Homebrew Krakenfolk Species Details

“Oh, you are thinking of them squid faced creatures, them Mind Flayers or whatever. Do not worry, we dislike them like all other races. But do not mix them up with us Krakenfolk again.”

 

Discovered by the explorer Naheb the Horned Prince, these amphibious humanoids are very much alien to anyone that doesn’t live in the depths of the ocean. Krakenfolk are not like other aquatic humanoids, where they use the ocean’s natural plants and pressure to their advantage. Instead, they use water’s conductive powers to enhance their natural ability to fire bolts of lightning at their enemies, making any foe know to fear their kind. They have remained hidden for so long because their race do not have any large underwater cities or settlements, instead acting like aquatic nomads. 

Physiology

Krakenfolk tower above humans in height, and have large tentacles that grow above their arms, capable of drooping behind the shoulders like a cape or used similarly to hands in grabbing items or grappling their foes. In combination with their tentacles and arms they produce the lightning bolts they fire. They have an almost beak like mouth that is shaped the same way as a dragonborn’s would be, their upper row of teeth showing while their lower row remains hidden. Their large eyes have no visible sclera or pupil, instead being a solid colour of green, blue, grey or black. Their skin colour varies from different shades of green and blue, to variants of grey. Very rarely are any Krakenfolk born with red skin, those that are born with red skin have a tendency to be more aggressive and become champions of their clans.

Their faces sport two tentacles behind their jaw that function like small arms, designed solely to hold food rather than having it float away. They have tendrils that function like eyebrows, curling upwards when they are happy or straightening when they are angry. Their head has large plates that sit where the humanoid scalp would be, on the males being angular and ridged while smooth and flat on females. Their feet sport three claw-like toes, two facing forward with one facing backwards. Finally, females seem to have multiple tentacles protruding from their belly region, assumably designed to keep their young within close reach of the adults. 

Krakenfolk Traits

Krakenfolk Traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

Krakenfolk mature around the same age as humans, but can live up to 150 years old.

Alignment

Krakenfolk originate from aquatic clans, and as such are inclined towards chaotic or neutral alignments.

Size

Krakenfolk are somewhat bulkier than humans, and grow to be between 7 and 8 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking and swimming speed is 30 feet.

Amphibious

You can breathe both air and underwater.

Grappling Tentacles

You have two special tentacles growing alongside your arms. Each of them is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. Immediately after hitting a creature, you can try to grapple them as a bonus action. These tentacles can’t precisely manipulate anything and can’t wield weapons, magic items, or other specialised equipment.

Lightning Storm

As an action, you magically create a bolt of lightning from either your tentacle or hand (your choice), which can strike a target you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The DC for the saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. You create more bolts as you level up, making 2 bolts at 5th level, and 3 bolts at 11th level (your choice of which arm, arms, tentacle or tentacles you fire them from). You can choose to have the bolts hit the same target or fire them at different targets. You can use this trait only once per short or long rest.

Lightning Resistance

You have resistance to lightning damage.

Language

You can read, understand and write Common, Primordial, and one other language of your choice between Abyssal, Celestial and Infernal. Though you cannot speak, your means of communication is through telepathy up to 30 feet.