Your father leads you to the Human town for you first time. He says we need them, and they need us. But we don't need them in the same way.
They are weak, and we could kill them for Bhaal you think. But he tells you it's better to protect them, killing all the bandits and invaders that come to harm them.
You look at him, "So they're bait? "
He grins.
Orge Ancestry When the first Ogres were made, almost immediately were also the Half Ogres. Most Half Ogres were killed by Men and Elves out of fear. While the rest were killed by the Ogres out of disgust for their impure blood. Sometimes though, one would get away. Over the ages some of these runaway Half Ogres found each other and began working together to stay alive, and hid themselves deep in the Misty Forest north of Baldur's Gate.
They have managed to tame their Ogre blood lust into the form of a religion to the god Bhaal, god of death and blood. They have turned their blood, which has caused them so much torment, into the source of their power.
Over time they have taken on the softer features of their Human heritage, almost resembling a large half orc, but a keen eye can see their exaggerated bones, larger than normal bottom canine teeth, and some even have pointed ears. Not to mention they all stand over seven feet tall and have bulging muscles.
Tribesman Devotion to the tribe is paramount to the Goregrim.
In the tribe you will find little that shows a Goregrim's personality. Anything that doesn't benefit the tribe or praise Bhaal is considered pointless. Trophies from great foes may decorate one's home, but little else.
Age Goregrim mature at age 15 and live to about 80.
Alignment Goregrim are never Lawful good or Lawful evil. Tending more to Chaotic Neutral or Neutral Evil.
Normally Bhaal wouldn't tolerate any Good follower, but even the Good Goregrim are brutal warriors who love death and blood. Their work fascinates him so much he permits it and goes so far as to grant his blessings.
Size All Goregrim stand over 7 feet tall and have muscles that would put the strongest human to shame. Your size is medium and can still wear jewelery. Armor must be custom made as your tribe doesn't use any.
You stand 7 feet + 2d8 inches tall.
Speed Your base walking speed is 30
Darkvision You have superior vision and awareness in the dark. You can see 60 feet in dim light as if it were bright light, and in darkness as it it were dim light. You can only see shades of grey in darkness.
Languages You speak, read, and write Giant and Common.
Pummel
If you do not have a creature grappled, when you make an unarmed attack and hit, you may make a second unarmed attack against the same target.
If you have at most one creature grappled, you may make a single unarmed attack against them as an action.
Moontouched (optional)
Some Goregrim are born with the pale pupils of their ogre ancestors. They have superior awareness in the darkness, but shy away from bright light.
You gain +10 perception in the dark, but -10 perception in the light. Bright flashes can stun you for one turn on a failed Con save, dc 20.
(Additionally Optional)
Humans who claim to have seen these Moontouched say they are raging monsters with glowing red eyes.
During a Blood Moon its light is reflected in your pale eyes, turning them an almost glowing red.
The moon lasts for 8 hours and you feel the compulsion to kill growing stronger as the Blood Moon reaches its end, becoming an uncontrollable frenzy in the final minutes, attacking friend or foe.
You may add you PC level to a damage roll once per turn during a Blood Moon.
You must kill at least a small creature and bathe yourself in its blood before the moon ends to sate the bloodlust.
If you do not complete the ritual by the end of the Blood Moon you incur Bhaal's wrath and fall unconscious. You can only be woke by someone completing the ritual for you.
They must place a living innocent creature of at least small size on your chest, and bathe you in its blood.
You do not require food or water in this state, and loose the effects of Moontouched until the next Blood Moon when you must again complete the ritual to restore your powers.
The Blood Moon occurs every 30 + 10d10 days, to be rolled by your DM in secret at the start of the campaign and at the end of every Blood Moon.
Disclaimer: this class uses new but easy to learn mechanics.
Goregrim Tribe
Go-reh-grem
Multiclass
Must be at least level 10 to multiclass in or out of the Tribe.
Prerequisites:
At aleast 7' tall
Minimum strength of 17
Not lawful good or lawful evil
Wear no armor
Worship Bhaal
The drow ranger looks at you from his cover behind a tree, pointing one finger behind him then raises four finger up. He's found them. The bandits your party was hired to kill are just past the trees. He knows what you're going to do and readies an arrow as the sorcerer readies a firebolt.
Your charge out from the woodline catching them all by surprise, grabbing the closest one by the shoulders. He struggles under your immese strength, but can't stop you from hoisting him up and pulling him towards you.
As the barbed spikes on the front of your harness pierce through each of his shoulders he lets out a screech and you roar in triumph.
The other three bandits, with terror in their eyes, turn and run to the woods across the clearing. They only make it a few yards before a hail of arrows and fire reduce them to smoldering pincushions.
Fearsome close quarter warriors
Goregrim use the bodies of their enemies to protect themselves on the battlefield. They wear a self-made reinforced harness that has hooks or jagged spikes on the front, back, and on each shoulder. They are a terrifying sight, especially when they are wearing the bodies of the foes they've just felled.
Mostly Civilized
The tribe is primarily a semi civilized race of Half Ogre that resemble very large, bulky Humans with exaggerated features. They frequently go to Human towns to trade and find mercenary work.
