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<blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5705087" data-attributes="member: 27780"><p><strong><u>Dragon Magazine Issue 250: August 1998</u></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>part 3/8</p><p></p><p></p><p>Heroes of the sea: Just as with the flying special 6 months ago, they decide to kick things off with a whole array of aquatic races given PC stats, so you can have an all-underwater campaign and still feel you have plenty of choice. And then quite possibly become dinner for the all-feline party using issue 247's rules. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> Looks like here there's more races given less detail than the flying ones, but not as many variants as the cat and dog articles. Kind of a middle ground, really. So let's see if the mechanics of the writeups hold together. </p><p></p><p>Crabmen fit into the strong but dumb niche, and their mental and physical quirks mean a lot of equipment that's built for humans won't work for them. Their natural armor and weapons mean they'll be ok at low levels, and then fall behind at higher ones. Still, given their short lifespan, they're not likely to make it that far anyway. No decades spanning epics with one of these in the party. </p><p></p><p>Koalinth are pretty similar to their land-dwelling cousins in terms of class options and culture, and able to survive out of water more than long enough to be viable PC's in a regular party. Like most goblinoids, they may tend towards evil, but they can still be excellent adventurers. </p><p></p><p>Locathah are of course very problematic in a normal campaign because they can barely move on land. But in an all-underwater campaign, they can be a staple character race. They do have the oddity of being able to be Bards, but not Thieves for some reason. Rules can be weird. </p><p></p><p>Malenti are of course perfect for becoming adventurers, with their angst-inducing backgrounds meaning at least some of them surely escape and wind up forming bonds with creatures less abusive than Sahuguin. They don't have the arcane skills of real elves, but do enjoy retractable claws and teeth that make them capable unarmed combatants, and can withstand depths that even most of the other underwater races would be crushed at. They could certainly support a Drizzt of their own. </p><p></p><p>Merfolk are another underwater-only suited race. Their class selections are surprisingly limited really, with Bards once again the only rogue choice. I'm rather curious why the author decided to do that. It's not as if there isn't plenty to possess down there, and the buoyancy means you can actually carry a lot more if you have the right kind of pack. I can't see any reason cultures wouldn't form that feature criminality. </p><p></p><p>Pahari are in sharp contrast to all the previous races, in that they can only be arcane spellcasters. Shapeshifting aquatic nymphs, they kinda fit the swanmay niche, in that they don't exactly fit in amongst all these primitives, are all female, and have magic resistance and substantial lifespans. But of course that makes them all the more valuable if you want a party with all the standard bases filled without putting a normal human into the mix. And it's good to see them expand on a more obscure race along with the standard monster manual ones. </p><p></p><p>Selkies are a decidedly weird one, with their timed week a month shapeshifting. (which they tell you to ignore here) They can't actually breathe underwater, but they move way faster than any of the others, and have decent class skills. Their main flaws are their pacifism, and their weakness for alcohol, which seem very likely to come into conflict with one-another while on land, especially when trying to play eco-cop. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> They'll have to get over one of them to truly satisfy the other. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> </p><p></p><p>Vodyanoi fill the niche of the really big tough guys, a la Minotaurs or Ogres for a land party. Although they're not as dumb as they seem, they aren't naturally social, and their size and bulk may be a real problem, especially out of water. Their limited class options force them into the role of bruiser, but at least you can be a tactical one like Beast instead of just a tool. </p><p></p><p>Liminals are half human, half merfolk, and the only race that can become thieves, although they lack priestly options. Like Half-Elves, they make good diplomats, but also have problems fitting in any one place. Still, this also means they bond very strongly indeed with the creatures that they do love, to the point they waste away if separated from them. Absolutely perfect for an adventuring party then. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> </p><p></p><p>So overall, this collection hews pretty closely to the formula established in the complete book of humanoids in terms of powers and balancing factors, with the exception of the weird aversion to thieves. Some of these may be powerful at starting level, but none have great level limits, and natural armor and weapons grow progressively less significant the longer you go on. And as they may well fall behind standard characters in terms of equipment as well, I very much doubt they'll be game breaking in the long run. Course, as with Council of Wyrms, running a long-term all underwater campaign is a real challenge for a DM, as they can't rely on published adventures at all, so you're not likely to hit those level limits. Still, given my love of pushing boundaries, it seems the kind of thing I'd like to try. Overall, this definitely adds stuff to the game that is of value and wasn't there before.