Building a custom race, could use suggestions / help.

[Cryptekz]

So, for my a campaign I've recently started to run, my party is running up against a big bad undersea sorcerer, who I've essentially made into a half-breed between Naga and Sahuagin. That said, I have very little experience with the two creature races as per their D&D/Pathfinder origins. I was wondering if I might draw on some of the experience of the older members here, who've studied the two races much more in depth than I have, in order to create a balanced, but strong enemy for them to run up against (Party is currently level 7, I don't plan for the encounter against the Nahuagin (working title) until about level 10-12.

This is my first D20 campaign I've GM'd beyond a one-shot adventure I did some years back that never went anywhere, so please be gentle. I'm still kind of new to this whole thing, and I just want to offer my players a unique but interesting baddie with a lot of issues/persecution complex built into the undertones of the character.

[Manly-man teapot]

Starting with a Water Naga, I assume a Sahuagin torso on a naga snake body? Start with the water naga stat block, add claw attacks, blood frenzy and shark telepathy from the sahuagin. Reduce the damage of the bite attack to 1d6 and lose the poison. The full attack is either claw/claw/bite/secondary tail, or armed attack + secondary bite, secondary tail.

Then add either actual sorcerer class levels, or HD of aberration that progresses sorcerer casting, depending on your vision of the creature.

CR is 7 + the added levels/HD. Slightly lowballed, but the natural attacks are not that important to a level 12+ sorcerer.

[Cryptekz]

Manly-man teapot wrote:

Starting with a Water Naga, I assume a Sahuagin torso on a naga snake body?

Essentially, yes, though there were specific features I intended to preserve from both races. Obviously the full-back Naga dorsal fin is a must, both for the sake that this character is a king, and needs it to appear regal and intimidating, as well as what I feel is a necessary overlap between the two separate genus; likewise, the Naga's slit-like eyes and forked-tongue are keepers. I was planning on using the Sahuagin's facial protrusions; the dangling flaps and gills and the like, but with a smoother skin texture instead of scales.

Why I'm bothering to go into full description depth of its appearance, which is highly irrelevant, I don't know, but if it helps, then by all means.

That said, I do like the blood frenzy and shark telepathy. Fits with the nature of a predatory king who's out for fresh meat. I might keep the poison because he's a sinister bastard like that, and would use a personal touch like his own poison on a hated enemy. I'm sure I can find some other way to make the trade-off balanced.

[Manly-man teapot]

Just let him retain the poison and don't worry about it. You're not making something the PCs will get their hands on.