Merfolk, 1st-Level Warrior
Medium Humanoid (good reflex) (Aquatic) — CR 0.5
Merfolk, 1st-Level Warrior is a D&D 3.5 monster from MM, p. 185. CR 0.5, HD 1d8+2 (6 hp).
- Hit Dice
- 1d8+2 (6 hp)
- Initiative
- +1
- Speed
- Land 5 ft
- Armor Class
- 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12
- Base Attack / Grapple
- +1/+2
- Attack
- Trident +2 melee (1d8+1) or heavy crossbow +2 ranged (1d10/19-20)
- Full Attack
- Trident +2 melee (1d8+1) or heavy crossbow +2 ranged (1d10/19-20)
- STR
- 13
- DEX
- 13
- CON
- 14
- INT
- 10
- WIS
- 9
- CHA
- 10
- Fort / Ref / Will
- +4 / +1 / -1
- Challenge Rating
- 0.5
- Alignment
- Usually Neutral
- Organization
- Company (2–4), patrol (11–20 plus 2 3rd−level lieutenants and 1 leader of 3rd–6th level), or band (30–60 plus 1 3rd−level sergeant per 20 adults, 5 5th−level lieutenants, 3 7th−level captains, and 10 porpoises)
- Treasure
- Standard
- Environment
- Aquatic
- Level Adjustment
- +1
Special Abilities
Feats
This being has the upper body, arms, and head of a fair-featured human. Instead of legs, however, it has the scaled tail of a great fish.
Description
The merfolk are playful, marine-dwelling people. Although wary of surface dwellers, they are not usually hostile: They prefer sunning themselves on rocks to engaging in warfare.
Both male and female merfolk decorate themselves with shells, coral, and other underwater adornments.
Adventurers who encounter merfolk are often the victims of pranks and mischief. The sport of merfolk can be cruel, although they are not actually evil. Should surface dwellers do them harm, however, these creatures can be formidable enemies.
A merfolk is about 8 feet long from the top of the head to the end of the tail, and weighs about 400 pounds.
Merfolk speaks Common and Aquan.
Most merfolk encountered outside their home are warriors; the information in the statistics block is for one of 1st level.
Combat
Merfolk favor heavy crossbows of shell and coral that fire bolts fashioned from blowfish spines, with an underwater range increment of 30 feet. Merfolk often barrage their enemies before closing, when they resort to tridents.
Amphibious (Ex): Merfolk can breathe both air and water, although they rarely travel more than a few feet from the water’s edge.
Skills: A merfolk has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
The merfolk warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.