Merfolk

* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
* **Age.** Merfolk reach maturity at 16 and can expect to live for 80 or 90 years in optimal conditions.
* **Alignment.** Merfolk subscribe to a variety of alignments ad worldviews, and there is no universal merfolk culture. A good number tend towards neutrality, focusing only on the survival of themselves and their tribe.
* **Size.** A merfolk's body length is deceptive, since most of it is tail. On land, they are the same size as humans. Your size is Medium.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 25 feet and your base swimming speed is 40 feet. Your tail transforms into a pair of legs while you are on dry land.
* **Amphibious.** You can breathe normally in either air or water.
* **Dweller of the Deep.** Adapted to the frigid ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage.
* **Watery Sanctuary.** While you are swimming, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.
* **Darkvision.** Your large eyes are well-adapted to dark and murky waters. 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.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Aquan and Common.
* **Subrace.** Many different subraces of merfolk exist. Choose either littoral, tropical or pelagic.

## Littoral Merfolk

Littoral, or coastal, merfolk live and hunt in the shallow waters near the shores of oceans and seas. Though they rarely stay on dry land for long, these merfolk are the most likely to fraternize with surface-dwellers, bartering for useful tools with rare undersea treasures, like pearls and seashells.

* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
* **Shipwreck Scavenger.** You are adept at making do with whatever flotsam and jetsam the tides deliver to you. As an action, you can assemble any simple weapon or piece of adventuring gear whose value is no more than 5 gp out of whatever random junk is lying around. The item falls apart after 1 minute.

## Pelagic Merfolk

Often called deep merfolk, the pelagic live in the depths of the ocean, and rarely approach the surface. Their dim scales and large eyes have adapted to the scare sunlight, making them excellent hunters in the dark.

* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 1.
* **Bioluminescence.** You are able to produce a small amount of light using photophores in your skin. As a bonus action, you can activate this ability in order to shed dim light in a 10-foot radius. You can deactivate this ability with a further bonus action.
* **Superior Darkvision.** Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.

## Tropical Merfolk

Making their homes in the warm water around the equator, tropical merfolk are often more lighthearted and colorful (often literally) than their follow merfolk. Their bright, colorful scales serve as a defense mechanism, warning predators that their bodies are poisonous.

* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Charisma score increases by 1.
* **Venomous Secretions.** Your body produces exotic chemicals that help you to survive amongst the vicious predators found in tropical waters. When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal 1d8 poison damage to that creature. If you are swimming, this ability does not cost a reaction. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again. The damage increases to 2d8 at 6th level, 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 16th level.