On very rare occasions they will accept an outsider. This only happens when they have proven their strength, either by killing a tribesman, or a tribesman not being able to kill them, and meet the tribes requirements.
An invitation will be made, and upon accepting they will be taught in the ways of the tribe. Upon refusing however they will be hunted and killed.
Krig Harbunad
Literally translated as War Armor, tribesman is not complete without a Krig Harbunad. By your 15th birthday your Harbunad must be completed, though most complete theirs early as they are forbidden to hunt and kill without one.
Most Goregrim are poor craftsmen, as this is a pointless profession. They may spend months or years pondering their design and working to create it as perfectly as possible.
Many Harbunads become very elaborate and complex over time, as they continue to improve on them or change the design as the Goregrim changes and grows.
Kjott Kunst
Translated as Meat Art, these Flesh Altars are what binds a tribeman to Bhaal. They may perform the Ritual of Blood and Bone to form a Flesh Altar.
To do this they must remove the beating heart of a sentient creature while uttering a prayer to Bhaal. The severed heart is impaled on a spike that all Harbunads have in the middle of the chest, over the Goregrim's own heart.
The heart continues to beat as they cut and rearrange the flesh and bone of the victim however they want into a shrine, placing the heart inside once complete.
24 hours after being inserted in the Altar, the heart finishes regrowing veins and arteries and begins pumping an endless supply of blood. Some of which seeps through the muscles, running down the sides and soaking into the ground.
Legend has it this blood descends deep into Hell, and eventually reaches Bhaal where he drinks from it, smiling on the Goregrim.
If they do not perform the Ritual of Blood and Bone once a month they lose their Blood Magic powers until they complete the ritual.
Kjott Kor
Or Meat Prize, can only be acquired by making a Flesh Altar. One must cut a hand sized piece of flesh from their body and place it inside the Altar with the victim's heart. Known as the Ritual of Blood and Bone and Body.
When the Altar completes, a Bag of Flesh will be formed from your flesh and pushed out of the Altar, as well as your wound magically healing.
It is primarily used to transport freshy corpses to appropriate sites for Flesh Altars, and to bring large sources of food back to a fire, as well as a supply of corpses for battle.
The Bag is exactly a Bag of Holding, that only will accept dead fleshy creatures through its opening. It is made of raw flesh, ever moist and periodically dripping blood.
Fresh corpses and flesh do not spoil or decompose in your Bag of Flesh.
Never put diseased or rotting flesh in your Bag as this will disease the Bag and make it rot. If this happens you will have to make a new one, as a spoiled Bag will spoil anything put inside rendering it too soft to mount on your harness and too rotten to eat.
If none of your Flesh Altars possess a beating heart, your Bag of Flesh and its contents rot rapidly and a new one must be made.
Creating a Tribesman
A tribesman who leaves home is expected to spread the word of Bhaal by turning their foes into Altars of Flesh. While this drive does not make them evil, many fear them as if they were.
Most exemplify strength over all else. Some however go deeper into the Blood Magic offered by Bhaal. Going so far as to make gruesome and bloody massacres to appease their god.
Why do you worship Bhaal? Just for your love of death and blood? Or do you kill to protect, to spread the word of Bhaal, or maybe to create a forest of beating flesh.
Some are evil, some are good, but they all love the Tribe and their brothers and sisters over all else. Even when one takes interest in something the tribe sees as pointless or disgraceful, they will always be accepted.
Getting cast out is very difficult and rarely happens. Killing a fellow tribesman or not meeting the basic requirements of the Tribe though are sure ways to get cast out.
Quick Build
Your main attribute will be Strength, as this is required to be in the Tribe. However if you plan to be a true master of Blood Magic you will need high scores in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity as well.
Class Features
As a member of the Goregrim Tribe you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice 2d8 per Tribe level
Hit Points at first level 16 + Con modifier
Hit Points at higher levels 2d8 (or 9) + your Constitution modifier after first level.
Proficiencies
Armor: Tribe Harness
Weapons: Tribe Harness
Tools: unique tool set: Harness Tools*
Saving throws: Strength and Constitution
Skills: Choose four from Athletics, Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Endurance, Intimidation, Nature, and Survival.
Starting Equipment: Basic Harness
You do not start with a Flesh Altar or a Bag of Flesh.
Unarmoredand Unarmed
The only thing you'll ever see on a tribesman in combat is their harness, anything else is forbidden. They don't use weapons and prefer to have their hands available to grab their enemies.
A member of the Tribe does not wear armor.
Your places not covered by a body have an AC of 10+dex modifier. Bodies mounted on you have an AC of 8+dex modifier.
If an enemy rolls an attack of natural 19 or 20 and would hit a body on your harness, the attack instead hits you directly, missing the mounted body.
You use all held weapons with disadvantage, and can not hold any weapons while wearing a body on your chest. If a source would impose disadvantage, add a third di if you're holding a weapon.
Unholy Blessing
As long as you have at least one Flesh Altar with a beating heart, attacks with your harness, hands, and Blood Magic or Puppets are considered magical for resistance purposes.
