Aquatic creatures spend most of, if not all of, their lives in water. They swim for food, to travel, and to escape predators. Common aquatic habitats include lakes, oceans, and rivers.
Characteristics[]
Body is hugely important to surviving underwater; creatures that can't hold their breath or filter air from water cannot survive in aquatic environments. Because Aquatic creatures spend most of their lives shifting through substances thicker than air, their muscles are also stronger and more developed. However, because water-based creatures tend to be more primitive, they're lacking in Intelligence compared to land-based creatures, and they don't have a sophisticated sense of identity because they're lacking in Ego.
- Body: +2. Maximum Cap: +4 to Body Cap
- Ego: -2. Maximum Cap: -4 to Ego Cap
- Intelligence: -1. Maximum Cap: -2 to Intelligence Cap
- Strength: +1. Maximum Cap: +2 to Strength Cap
Skills[]
Food sources underwater can be far off from the Aquatic creature's location, so they need a high Perception to pinpoint food sources. Many Aquatic predators rely on grappling to slow down enemies, so Contortionist is a natural counter to underwater hunters. Bottom-feeders commonly use Stealth to hide from prey and predators alike. Because there is little terrain to speak of underwater for creatures to leave tracks in, the Tracking skill is a weak point for all underwater inhabitants.
- Skill Bonus: +1d6 Perception
- Skill Penalty: -1d6 Tracking
Traits[]
All Aquatic creatures come with Terrain Mastery over their underwater habitat, and most spend an additional 5 character points so they can breath underwater and never have to surface for air. Aquatic creatures that live near the poles commonly invest in an additional Terrain Mastery over Arctic environments so they can withstand the cold.
- Bonus Trait: Terrain Mastery (Aquatic)
Flaws[]
Life underwater has very simple objectives: Find food, find a mate, and don't get eaten. Even the most intelligent underwater inhabitants think about life mostly in terms of where their next meal is coming from, and therefore all Aquatic creatures come with the Simpleton Flaw.
- Bonus Flaw: Simpleton
Recommended Abilities[]
Extra Limbs for fins and the Swim Power are must-haves for Aquatic creatures; traversing the seas requires fast swim speeds. Enhanced Senses for telescopic sight, hearing, and smell are also common, since spotting food is more about dealing with distance penalties than combing for hidden creatures.