Merfolk
| Shadowland Monsters | Traykon Monsters |
| Divine Servants | Unique Monsters |
| From Beyond | Monster Templates |
| Creature Types | |
|---|---|
CR 1/3
XP 135
Merfolk warrior 1
N Medium humanoid (aquatic)
Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 7 (1d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +1, Will –1
OFFENSE
Speed 5 ft., swim 50 ft.
Melee trident +2 (1d8+1)
Ranged heavy crossbow +2 (1d10/19–20)
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 13 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +3, Swim +13
Languages Aquan, Common
SQ amphibious
ABOUT
Environment temperate ocean
Organization solitary, company (2–4), patrol (3–10 plus 2 lieutenants of 3rd level and 1 leader of 3rd–6th level), or shoal (11–60 plus 1 sergeant of 3rd level per 20 adults, 5 lieutenants of 5th level, 3 captains of 7th level, and8–12 dolphins)
Treasure NPC gear (trident, heavy crossbow with 10 bolts, other treasure)
Slipping in and out of the crashing waves, this beautiful woman has the lower torso of a long, slender fish.
From the waist up, merfolk bear the torsos of well-built humans and delicate features reminiscent of elves and other humanoids tied to the natural world. A merfolk’s lower body consists of the fins and tail of a great fish. Depending on the region, the scales of merfolk vary in hue, including gleaming silver, pale green, or even blue with stripes of yellow and crimson. Merfolk typically measure 6 to 8 feet in length and weigh over 200 pounds, with females being slightly smaller than males. Although amphibious, merfolk move only with difficulty on land and rarely wander more than a mile from sea.
It is quite rare for a merfolk to make contact with a creature not of its kind. In fact, many go to great lengths to steer sailors away from their lands, even resorting to violence if necessary. Ancient accounts hint at merfolk protecting a terrible secret bound to the depths, and though no reports mention what this secret is, the lengths merfolk go to remain isolated from other races highlight the importance of this safeguard.
While merfolk outwardly appear to be a beautiful and powerful race, some sages and seafarers whisper that degenerate and mutated merfolk roam the deepest, most isolated regions of the seas and oceans. Some evidence states that this offshoot fell to the worship of twisted and sinister powers lurking in the darkness below, while other theories include all merfolk in this sinister agenda, holding that even those merfolk who believe they control their own destinies are, in fact, merely unknowing puppets of a sinister and unknown master race deep under the sea.
Merfolk Characters
- Ability Score Modifiers: Merfolk are graceful, hale, and beautiful. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, and +2 Charisma.
- Size: Merfolk are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Base Speed (Slow Speed): Merfolk have a base speed of 5 feet. They have a swim speed of 50 feet.
- Type: Merfolk are humanoids with the aquatic subtype.
- Languages: Merfolk begin play speaking Common and Aquan. Merfolk with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aboleth, Aklo, Draconic, Elven, and Sylvan. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
- Armor: Merfolk have a +2 natural armor bonus.
- Legless: Merfolk have no legs, and therefore cannot be tripped.
Senses Racial Traits
- Low-Light Vision: Merfolk have low-light vision allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Other Racial Traits
- Amphibious: Merfolk are amphibious but prefer not to spend long periods out of the water.
Merfolk are among the best known and yet the least understood of the aquatic races. Folklore is filled with stories of merfolk: legends of beautiful merfolk falling in love with humans, or ship crews saved from storms by friendly bands of the creatures. Among land dwellers, merfolk are almost-legendary figures of impossible beauty and magic. In reality, merfolk are secretive and prone to intense xenophobia. They value their privacy and are more likely to react to surfacers with aggression than with friendship or passion. Merfolk communities guard their territories ruthlessly. They may warn away ships and travelers who seem nonthreatening or genuinely lost, but if trespassers appear hostile, merfolk attack first.
Merfolk have the upper bodies of graceful humanoids with fine, delicate features. Their skin can be deep, warm shades of brown, lighter shades of tan and gold, or very pale tones of peach and white. Merfolk have the lower body of a great fish, with a long tail ending in powerful fins to aid with swimming. Merfolk scales are iridescent and grow in many colors, most commonly the green and blue shades of the sea. Like many fish, merfolk have darker scales on their backs and lighter ones on their undersides, which helps mask their presence from creatures below them in the water.