Meat Shield
Starting at 1st level, you may use your action to mount or remove a dead fleshy creature of small or medium size to your front or back as a meat shield. Small creatures may also be mounted on your shoulders.
Meat Shields have their own HP and reduce your speed. When a Meat Shield's HP is reduced to 0 it is destroyed.
PC Level 1 | 4 |5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 |20
Mount limit 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |4 | 4 | 4 | 4
Small HP 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 |9 | 11 |13 |15
Med HP 4 | 6 |10|14|18| 22 |26 |30
Small speed -5 | -5 |-4 |-3 |-2 |-1 |-0 |-0
Med speed -10 |-10|-8 |-6 |-4 |-2 |-0 |-0
Each Shield takes up its own space. Having a Meat Shield on all 4 harness slots means your character takes up 5 spaces in the shape of a plus sign (+). A Shield on your chest always takes up the space directly in front of you, and so on.
Author suggests making a plus shaped piece of paper that can be attached to the bottom of your game piece that takes up 5 spaces. If you mount a body, write its max/current HP as well as damage type. If the Meat Shield dismounts the harness, use a chip to mark its location away from the paper.
Any piercing or AOE damage exceeding the Shield's HP carries over to your own. If you are attacked from an empty diagonal space, you may block the attack with a Shield bordering the attack.
A Meat Shield has the same natural resistance to weapons and magic that it had while alive, gaining no additional resistance from your racial skills and spells.
You can not grapple while a Meat Shield is mounted on your chest.
Weakness to Area Attacks
Your larger than normal size means more surface area that can be hit. Sometimes you will take more damage than you smaller companions.
AOE damage that reaches your PC is divided by 4 rounded up, and distributed equally to your front, back, and sides. Damage exceeding any mounted Meat Shield's HP carries over. If an AOE spell would do 13 - 16 damage, it would do 4 to each part for a total of 16. If you had two Shields attached, one with 5 HP and the other with 2, one would be reduced to 1 HP and the other would be destroyed, with a carry over of 2, dealing a total of 10 points of damage. Cone attacks are treated as AOE.
Quick Butchery
Starting at 6th level you may use your bonus action to mount or remove a Meat Shield.
You may also use your action to cut a small or medium piece off a creature larger than medium that can be mounted as a Shield on another action.
Swift Butchery
Starting at 10th level, if an enemy dies within 5 feet of you, you may use your reaction to mount it to your armor. You may also use your reaction to remove a Shield.
You may use your bonus action to cut a small or medium piece off a larger creature that can be mounted on another action.
Living Shield
At level 16, you may use your attack action to force a small or medium size creature within 5 feet to make a Dex or Str (whichever is higher) saving throw, DC 8+Prof+str.
If they fail and the front of your harness is empty, they take 1d10 piercing damage and become mounted on your chest. If they are unconscious or paralyzed they automatically fail (unconscious status would end).
If they are still alive, they take 1 damage at the start of their turns and may make a strength saving throw to dismount. On a successful save they suffer the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn. Any attacks blocked by them while alive deduct from their remaining HP before turning into a normal Meat Shield.
When you attack a creature of the same race or ally of your Living Shield roll intimidation. If they fail they suffer the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn.
Living Shield may be used successfully once per long rest. A failed attempt does not count.
TribeCaste
At 3rd level you may choose a Tribe Caste.
Charger Caste
Slightly more slender than the other members of the Tribe, the Charger never stops moving. They rarely mount creatures on their harness so they can ram the spikes into their enemies and maximize their mobility. Main attribute is Constitution.
Improved Evasion
You gain 1 AC for each empty slot on your harness (maximum of 4).
Charge
(Must be at least 10 feet in a straight line from target).
You run at an enemy in a straight line, spending all the movement you have left, ramming into them dealing 1d8 piercing damage.
On a miss you pass through their space and move 10 feet past them, incurring no opportunity attack from the target as they dodge out of the way. If your movement would end at the target, you still go 10 feet past them.
On a hit, the target must make a strength save (DC 8+str+Prof). If they fail they are knocked prone, if they succeed they resist you. Creatures larger than medium make this save at advantage.
Damage increases by 1d8 at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18.
Starting at level 6, if you charge at least 30 feet, the target makes its save at disadvantage. If the target would have advantage, it makes its save without advantage.
Starting at level 10, only targets larger than large make the save at advantage.
Starting at level 14, if you used your attack action to Charge this turn and hit, you gain a free action OR a you gain all your movement back.
Momentum
Starting at level 8 you may add 1d8 for every 10 feet traveled during a Charge after the first 10. Make a Con saving throw, the DC is equal to 8 plus the number of d8's added.
If you fail you are stunned for 1 turn.
You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Con modifier before a long rest.
Raging Bull
Starting at level 18, you may use a bonus action to enter into a frenzy lasting for 1 minute.
After a successful Charge, you regain all your movement and may Charge at another target that is at least 10 feet away, and isn't prone.
Make a Con saving throw after each Charge after the first. DC equals 8 plus the number of times you have Charged this turn after the first.
If you fail a save, you are stunned for 1 turn.
You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Con modifier before a long rest.