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(un)reason, post: 5705087, member: 27780"] [B][U]Dragon Magazine Issue 250: August 1998[/U][/B] part 3/8 Heroes of the sea: Just as with the flying special 6 months ago, they decide to kick things off with a whole array of aquatic races given PC stats, so you can have an all-underwater campaign and still feel you have plenty of choice. And then quite possibly become dinner for the all-feline party using issue 247's rules. :p Looks like here there's more races given less detail than the flying ones, but not as many variants as the cat and dog articles. Kind of a middle ground, really. So let's see if the mechanics of the writeups hold together. Crabmen fit into the strong but dumb niche, and their mental and physical quirks mean a lot of equipment that's built for humans won't work for them. Their natural armor and weapons mean they'll be ok at low levels, and then fall behind at higher ones. Still, given their short lifespan, they're not likely to make it that far anyway. No decades spanning epics with one of these in the party. Koalinth are pretty similar to their land-dwelling cousins in terms of class options and culture, and able to survive out of water more than long enough to be viable PC's in a regular party. Like most goblinoids, they may tend towards evil, but they can still be excellent adventurers. Locathah are of course very problematic in a normal campaign because they can barely move on land. But in an all-underwater campaign, they can be a staple character race. They do have the oddity of being able to be Bards, but not Thieves for some reason. Rules can be weird. Malenti are of course perfect for becoming adventurers, with their angst-inducing backgrounds meaning at least some of them surely escape and wind up forming bonds with creatures less abusive than Sahuguin. They don't have the arcane skills of real elves, but do enjoy retractable claws and teeth that make them capable unarmed combatants, and can withstand depths that even most of the other underwater races would be crushed at. They could certainly support a Drizzt of their own. Merfolk are another underwater-only suited race. Their class selections are surprisingly limited really, with Bards once again the only rogue choice. I'm rather curious why the author decided to do that. It's not as if there isn't plenty to possess down there, and the buoyancy means you can actually carry a lot more if you have the right kind of pack. I can't see any reason cultures wouldn't form that feature criminality. Pahari are in sharp contrast to all the previous races, in that they can only be arcane spellcasters. Shapeshifting aquatic nymphs, they kinda fit the swanmay niche, in that they don't exactly fit in amongst all these primitives, are all female, and have magic resistance and substantial lifespans. But of course that makes them all the more valuable if you want a party with all the standard bases filled without putting a normal human into the mix. And it's good to see them expand on a more obscure race along with the standard monster manual ones. Selkies are a decidedly weird one, with their timed week a month shapeshifting. (which they tell you to ignore here) They can't actually breathe underwater, but they move way faster than any of the others, and have decent class skills. Their main flaws are their pacifism, and their weakness for alcohol, which seem very likely to come into conflict with one-another while on land, especially when trying to play eco-cop. :) They'll have to get over one of them to truly satisfy the other. :p Vodyanoi fill the niche of the really big tough guys, a la Minotaurs or Ogres for a land party. Although they're not as dumb as they seem, they aren't naturally social, and their size and bulk may be a real problem, especially out of water. Their limited class options force them into the role of bruiser, but at least you can be a tactical one like Beast instead of just a tool. Liminals are half human, half merfolk, and the only race that can become thieves, although they lack priestly options. Like Half-Elves, they make good diplomats, but also have problems fitting in any one place. Still, this also means they bond very strongly indeed with the creatures that they do love, to the point they waste away if separated from them. Absolutely perfect for an adventuring party then. :p So overall, this collection hews pretty closely to the formula established in the complete book of humanoids in terms of powers and balancing factors, with the exception of the weird aversion to thieves. Some of these may be powerful at starting level, but none have great level limits, and natural armor and weapons grow progressively less significant the longer you go on. And as they may well fall behind standard characters in terms of equipment as well, I very much doubt they'll be game breaking in the long run. Course, as with Council of Wyrms, running a long-term all underwater campaign is a real challenge for a DM, as they can't rely on published adventures at all, so you're not likely to hit those level limits. Still, given my love of pushing boundaries, it seems the kind of thing I'd like to try. Overall, this definitely adds stuff to the game that is of value and wasn't there before. [/QUOTE]
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