<get image: aquatic half-elf>

Aquatic Elves: an overview	Aquatic elven PCs	Aquatic elf/half-elf	Aquatic half-elf	Mariners
Races	-	Dragon Magazine	-	1st Edition AD&D

Table 1: Racial Adjustments to ability score

Race	Penalty or bonus
Aquatic elf	+1 to dexterity, -1 to constitution
Aquatic elf/half-elf	+1 to dexterity, -1 to constitution
Aquatic half-elf	None

Table II: Age Categories

Races	Young adult	Mature	Middle-aged	Old	Venerable
Aquatic elf	75-150	151-450	451-700	701-1000	1001-1200
Aquatic elf/half-elf*	125-200	201-550	551-900	901-1200	1201-1400
Aquatic half-elf	24-40	41-100	101-175	176-250	251-325

* Excludes aquatic elf/drow parentage; in this case, use age categories for drow elves (DMG, page 13) + 50 years after young adult age.

Table III: Character race class limitations (by level)

Aquatic Elves
 

Ability score	Cleric	Fighter	Mariner	Thief	Assassin
15	7	6	6	10	8
16	8	6	6	11	9
17	9	6	6	12	10
18	10	7	7	U	10
18/75	-	8	8	-	10
18/90	-	9	9	-	10
18/99	-	10	10	-	111
18/00-21	-	10	10	-	122

¹ Intelligence of 18 and wisdom of 19 also required.
² Intelligence of 19 or wisdom of 19 also required.
 

Aquatic elf/half-elves
 

Ability score	Cleric/Druid	Fighter/Ranger	Mariner	Thief/Thief-Acrobat	Assassin	Magic-user
15	7	6	6	U	10	10
16	8	6	6	U	10	10
17	9	6	6	U	10	10
18	10	71	71	U	10	10
18/75	-	82	82	-	10	-
18/90	-	92	92	-	10	-
18/99	-	103	103	-	115	-
18/00	-	113	113, 7	-	126	-
19	11	124	124, 7	U	126	11
20	12	124	124, 7	U	126	11
21	12	134	134, 8	U	126	12

¹ Rangers also need intelligence and wisdom of 15.
² Rangers also need intelligence and wisdom of 16.
³ Rangers also need intelligence and wisdom of 17.
⁴ Rangers also need intelligence and wisdom of 18.
⁵ Intelligence of 18 and wisdom of 19 also required.
⁶ Intelligence of 19 or wisdom of 19 also required.
⁷ Dexterity 17 required.
⁸ Dexterity 18 required.
 

Aquatic half-elves
 

Ability score	Cleric/Druid	Fighter/Ranger	Mariner	Thief/Thief-Acrobat	Assassin	Magic-user
15	5	6	6	U	11	7
16	6	6	6	U	11	7
17	7	7	7	U	11	7
18	8	7	7	U	11	8
18/90	-	81	8	-	-	-
18/99	-	91	9	-	-	-
18/00	-	101	10	-	-	-
19	10	111	113	U	11	8
20	12	122	123	U	11	8

¹ Intelligence, wisdom, and constitution of 18 required.
² Intelligence and wisdom must be greater than 18; constitution must be 18.
³ Dexterity 17 required.

For PCs only

Dear Dragon,
I am bringing to your attention something that
I myself just realized. In “Demi-humans get a
lift” by Gary Gygax (issue #95), the aquatic elves
are not represented in the “Elves, Other” section.
Is this an oversight, or are the aquatic elves
to remain the same as usual?

Alen Parker
Portland, Ore.
(Dragon #101)

The increased level limits for demi-human
characters, first outlined in the magazine and
further refined in Unearthed Arcana, do not
apply to aquatic elves because that sub-race is not
open to player characters. New level limits are
only given for the races and sub-races to which
PCs may belong -- although, to be fair the new
benefits should also apply to NPCs of the same
races within the campaign. Aquatic elves should
be treated as described in the Monster Manual.
The vast majority of them will be of 1st level
(1 + 1 HD), with certain higher-level "leader
types" present according to the number of elves
in an encountered group -- but since aquatic
elves do not use magic, there will be no magic-users
or spell-casting clerics in the group, no
matter how large it is. -- KM

In the AD&D® game, many characters
miss out on unlimited amounts of wealth
and adventure because they can?t swim.
Oceanic adventures are challenging for
medium- and high-level player characters,
but without the proper equipment, a
group's first sea voyage is likely to be its
very last. This keeps gamers from utilizing
the ocean's full potential in the campaign.

Both the Players Handbook and
Unearthed Arcana overlook the possibility
of having amphibious player characters.
Using the Dungeon Masters Guide, Players
Handbook, Unearthed Arcana, Legends &
Lore, and the Monster Manual, I've compiled
the statistics necessary for the solution to
this problems: the aquatic elven race. Some
of the information below is reiterated from
these sources, but now collected together in
one place. Additional material converting
this race into a player character or NPC race
has been added. The DM should determine
whether the use of this character is appropriate
to the campaign.

