Originally Posted by
Inevitability
1. They can.
2. I assume people don't pick creatures to play that are completely nonfunctional in the campaign they'll be used in (half-minotaur wizards, and all that). If someone plays a merfolk, they're either going to have a way to move efficiently on dry land, or the campaign will be largely aquatic: anything else is an unwise decision I'm not responsible for.