D&D 5E How to handle a shapechanging Mermaid

[Remathilis]

That's a real solid solution. Mermaid-y, without the tail.

But clearly after this campaign you're going to have to do an Aquatic campaign setting, let her be a mermaid, someone can be a sea elf, you'll have an adorable sahuagin barbarian who goes mad at the scent of blood, and maybe a locathah druid who shapechanges into bears "like he saw that one time", and they'll all fight against a Kraken who dwells in the deep, fathomless abyss, where magma cracks through the crust of the earth and blind, albino crabs serve her every whim.....

The thought of doing an underwater campaign has crossed my mind before (I even picked up the PDF of Celurian Seas for that) but 3d combat is a major headache (though using 5e's TotM style might make it work).

Still, it might be cool as a one-off game.

 

[I'm A Banana]

The thought of doing an underwater campaign has crossed my mind before (I even picked up the PDF of Celurian Seas for that) but 3d combat is a major headache (though using 5e's TotM style might make it work).

Still, it might be cool as a one-off game.

5e should make it pretty easy. You're in melee or you're not, and if you are, getting out requires your action or you get OA's. If you're not, all that matters is how far away from being in melee you are.

Unlike with a flying PC, underwater, EVERYONE moves in 3D, so there's no one with a big advantage.

And it's easy to use ink clouds, roiling tides, upwellings, luminescent water, etc. as underwater terrain.

But if you've got a player who being a mermaid is Their Thing, you should totally consider at least a one-off at some point. Maybe for her birthday.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Merfolk Bard? I'm sorry but I find that idea completely un-conch-anable.

 

[Mark CMG]

How to handle a shapechanging Mermaid

Meat hooks.

 

[Remathilis]

Meat hooks.

Don't you mean fish hooks? ;-)

 

[Mark CMG]

Don't you mean fish hooks? ;-)

Fish hooks to catch `em but meat hooks to handle `em and sell `em.

 

[Savage Wombat]

Do I need to start singing "the Clean Song" at you people?

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Make sure she knows her plaice?
Line up all her dice in a roe?
Sing her 'salmon chanted evening'?