Defender Caste
These brutes are the biggest and strongest in the Tribe. True masters of hand to hand brutality, the Defenders trap enemies with their immense Strength, only releasing them once life has left their bodies.
Fearful Sight
You gain proficiency in intimidation while wearing a body on your chest.
You have advantage on fear and intimidation saving throws.
Starting at level 6, any successful intimidations result in the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn.
Starting at level 10 you have expertise in intimidation while wearing a body on your chest.
Slam
Starting at level 3, as an action, if you have no more than one small or medium creature grappled, you may force it to make a strength save (dc 8+Str+Prof). If they pass the Strength save they resist you but remain grappled. If they fail, you slam them to the ground. They are prone, grappled and make a Con save (dc 8+Str+Prof). If they fail the Con save they are stunned for 1 turn.
At 6th level, if you have no more than one creature grappled of up to large size, you may use Slam on them.
At level 10 if you have 2 creatures grappled smaller than large, you may use Slam on both of them. If either of them pass the strength save, they both pass.
When you use Slam on a Living Shield they automatically fail the Strength save and become grappled and prone in the space in front of you.
Battlefield Awareness
Starting at level 5, when you would be attacked on a side not protected by a Meat Shield, you may use your reaction to turn so that the attack is blocked by one.
Impressive Grip
Starting at level 6, you may grapple 2 creatures of up to medium size.
At level 10 you grapple large creatures without disadvantage.
At level 16 you may grapple 2 creatures of up to large size.
Relentless Pummel
Starting at level 8, you may continue to make unarmed attacks against the same target until you miss, up to a number of times equal to half your Tribe level, rounded down.
Blood Shaman Caste
If a Tribesman is going to be evil, its most likely to be the Blood Shaman. They truely revel in blood and gore and gain Blood Magic from Bhaal, as the Shaman loves dismemberment almost as much as he does, maybe more.
You have access to all your Blood Magic at 3rd level, getting more adept as you get stronger.
Enduring Shield
If a mounted body would be destroyed you may instead regenerate it through blood magic to max HP. Each body regenerated deals necrotic damage to you equal to double the number of times you have used this ability before a short rest.
Fleshmancer
You may use your action to cut away a piece of your flesh, dealing necrotic damage to you equal to half your PC level. As the flesh comes away you see a wispy ethereal cord connecting it to where it was removed. You attach the flesh to a mounted body and it animates like a puppet under your control. You can have Int modifier + Wis modifier Puppets active at one time, with a minimum of 1.
When the Puppet animates, you may rearrange the flesh and bones into whatever shape you wish. Giving legs to a cut in half man, limbs to a mass of flesh, or making the severed hand of a giant walk. As well as turning an arm into a spike of bone that acts like a sword, or hammer, etc.
Each Puppet under your control takes its own turn on your initiative and can mount or dismount your harness for 5 movement. They become an extension of your own body, controlled by your thoughts. A Puppet mounted on your harness has reach.
Puppets have the same HP they had when animated.
Goregrim Flesh Puppet (Undead creature)
AC 10 Speed 20
Str 8 Dex 5 Con 10 Int 1 Wis 1 Cha 1
They have +2 to hit while mounted.
They can not be more than 20 feet from you or the cord disconnects and you lose control of them, falling lifeless to the ground.
They deal 1d4 + your Tribe level in a damage type of your choosing: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
At level 10, you may give your lifeforce to empower the Puppets. As an action you may give up to Xd6 temporary HP each to any number of Puppets under your control, where X is your Intelligence modifier. X is never less than 1. You take necrotic damage equal to half the temporary HP given.
Bloody Expulsion
You may fire off a mounted body like a missile, spraying you in blood as it leaves your harness. Make a ranged weapon attack, max 30 feet. On a hit, the ejected body deals its remaining HP as bludgeoning damage.
At level 6, add your Tribe level to the damage dealt by Bloody Expulsion.
At level 10, as the body flies it rapidly rots, then explodes upon impact. Creatures within 5 feet must make a Con save, DC 8+Wis+prof, or become poisoned.
On a missed attack, the body still explodes, and all creatures within 5 feet of the target must make a Con save or become poisoned.
At level 16, creatures that fail the Con save must also pass an intimidate check from you, or be subjected to the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn.
Make sure you complete a Flesh Altar at least once a month or you will not be able to use your Blood Magic.
Unique Feat
Instead of taking an ability score increase you may instead choose this feat.
Blood magicmastery
Any time your Blood Magic or Puppets deal damage you may roll a d10. You gain a percentage of the damage dealt back as HP, rounded up, based on the roll of the d10.
1-3 = 25%
4-6 = 50%
7-9 = 75%
10 = 100%
You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before a long rest.
*The Harness tool set: Every 50 hours you spend working on your harness you may make one cosmetic or functional change to your harness. This can be anything, but never adds damage to attacks or AC to defense. For example you can add designs or paint, add barbs or change the shape of the spikes.
Want to see what people think of this. Complete rework from the original meat shield barbarian subclass.
Now a full race and full class.
Goregrim (Half Ogres)
Go-reh-grem
Your father leads you to the Human town for you first time. He says we need them, and they need us. But we don't need them in the same way.
