Homebrew Aruku-tako Species Details

A mysterious cephalopodic race -- "the walking octopus" are typically solitary wanderers when found on land -- explorers, exiles or emissaries from the sunken court of an undersea realm. Reckless Ronin, renegade monks, proselytizing priests and the occasional drunken poet are the primary sources of information about the homeland and culture of the Aruku-tako, which makes these accounts somewhat fantastical at best.

Aruku-Tako walk upon four legs and use four arms, but these limbs are for all appearances, interchangeable, sometimes with dramatic effect. Covered in chromatophores, they are capable of dramatic changes in the colour, patterning and texture of their skin, making them adept at hiding. Although amphibious, they do best with daily watering. 

Creating Your Character

 

Ability Score Increases

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20. Typically, an Aruku-Tako would increase Dexterity by 2 and Intelligence by 1.

Languages

Your character can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial.

Creature Type

Almost unbelievably, Aruku-Tako are humanoid, though rumours of their celestial or abyssal origins abound.

Life Span

Unknown, but thought to be uncommonly short, fueled by rumours that the mating process is fatal.

Height and Weight

The Aruku-Tako can summon themselves to a height slightly below the average human. They are surprisingly light, as they lack bones.

Aruku-tako Traits

As an Aruku-Tako, you have the following racial traits.

Creature Type

Almost unbelievably, Aruku-Tako are humanoid, though rumours of their celestial or abyssal origins abound.

Size

You are Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a swimming speed and climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Armed & Amorphous

You can squeeze through a space as narrow as 6 inches wide, provided you are wearing and carrying nothing. You have advantage on ability checks you make to initiate or escape a grapple, and have a climbing speed of 25 feet.

Water Dependency

If you fail to immerse yourself in water for at least 1 hour during a day, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion at the end of that day. You can recover from this exhaustion only through magic or by immersing yourself in water for at least 1 hour.

Ink Cloud

While underwater you can cast Darkness centered on yourself without a spell slot once per long rest. If you cast the spell on land, it merely covers the affected area in black ink.

Chromatic Camouflage

As an action, you can change the color of your skin to match the color and texture of your surroundings, giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in those surroundings.