Merfolk

This page is about the player species. For the monster, see List of merfolk.

Merfolk are a hybrid race of half-human, half-fish that typically live in oceans or rivers and seldom come onto the land. The merfolk aren't as limited on land as some myths suggest: their tails quickly form into legs when they leave water, and revert when once again submerged. Their agility is often misjudged, and they tend to be surprising nimble on land as well as in the water. Expert swimmers, they need not fear drowning as they can quickly slip out of any encumbering armour during the transformation into their half-fish form.

Merfolk martial arts focus on thrusting and grappling, the most efficient ways to fight underwater. They prefer to wield polearms and short blades, though they can also use unarmed combat and long blades well.

Their close relationship with water and innate transformative abilities make Poison Magic, Ice Magic, Charms, and especially Transmutations easy for them, but they have at best mediocre talent at most other magic.

Innate Abilities

• Merfolk revert to their natural form in water, giving them a spriggan's speed, +50 stealth, and +25% EV (min +2, max +9). Their boots meld into them (even if cursed) and stop functioning, however.
• Merfolk produce friendly water elementals more often when using Summon Elemental.

Preferred Backgrounds

Merfolk prefer to become Gladiators, Assassins, Berserkers, Abyssal Knights, Death Knights, Healers, Skalds, Transmuters, Enchanters, Ice Elementalists, Venom Mages, and Artificers.

Level Bonuses

• Merfolk gain a random stat increase every 5 levels starting at level 5.
• Merfolk have average HP.
• Merfolk have average MP.
• Merfolk gain 3 magic resistance per level.

Difficulty of Play

Merfolk are an easy race to play because of their strong fighting capabilities (especially with polearms), decent specialization in magic (especially in transmutations), and the ability to traverse water unhindered.

Skill aptitudes

The higher the value, the better the aptitude.

Skill	Aptitude	Skill	Aptitude	Skill	Aptitude
Attack		Miscellaneous		Magic
Fighting	+1	Armour	-3	Spellcasting	0
Short Blades	+2	Dodging	+3	Conjurations	-2
Long Blades	+1	Stealth	+1	Hexes	0
Axes	-2	Stabbing	+2	Charms	+1
Maces & Flails	-2	Shields	0	Summonings	0
Polearms	+4	Traps	-1	Necromancy	-2
Staves	-2			Translocations	-2
Unarmed Combat	+1			Transmutation	+3
		Fire Magic	-3
Throwing	0	Ice Magic	+1	Invocations	0
Slings	-2	Air Magic	-2	Evocations	0
Bows	-2	Earth Magic	-2
Crossbows	-2	Poison Magic	+1	Experience	120