They are weak, and we could kill them for Bhaal you think. But he tells you it's better to protect them, killing all the bandits and invaders that come to harm them.
You look at him, "So they're bait? "
He grins.
Orge Ancestry
When the first Ogres were made, almost immediately were also the Half Ogres. Most Half Ogres were killed by Men and Elves out of fear. While the rest were killed by the Ogres out of disgust for their impure blood. Sometimes though, one would get away.
Over the ages some of these runaway Half Ogres found each other and began working together to stay alive, and hid themselves deep in the Misty Forest north of Baldur's Gate.
They have managed to tame their Ogre blood lust into the form of a religion to the god Bhaal, god of death and blood. They have turned their blood, which has caused them so much torment, into the source of their power.
Over time they have taken on the softer features of their Human heritage, almost resembling a large half orc, but a keen eye can see their exaggerated bones, larger than normal bottom canine teeth, and some even have pointed ears. Not to mention they all stand over seven feet tall and have bulging muscles.
Tribesman
Devotion to the tribe is paramount to the Goregrim.
In the tribe you will find little that shows a Goregrim's personality. Anything that doesn't benefit the tribe or praise Bhaal is considered pointless. Trophies from great foes may decorate one's home, but little else.
Goregrim Traits
Ability Score Modifier
Strength + 3
Constitution + 3
Dexterity - 1
Wisdom - 1
Intelligence - 1
Age
Goregrim mature at age 15 and live to about 80.
Alignment
Goregrim are never Lawful good or Lawful evil. Tending more to Chaotic Neutral or Neutral Evil.
Normally Bhaal wouldn't tolerate any Good follower, but even the Good Goregrim are brutal warriors who love death and blood. Their work fascinates him so much he permits it and goes so far as to grant his blessings.
Size
All Goregrim stand over 7 feet tall and have muscles that would put the strongest human to shame. Your size is medium and can still wear jewelery. Armor must be custom made as your tribe doesn't use any.
You stand 7 feet + 2d8 inches tall.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30
Darkvision
You have superior vision and awareness in the dark. You can see 60 feet in dim light as if it were bright light, and in darkness as it it were dim light. You can only see shades of grey in darkness.
Languages
You speak, read, and write Giant and Common.
Pummel
If you do not have a creature grappled, when you make an unarmed attack and hit, you may make a second unarmed attack against the same target.
If you have at most one creature grappled, you may make a single unarmed attack against them as an action.
Moontouched (optional)
Some Goregrim are born with the pale pupils of their ogre ancestors. They have superior awareness in the darkness, but shy away from bright light.
You gain +10 perception in the dark, but -10 perception in the light. Bright flashes can stun you for one turn on a failed Con save, dc 20.
(Additionally Optional)
Humans who claim to have seen these Moontouched say they are raging monsters with glowing red eyes.
During a Blood Moon its light is reflected in your pale eyes, turning them an almost glowing red.
The moon lasts for 8 hours and you feel the compulsion to kill growing stronger as the Blood Moon reaches its end, becoming an uncontrollable frenzy in the final minutes, attacking friend or foe.
You may add you PC level to a damage roll once per turn during a Blood Moon.
You must kill at least a small creature and bathe yourself in its blood before the moon ends to sate the bloodlust.
If you do not complete the ritual by the end of the Blood Moon you incur Bhaal's wrath and fall unconscious. You can only be woke by someone completing the ritual for you.
They must place a living innocent creature of at least small size on your chest, and bathe you in its blood.
You do not require food or water in this state, and loose the effects of Moontouched until the next Blood Moon when you must again complete the ritual to restore your powers.
The Blood Moon occurs every 30 + 10d10 days, to be rolled by your DM in secret at the start of the campaign and at the end of every Blood Moon.
Complete rework from the original meat shield barbarian class.
Disclaimer: this class uses new but easy to learn mechanics.
Goregrim Tribe
Go-reh-grem
Multiclass
Must be at least level 10 to multiclass in or out of the Tribe.
Prerequisites:
At aleast 7' tall
Minimum strength of 17
Not lawful good or lawful evil
Wear no armor
Worship Bhaal
The drow ranger looks at you from his cover behind a tree, pointing one finger behind him then raises four finger up. He's found them. The bandits your party was hired to kill are just past the trees. He knows what you're going to do and readies an arrow as the sorcerer readies a firebolt.
Your charge out from the woodline catching them all by surprise, grabbing the closest one by the shoulders. He struggles under your immese strength, but can't stop you from hoisting him up and pulling him towards you.
As the barbed spikes on the front of your harness pierce through each of his shoulders he lets out a screech and you roar in triumph.
The other three bandits, with terror in their eyes, turn and run to the woods across the clearing. They only make it a few yards before a hail of arrows and fire reduce them to smoldering pincushions.
Fearsome close quarter warriors
Goregrim use the bodies of their enemies to protect themselves on the battlefield. They wear a self-made reinforced harness that has hooks or jagged spikes on the front, back, and on each shoulder. They are a terrifying sight, especially when they are wearing the bodies of the foes they've just felled.
