Homebrew Cancer Species Details

 

Physical Description

Cancer are small, crab-like humanoids that populate the seafloor. They come in several colors but are generally otherwise very similar to one another. For some reason, even when they are not boiled, there are cancer which have red shells due to an overabundance of a certain pigment compound. Their face is pure, unarmored flesh which pokes out from a crevice at the front of their shells. Their main arms are their claws, as two sets of legs are used to scuttle and move, while the other two remain relatively useless due to their shortness attached at their midsection. Their eyes are small, black and shiny like pebbles, and they have odd antennae.

History

Cancer have a long history with the populations of tritons and merfolk alike. They are just one of the many species native to the warmer oceans, where they like to scour for food and resources. Their numbers can increase quickly with just one breeding season, which results in many baby cancer running around. Ravenous, they can devour entire coral reefs and kelp forests, leaving only barren seafloor in their wake. Other sea creatures abhor them due to their numbers often upsetting ecosystems. They are similar to ants; killing a good handful doesn't get anywhere. If anything, they could swarm palaces in a frenzy and cover a good portion of an ocean. They are hated for their status as scavengers in aquatic society. People perceive them as no better than diseased dogs digging for garbage.

Society

Cancer have small, decentralized tribes that may war with one another from time to time. Due to the sheer volume of their population, there are countless tribes, which are nigh impossible to classify or tell apart even. They do insist on subtle differences, but outsiders would never know better nor care. In these tribes, cancer wander the seafloor, always on the move for food. They are nomadic and drawn to warmer waters where algae and kelp bloom. they are also known to eat fish and mollusks. Every year, they make a journey to a colder area where they molt their shells en masse. During this process, they become extremely squishy and vulnerable. It is at this time that predators like to swoop in on them. Some actually use them for food, while others just want to lower their population. Regardless, it's never quite enough to keep cancer down for good.

Cancer Traits

+2 Constitution, +1 Strength, Darkvision, Amphibious, Vicegrip, Enlarged Pincer

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Cancer mature after a few months of birth. They die after about a century of life, but until then, they never stop growing.

Alignment

Cancer move as a unit and like to mind their own race's business, tending towards neutrality.

Size

Cancer are very short. They average around 3 feet tall and weigh only 50 or so pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You have a swimming speed of 15 feet.

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 can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Amphibious

You can breathe both air and water.

Vicegrip

Your claws can clamp hard and hold fast. You have advantage in Strength (Athletics) checks to grapple other creatures.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write in Common and Aquan. When speaking in Common, however, you lisp and spit a lot more than the usual speaker due to the configuration of your mouth.

Enlarged Pincers

Your claws have sharp edges which can really hurt when you hold. When you successfully grapple a creature, they take piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.