Lord Nomic's Nautical Compendium. Resources for Seaborne Adventures in DnD 5th Edition

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1 Lord Nomic's Nautical Compendium Resources for Seaborne Adventures in DnD 5th Edition

2 Foreword I've always been fascinated with the ocean and marine life, probably due to having lived my whole life near the sea and coming from a family with nautical background (my greatgrandfather was a captain of a warship during World War 2, and my grandfather was a seacaptain when he was younger), plus spending all my youth watching underwater wildlife documentaries by Jacques Cousteau. To this day I somewhat regret not becoming a marine biologist. This document is the result of my desire to combine that fascination with my interest in role-playing games. The purpose of this document is to add some things that may be useful for running a nautical-themed campaign, including some additional races, class variants, and most importantly aquatic monsters, both based on actual aquatic creatures and adapted from earlier editions (plus some of my own design). The reader is encouraged to also check out the "Waterborne Adventures" issue of Unearthed Arcana, which also concerns the same theme. - Lord Nomic. Fighting Style: Aquatic Fighting The following new option can be selected by fighters, paladins, and rangers for the Fighting Style class feature. You are considered to have swimming speed for the purposes of determining whether you have disadvantage on melee weapon attacks rolls underwater. In addition, when making ranged weapon attacks with a crossbow, a net or a weapon that is thrown like a javelin (including a spear, trident or dart), you no longer automatically miss a target beyond the weapon's normal range when underwater. Feat: Mariner You gain proficiency with navigator's tools and waterborne vehicles, and if you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have swimming speed equal to your base walking speed. Spells Black Smoke 3rd level conjuration Casting time: 1 action Range: 150 feet Components: V, S, M (a pinch of powdered sulfur) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You create a 20-foot radius sphere of scalding-hot black smoke, similar in appearance to those produced by undersea volcanic vents. The smoke spreads around corners. It lasts for the duration or until strong wind or current disperses the smoke, ending the spell. Its area is heavily obscured. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 fire damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The smoke moves 10 feet away from you at the start of each of your turns. Being heavier than air, the smoke sink to the lowest level of the land, even pouring down openings. Under water the smoke does not sink, having similar density to water. This spell can be cast by druids, sorcerers and wizards Mucus Film 4th level abjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a handful of fish scales) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour For the duration, the willing creature you touch gains a film of slime on their skin, which grants them resistance to fire and acid damage, and advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to escape a grapple. This spell can be cast by clerics, druids, rangers, sorcerers, warlocks and wizards. The Bends 5th level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 feet Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You place a curse on the target creature you can see within the range. Until the spell ends, the target must make a Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns. If it fails the save, until the start of the creature's next turn its movement speed is halved, it can't take reactions, and it has disadvantage on all Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws. This spell can be cast by clerics, druids, sorcerers and wizards. Water Glide 2nd level transmutation Cast Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (fin of a fish) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch gains swim speed equal to their movement speed. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each spell slot above 2nd. This spell can be cast by clerics, druids, rangers, sorcerers and wizards. Water Shield 2nd level abjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a glass of water) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You touch a willing creature. Until the spell ends, the target is surrounded by a swirling torrent of water, which protects it from fire and physical damage, granting them resistance to fire damage and reducing bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage they take from nonmagical sources by 2. Once the spell has reduced the damage of one attack, the spell ends. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the spell can reduce the damage of one extra attack for each spell slot above 2nd. This spell can be cast by clerics, druids, rangers, sorcerers and wizards. 1

