CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
I have created two new versions of the Lizardfolk and the Merfolk. I hope to introuduce them in the campaign I am developing.
My goal for the lizardfolk was to remove the level adjustment, and make it comparable to the half-orc (which it will hopefully end up replacing). And I liked the SRD version of the merfolk well enough, but it didn't seem to have enough of a magical, mystical nature (and it would be pretty hard to adventure on land without legs). I gave it a +1 LA, but I'm wondering if that was enough...
Anyway, here are my notes...and as always, I appreciate any feedback or suggestions. I am paranoid about the balance and playability of these races.
[SBLOCK=Lizardfolk]The lizard folk are a hardy, reptilian race of humanoids that live in the salt marshes and rivers of the Fire Islands. They have a minimal, tribal society, and are known to be fiercely territorial...(more later).
Lizardfolk characters possess the following racial traits.
• +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence
• Medium size.
• A lizardfolk’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Lizardfolk have finned, semi-prehensile tails which grant them a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Jump, and Swim checks.
• Natural Armor (Ex): lizardfolk have tough, scaly hides which grant them a +1 natural armor bonus.
• Natural Weapons: lizard folk have bony claws and fanged jaws, which they often use as weapons. A lizardfolk may attack with 2 claws (1d4 slashing damage each) as a primary weapon, and a bite attack (1d4 piercing damage) as a secondary weapon.
• Hold Breath (Ex): a lizardfolk may hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc.
• Favored Class: Druid.[/SBLOCK]I don't have them written up yet, but I have a handful of feats that this race can qualify for...
See below.
[SBLOCK=Merfolk]The merfolk of the Fire Islands are smaller than those found in the colder, northern seas near the Mainland, and have innate magical abilities. They are the free-spirited...(more later).
In their natural form, the merfolk have the upper body, arms, and heads of a halfling, with a dolphin’s tail instead of legs. This natural form is rarely seen by surface dwellers, however. To move around more easily on land, especially when interacting with villagers and fishermen, merfolk often assume the form of a halfling.
Merfolk Traits:
• +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma
• Small size: As a Small creature, a merfolk gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Merfolk have a base land speed of 20 feet, but only when in halfling form (see below).
• A merfolk has the aquatic subtype, with a base swim speed of 30 feet.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells from the Enchantment school. As fey creatures, merfolk have an innate resistance to enchantments.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against Enchantment spells cast by merfolk. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
• +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against sahuagin.
• A merfolk has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. She can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line.
• +2 racial bonus on Perform (singing) checks. Merfolk are especially gifted singers, and their beautiful voices are the stuff of legend.
• Fey Blood (Ex): merfolk are fey creatures, and as such they are subject to certain magical effects, restrictions, and limitations.
• Amphibious (Ex): merfolk can breathe both air and water indefinitely, regardless of what form they choose (see below).
• Alternate Form (Su): A merfolk can assume the shape of a halfling as a standard action. While in its alternate form, the merfolk loses her special swim speed, but gains a base land speed of 20. She can remain in this form indefinitely.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): A merfolk can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Weapon Familiarity (Ex): Merfolk may treat the net as a martial weapon instead of an exotic weapon.
• Weapon Proficiency (Ex): Merfolk gain the martial weapon proficiency for the trident as a bonus feat.
• Automatic Languages: Aguan and Common. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Sahuagin, and Triton. In addition, merfolk can speak with any aquatic animal (such as fish or crustaceans) once per day with her spell-like abilities (see below).
• Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 1/day—speak with animals (aquatic animals only, duration 1 minute). A merfolk with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities 1/day: dancing lights, ghost sound, and prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + merfolk’s Cha modifier + spell level.
• Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass merfolk’s bard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty. Merfolk do not typically play music instruments, preferring to make music with their own voices. However, some have been known to play flutes, chimes, and horns made from seashells.
• Level Adjustment: +1.[/SBLOCK]
My goal for the lizardfolk was to remove the level adjustment, and make it comparable to the half-orc (which it will hopefully end up replacing). And I liked the SRD version of the merfolk well enough, but it didn't seem to have enough of a magical, mystical nature (and it would be pretty hard to adventure on land without legs). I gave it a +1 LA, but I'm wondering if that was enough...
Anyway, here are my notes...and as always, I appreciate any feedback or suggestions. I am paranoid about the balance and playability of these races.
[SBLOCK=Lizardfolk]The lizard folk are a hardy, reptilian race of humanoids that live in the salt marshes and rivers of the Fire Islands. They have a minimal, tribal society, and are known to be fiercely territorial...(more later).
Lizardfolk characters possess the following racial traits.
• +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence
• Medium size.
• A lizardfolk’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Lizardfolk have finned, semi-prehensile tails which grant them a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Jump, and Swim checks.
• Natural Armor (Ex): lizardfolk have tough, scaly hides which grant them a +1 natural armor bonus.
• Natural Weapons: lizard folk have bony claws and fanged jaws, which they often use as weapons. A lizardfolk may attack with 2 claws (1d4 slashing damage each) as a primary weapon, and a bite attack (1d4 piercing damage) as a secondary weapon.
• Hold Breath (Ex): a lizardfolk may hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc.
• Favored Class: Druid.[/SBLOCK]
See below.
[SBLOCK=Merfolk]The merfolk of the Fire Islands are smaller than those found in the colder, northern seas near the Mainland, and have innate magical abilities. They are the free-spirited...(more later).
In their natural form, the merfolk have the upper body, arms, and heads of a halfling, with a dolphin’s tail instead of legs. This natural form is rarely seen by surface dwellers, however. To move around more easily on land, especially when interacting with villagers and fishermen, merfolk often assume the form of a halfling.
Merfolk Traits:
• +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma
• Small size: As a Small creature, a merfolk gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Merfolk have a base land speed of 20 feet, but only when in halfling form (see below).
• A merfolk has the aquatic subtype, with a base swim speed of 30 feet.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells from the Enchantment school. As fey creatures, merfolk have an innate resistance to enchantments.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against Enchantment spells cast by merfolk. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
• +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against sahuagin.
• A merfolk has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. She can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line.
• +2 racial bonus on Perform (singing) checks. Merfolk are especially gifted singers, and their beautiful voices are the stuff of legend.
• Fey Blood (Ex): merfolk are fey creatures, and as such they are subject to certain magical effects, restrictions, and limitations.
• Amphibious (Ex): merfolk can breathe both air and water indefinitely, regardless of what form they choose (see below).
• Alternate Form (Su): A merfolk can assume the shape of a halfling as a standard action. While in its alternate form, the merfolk loses her special swim speed, but gains a base land speed of 20. She can remain in this form indefinitely.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): A merfolk can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Weapon Familiarity (Ex): Merfolk may treat the net as a martial weapon instead of an exotic weapon.
• Weapon Proficiency (Ex): Merfolk gain the martial weapon proficiency for the trident as a bonus feat.
• Automatic Languages: Aguan and Common. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Sahuagin, and Triton. In addition, merfolk can speak with any aquatic animal (such as fish or crustaceans) once per day with her spell-like abilities (see below).
• Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 1/day—speak with animals (aquatic animals only, duration 1 minute). A merfolk with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities 1/day: dancing lights, ghost sound, and prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + merfolk’s Cha modifier + spell level.
• Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass merfolk’s bard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty. Merfolk do not typically play music instruments, preferring to make music with their own voices. However, some have been known to play flutes, chimes, and horns made from seashells.
• Level Adjustment: +1.[/SBLOCK]
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