Half-Merfolk advice?

[Atapax]

I’m looking to create a Half-Merfolk race for someone in my group using the Half-Elf and Half-Orc as a guide. I can’t help but feel, however, that what I’ve come up with just doesn’t come equal to the other base races. There really isn't that much in the Merfolk race to work with. I was wondering if anyone here had any ideas how I might beef it up a tad. Any and all suggestions welcome.

Half-Merfolk:

+2 to any 1 stat
Medium: Half-Merfolk are medium creatures.
Normal Speed: Land speed of 30 ft.
Aquatic: Can breathe underwater, 20 ft swim speed
Low-Light Vision: All half-merfolk have low-light vision.
Merfolk Blood: Count as Merfolk for all purposes
Languages: Merfolk begin play speaking Common and Aquan. Half-Merfolk with high Intelligence scores can choose any language.

[Mark Moreland]

If they want to be the top half of the merfolk, I'd just use human stats. For the bottom half, I'd use a fish.

Seriously, though, it looks fine to me. Having the swim speed and water breathing are pretty strong abilities. I'd add in that they have both merfolk and human blood for bane weapons and effects, same way half-orcs and half-elves count as both. Have you checked out half-aquatic elves for comparison?

[Ernest Mueller]

Atapax wrote:

I’m looking to create a Half-Merfolk race for someone in my group using the Half-Elf and Half-Orc as a guide. I can’t help but feel, however, that what I’ve come up with just doesn’t come equal to the other base races. There really isn't that much in the Merfolk race to work with. I was wondering if anyone here had any ideas how I might beef it up a tad. Any and all suggestions welcome.

** spoiler omitted **

Seems fine to me. I'd bump the swim speed to 25 or 30 maybe. You could give them weapon familiarity: proficient with tridents.

Big question is what exactly do they look like - is it just "creature from the black lagoon" legs?

[Atapax]

Ernest Mueller wrote:

Big question is what exactly do they look like - is it just "creature from the black lagoon" legs?

The player is going for a mostly human look with faintly scaly skin and an unusual hair color. Definitely recognizable, but nothing crazy.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd thought of the weapon familiarity for tridents as well just after posting.

@yoda - Where can I find a half-aquatic elf?

[Cuchulainn]

Stormwrack has aquatic variations of all the core races, as well as a few others:

The aventi are humans that are amphibious.

The darfellan are humans with just a dash of killer whale mixed in.

If you can find a copy, it should be useful for your purposes.

[Jesse Brake]

This link is to Bastards & Bloodlines, an excellent half breed book. The half merfolk detailed in it is very playable, though maybe not all the mixtures (elf/giant eagle and halfling/blink dog come to mind).

[Exiled Prince]

Atapax wrote:

I’m looking to create a Half-Merfolk race for someone in my group using the Half-Elf and Half-Orc as a guide. I can’t help but feel, however, that what I’ve come up with just doesn’t come equal to the other base races. There really isn't that much in the Merfolk race to work with. I was wondering if anyone here had any ideas how I might beef it up a tad. Any and all suggestions welcome.

** spoiler omitted **

How about this:

Half-Merfolk

size:M

Lowlight vision

Movement 30'

Aquatic Adaptation:
The Half-Merfolk can
breath both water and air. Movement under
water is 30' and The Half-Merfolk can take 10
on all swim checks even if threaten or rushed.

For purpose of blood,the Half Merfolk is considered
both Human and Merfolk.