Aquatic elves: an overview
Aquatic elves are known as sea elves,
though some high elves who live near
oceans are also called sea elves. Closely
related to their land cousins, they can even
interbreed with land elves and humans.
Humanoid in appearance, they have gill slits
on the throat, webbed fingers and toes,
silver-green skin, and green, cyan, or blue
hair of rough texture. They have deep blue
or turquoise eyes, and pointed ears.

Aquatic elves prefer warm, quiet sea
waters, particularly those overgrown with
seaweed and other marine vegetation.
They usually lair in large caverns in lagoon
bottoms (often fashioning their own
caves) and enjoy reefs near peaceful sea
coasts. They trade with land elves for
metal goods, which aquatic elves are unable
to forge underwater; in exchange, the
aquatic elves offer coral jewelry, fish,
treasures scavenged from shipwrecks or
sacrifices, and other gifts of the sea.

Because they have been so long separated
from their land-based cousins,
aquatic elves rarely distinguish one race of
land elves from another and extend at
least tolerance and good will toward all
but drow (whom the aquatic elves view
with antipathy). The land elves return the
very same feelings. Those who are born of
an aquatic elf and land elf are at least
tolerated, as are those born of a human
and an aquatic elf.

Though they prefer the company of
elves, aquatic elves tolerate peaceful humans.
Unfortunately, fishermen and sailors
sometimes slay aquatic elves in the
belief that the latter are sahuagins. Nonetheless,
aquatic elves are known to save
drowning sailors. These elves are quite
friendly towards dolphins, with which
they can communicate, and can summon
dolphins with their cries if the latter are
within 240 yards. Aquatic elves harbor a
great hatred for sharks and sahuagin, who
are their mortal enemies, and attack them
if at all possible. Ixitxachitl and kopoacinth
(gargoyles) are usually too rare to be much
of a threat, though the more common
kaolinth (aquatic hobgoblins), merrow
(aquatic ogres), and scrags (marine trolls)
present a real danger in some areas.
Kaolinth pursue aquatic elves with all the
fury that their land-based cousins pursue
land elves. Mermen and locathah are
neutrally regarded; tritons and marine
storm giants are tolerated by and sometimes
live in close harmony with aquatic
elves. Sea hags and aquatic elves rarely
meet, since the former prefer dismal lairs
to the serene beauty of the latter?s realm.
Lizard men are generally disliked for their
barbarism. The hated lacedons cannot
paralyze aquatic elves, just as land elves
are immune to the paralyzing touch of
ghouls.

Aquatic elves often capture and train
certain marine creatures for use as steeds,
beasts of burden, and pets. Sea horses, sea
lions, giant turtles, narwhales, swordfish,
and the like are sometimes found in association
with communities of these elves.

The shy aquatic elves are able to hide in
marine vegetation so well as to become
invisible to onlookers. They can identify
dangerous marine life such as strangeweed
90% of the time, and they know how
to swim quietly through the water so as
not to attract the attention of sea-going
predators.

The weapons of preference for this
undersea race include the trident, spear,
and combat net. Other weapons useful in
undersea environments are also used,
though to a lesser extent: daggers, knives,
darts (10' short, 20' medium, and 30' long
range), thrusting and stabbing polearms
(pikes and military forks), and short
swords. Javelins and harpoons are sometimes
used by aquatic elves on surface
missions, and undersea crossbows (30'
short, 60' medium, and 90' long range;
otherwise as per light crossbows). Adventuring
aquatic elves may learn other weapons
if they stay on land often enough, but
this is rare.

Aquatic elven PCs
A character of aquatic elven stock can
opt to be an assassin, cleric, fighter, thief
(but not a thief-acrobat), fighter/cleric, or
fighter/thief. Aquatic elven thieves have all
the bonuses and penalties to their skill
rolls as do any other elves (Players Handbook,
page 28), except for a -20% modifier
to climb walls. They are used to
swimming over obstructions, not climbing
over them. Aquatic elves also have a
+15% bonus to hear noise when underwater,
regardless of class. Though aquatic
elves cannot cast magical spells, they can
use certain scrolls and magical devices
that can be used by any other race or
class, and aquatic elven thieves may cast
spells from scrolls if of sufficient level.
The starting ages for aquatic elven characters
is the same as for other elves (DMG,
page 12-13). Ability score maximums and
minimums are as per the Players Hand-
book, page 15; a +1 comeliness bonus is
also applied.

All aquatic elven characters can speak
the following languages in addition to that
of their chosen alignment: common, elvish,
delphinese, locathah, merman, sahuagin,
and triton. Aquatic elven characters of
above 15 intelligence are able to learn one
additional language for every point of
intelligence over 15; for example, a character
with an 18 intelligence score could
learn three additional languages.

