All week long we are posting previews for the upcoming Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Merfolk. Monday we showed you their racial traits as well as two subraces. Yesterday we shared with you some of the unique spells known to the merfolk race. Today we are showing you the ways your merfolk character can survive on land, either for a single adventure or for a full on campaign.
This alternate racial trait draws its inspiration from the ’80 movie Splash:
Walk the Land A few merfolk have the rare supernatural ability to take the form of a human, allowing them to walk on land. The form’s appearance is static and cannot be changed. The merfolk gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to appear as a human. Changing its shape is a standard action. This trait otherwise functions as alter self, save that the merfolk does not adjust its ability scores. This racial trait replaces armored scales. While in human form, a merfolk loses the legless racial trait and has a base speed of 30 feet.
This new psionic power can help you walk just about anywhere:
Adapt Fin
Discipline psychometabolism; Level cryptic 2, psion/wilder 2, psychic warrior 2, tactician 2
Display visual
Manifesting Time 1 standard action
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
Power Points 3
Your body automatically adapts when on land, forming legs that allow you to survive as if you were a creature native to that environment. You can move 30 feet per round.
Augment If you spend 5 additional power points, this power protects you from the harmful effects of your environment. If you would take damage every round from the environment, such as from acid or lava, you take only half the usual amount of damage. This does not reduce damage from magical sources such as spells or powers, nor does it reduce instantaneous damage such as from falling damage or weapon damage.
There’s a magic item that can change your fin into a pair of human legs.
Belt of the Land Walker
Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
Slot belt; Price 11,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This thick and heavy belt is made from the skin and green scales of a large lizard. Its clasp of coral shows a tail fin crossed with a human-looking leg. Whenever its wearer emerges from water, their fins, flippers, or tail transform into legs and feet, allowing them to walk on land. The wearer loses any swim speed while on land but gains a base land speed of 30 feet. If the creature is immersed in water for 1 round, the transformation reverts, allowing it to swim normally.
This item only works on merfolk, tritons, seals, fish, and other creatures whose bodies or limbs are used mainly for swimming and are not suitable for walking. It does not give the wearer the ability to breathe air.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item,
fins to feet ARG;
Cost 5,500 gp
And sometimes, magic goes awry, affecting a merfolk whether she likes it or not. This new spellblight makes it so a merfolk cannot return to the sea, until it is removed.
Landwalker: A creature with the aquatic subtype affected by this spellblight has its fins split into a pair of legs. The creature gains a base land speed of 30 ft., losing the legless ability and any swim speed it possesses. If the creature already has legs, this spellblight does not affect it.
Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Merfolk is part of the Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Subscription. Purchasing the subscription gets you Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Merfolk, Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Changelings, Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Catfolk, Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Tengu, and Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Favored Class Options as well as Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Merfolk and 7 more races released throughout 2015 plus the upcoming Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Compendium when it is finished. Download today at DriveThruRPG/RPGNow, d20PFSRD, and Paizo.com.