Squid Folk

Another new creature, this time inspired by the Octopus Men miniatures made by Evil Gong.

Squidfolk
Small Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice:
2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative:
+2
Speed:
30 ft. (6 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class:
17 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural, +1light steel shield), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple:
+2/-2
Attack:
Long spear +2 melee (1d6+1) or short sword +2 melee (1d4) or Tentacle +2 melee (1d2) or bite –3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack:
Spear +0 melee (1d6+1) and shortsword -4 (1d4) melee or 4 tentacles +2 melee (1d2) and bite -3 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach:
5 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities:
Jet, dark vision,
Saves:
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +3
Abilities:
Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills:
Escape Artist +11, Hide +5, Listen +2, Spot +2, Swim +5
Feats:
Multiweapon Fighting
Environment:
Warm aquatic
Organization:
Solitary, squad (3-6), patrol (11-20 plus one 3^rd level captain and 1-2 giant octopodes) or band (30-100, plus 50% noncombatants plus 1 3^rd level captain per 10 adults plus 3 7^th level champions plus 1 10^th level warlord plus 2-15 giant octopodes)
Challenge Rating:
1

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Usually lawful evil.
Advancement:
3-5 HD (Medium); 6-10 HD (Large) or by character class.
Level Adjustment: +2

This creature resembles a halfling-sized octopus, save that it walks on four tentacles and bares weapons in its remaining limbs.

SQUIDFOLK SOCIETY

Squidfolk are highly developed scavengers who make their homes around particularly large shipwrecks or submerged structures on the ocean floor. Adult squidfolk are ranked by the areas of their undersea home that they have explored and the artefacts and curios that they have recovered; when a particular adult equals the status of the bands leader, he is assigned a group of squidfolk and leaves to find a lair for them to populate. Though squidfolk have a rapacious appetite for knowledge, they are also predisposed to cruelty and fierce, often bloody competition – disputes amongst squidfolk are often settled in ritualised duels using the cultural weapon of the squidfolk, the two-bladed sword; high ranking squidfolk fighters are often proficient with this weapon.

Squidfolk are rarely seen on land, save when relocation puts them near a shoreline rich in magical treasures; as such, coastal temples are often the targets of squidfolk raiding parties. Seafarers whose ships have been destroyed in battle most often encounter Squidfolk, as the crew clamour for safety from the waves, the squidfolk move in like carrion to loot their cargo as it descends to the ocean floor. A squidfolk warlord will usually keep a spell book like tome cataloguing his or her treasure, and containing research into its origins; these tomes are prized highly by treasure hunters, pirates and adventurers.

COMBAT

Jet (Ex): Underwater, Squidfolk can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

Speak with Octopodes (Ex): Squidfolk can communicate telepathically with Octopodes up to 150 feet away. The communication is limited to fairly simple concepts such as 'food,' 'danger,' and 'enemy.' Octopus men can use the Handle Animal skill to befriend and train octopodes.

Water Dependent (Ex): Squidfok can survive out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution (after that, refer to the drowning rules on page 304 of the Dungeon Master's Guide).

Skills: Squidfolk can change colors, giving them a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. Squidfolk can also squeeze and contort their bodies, giving them a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. Suidfolk have a +6 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. They can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.

SQUIDFOLK CHARACTERS:

Squidfolk leaders are usually fighters, though it is not unusual for them to have levels of sorcerer or wizard. Squidfolk clerics worship a mysterious deity known as the Deep Father, and have access to the domains Knowledge, Magic, Water and War (favoured weapon two-bladed sword)

SQUIDFOLK AS CHARACTERS:

Squidfolk characters have the following racial traits.

- +3 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom.

- Small size: +1 bonus to armour class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits ¾ those of Medium characters.

- Squidfolk have a base land speed of 30 feet, and a swim speed of 30 feet.

- Darkvision out to 60 feet.

- Racial Hit Dice: Squidfolk begin with two levels of aberration, which provide 2d8 hit dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +0 and Will+2

- Racial Skills: Squidfolks' aberration levels give them skill points equal to 5X(2+Int modifier, minimum one). Squidfolk's class skills are Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Spot and Swim.

- Racial Feats: Squidfolks' aberration levels give them 1 feat.

- Weapon Proficiency: Squidfolk are proficient with all simple weapons, shields (except tower shields) as well as the shortsword.

- +3 natural armour bonus.

- Natural Weapons: 4 Tentacles (1d2) and bite (1d4).

- Special Qualities (see above): Jet, speak with octopodes, water dependent.

- Automatic Languages: Aquan, Common. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Undercommon.

- Favoured Class: Fighter.

- Level adjustment +2