New Race-as-Class: Cephalid (OSE)

Cephalid

Requirements: Minimum INT 9
Prime requisite: INT
Hit Dice: d4
Maximum level: 12
Armor: none
Weapons: dagger, staff
Languages: Alignment, Cephalid, Common, Merfolk

Cephalids are aquatic, sapient antropomorphic cephalopods, often resembling humanoid octopi, with beaks as mouths and tentacles instead of arms and legs. They have a more developed skeletal structure compared to their distant resemblants, which enables them to move outside water for a brief period, but they can't breathe air as well as water, and may dry out if they stay emerged for too long, at least without magical aid.

Cephalids have a monarchic system of government, ruled over by an emperor or empress, and with a strong aristocratic hierarchy. Generally speaking, they're greedy creatures that want nothing more than power and control. Cephalids tend to be extremely cunning and manipulative, often plotting behind people's backs in an effort to climb up the social ladder. As a result, high-ranking cephalids tend to be either extremely paranoid or fall victim to assassins.

Cephalids dislike most other races, with particular hatred being reserved for air-breathers, including both surface dwellers and sea mammals such as whales and seals. They also have great contempt for the sea creatures living near the bottom of the ocean. One race of creatures that does sometimes agree with them are the merfolk, though they see themselves at a higher standing after having overthrown the merfolk empire in the past.

Prime requisites: A cephalid with at least 13 INT gains a 5% bonus to experience. A cephalid with an INT of at least 16 receives a +10% XP bonus.
Adjust ability scores: In step 3 of character creation, cephalids may not lower WIS.

Arcane Magic

As power-hungry creatures, cephalids naturally gravitate towards the dominion of arcane magic. See Rules of Magic for full details on arcane magic.

Magical research: A cephalid of any level may spend time and money on magical research. This allows them to add new spells to their spell book and to research other magical effects. When a cephalid reaches 9th level, they are also able to create magic items.

Spell casting: Cephalids carry spell books containing the formulae for arcane spells. The level progression table (opposite, below) shows both the number of spells in the cephalid’s spell book and the number they may memorize, determined by the character’s experience level. Thus, a 1st level cephalid has one spell in their spell book, selected by the referee (who may allow the player to choose). The list of spells available to cephalids is provided in Magic-User Spells.

Using magic items: As spell casters, cephalids are able to use magic scrolls of spells on their spell list. They can also use items that may only be used by arcane spell casters (e.g. magic wands).

Combat

Cephalids can only use daggers and staves, and are unable to use shields or wear any kind of armor. (Even their ceremonial garbs, often adorned with beautiful shells, offer no more protection than common clothes.) This makes them very vulnerable in combat, which they actively avoid.

Underwater Breathing and Movement

Cephalids can breathe underwater, and they can also move underwater as well as on dry land – in truth, one could say they can move on dry land as well as they can naturally move underwater! However, they can't stay emerged for too long: for each week after the first away from water, a cephalid receives a cumulative –2 penalty on any rolls (including saving throws) and to their AC; this penalty ends once they rest underwater for a day.

Ink Jet

When underwater, cephalids can use their ink to hide in plain sight, with a chance of success of 90% in submerged dungeons, and of 2-in-6 in the subaquatic wilderlands.

Backstab

Cephalids are cunning and treacherous; when attacking an unaware opponent from behind, a cephalid receives a +4 bonus to hit, and doubles any damage dealt.

Read Languages

Cephalids are literate, and often well-read; they're also used to look for signs of betrayal everywhere. A cephalid can read non-magical text in any language, including dead languages and basic codes, with 80% probability. If the roll does not succeed, the cephalid may not try to read that particular text again until they reach a higher level of experience.

After Reaching 11th Level

A cephalid may construct a stronghold, often a submarine fortress. It can be made of a myriad of materials available underwater, such as stone, seashells, bones, pearls, calcified porifera and coral reefs.

Due to their paranoia, a cephalid ruler will not hire other cephalids as mercenaries or retainers – only as specialists, and with great suspicion. Mercenaries, retainers and specialists of other races may be hired.

Cephalid Level Progression

Level	XP	HD	THAC0	D	W	P	B	S	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	0	1d4	19 [0]	13	14	13	16	15	1	–	–	–	–	–
2	3,000	2d4	19 [0]	13	14	13	16	15	2	–	–	–	–	–
3	6,000	3d4	19 [0]	13	14	13	16	15	2	1	–	–	–	–
4	12,000	4d4	19 [0]	13	14	13	16	15	2	2	–	–	–	–
5	24,000	5d4	19 [0]	13	14	13	16	15	2	2	1	–	–	–
6	48,000	6d4	17 [+2]	11	12	11	14	12	2	2	2	–	–	–
7	96,000	7d4	17 [+2]	11	12	11	14	12	3	2	2	1	–	–
8	180,000	8d4	17 [+2]	11	12	11	14	12	3	3	2	2	–	–
9	330,000	9d4	17 [+2]	11	12	11	14	12	3	3	3	2	1	–
10	480,000	9d4+1*	17 [+2]	11	12	11	14	12	3	3	3	3	2	–
11	630,000	9d4+2*	14 [+5]	8	9	8	11	8	4	3	3	3	3	1
12	780,000	9d4+3*	14 [+5]	8	9	8	11	8	4	4	3	3	3	2

* Modifiers from CON no longer apply.
Saving Throws: D: Death / poison; W: Wands; P: Paralysis / petrify; B: Breath attacks; S: Spells / rods / staves.

Source: MTGWiki.