Mostly Civilized
The tribe is primarily a semi civilized race of Half Ogre that resemble very large, bulky Humans with exaggerated features. They frequently go to Human towns to trade and find mercenary work.
On very rare occasions they will accept an outsider. This only happens when they have proven their strength, either by killing a tribesman, or a tribesman not being able to kill them, and meet the tribes requirements.
An invitation will be made, and upon accepting they will be taught in the ways of the tribe. Upon refusing however they will be hunted and killed.
Krig Harbunad
Literally translated as War Armor, tribesman is not complete without a Krig Harbunad. By your 15th birthday your Harbunad must be completed, though most complete theirs early as they are forbidden to hunt and kill without one.
Most Goregrim are poor craftsmen, as this is a pointless profession. They may spend months or years pondering their design and working to create it as perfectly as possible.
Many Harbunads become very elaborate and complex over time, as they continue to improve on them or change the design as the Goregrim changes and grows.
Kjott Kunst
Translated as Meat Art, these Flesh Altars are what binds a tribeman to Bhaal. They may perform the Ritual of Blood and Bone to form a Flesh Altar.
To do this they must remove the beating heart of a sentient creature while uttering a prayer to Bhaal. The severed heart is impaled on a spike that all Harbunads have in the middle of the chest, over the Goregrim's own heart.
The heart continues to beat as they cut and rearrange the flesh and bone of the victim however they want into a shrine, placing the heart inside once complete.
24 hours after being inserted in the Altar, the heart finishes regrowing veins and arteries and begins pumping an endless supply of blood. Some of which seeps through the muscles, running down the sides and soaking into the ground.
Legend has it this blood descends deep into Hell, and eventually reaches Bhaal where he drinks from it, smiling on the Goregrim.
If they do not perform the Ritual of Blood and Bone once a month they lose their Blood Magic powers until they complete the ritual.
Kjott Kor
Or Meat Prize, can only be acquired by making a Flesh Altar. One must cut a hand sized piece of flesh from their body and place it inside the Altar with the victim's heart. Known as the Ritual of Blood and Bone and Body.
When the Altar completes, a Bag of Flesh will be formed from your flesh and pushed out of the Altar, as well as your wound magically healing.
It is primarily used to transport freshy corpses to appropriate sites for Flesh Altars, and to bring large sources of food back to a fire, as well as a supply of corpses for battle.
The Bag is exactly a Bag of Holding, that only will accept dead fleshy creatures through its opening. It is made of raw flesh, ever moist and periodically dripping blood.
Fresh corpses and flesh do not spoil or decompose in your Bag of Flesh.
Never put diseased or rotting flesh in your Bag as this will disease the Bag and make it rot. If this happens you will have to make a new one, as a spoiled Bag will spoil anything put inside rendering it too soft to mount on your harness and too rotten to eat.
If none of your Flesh Altars possess a beating heart, your Bag of Flesh and its contents rot rapidly and a new one must be made.
Creating a Tribesman
A tribesman who leaves home is expected to spread the word of Bhaal by turning their foes into Altars of Flesh. While this drive does not make them evil, many fear them as if they were.
Most exemplify strength over all else. Some however go deeper into the Blood Magic offered by Bhaal. Going so far as to make gruesome and bloody massacres to appease their god.
Why do you worship Bhaal? Just for your love of death and blood? Or do you kill to protect, to spread the word of Bhaal, or maybe to create a forest of beating flesh.
Some are evil, some are good, but they all love the Tribe and their brothers and sisters over all else. Even when one takes interest in something the tribe sees as pointless or disgraceful, they will always be accepted.
Getting cast out is very difficult and rarely happens. Killing a fellow tribesman or not meeting the basic requirements of the Tribe though are sure ways to get cast out.
Quick Build
Your main attribute will be Strength, as this is required to be in the Tribe. However if you plan to be a true master of Blood Magic you will need high scores in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity as well.
Class Features
As a member of the Goregrim Tribe you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice 2d8 per Tribe level
Hit Points at first level 16 + Con modifier
Hit Points at higher levels 2d8 (or 9) + your Constitution modifier after first level.
Proficiencies
Armor: Tribe Harness
Weapons: Tribe Harness
Tools: unique tool set: Harness Tools*
Saving throws: Strength and Constitution
Skills: Choose four from Athletics, Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Endurance, Intimidation, Nature, and Survival.
Starting Equipment: Basic Harness
You do not start with a Flesh Altar or a Bag of Flesh.
Unarmored and Unarmed
The only thing you'll ever see on a tribesman in combat is their harness, anything else is forbidden. They don't use weapons and prefer to have their hands available to grab their enemies.
A member of the Tribe does not wear armor.
Your places not covered by a body have an AC of 10+dex modifier. Bodies mounted on you have an AC of 8+dex modifier.
If an enemy rolls an attack of natural 19 or 20 and would hit a body on your harness, the attack instead hits you directly, missing the mounted body.
You use all held weapons with disadvantage, and can not hold any weapons while wearing a body on your chest. If a source would impose disadvantage, add a third di if you're holding a weapon.
