Talk:Merfolk (4e Race)

A Few Things

• Speed: I really think a 10 Swim speed is way over the top. 6 or 7 is about as high as you should really go. Any higher and it becomes overkill (they could always have racial feats that increase their water speed).
• Languages: First you should only grant 2 starting languages. Secondly..."Merfolk" and "Fish-Speak"??? These are languages that serve little use to PCs (unless multiple races/creatures speak them). Most other "aquatic" races use Deep Speech. I would suggest granting them that and Common.
• Skill Bonuses: They should get bonuses to 2 seperate skills.
• Transform: There is little reason to throw in so many penalties. This should be an easy non-detrimental ability that Players can really use. Even if your entire campaign is underwater, you should allow the PCs to be able to land travel without a time limit or stat penalty. Otherwise this single trait would keep anyone I know from ever running it.
• Fey Origin: I see were your coming from in wanting to give them the Fey keyword, but really the Aquatic keyword seems to be more appropriate and grants them natural swimming skills. As of right know your Merfolk will tire and need to rest after only swimming a short time.
• Breathe underwater: This can be folded into the "Aquatic Origin" easily enough, with the addition of a sentence like; "...because of your aquatic nature you can breathe water and air with equal ease."
• Siren Song: The range on this power's burst needs to be set. Perhaps it could scale like; "1 + Charisma modifier". The target should probably be; "1 target within Burst", and the Hit should probably read; "You Dominate your target until the end of your next turn." This would keep it more in line with standard 4e rules.

I really like the fluff, although even more info under "Playing a Merfolk" would be nice. I'd like to hear a bit more about their characteristics and society. Thanks for your time. -- Sepsis 14:56, 5 March 2009 (MST)

Balance issue

My only issue here is with the dominated effect most classes don't get to dominate until a level 29 daily. (though those are save-ends effects against a solo creature save ends & until end of next turn are almost the same) Regardless I believe that dominate is to powerful an effect for a racial encounter power. Daze, Weakened, granting combat advantage, or a -2 to attack, while it may not fit as well with the lore still fits the effect of the creature being put under a spell of sorts by the song while being a much more common effect. --Aitharious (talk) 06:50, 12 August 2016 (MDT)