon Fantasy…
ST: 55                    HP: 100                Speed: 5.00
DX: 10                   Will: 10                Move: 5/10
IQ: 7                      Per: 14                 Weight: 40 tons
HT: 12                   FP: 14                   SM: +6
Dodge: 9               Parry: 11              DR: 0
Area-Slam (-): Billows out, automatically hitting anyone within seven yards. The only defense allowed is diving for cover (p. B377); this must succeed and move the defender out of range. On a hit, roll 12d and divide by victim’s ST-2 for knockback in yards. See Knockback (p. B378) for effects, like being knocked down and hurled into walls. Anyone backed up against a hard surface is instead “trash-compacted” for 6d-1 crushing.
Bite (17): 3d-2 cutting. Reach C-7.
Digest (-): Once a target has been Engulfed (see below), the Shoggoth can begin to digest its target, doing 2d of damage (which also heals it a like amount) until the target is dead or no longer Engulfed. It can digest any living (or once living) matter, gaining HP while its target loses them.
Engulf (-): If your target doesn’t break free from between when you grapple him and the next turn, you automatically pin him (Pin, p. B370). This pin is completely “hands free.” Victims with abilities such as Innate Attack and Spines can hit you automatically while engulfed, however. If so, you get no active defense.
Pseudopod Blow (17): 6d crushing. Reach C-7.
Pseudopod Grapple (17): Reach C-7. No damage. On your next turn, and each successive turn, roll a Quick Contest: your 28 vs. your victim’s ST or HT, whichever is higher. If you win, your victim takes damage equal to your margin of victory; otherwise, he takes no damage. Treat this as a two-handed grapple. Made using five pseudopods and as a Deceptive Attack (-5 to defend against).
Traits:  360º Vision (Panoptic 2); Amphibious; Appearance (Horrific); Cannot Speak; Combat Reflexes; Constriction (Engulfing; Weak, 1/2 ST); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Extra Arms 18 (Extra Flexible); Extra Attack 3; Extreme Fanaticism (To Its Masters); Fit; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control (Accessbility, not against specific dark rites*); Indomitable (Cosmic); Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction 2; Limited, Fire or Electricity only); Injury Tolerance (Homongeous ); Invertebrate; Magic Resistance 5; No Fine Manipulators; Regeneration (Fast; 10 HP/6 seconds); Reprogramable; Shrieks “Tekeli-li!”; Social Stigma (Monster); Temperature Tolerance 14 (-79°F to 114°F); Unfazeable (Cosmic); Very High Pain Threshold; Universal Digestion (Matter Eater); Weak Bite.
Skills: Brawling-17; Wrestling-17.
Classification: Elder Thing.

Notes: Sterile. Has no facing.
* This requires a Research, Thuamatology, or Hidden Lore roll at -10. This blasphemous magic almost always requires sacrifices – especially humans and are therefore unfit for most PCs.

Monster Hunters

ST: 55                    HP: 100                Speed: 5.00
DX: 10                   Will: 10                Move: 5/10
IQ: 7                      Per: 14                 Weight: 40 tons
HT: 12                   FP: 14                   SM: +6
Dodge: 9               Parry: 11              DR: 4 (Tough Skin)
Fright Check: -9 (Cosmic, Sanity-Blasting)
Area-Slam (-): Billows out, automatically hitting anyone within seven yards. The only defense allowed is diving for cover (p. B377); this must succeed and move the defender out of range. On a hit, roll 12d and divide by victim’s ST-2 for knockback in yards. See Knockback (p. B378) for effects, like being knocked down and hurled into walls. Anyone backed up against a hard surface is instead “trash-compacted” for 6d-1 crushing.
Bite (17): 3d-2 cutting. Reach C-7.
Digest (-): Once a target has been Engulfed (see below), the Shoggoth can begin to digest its target, doing 2d of damage (which also heals it a like amount) until the target is dead or no longer Engulfed. It can digest any living (or once living) matter, gaining HP while its target loses them.
Engulf (-): If your target doesn’t break free from between when you grapple him and the next turn, you automatically pin him (Pin, p. B370). This pin is completely “hands free.” Victims with abilities such as Innate Attack and Spines can hit you automatically while engulfed, however. If so, you get no active defense.
Pseudopod Blow (17): 6d crushing. Reach C-7.
Pseudopod Grapple (17): Reach C-7. No damage. On your next turn, and each successive turn, roll a Quick Contest: your 28 vs. your victim’s ST or HT, whichever is higher. If you win, your victim takes damage equal to your margin of victory; otherwise, he takes no damage. Treat this as a two-handed grapple. Made using five pseudopods and as a Deceptive Attack (-5 to defend against).
Traits:  360º Vision (Panoptic 2); Amphibious; Appearance (Horrific); Cannot Speak; Combat Reflexes; Constriction (Engulfing; Weak, 1/2 ST); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Extra Arms 18 (Extra Flexible); Extra Attack 3; Extreme Fanaticism (To Its Masters); Fit; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control (Accessbility, not against specific dark rites*); Indomitable (Cosmic); Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction 4; Limited, Fire or Electricity only); Injury Tolerance (Diffuse); Invertebrate; Magic Resistance 10; No Fine Manipulators; Reprogramable; Regeneration (Very Fast; 100 HP/second); Shrieks “Tekeli-li!”; Social Stigma (Monster); Temperature Tolerance 14 (-79°F to 114°F); Unfazeable (Cosmic); Very High Pain Threshold; Universal Digestion (Matter Eater); Weak Bite.
Skills: Brawling-17; Wrestling-17.

Notes: Sterile. Has no facing. Use the skills listed under Free-Willed Spirits in the Know Thy Enemy box in Monster Hunters 1 (p. 16). This is a big, bad, boss of a monster, one that the entire team will likely have to focus on to bring down. In combat, it can take on several opponents, and whoever it hits is likely to go down!
* This requires a Research, Thuamatology, or Hidden Lore roll at -10. This blasphemous magic almost always requires sacrifices – especially humans and are therefore unfit for most PCs.

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7 Comments

  1. Yeah – killing a shoggoth is damn near impossible. I suppose you could lower it to just 10 HP a second and it would still be as deadly…just not as unbeatable. I didn't give it HPT – thought I probably should have. If you lower it's regeneration, add HPT.

  2. You did give it HPT. Its right there as 'very high pain threshold', but I don't know where the 'very' comes from as Ive never seen that in a GURPS book.

  3. I'm sorry, dude – I'm sick as hell right now. So I might make mistakes. VHPT is from Powers: Divine Favor. The Engulf ability is basically a slam in disguise. I apologize that there is so much you have issue with, most of this stuff is right from my campaign – please feel free to modify what you do or don't like. I can't please everyone (though I often try).

  4. I think what was meant is that Regeneration (very fast) is normally 1 HP per second, which would be x10 for it having HP 100, giving 10 HP/second. Regeneration (extreme) would be 100 hp/sec.

    These are awesome, by the way. I am running a high powered modern occult conspiracy game, and these Triple Threats have been very useful.

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