Unholy Blessing
As long as you have at least one Flesh Altar with a beating heart, attacks with your harness, hands, and Blood Magic or Puppets are considered magical for resistance purposes.
Meat Shield
Starting at 1st level, you may use your action to mount or remove a dead fleshy creature of small or medium size to your front or back as a meat shield. Small creatures may also be mounted on your shoulders.
Meat Shields have their own HP and reduce your speed. When a Meat Shield's HP is reduced to 0 it is destroyed.
PC Level 1 | 4 |5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 |20
Mount limit 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |4 | 4 | 4 | 4
Small HP 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 |9 | 11 |13 |15
Med HP 4 | 6 |10|14|18| 22 |26 |30
Small speed -5 | -5 |-4 |-3 |-2 |-1 |-0 |-0
Med speed -10 |-10|-8 |-6 |-4 |-2 |-0 |-0
Each Shield takes up its own space. Having a Meat Shield on all 4 harness slots means your character takes up 5 spaces in the shape of a plus sign (+). A Shield on your chest always takes up the space directly in front of you, and so on.
Author suggests making a plus shaped piece of paper that can be attached to the bottom of your game piece that takes up 5 spaces. If you mount a body, write its max/current HP as well as damage type. If the Meat Shield dismounts the harness, use a chip to mark its location away from the paper.
Any piercing or AOE damage exceeding the Shield's HP carries over to your own. If you are attacked from an empty diagonal space, you may block the attack with a Shield bordering the attack.
A Meat Shield has the same natural resistance to weapons and magic that it had while alive, gaining no additional resistance from your racial skills and spells.
You can not grapple while a Meat Shield is mounted on your chest.
Weakness to Area Attacks
Your larger than normal size means more surface area that can be hit. Sometimes you will take more damage than you smaller companions.
AOE damage that reaches your PC is divided by 4 rounded up, and distributed equally to your front, back, and sides. Damage exceeding any mounted Meat Shield's HP carries over. If an AOE spell would do 13 - 16 damage, it would do 4 to each part for a total of 16. If you had two Shields attached, one with 5 HP and the other with 2, one would be reduced to 1 HP and the other would be destroyed, with a carry over of 2, dealing a total of 10 points of damage. Cone attacks are treated as AOE.
Quick Butchery
Starting at 6th level you may use your bonus action to mount or remove a Meat Shield.
You may also use your action to cut a small or medium piece off a creature larger than medium that can be mounted as a Shield on another action.
Swift Butchery
Starting at 10th level, if an enemy dies within 5 feet of you, you may use your reaction to mount it to your armor. You may also use your reaction to remove a Shield.
You may use your bonus action to cut a small or medium piece off a larger creature that can be mounted on another action.
Living Shield
At level 16, you may use your attack action to force a small or medium size creature within 5 feet to make a Dex or Str (whichever is higher) saving throw, DC 8+Prof+str.
If they fail and the front of your harness is empty, they take 1d10 piercing damage and become mounted on your chest. If they are unconscious or paralyzed they automatically fail (unconscious status would end).
If they are still alive, they take 1 damage at the start of their turns and may make a strength saving throw to dismount. On a successful save they suffer the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn. Any attacks blocked by them while alive deduct from their remaining HP before turning into a normal Meat Shield.
When you attack a creature of the same race or ally of your Living Shield roll intimidation. If they fail they suffer the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn.
Living Shield may be used successfully once per long rest. A failed attempt does not count.
Tribe Caste
At 3rd level you may choose a Tribe Caste.
Charger Caste
Slightly more slender than the other members of the Tribe, the Charger never stops moving. They rarely mount creatures on their harness so they can ram the spikes into their enemies and maximize their mobility. Main attribute is Constitution.
Improved Evasion
You gain 1 AC for each empty slot on your harness (maximum of 4).
Charge
(Must be at least 10 feet in a straight line from target).
You run at an enemy in a straight line, spending all the movement you have left, ramming into them dealing 1d8 piercing damage.
On a miss you pass through their space and move 10 feet past them, incurring no opportunity attack from the target as they dodge out of the way. If your movement would end at the target, you still go 10 feet past them.
On a hit, the target must make a strength save (DC 8+str+Prof). If they fail they are knocked prone, if they succeed they resist you. Creatures larger than medium make this save at advantage.
Damage increases by 1d8 at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18.
Starting at level 6, if you charge at least 30 feet, the target makes its save at disadvantage. If the target would have advantage, it makes its save without advantage.
Starting at level 10, only targets larger than large make the save at advantage.
Starting at level 14, if you used your attack action to Charge this turn and hit, you gain a free action OR a you gain all your movement back.
Momentum
Starting at level 8 you may add 1d8 for every 10 feet traveled during a Charge after the first 10. Make a Con saving throw, the DC is equal to 8 plus the number of d8's added.
If you fail you are stunned for 1 turn.
You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Con modifier before a long rest.
Raging Bull
Starting at level 18, you may use a bonus action to enter into a frenzy lasting for 1 minute.
After a successful Charge, you regain all your movement and may Charge at another target that is at least 10 feet away, and isn't prone.