Although many surfacer myths about merfolk are untrue, one bears out: most merfolk are genuinely gifted musicians.
Merfolk might experiment with a harp or woodwind, particularly one discovered on a wrecked ship or stolen from a seaside community, but many merfolk are practiced singers. Merfolk voices naturally and lightly span ranges that would make human bards envious, and their songs travel far underwater or across the surface of the sea. Adventurers
Merfolk are an insular and guarded race. While they might work with non-merfolk on occasion, only rarely do they trust these allies fully. Merfolk who adventure on their own often do so because nothing is left for them in their homes.
Sahuagin and merfolk clash frequently, and sahuagin have been known to destroy entire merfolk colonies, taking the few survivors as prisoners. A merfolk who escapes this fate may be left alone in the world, his friends and family dead or captured. Some of these unfortunates leave their former territory, suppressing their painful memories, and caring little where their travels take them. Other merfolk leave their homes only as a means to protect their own: to rescue loved ones captured by aquatic slavers, to recover powerful magic items to defend their lands, or to seek a cure for a disease or curse.
On rare occasions, a merfolk community may exile a merfolk who has broken the trust of his neighbors. Exiled merfolk feel great shame and often lie about their origins to their fellow travelers. Some of these adventurers seek a way to regain the good graces of their community, such as by performing a great service, killing a ferocious predator, or finding a lost treasure to bring home with them.
Rumors exist of merfolk exiled from their community for no reason other than their lack of musical talent. Some merfolk tribes see musical expression as a sacred merfolk ability—a gift from the gods themselves. A merfolk who cannot sing, or one who sings badly, is thought to be cursed, destined to bring ill fortune to their kin. “Cursed” merfolk are gently but firmly turned out of their homes and left to make their own way in the world. Many become wanderers and adventurers, spending their time among races who do not recognize the stigma that caused their banishment.
Merfolk have the upper torsos of well-built and attractive humans and lower halves consisting of the tail and fins of a great fish. Their hair and scales span a wide range of hues, with Merfolk in a given region closely resembling each other. Merfolk can breathe air freely but move on dry land only with difficulty, and rarely spend long periods out of water. As a race, Merfolk are insular and distrustful of strangers, but individuals, especially adventuring Merfolk, break the mold and can be quite garrulous. Merfolk concern themselves more with nature and the arts than with morality and ethical debates, and have a strong inclination toward neutral alignments.
| Adulthood | Intuitive | Self-Taught | Trained |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | +1d4 years (16 – 19 years) |
+1d6 years (16 – 21 years) |
+2d6 years (17 – 27 years) |
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 5 ft. 10 in. | +2d10 in. (6 ft. – 7 ft. 6 in.) | 145 lbs. | +(2d10×5 lbs.) (155-245 lbs.) |
| Female | 5 ft. 8 in. | +2d10 in. (5 ft. 10 in. – 7 ft. 4 in.) | 135 lbs. | +(2d10×5 lbs.) (145-235 lbs.) |
Alternate Racial Traits
The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.
- Darkvision Some Merfolk favor the lightless depths over shallower waters. Merfolk with this racial trait gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet and light sensitivity. This racial trait replaces low-light vision.
- Seasinger The beautiful voices of the merfolk are legendary. A seasinger gains a +2 racial bonus on Perform (sing) checks and a +1 racial bonus to the save DC of language-dependent spells. This racial trait replaces low-light vision.
- Secret Magic: Merfolk sometimes manifest magical powers they are unwilling to explain to non-merfolk, leading scholars to speculate that the magic originates from the merfolk’s rumored eldritch patrons. Such merfolk have only a 40-foot swim speed, but they add +1 to the DC of any enchantment spells they cast, and if they have a Charisma score of 13 or higher, they gain the ability to cast the following spell-like abilities: At will—speak with animals (aquatic animals only); 1/day—fins to feet (self only), hydraulic push. This racial trait replaces the armor racial trait and alters the merfolk’s movement speed. Source PZO9280
- Strongtail A few merfolk have broad, strong tails that are more suited for land travel than the typical merfolk tail. Merfolk with this racial trait have a land speed of 15 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet.
- Unexpected Ally: Merfolk with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks to influence a creature’s attitude. In addition, merfolk with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on checks to perform the aid another action. This replaces low-light vision.