3 Equipment Diving Bell The diving bell is one of the earliest types of equipment for underwater work and exploration. A diving bell is cablesuspended rigid chamber, open at the bottom with the pressure of the water keeping the air trapped inside, that is lowered underwater to operate as a base or a means of transport for a small number of divers. A diving bell is a Large object with the following statistics: Armor Class: 20 Hit Points: 200 Damage Immunities: poison, psychic A diving bell can hold four Medium-sized creatures. It has an open bottom that allows creatures to enter and exit the bell by swimming. A diving bell is either connected to the surface with a hose and supplied air with a bellows system, requiring at least one creature to operate the bellows, or is sent more air using weighted barrels, or other similar means, which are dropped down from the surface. Without refills or newly pumped air, the air supply in the bell lasts for approximately 4 hours, divided by the number of breathing creatures inside. The depth the diving bell can operate is limited by the length of the chain and hose that connects it to the surface (usually around 100 feet), with the maximum safe limit being at 300 feet. Below that, the diving bell takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage per minute from pressure. A diving bell costs 3000 gp. A magic diving bell, which use magic to maintain a fresh supply of air without needing to air from the surface, costs 9,000 gp. A magic diving bell can safely dive to the depth of 3000 feet. Diving Suit A diving suit is a body-covering outfit made from waterproofed canvas, with a large metal helmet equipped with glass viewports. The helmet is equipped with two hoses, one of them for supplying air from the surface by a bellows and the other one for removing exhaled air. A diving suit it considered to be light armor, weights 20 lb., and grants AC equal to 11 + your Dexterity modifier. The wearer has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. The wearer can remain underwater indefinitely as long as somebody remains on the surface operating the bellows to pump in fresh air and the hose connecting the wearer to the surface is intact. A diving suit costs 500 gp. Magic variants of the diving suit also exist, which are otherwise similar but use magic to maintain a supply of fresh air, removing the need to be connected to the surface. A magic diving suit costs 1500 gp. Armored Diving Suit An armored diving suit is a piece of diving equipment which resembles a suit of armor, with elaborate pressure joints to allow articulation while maintaining an internal pressure close to surface conditions. An armored diving suit is considered to be heavy armor and has AC of 20. It weights 800 lb. and reduces the wearer's speed by 15 feet unless they have Strength score of at least 20. Due to the extremely bulky nature of the suit, the wearer had disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws. While wearing an armored diving suit, the character has resistance to bludgeoning damage. The wearer can remain underwater indefinitely as long as somebody remains on the surface operating the bellows to pump in fresh air and the hose connecting the wearer to the surface is intact. An armored diving suit costs 2000 gp. A magic armored diving suit, which has a magically replenished air supply, costs 6000 gp. Under Pressure In the real world, water pressure becomes a major issue when attempting deep dives. Water pressure increases by one atmosphere for roughly every 33 feet of depth. If the GM wishes to impose more realism, here are some useful figures: 100 feet: Maximum depth an unprotected human can safely descend before the pressure becomes too great. 200 to 500 feet: Early 20th century armored diving suits could descend this deep. 2,300 feet: Modern armored diving suits (atmospheric diving suits) can descend this deep. A magic armored diving suit might be able to do the same. Beebe's Brilliant Bathysphere Wondrous item, legendary This item is a hollow metal sphere, 5 feet in diameter, with barely enough room for two Medium-sized creatures inside. It has a heavy entrance hatch on the top, which can be bolted shut from the inside, and a large window made from thick, transparent crystal. On either side of the sphere are two large claws, which can be used to manipulate objects or for selfdefense. The bathysphere was created by some adventurous wizard for purposes of underwater travel and explorations. It is a Large object with the following statistics: Armor Class: 20 Hit Points: 200 Speed: 0 ft., swim 30 ft. Damage Immunities: bludgeoning, poison, psychic To be used as a vehicle, the bathysphere requires one pilot. While the bathysphere's hatch is closed, the internal compartment is air- and watertight. Air in the compartment is replenished via magic. The bathysphere floats on water, and can dive to a practically unlimited depth. The pilot of the bathysphere can use his action to either move the bathysphere or to make one attack with the bathysphere's claw. If there is a second character on-board, they can use their action to make one attack with the claw. The claws have the following profile: melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. 2