Make a Con saving throw after each Charge after the first. DC equals 8 plus the number of times you have Charged this turn after the first.
If you fail a save, you are stunned for 1 turn.
You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Con modifier before a long rest.
Defender Caste
These brutes are the biggest and strongest in the Tribe. True masters of hand to hand brutality, the Defenders trap enemies with their immense Strength, only releasing them once life has left their bodies.
Fearful Sight
You gain proficiency in intimidation while wearing a body on your chest.
You have advantage on fear and intimidation saving throws.
Starting at level 6, any successful intimidations result in the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn.
Starting at level 10 you have expertise in intimidation while wearing a body on your chest.
Slam
Starting at level 3, as an action, if you have no more than one small or medium creature grappled, you may force it to make a strength save (dc 8+Str+Prof). If they pass the Strength save they resist you but remain grappled. If they fail, you slam them to the ground. They are prone, grappled and make a Con save (dc 8+Str+Prof). If they fail the Con save they are stunned for 1 turn.
At 6th level, if you have no more than one creature grappled of up to large size, you may use Slam on them.
At level 10 if you have 2 creatures grappled smaller than large, you may use Slam on both of them. If either of them pass the strength save, they both pass.
When you use Slam on a Living Shield they automatically fail the Strength save and become grappled and prone in the space in front of you.
Battlefield Awareness
Starting at level 5, when you would be attacked on a side not protected by a Meat Shield, you may use your reaction to turn so that the attack is blocked by one.
Impressive Grip
Starting at level 6, you may grapple 2 creatures of up to medium size.
At level 10 you grapple large creatures without disadvantage.
At level 16 you may grapple 2 creatures of up to large size.
Relentless Pummel
Starting at level 8, you may continue to make unarmed attacks against the same target until you miss, up to a number of times equal to half your Tribe level, rounded down.
Blood Shaman Caste
If a Tribesman is going to be evil, its most likely to be the Blood Shaman. They truely revel in blood and gore and gain Blood Magic from Bhaal, as the Shaman loves dismemberment almost as much as he does, maybe more.
You have access to all your Blood Magic at 3rd level, getting more adept as you get stronger.
Enduring Shield
If a mounted body would be destroyed you may instead regenerate it through blood magic to max HP. Each body regenerated deals necrotic damage to you equal to double the number of times you have used this ability before a short rest.
Fleshmancer
You may use your action to cut away a piece of your flesh, dealing necrotic damage to you equal to half your PC level. As the flesh comes away you see a wispy ethereal cord connecting it to where it was removed. You attach the flesh to a mounted body and it animates like a puppet under your control. You can have Int modifier + Wis modifier Puppets active at one time, with a minimum of 1.
When the Puppet animates, you may rearrange the flesh and bones into whatever shape you wish. Giving legs to a cut in half man, limbs to a mass of flesh, or making the severed hand of a giant walk. As well as turning an arm into a spike of bone that acts like a sword, or hammer, etc.
Each Puppet under your control takes its own turn on your initiative and can mount or dismount your harness for 5 movement. They become an extension of your own body, controlled by your thoughts. A Puppet mounted on your harness has reach.
Puppets have the same HP they had when animated.
Goregrim Flesh Puppet (Undead creature)
AC 10 Speed 20
Str 8 Dex 5 Con 10 Int 1 Wis 1 Cha 1
They have +2 to hit while mounted.
They can not be more than 20 feet from you or the cord disconnects and you lose control of them, falling lifeless to the ground.
They deal 1d4 + your Tribe level in a damage type of your choosing: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
At level 10, you may give your lifeforce to empower the Puppets. As an action you may give up to Xd6 temporary HP each to any number of Puppets under your control, where X is your Intelligence modifier. X is never less than 1. You take necrotic damage equal to half the temporary HP given.
Bloody Expulsion
You may fire off a mounted body like a missile, spraying you in blood as it leaves your harness. Make a ranged weapon attack, max 30 feet. On a hit, the ejected body deals its remaining HP as bludgeoning damage.
At level 6, add your Tribe level to the damage dealt by Bloody Expulsion.
At level 10, as the body flies it rapidly rots, then explodes upon impact. Creatures within 5 feet must make a Con save, DC 8+Wis+prof, or become poisoned.
On a missed attack, the body still explodes, and all creatures within 5 feet of the target must make a Con save or become poisoned.
At level 16, creatures that fail the Con save must also pass an intimidate check from you, or be subjected to the effects of the Fear spell for 1 turn.
Make sure you complete a Flesh Altar at least once a month or you will not be able to use your Blood Magic.
Unique Feat
Instead of taking an ability score increase you may instead choose this feat.
Blood magic mastery
Any time your Blood Magic or Puppets deal damage you may roll a d10. You gain a percentage of the damage dealt back as HP, rounded up, based on the roll of the d10.
1-3 = 25%
4-6 = 50%
7-9 = 75%
10 = 100%
You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before a long rest.
*The Harness tool set: Every 50 hours you spend working on your harness you may make one cosmetic or functional change to your harness. This can be anything, but never adds damage to attacks or AC to defense. For example you can add designs or paint, add barbs or change the shape of the spikes.