When employing a spear or trident,
aquatic elven characters gain a +1 bonus
to hit on attacks. They can swim silently
on a roll of 1-5 on a d6, hide in marine
vegetation with 80% success ( +1% per
experience level), have a 90% resistance to
sleep and charm spells, possess infrared
vision up to 60' in the sea and 120' above
water, and can detect secret and concealed
doors as well as land elves (note concealed
doors 1 in 6 times if passing by them; note
secret doors 2 in 6 times and concealed
doors 3 in 6 times if searching for them).

Aquatic elves have excellent hearing and
vision underwater, so the aquatic elves are
only surprised on a 1 in 6 chance when
underwater. They have normal chances
for surprise when above the watery
depths. Because of their gills, these characters
may breathe air or water at will for
unlimited duration. However, for every
full day spent away from water, an aquatic
elf must make a system-shock roll or else
lose a point of constitution. This loss represents
the drying out of the skin, and a
maximum of three points of constitution
can be lost in this manner. If immersed in
water for a minimum of one hour each
day, an aquatic elf stays in good physical
condition. Lost constitution may be regained
by one full day of immersion in
water for every point so lost.

Aquatic elves can swim while wearing
elfin chain mail, leather, studded leather,
or padded armor. Heavier armor causes
them to sink to and walk on the sea bottom.
Because aquatic elves dislike metal
armor, they usually wear armor made
from sea creature hides and scales, which
can function as padded, leather, studded
leather, and scale mail. A few also utilize
sea turtle shells for shields quite effectively
in combat, but only when out of
water. Aquatic elves move underwater at
the same rate a land-born character moves
outdoors; for example, three times the
movement rate in a dungeon.

When fighting underwater, the aquatic
elves have no natural penalties to hit as do
land dwellers. They also gain automatic
initiative against land dwellers when the
two are in combat underneath the water.

The aquatic elven race prefers to live
underneath the waves, so they rarely
adventure on land. Though they are an
amphibian race, they feel out of place on
land, as a human would feel if he spent
long amounts of time underwater. Aquatic
elven clerics worship the deity Deep
Sashelas (from Deities & Demigods, pages 92
and 125). The overall alignment of sea
elves is chaotic good, though player characters
and NPCs may be of any alignment.

Aquatic elf/half-elf
The aquatic elf/half-elf is the offspring of
a sea elf and a land elf, usually of the highelven
sort. A character of this race can opt
to be of any character class permitted to
either parent, but not of a class forbidden
to both; the cavalier class cannot be entered.
An aquatic elf/half-elf has the ability
to see into the infrared spectrum out to
60? in darkness, above or beneath the
water. Aquatic elf/half-elves also have a
30% resistance to sleep and charm spells,
and they can detect secret and concealed
doors as well as full-blooded aquatic elves.
Being able to breathe underwater as well
as aquatic elves, the aquatic elf/half-elf can
swim and fight underwater just as well as
an aquatic elf can. They have normal
chances for surprise above and beneath
the water (2 in 6 chancel. Starting ages are
as per normal elves. These beings do not
lose constitution points from staying out of
water. Ability score maximums and minimums
are as per the Players Handbook,
page 15 (for elves in general); a +1
comeliness bonus is applied.

Aquatic elf/half-elves speak elvish, and
six of the following languages: locathah,
merman, sahuagin, triton, gnome, halfling,
goblin, hobgoblin, orcish, gnoll, or the
"common tongue" of mankind. They can
also learn an additional language for every
intelligence point that character has above
15; e.g., a character with an 18 intelligence
score could learn an additional three languages.
Aquatic elf/half-elves can also
summon and communicate with dolphins
like aquatic elves.

The appearance of this sort of being
varies, with the aquatic-elf characteristics
being most prominent (gills, silvery skin,
and webbed fingers and toes). The eyes
and hair usually take the appearance of
the land-elf parent.

Aquatic half -elf
An aquatic half-elf is the offspring of a
human and an aquatic elf, one of the rarest
part-humans known. A character of
this sort can adopt any character class
permitted to the usual sort of half elves,
save for the bard, barbarian, cavalier, and
illusionist classes (and combinations
thereof).

The aquatic half-elves have infravision
out to 60' in darkness, above and beneath
the water. They can swim and fight underwater
just as well as an aquatic elf can,
and also have normal chances for surprise
above and beneath the water. Detection of
secret and concealed doors is as per
aquatic elves. Aquatic half-elves may
breathe air or water freely. Starting ages
are as per other half-elves. Constitution
points are not lost from staying out of the
water. Ability score maximums and minimums
are as per the Players Handbook,
page 15; a +1 comeliness score is applied.

The aquatic half-elf speaks the following
languages: elvish, locathah, merman, sahuagin,
triton, and common. The aquatic
half-elf can summon and communicate
with dolphins like an aquatic elf.

Mariners
If the mariner NPC class is employed
(DRAGON® Magazine #107, page 38), the
mariner class may be substituted in the
following tables for the fighter class by
any given character. However, a dexterity
of 17 is required to exceed 10th level as a
mariner for any aquatic elf, elf/half-elf, or
half-elf. A dexterity of 18 is required to
exceed the 12th level.

DECEMBER 1986

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