4 Aquatic Races Merfolk Merfolk Traits As a merfolk, you have certain traits in common with your people Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 Age. Merfolk age at a rate roughly similar to humans. Alignment. Merfolk are more often than not neutral, but don't truly tend toward any particular alignment. Size. Merfolk are 8 feet long from the top of the head to the end of the tail, and weight roughly 400 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 10 ft. You have a swimming speed of 40 ft. Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Aquan. Amphibious. You can breathe air and water. Subrace. Choose one of these subraces, representing merfolk living in different habitats. Oceanic Merfolk Oceanic merfolk are the most common type of merfolk. They are found in oceans around the world, building settlements in the shallow seabed, coral reefs, and underwater caves. Appearance of merfolk varies depending on their environment. Ones living in tropical waters and coral reefs are as colorful as they fish that share their habitat, while ones from colder waters tend to be less striking in coloration. Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1. Merfolk Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the spear, net, and trident. Siren Song. You have proficiency with the Performance skill. In addition, you can may use this trait to gain advantage on a single Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) roll against a creature that can hear you. After you use this trait, you can't use it again until after you finish a short or long rest. Freshwater Merfolk Some merfolk communities are located near river deltas, mangrove swamps, or marshlands. Over time these merfolk have spread upstream and into the marshes, adapting to the different environment. Due to often having to swim up rapids or move over land from one body of water to another, the tails of freshwater merfolk are broad and muscular, more suited for strength than speed. Freshwater merfolk usually have silvery, brownish, or greenish scales, like the fish that share their habitat. Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1. Darkvision.Accustomed to murky waters, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if in bright light, and in darkness as if in dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Strong Tail. Your base walking speed increases to 20 feet, but your swimming speed is reduced to 30 feet. Deep Sea Merfolk Merfolk normally live in waters shallow enough to permit sunlight through, and only rarely venture into the lightless depths. However, in the distant past, some merfolk took residence in the deep ocean, and over time were changed by their harsh environment. Female deep sea merfolk are in similar to common merfolk in size and build, but their skin is slimy and scaleless, their eyes are large and they have disproportionately large mouths filled with sharp, needle-like teeth. Like many deep sea fish, they have specialized organs (called photophores) that can produce light. Male deep sea merfolk, on the other hand, are radically different from the females, being only a foot long and barely humanoid. The male deep sea merfolk live solely to find and mate with a female, which is not an easy task given the size and emptiness of the deep sea. The skin of deep sea merfolk is usually black, red or dark brown, but some individuals are fully transparent. Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1. Bite. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d4 piercing damage on hit. Superior Darkvision. Accustomed to the darkness of the deep ocean, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if in bright light, and in darkness as if in dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Light Sensitivity You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you are exposed to bright light. Bioluminescence. You can use a bonus action emit dim light within 40-feet radius around yourself. The light lasts for one hour or until you use a bonus action to dismiss it. Swallow. You may use an action to make one unarmed strike against a Large or smaller creature you are grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed and the grapple ends. The swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside you, and it takes 1d6 + your Con modifier in acid damage at the start of each of your turns. You can only have one creature swallowed at a time, and can't swallow another creature until after you finish a long rest. If you take 1/4th of your maximum hit points (rounding down) or more damage in a single turn from the swallowed creature, you must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate that creature, which falls prone in a space within 5 feet of you. If you die, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone. Aquatic Elves Aquatic elves, or sea elves, are an aquatic subrace of elves. They typically live either in nomadic clans or in cities built from living coral in sunlit shallows. Aquatic elves are bitter enemies of the sahuagin, and have been at war with them throughout their history. 3

