UA:Aquatic Gnomes

This material is published under the OGL 1.0a.

Aquatic Gnomes

Aquatic gnomes travel the world beneath the waves in elaborate wood and shell chariots pulled by domesticated sea creatures. Their vehicles range in size from single-person launches to those large enough to house several families.

Racial Traits: Aquatic gnomes have the following racial traits.

• +2 Constitution, –2 Strength.
• Humanoid (Aquatic, Gnome): An aquatic gnome has the aquatic subtype. He can breathe underwater. He cannot also breathe air unless he also has the amphibious special quality. An aquatic gnome can hold his breath outside the water for 2 rounds per point of Constitution. After that, he begins to suffocate.
• Small: As a Small creature, an aquatic gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Aquatic gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
• An aquatic gnome has a swim speed of 20 feet. He can move through water at his swim speed without making Swim checks. He has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some action or avoid a hazard. He can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. He can use the run action while swimming, provided he swims in a straight line.
• Low-Light Vision: An aquatic gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions: Aquatic gnomes’ visual acuity has improved at the expense of their other senses (scent and hearing).
• Weapon Familiarity: Aquatic gnomes may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
• Well-Traveled: Aquatic gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive and Gather Information checks. They always know when their welcome is wearing out.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by Aquatic gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
• +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against goblinoids: Aquatic gnomes do not come into combat with kobolds as frequently as their land-bound cousins. They retain their bonus against goblinoids, however.
• +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught flat-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, and Orc. In addition, an aquatic gnome can speak with a burrowing mammal (a badger, fox, rabbit, or the like, see below). This ability is innate to aquatic gnomes. See the speak with animals spell description.
• Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute). An aquatic gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + aquatic gnome’s Cha modifier + spell level.
• Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass aquatic gnome’s bard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.
• Level Adjustment: +0*.

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