Merfolk, Ceceaelia
Common Cultures: Artistic, Collegiate, Cosmopolitan, Itinerant, Nomadic, Undersea
Ancestry Traits
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. 25 ft., 30 ft. swim (-1 point)
You can breathe air and water, and you have a 30 foot swim speed.
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
As an action, you can emit a cloud of ink to aid you in escaping. This has a different effect depending on your location. While underwater, the ink spreads out in a 15-foot radius around you, heavily obscuring the area for 1 minute. While above water, you splash the ink on the ground around you in a 10-foot square, turning the area into difficult terrain for 1 minute. When it first appears, each creature in the area (including you) must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. While it persists, a creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on the Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
You have advantage against effects that would knock you prone.
You have eight long tentacles instead of legs, which you can use to manipulate objects or strike creatures. They have a reach of 10 feet, and can each lift a number of pounds equal to five times your Strength score. You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options.
Your tentacles can't wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell, though you can deliver touch spells with them.
Paragon Options
Aquatic Predator
Your swim speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain Darkvision out to 120 feet while underwater. If you already have Darkvision, it instead extends by 90 feet while underwater. Additionally, while underwater, you have Advantage on attack rolls against creatures that don't have a swim speed, and creatures that don't have a swim speed have Disadvantage on saving throws against spells and abilities you use.
Master the Wave
You learn more advanced magic of aquatic people. You learn the create or destroy water spell and can cast it at will, without spending mana. You also learn the misty step and water walk spells. You can cast these spells once each without spending mana and without material components. Once you do, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using mana if you can cast spells of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this culture).
Powerful Tentacles
Your tentacles are stronger than most of your kind. You gain the following benefits:
- When you use your tentacles to make an unarmed strike, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage.
- Your walking speed increases by 5 feet, and you gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed.
- You can spend a flourish with a tentacle attack to cause the target to be restrained as long as they are grappled.
Underwater Camouflage
You are an expert at hiding, especially underwater. You gain the following benefits:
- You can take the Hide action as a bonus action. If you already can, your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
- When you take the Hide action, you can adjust your carapace to match your surroundings. For the next minute, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and you can hide even while you are being observed. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. While you are underwater, you gain the benefits of this trait without expending a use of it.
