Need help with Aquatic Races

[Deepbluediver]

I'm looking for races from pretty much any D&D source that are primarily aquatic. I know that quite a few races have a bonus to swim-checks, and a couple more even have swim speeds, but what I'm really looking for are existing races that were designed with the intent they would live primarily underwater.

So far I've only come across two:

The Kuo-toa, from the Underdark supplement, which are kind of like a race of Cthulhu-worshiping frogmen.
And I've also seen reference to something called a Phaerlock, too, but I can't find a primary source yet.

I'm not really interested in aquatic variants of terrestrial creatures, but I'll read up on anything that anyone suggests if you can tell me it's got something that makes it unique and interesting.
I don't object to homebrewing my own race if need be, but I'd like to see what existing material there is first.


Hopefully not getting to much off-topic, if anyone has homebrewed underwater races before feel free to link me to anything you posted or tell me what you did to make them special.

[J-H]

-Sea Kin (Races of Destiny) are very aquatic
-UA/SRD Water races variants
-Sahuagin

[erikun]

Animental, basically an animal or creature reincarnated as an elemental (and with intelligence)
Aboleth
Aquatic Elf
Genasi, basically elemental bloodline humanoids
Locathah
Marid (water genie)
Merfolk
Nereid
Races Of Water for variants on the standard PC races
Sahuagin
Sea Hag
Tako (it's an intelligent octopus which can move around on land, from AD&D2e MM and D&D3.0 Oriental Adventures)
Tojanida
Triton
Water Mephit
Water Naga

Water Elemental might work, but is really designed for living on the surface of the water. Underwater, it's a bit like an Invisible Stalker. There are also things like Fiendish Octopus and Fiendish Shark which could form societies, as well.

Your Phaerlock looks like it's from Forgotten Realms, and appears in the Underdark supplement book (and probably nowhere else). It looks more reptilian than aquatic and, from the looks of things, can't even breathe underwater.


You are probably going to get the most mileage out of Merfolk, Kuo-toa, Sahuagin, and Tritons. The rest are either too monstrous, too much like standard D&D humans, or just too strange to make decent PCs. Although if you want to run a party with an Aboleth, a Fiendish Shark, a Tojanida, and an Animental Elephant, then certainly do not let me stop you.

[Deepbluediver]

Thank you to you both!

I'm actually more likely to discard the "like human" and the "Aquatic variant of a normal races" and focus on the weird/monstrous ones. Even if I can't use them directly they will serve as good inspiration for something workable.
I have a preference for at least attempting to avoid "humans but with a different skin color" when I'm picking races.

[NomGarret]

How about the Darfellan, from 3.5s Stormwrack? Orca-flavored humanoids.

[MrStabby]

So many things here I have never used...

Only the smallest of offerings from home-brew. I onve did a nautical campaign (a long time ago) and undead were a big part. No need to breath lets you put a lot of things underwater without it being too odd.

If I recall correctly I had a number of "Brine Mummies" pickled by the salt water rather than embalmed. Magic themed around drowning and storms as well as curses (ancient mariner theme).

[Deepbluediver]

How about the Darfellan, from 3.5s Stormwrack? Orca-flavored humanoids.

Interesting- can they actually breathe underwater or just hold their breathe for a really long time? Ultimately I was hoping to develop an underwater setting that was as self-contained and completely separate as Underdark, for example, is from the normal surface setting.

On the one hand, keeping the two areas completely divided with a "here are races that live on land, here are ones that must live underwater" would probably set the scene better for something mysterious and exotic and dangerous. On the other hand, if you want to get the PCs involved, having a race that can easily act as a go-between for the other groups provides an outlet for introductions and plothooks.

Only the smallest of offerings from home-brew. I onve did a nautical campaign (a long time ago) and undead were a big part. No need to breath lets you put a lot of things underwater without it being too odd.

That's a good point- I'm not sure if I want a whole undead-themed race, but using something like undead or constructs to access underwater resources could be the plot-hook that brings the species into conflict.

]If I recall correctly I had a number of "Brine Mummies" pickled by the salt water rather than embalmed. Magic themed around drowning and storms as well as curses (ancient mariner theme).

Do you recall if they differed from normal mummies in any significant way? I don't have any problem with various methods of preservation (there are certain areas where due to an aerobic environment even wooden ships can survive almost intact for centuries or longer)- and I've always wanted to redo some of the generic undead to make them more interesting.

[hamishspence]

Interesting- can they actually breathe underwater or just hold their breathe for a really long time?

Hold Breath, in this case.

[Username.]

I'm looking for races from pretty much any D&D source that are primarily aquatic.

Are you aware that there is an entire 3rd party campaign world background called Cerulean Seas, made by a 3rd party publisher for Pathfinder, that is placed entirely undersea and is so dedicated to that notion that there are extensive rules for bouyancy (and a stat for the same) within its rules?

Cause there totally is.

Is it any good? Meh. Well, that's a qualified "meh." It's better than pretty much any 3rd party material I've seen for d20 with the exception of Dreamscarred's psionics stuff -- and it is better edited than ANY Pathfinder and Dreamscarred material (Dreamscarred's ToB knockoff is insultingly atrocious when it comes to language and layout, but again, Dreamscarred's psionics is generally solid).

The publisher is Alluria Publishing. There are rules for crocodillian humanoids, humanoids based off of bizarre molluscs and spineless fishes, and more. The feats system is broken, casters dominate, and PrCs that lose caster levels are garbage -- so same-old same-old.

But it has a spell that lets you merge your legs into a creature 2 sizes larger than you and use said creature as both your steed and lower body, like a weaponized Golobulous.

That should sell it right there.