Homebrew Spotlight: Aquatic Halfling

Aquatic Halfling

Small Humanoid (aquatic) (12 RP)

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength. Aquatic Halflings are nimble and strong-willed, but their small stature makes them weaker than other races. (0 RP)
• Small Size: Aquatic Halflings gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth Small races have a space of 5 feet by 5 feet and a reach of 5 feet. (0 RP)
• Slow Speed: Aquatic Halflings have a base speed of 20 feet. (-1 RP)
  • Swim Speed: Aquatic Halflings have a 40 ft swim speed [See aquatic and powerful swimmer below]. (0 RP)
    • Aquatic Subtype: Aquatic Halflings gain a swim speed of 30 feet, can hold their breath as long as their Constitution score plus their level in minutes, and operate normally underwater as if it were their natural element. (0 RP)
    • Powerful Swimmer: Aquatic Halflings receive a +10 foot bonus to their swim speed. (1 RP)
• Lowlight vision: Aquatic Halflings can see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light. (1 RP)
• Waterborn: Aquatic Halflings gain a +2 racial bonus to one water-based skill of choice. Such as, craft: fishing gear (nets, poles, lures, boats); profession: fishing, ride: dolphin (or other), survival (aquatic), or swim. (2 RP)
• Waterfriend: Aquatic Halflings gain a +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy with aquatic creatures and races. (2 RP)
• Lucky, lesser: Aquatic Halflings receive a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws. (2 RP)
• Keen Senses: Aquatic Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks. (2 RP)
• Sure-Footed: Aquatic Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics skill checks. (2 RP)
• Stalker: Perception and Stealth are always class skills for aquatic halflings. (1 RP)
• Languages: Common and Halfling. Bonus: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Mer. (0 RP)

Alternate Racial Traits

• Wavesinger: Aquatic Halflings gain the 1^st level waterstrike ability from the Watersinger bard archetype. They can use this ability 1/day per 5 character levels or if a bard it costs bardic performance times per day. Replaces waterborn.
• Watersinger: Aquatic Halflings are treated as 1 level higher when casting spells with the water descriptor or using powers of the Water domain, bloodline powers of the water elemental bloodline, and revelations of the oracle’s water mystery. This trait does not give aquatic halflings early access to level-based powers; it only affects powers they could already use without this trait. Replaces powerful swimmer.
• Watersense: Aquatic Halflings can sense vibrations in water, granting them blindsense 30 feet against creatures that are touching the same body of water. Replaces lowlight vision.
• Waterchild: Aquatic Halflings gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks, can always take 10 while swimming, and may choose Aquan as a bonus language. Replaces waterfriend and keen senses.
• Amphibious (gills): These Aquatic Halflings are amphibious, gain gills so can breathe both air and water. Replaces lucky, lesser.

Aquatic Halflings live on and around Animas. Their land cousins prefer to place their houses in hills, but the aquatic halflings split from their cousins hundreds of years ago and always live on or in the water. Aquatic Halflings think that their ancestors came from this Element and so they returned to it.

The aquatic halflings fall into three categories: river, swamp and sea. And are all born with a variety of water adaptations. Nictating membranes over their eyes, webbed hands/feet, able to hold their breath for long amounts of time and a very few grow gills (amphibian)–these are not bothered by cold/pressure from the deep.

Of course, aquatic halflings’ main diet is fish, water mammals, and aquatic plants. Sea Halflings ride dolphins, swamp: capybara or gator, river: capybara or giant otter. They raise many water animals as food such as: capybara, gator, muskrat, beaver, etc. Just like land Halflings, they have large appetites, but because of their higher activity level they tend to be slim.

They can become Waveriders (riders of dolphins or other aquatic mounts), and commonly make homes like beaver nests with the entrance underwater, or like an otter in river banks or lake shores.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related Links

Homebrew Spotlight: Aquatic Elf

Homebrew Spotlight: Merfolk