5 Aquatic Elf Subrace Traits Aquatic elves have lustrous blue-grey skin, ranging from pale to dark. Their hair is typically green, silvery, pale blue or white. Their fingers and toes are webbed and they possess gills on their neck that let the breathe under water. Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1. Sea Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, javelin and trident. Amphibious. You can breathe air and water. Swimming Speed. You have swimming speed of 40 feet. Class Variants Druid Circle: Circle of the Sea This is intended to represent a variant of the Circle of the Land druid that focuses specifically to the sea, with slightly different features to better suit that role. Aquatic Wild Shape Starting at 2nd level, You can use your Wild Shape to transform into a beast with swimming speed, but otherwise must abide the limitations on the Beast Shape table. In addition, you can can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1 (ignoring the max CR column of the Beast Shape), but only if the beast has the Water Breathing special trait. Starting at 6th level you can transform into a beast with CR as high as your druid level divided by 3 (rounded down), as long as the beast has the Water Breathing special trait. Natural Recovery Starting at 2nd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with the nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less that half your druid level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Circle Spells At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to access to circle spells. Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn't appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you. Circle of the Sea Spells Druid Level Circle Spells 3rd 5th 7th 9th mirror image, misty step water breathing, water walk control water, freedom of movement conjure elemental, scrying Sea Stride Starting at 6th level, you gain swimming speed equal to twice your base walking speed, and moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. Creatures that have total cover from you are not affected. You can also pass through nonmagical aquatic growth (such as coral or seaweed)without being slowed or taking damage. In addition, you have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks related to swimming, such as attempting to escape the whirlpool created by the control water spell. Nature's Ward When you reach 10th level, you can't be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease. Nature's Sanctuary Starting at 14th level, when a beast or plant creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you. Cleric Divine Domain: Water This domain represents deities associated with water and the sea. Ocean deities will likely have this domain in addition to the Tempest domain. Gods with this domain include, Poseidon, Triton and Sedna, to name some. Water Domain Spells Cleric Level Spells 1st 3rd 5th 7th 9th create or destroy water, fog cloud, gust of wind, misty step water breathing, water walk control water, freedom of movement destructive wave, conjure elemental Bonus Proficiency At 1st level, you gain proficiency with navigator's tools and waterborne vehicles, as well as the trident and the net. Ocean Guide Starting at 1st level, you can perfectly recall the course you have taken while travelling on the sea or other large body of water, and you may use your action to alter the direction the wind blows from within a 100-foot radius around yourself for one round. You can't alter the speed of the wind. In addition, if you are not wearing heavy armor or carrying a shield, you have swimming speed equal to your base walking speed. Channel Divinity: Tidal Surge Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to conjure a mighty wave that slams into your foes. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each hostile creature in a 30-foot cone in front of you must take a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to 2d6 + your cleric level on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails the save is also knocked prone, and if it Medium sized or smaller, pushed 10 feet away from you. Creatures that have total cover from you are not affected. 4

6 Bounty of the Ocean Starting at 6th level, you may use an action to reach into a body of water deep enough for you to fully immerse yourself into, and pull out a piece of flotsam with a non-magical object (such as adventuring gear, gemstones, a tool, or an art object) with maximum value of 4d6 x your cleric level gp entwined with it. If the object is a tool, it will be broken and must be fixed before it can be used. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until after you finish a long rest. Divine Strike At 8th level you gain the ability to infuse your weapon with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal extra d8 cold or lightning damage (your choice) to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. Command Aquatic Creatures Starting at 17th level, you may use an action to force each beast or monstrosity with either the Amphibious or Water Breathing special trait, that can see you and is within 30 feet of you, to make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails the save, it is charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While charmed by you, the creature is friendly to you and other creatures you designate, and you can take a bonus action on your turn to direct what each of the creatures will do on its next turn. Warlock Patron: The Depths Below Nautical folklore has many examples of sailors who struck a bargain with some kind of supernatural force. The nature of the deal may vary, but usually the price the sailor must pay is being doomed to wander the seas forever, never truly dying but being unable to set foot on land or enter the afterlife. Your patron is some mysterious power associated with the dark ocean depths. It may be a fiend, for example the demon lord Dagon (also known as the Prince of Depths, who rules the layer of the Shadowsea in the Abyss), a Great Old One sleeping in a sunken tomb deep in the blackest oceans depths, a fey lord associated with the seas, or perhaps something completely different. Whatever the nature of your patron is, you have bargained away your soul to roam the seas forever, striking terror in the hearts of sailors and sending their ships to join a thousand others in the depths below. Depths Below Expanded Spells Spell Level Spells 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th create or destroy water, fog cloud darkvision, gust of wind water walk, water breathing control water, ice storm Hunter of the Seas cone of cold, destructive wave Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency with navigator's tools and waterborne vehicles, and while on sea you are always aware of the general location of your destination, whether it is a place you want to reach, or a person or object you are searching for. In addition, you may use your action to spend one hour anointing one waterborne vehicle with the mark of your patron. Only one vehicle may bear the mark at a given time, and anointing a new vehicle removes the mark from the previous one. Once you anoint a vehicle, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest. As long as you steer the marked vehicle, it can move twice as fast as normal, and may move at full speed regardless of currents or the strength or direction of the wind. Once you reach 10th level, when steering the marked vehicle you can make it submerge, taking with it a magical bubble of air that lasts for an amount of hours equal to your warlock level, and steer it underwater as you would above water. Once you reach 14th level, you can use an action to grant the marked vehicle flying speed equal to its movement speed for an amount of hours equal to your warlock level. Once you grant the marked vehicle flying speed, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. If anybody else is steering it, the marked vehicle does not behave any differently from a normal one. Ghostly Fog Starting at 6th level, you may use your action to conjure a 100-foot-radius sphere of fog centered around yourself. The sphere spreads around corners its area is heavily obscured except for you and other creatures you wish to be exempt from the effect. The fog will not be dispersed by wind, and will last for an amount of minutes equal to your warlock level, or until you use an action to dismiss it. Hostile creatures inside the fog sphere have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws made to resist being frightened, and you may use your movement to teleport to any empty space within the radius of the sphere. If you use this feature while steering your marked waterborne vehicle, the sphere will be centered on the vehicle, its radius is increased to 1000 feet, and you may use your movement to teleport the entire vehicle to an empty space of water within the radius of the sphere. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Chill of the Depths Beginning at 10th level, the cold darkness of the lightless depths permeates your body and soul. You gain resistance to cold damage, and are immune to being charmed. In addition, when you cast a spell that deals cold damage, add your Charisma modifier to the damage. The Depths' Own At 14th level, you develop traits reminiscent of the creatures of the deep, such as a scaly, barnacle-covered skin, shark-like teeth, black eyes, or a beard of writhing tentacles. You can no longer die of old age, are immune to cold damage, gain swim speed equal to your movement speed, darkvision 120 ft., and can breathe air and water. However, if you spend more than 24 hours on land, you gain disadvantage on all your rolls until you return to the sea or aboard your marked vehicle. 5

7 Sea Monsters One can hardly have a game set on the ocean without including aquatic monsters. While the Monster Manual does contain a decent amount of aquatic creatures, here are many interesting creatures that exist, or have existed, in the oceans of the real world and could easily be used as inspiration for fantastic beasts. In addition, there are many aquatic monsters from previous editions that did not make it into the Monster Manual, some of which I have attempted to port over to 5th edition. Shallow Water Marine life is most abundant near coastlines and the areas of relatively shallow water extending around continents and islands (known as a continental or insular shelf). This area may extend tens or hundreds of miles out to the sea, and is typically shallower than 500 feet. Due to the shallow depth, sunlight can penetrate all the way to the sea bottom, allowing the growth of kelp forests, seagrass meadows and coral reefs. Coastal environments are highly varied, depending on the climate and local geography. They range from sandy beaches to rocky cliffs, and from river estuaries to mangrove swamps. Thus many different kinds of creatures live there, both fully aquatic and amphibious. Miscellaneous Creatures Barracuda Small beast, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 7 (2d6) Speed 0 ft., swim 60 ft. 7 (-2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3) Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Water Breathing. The barracuda can breathe only underwater. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Barracuda is a predatory fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales, and its large jaws are lined with sharp-edged fang-like teeth. Barracudas are found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide, primarily around coral reefs and fields of seagrass. Some barracudas can also live in brackish water. Giant Cone Snail Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 54(6d ) Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft. 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 1 (-5) Skills Stealth +4 Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, prone Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8 Challenge 2 (450 XP) Spider Climb. The cone snail can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make ability checks, Water Breathing. The cone snail can breathe only underwater. Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. If the poison reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned this way.

8 Cone snails are a group of aquatic snails known for their conical shells, which are often brightly colored and patterned, and highly sought after by collectors and artists. However, the cone snail possesses a deadly means of defense, in form of a long, prehensile proboscis tipped with a highly venomous, harpoon-like stinger. The cone snail uses its venom to both defend itself from predators and to hunt prey, paralyzing fish with its sting and swallowing them whole. Giant Mantis Shrimp Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 78 (12d ) Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) Skills Perception +7 Senses blindsight 30 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Keen Sight. The mantis shrimp has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Water Breathing. The mantis shrimp can breathe only underwater. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (5d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and stunned for 1 round. Variant: Spearing Mantis Shrimp Some mantis shrimp are armed with spiny appendages topped with barbed tips. Their melee weapon attacks deal piercing damage instead of bludgeoning. The eyes of the mantis shrimp are considered to be the most complex in the animal kingdom. Compared to the three types of color receptive cones that humans possess in their eyes, the eyes of a mantis shrimp carry 16 types of color receptive cones. It is thought that this gives the crustacean the ability to recognize colors that are unimaginable by other species. Giant Moray Eel Medium beast, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 13(3d8) Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) Skills Stealth +4 Senses passive Perception 10 Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Keen Smell. The moray eel has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Water Breathing. The moray eel can breathe only underwater. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (Escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends the moray eel can't use its bite on another target. Moray eels are large fish with long, serpentine bodies. They usually lurk in burrows or rocky crevasses, and wait for prey to come close, at which point they lunge out and grab it with their powerful jaws. Once the moray eel bites onto a creature, it can't release its grip, even in death, and has to be pried off. While moray eels prefer to hide or flee from threats, they are very protective of their burrows and will attack creatures that disrupt them. Mantis shrimp, also known as stomatopods, are a type of marine crustacean. They have large eyes and powerful claws that they use to attack and kill prey by spearing, stunning, or dismemberment. The mantis shrimp can strike so fast that water does not have time to flow into the space their claws used to occupy, resulting in formation of air bubbles between the appendage and the striking surface. The bubbles immediately implode due to water pressure, producing a shock wave that can stun or even kill the mantis shrimp's prey. 7

9 Giant Stingray Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 39 (6d10 + 6) Speed 0 ft. swim 30 ft. Sea Snake Small beast, unaligned Armor Class 13 Hit Points 7(2d6) Speed 5 ft., swim 40 ft. 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 2 (-4) Skills Stealth +4 Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 5 Challenge 1 (200 XP) Sand Camouflage. The stingray has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in sandy terrain. Water Breathing. The stingray can breathe only underwater. String. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Stingrays are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are bottom-dwelling fish with highly flattened bodies that allow them to bury themselves into sand to hide from predators and to ambush prey. Some stingrays are capable of changing their color to blend into the seafloor. The stingray gets its name from a venomous spike at the tip of its long tail, which it uses to defend itself from predators. 2 (-4) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 10 Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Hold Breaths. The sea snake can hold its breath for 1 hour. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. If the poison reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned this way. Sea snakes are snakes adapted to marine life. They are fully adapted to aquatic movement, and have at most limited ability to move on land. Most species give birth to live young, and never leave the water. Sea snakes are among the most venomous known snakes. 8

10 Scrag Scrags are aquatic relatives of trolls. A scrag s rubbery hide is moss green, mottled green and gray, or putrid gray. The hair is usually greenish black or iron gray. They walk upright but hunched forward with sagging shoulders. Their gait is uneven, and when they run, their arms dangle and drag along the ground. For all this seeming awkwardness, scrags are very agile. Scrag Large giant, chaotic evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 84 (8d ) Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft. 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 6 (-2) 9 (-1) 6 (-2) Skills Perception +1 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages Giant Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Merfolk Noble Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral Armor Class 13 Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) Skills Perception +3 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages Aquan, Common Challenge 1 (200 XP) Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water. Multiattack. The merfolk makes two melee attacks. Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack. Amphibious. The scrag can breathe air and water. Keen Smell. The scrag has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Aquatic Regeneration. The scrag regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it is mostly immersed in water. If the scrag takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the scrag's next turn. The scrag dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate. Rend. Once per turn, if the scrag hits a target with two claw attacks, the target takes extra 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. Multiattack. The scrag makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage damage. Merfolk Merfolk are already described in the Monster Manual, but only the profile of a basic merfolk is included. Here are additional profiles to represent a merfolk noble, whole are more powerful and skilled than the average merfolk, as well as a merfolk spellcaster.

11 Merfolk Tidecaller Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral Armor Class 11 Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) Skills Perception +3, Performance +4 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages Aquan, Common Challenge 2 (450 XP) Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water. Spellcasting. The merfolk is a 5th level spellcasters. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The merfolk has the following bard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, mage hand, minor illusion 1st level (4 slots): charm person, healing word 2nd level (3 slots): calm emotions, enthrall 3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, hypnotic pattern Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit 3 (1d6) piercing damage, or 4 (1d8) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack. Change Shape (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The merfolk magically polymorphs into a human, remaining in that form for up to 24 hours. It can revert to its true form as a bonus action. Its statistics are the same in each form, except the human form has movement speed of 30 feet. It reverts to its true form if it dies or gets wet.

12 Open Ocean The open ocean is a relatively unproductive environment because of lack of nutrients, but it is also enormously vast. Only about 10 percent of marine species live in the open ocean, but among them are the largest of all marine animals, as well as huge schools of fish and squid that are preyed upon by sharks, dolphins and other marine predators. Miscellaneous Creatures Baleen Whale Gargantuan beast, unaligned Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 205 (10d ) Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. 30 (+10) 13 (+1) 30 (+10) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) Skills Perception +4 Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 14 Challenge 6 (2,600 XP) Echolocation. The whale can't use its blindsight while deafened. Hold Breath. The whale can hold its breath for 1 hour. Keen Hearing. The whale has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. Tail Slap. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (4d ) bludgeoning damage. Dolphin Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 13 Hit Points 26(4d10 + 4) Speed 0 ft., swim 60 ft. 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) Skills Perception +3 Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13 Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Echolocation. The dolphin can't use its blindsight while deafened. Hold Breath. The dolphin can hold its breath for 30 minutes. Keen Hearing. The dolphin has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. Pack Tactics. The dolphin has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the dolphin's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage. Dolphins are small toothed whales that tend to be intelligent, playful, and friendly. There are many tales of dolphins helping shipwrecked sailors. On the other hand, dolphins are among the few animals that kill other animals for fun. Baleen Whales are large marine mammals, and among the largest animals in the world, with the largest being over 100 foot long and weighting over 100 tons. Despite their great size, whales are gentle creatures that feed primarily on small fish and tiny crustaceans, which they filter from water using the baleen plates hanging from their upper jaws. Whales are hunted for meat, blubber, baleen and oil. 11

13 Sailfish Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 45(6d ) Speed 0 ft., swim 100 ft. Squid Small beast, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 5 (2d4) Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) Skills Perception +3 Senses passive Perception 13 Challenge 2 (450 XP) Standing Leap. The sailfish's long jump is 20 feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without running (or swimming, as it may be) start. Impale. If the sailfish moves 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes extra 4 (1d8) piercing damage. The extra damage increases to 9 (2d8) if the sailfish moves 40 feet, 13 (3d8) if it moves 60 feet, 18 (4d8) if it moves 80 feet, and 22 (5d8) if it moves 100 feet. Water Breathing. The sailfish can breathe only in water. Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Sailfish is a large oceanic fish with a long, sharp bill, similar to that of the swordfish, and a tall dorsal fin that runs along the entire length of its back. The sail is normally kept folded down and to the side when swimming, but it may be raised when the sailfish feels threatened or excited. Sailfish is one of the fasted fish in the world, capable of reaching speed up to 68 miles per hour. 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 2 (-4) 14 (+2) 4 (-3) Skills Perception +3 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Pack Tactics. The squid has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the squid's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. Water Breathing. The squid can breathe only underwater Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (Escape check DC 10) if it is a Medium or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the squid can't use its tentacles on another target. Ink Cloud (Recharge after a Short or Long Rest). A 5- foot-radius cloud of ink extends all around the squid if it is underwater. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute, although a significant current can disperse the ink. After releasing the ink, the squid can use the Dash action as a bonus action. Squids come in a variety of sizes, from a length of a few inches to multiple feet, all the way to the legendary giant squid. Some of the large squid species are quite aggressive, and have been known to gather in schools comprised of hundreds of individuals.

14 Mosasaurus Mosasaurs are marine reptiles closely related to snakes and monitor lizards. They have long, streamlined bodies, four paddle-shaped limbs, and long tails with a large crescentshaped flukes on the end, similar to sharks. Mosasaurs breathe air, but live their whole life at sea, even giving birth to live young instead of returning to the shore to lay eggs. Mosasaurs live near the ocean surface, where they prey on anything smaller than themselves. They are ambush predators, laying in wait for passing prey, before pouncing on it. Some species have bony snouts used to ram their prey and stun it. Their jaws are double-hinged, like those of snakes, allowing them to swallow even large prey animals. Mosasaurs vary in size, with the smallest known species being around 3 feet long, and most growing longer than 13 feet. The largest known mosasaurs reach truly gargantuan sizes, with the largest known species being almost 60 feet in long. Mosasaurus Gargantuan beast, unaligned Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Hit Points 247(15d ) Speed 0 ft., swim 50 ft. 28 (+9) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 9 (-1) Skills Stealth +5 Senses passive Perception 10 Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Hold Breath. The mosasaurus can hold its breath for 1 hour. Ramming Charge. If the mosasaurus moves at least 20 feet straight towards a creature and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be stunned for 1 round. Multiattack. The mosasaurus makes two attacks: one with its ram and one with its bite. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d8 + 9) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the mosasaurus. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the mosasaurus, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the mosasaurus's turn. If the mosasaurus takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, it must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution save at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which falls prone within 10 feet of the mosasaurus. If the mosasaurus dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone. Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (4d8 + 9) bludgeoning damage. 13

15 The Deep Sea Only the upper 650 feet or so of the ocean is fully illuminated by the sun. Below 3,300 feet no sunlight at all can reach, and the ocean in pitch black, apart from the light produced by the occasional bioluminescent creatures. The deep sea is an extremely hostile environment, with temperature rarely exceeding 40 F (except around hydrothermal vents in the ocean floor, where it can exceed 600 degrees), low levels of oxygen, and pressure 20 to 1,000 times higher than on the surface. Strange creatures live here, adapted for living in the eternal cold and darkness. Because of the near-complete darkness, they are either blind and rely on other senses, such as sensitivity to changes in pressure, or have extremely sensitive eyes that can detect even the weakest light. Many of them are also bioluminescent, capable of producing their own light, which they use to search for food and attract prey, communicate and find a mate, or distract predators. Deep Sea Fish Animals in the deep sea environment are sparse and food doesn t come along frequently. Because of this, fish living in the deep sea have specialized adaption that result in a strange and disturbing appearance. Great sharp teeth, hinged jaws, disproportionately large mouths, and expandable bodies that allow them to swallow prey their own size or larger are a few of the common characteristics that deep sea fishes possess. Anglerfish Anglerfish are predatory fish that have huge heads that bear enormous, crescent-shaped mouths full of long, fang-like teeth angled inward for efficient prey grabbing. They are named for their characteristic method of hunting, in which they use a glowing organ at the tip of a long filament sprouting from their head, which is used to lure the anglerfish's prey close enough for the anglerfish to devour them whole. Anflerfish come in a variety of different species, although most tend to have roughly similarly shaped spherical bodies and black or brown skin, and are among the most common deep sea predators. Black Swallower The black swallower is a common and widespread deep sea fish. Its body is elongated and scaleless, and is a uniform brownish-black in color. Its head is long, with a blunt snout, moderately sized eyes, and a large mouth lined with sharp teeth. As the name implies, the black swallower is equipped with articulated jaws and a greatly distensible stomach, which allow it to swallow prey over twice its size and ten times its mass. Black swallowers have been known to swallow fish so large that they could not be digested before decomposition set in, and the resulting release of gases forced the swallower to the ocean surface. This is, in fact, how most known specimens of the fish came to be collected. Gulper Eel Gulper eels are unusual fish that are superficially similar to eels. What makes the gulper eel so different from other fish is not so much what it has, but what it doesn't have: they lack pelvic fins, swim bladders, ribs, and scales. Their eyes are very small and their body is largely composed of a long, thin tail. The most notable feature of the gulper eel is its large mouth, making up about a quarter of the eel's length. Despite the large size of its mouth, the gulper eel has only tiny teeth, and generally feeds on creatures much smaller than itself. The eel waits for schools of small fish or invertebrates to swim near its mouth, lured by the light on the end of its tail, and swallows them up. However, if the opportunity presents itself, the gulper eel's hinged jaws and elastic stomach allow it to swallow creatures much larger than itself. Viperfish Viperfish are characterized by a long, thin body and long, needle-like teeth and hinged lower jaws. The teeth of the viperfish are so long that it would not be able to close its mouth, if it were not able to fold and curve them behind its head. Like other deep sea fish, viperfish are ambush predators, remaining motionless for hours until unsuspecting prey wanders within striking range. Prey is captured and killed by being pierced by the viperfish's long teeth. Subdued prey is then swallowed whole. Certain kinds of viperfish can rise from the depths to near surface waters during the night to hunt. Viperfish vary in color from green, silver, to black. Their skin may look like it is covered in scales, but it in fact is covered by a thick, transparent coating of unknown substance, and they possesses several different types of lightproducing organs that may be used to lure in prey. Gulper Eel 14