Selachi

Selachi (plural, Selachii) are a race of humanoid creatures that closely resemble sharks. Selachii tend to live in coastal communities where they value the ocean and mysticism. They are sometimes confused with the barbaric Sahuagin, but have key differences in both physiology and sociology. Technically, Selachi are an offshoot of Beastkin, but have distinct enough traits to be considered their own race.
Male Names: Raye, Thresher, Ordo
Female Names: Yonda, Hexani, Kikki
Gender Neutral Names: Mako, Xok, Ijli

Standard Racial Traits

Ability Score Modifiers: Selachii have strong and agile bodies, but have a distrust of new information. They gain a +2 bonus to Strength and Dexterity, but suffer a -2 penalty to Intelligence.
Type: Selachii are humanoid creatures with the Beastkin and Selachi subtypes.
Size: Selachii are medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed: Selachii have a base speed of 30ft.
Languages: Selachii begin play speaking Common and Aquan. Selachii with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aboleth, Elven, Goblin, or Halfling.

Senses Traits

• Color Blindness: Selachii are partially to completely color blind, meaning they have difficulty distinguishing between different hues. They take a -2 penalty to sight-based perception checks to detect something that is not moving. Additionally, Selachii gain a +5 racial bonus on saves against spells of the Pattern subschool and other effects that rely on colors or patterns.
• Scent: Selachii gain the benefits of the Scent ability when underwater.

Other Traits

• Natural Swimmer: Selachii long ago lost their ability to breathe underwater in exchange for dwelling on the land, but can hold their breath underwater twice as long as normal, and have a swim speed of 30ft.
• Chompers: Selachii have a natural bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. This bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the creature is wielding manufactured weapons.
• Rough Skin: The skin of a Selachi feels smooth at first, but is actually comprised of microscopic scales that, when rubbed the wrong way, can be damaging. Creatures who are grappling or pinning a Selachi take 1d4 points of slashing damage each time they confirm a grapple check.
• Water Stride: Selachii can walk through any sort of water or other liquid at their normal speed. Such areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect them, however.
• Ocean Talk: Selachii gain Speak With Animals as a spell-like ability, usable a number of minutes per day equal to their character level. This ability only allows communication with aquatic creatures.

Alternate Racial Traits

• Slashers: Some Selachii have lost their distinctive sharp teeth, and instead use razor-sharp claws to hunt their prey. Selachii with this trait gain two natural claw attacks that deal 1d4 points of damage. These are primary natural attacks. This trait replaces Chompers.
• Slippery: Some Selachii seem to be smooth from all angles. Selachii with this trait gain a +5 bonus on CMB and Escape Artist checks to escape being grappled or pinned, and gain a +2 bonus to their CMD against grappling. This trait replaces Rough Skin.
• Landwalker: Some Selachii have given up their ties to the water, and have adapted to life on land. A Selachi with this trait increases their base speed to 40ft. This trait replaces Natural Swimmer.
• Aquatic Hunter: Occasionally, a Selachi will be born with an unnatural predilection to underwater senses. Selachii with this trait gain Blindsense 60ft while underwater. This trait replaces Scent and Low-Light Vision.
• Seaborn: While some Selachii have learned to live on land, others have adapted more to life underwater. Selachii with this trait have gills and can breathe underwater in addition to breathing air. This trait replaces Water Stride.

Favored Class Options

• Barbarian: Increase the barbarian's rounds of rage per day by 1.
• Bloodrager: Increase the bloodrager's rounds of rage per day by 1.
• Druid: Add 1/2 of an additional use of Wild Shape per day.
• Fighter: Add 1/3 of a bonus feat. This bonus feat must be Power Attack or any combat feat in the Power Attack feat tree.
• Hunter: Add +1 hit point to the hunter's animal companion. If the hunter ever replaces their animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.
• Ranger: Add +1 hit point to the ranger's animal companion. If the ranger ever replaces their animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.

Racial Feats

Selachii may take the following feats if they meet the prerequisites.
Crunchers:

• Prerequisites: Chompers Selachi, character level 5th
• Benefits: As a Selachi's jaws are used over and over, their teeth are constantly replaced stronger and stronger with each bite. The Selachi's bite attack increases in damage to 1d8.

Eviscerators:

• Prerequisites: Slashers Selachi, character level 5th
• Benefits: As a Selachi's claws are constantly tested on the flesh of their foes and prey, they become stronger and more deadly. The Selachi's claw attacks increase in damage to 1d6.

Blood in the Water:

• Prerequisites: Selachi, Crunchers or Eviscerators, character level 9th
• Benefits: Your natural weapons become jagged and more brutal, ripping and tearing wounds when made. Your racial natural attack, in addition to its normal damage, deals bleed damage equal to its normal damage die or dice.

Selective Skin:

• Prerequisites: Selachi, character level 3rd
• Benefits: If you do not already have the Slippery trait, you gain its benefits. You can switch between the benefits of Rough Skin and Slippery as a swift action.

Jagged Skin:

• Prerequisites: Rough Skin Selachi or Selective Skin, character level 5th
• Benefits: Your Rough Skin ability no longer deals slashing damage and instead deals 1d6 points of bleed. This bleed does not stack, but it cannot be healed by non-magical means as long as the creature continues to grapple you.

Aquatic Master:

• Prerequisites: Aquatic Hunter Selachi, character level 9th
• Benefits: The Aquatic Hunter benefit increases from blindsense to blindsight while underwater.

Fast Swimmer:

• Prerequisites: Seaborn Selachi, character level 5th
• Benefits: Increase your swim speed to 60ft.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Selachii appear as tall humanoids, around 5'6" to 6'8" tall, with similar height to elves. They have long pointed ears like elves, but often multi-tipped. They typically have wide-set beady eyes, short snout-like faces, with their signature sharp teeth. Their bodies are covered in smooth scales that some claim are rubbery to touch, but if rubbed the wrong way can cause lacerations. Selachii have long tails with vertical fins at the end. These tails tend to drag on the ground on land, but help them swim swiftly underwater. Most Selachii have a vestigial dorsal fin between their shoulder blades and short fins on their elbows.
Though Selachii are descended from sharks, most have long since lost their ability to breathe water, though they can still hold their breath for much longer than humans, and have natural swimming abilities. Their fingers and toes are often tipped in sharp nails, and are slightly webbed together.

Genetics and Reproduction

Selachii females are only fertile for four months a year during the spring, during which time their bodies are continually ovulating. If impregnated during this time, they carry their eggs internally for six months, after which the young are born live. However, each ovulation period, a Selachii produces multiple eggs, and it is possible that multiple offspring in one litter have different fathers. A typically Selachii litter can be from 1-3 offspring, and are fiercely protected by both the mother and her mate(s).
Males are known for having twin reproductive organs. The exact reasons for this are unknown, but some believe it was naturally selected for redundancy.

Ecology and Habitats

Selachii tend to gravitate towards warm coastal areas where they can be close to the sea. It is common for Selachii to be found in port towns and on ship crews.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Selachii are obligate carnivores, preferring to eat fish and other seafood. In a pinch, they can sometimes digest kelp and seaweed, but these maritime vegetables leave a bad taste in their mouths and have a bad reputation among Selachii.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Selachii have better visual acuity than humans, but have difficulty perceiving color. This color blindness varies between individuals, and ranges from difficulty distinguishing many colors to complete grayscale. To make up for this, the Selachii have better sense of smell than humans, and this sense of smell is drastically improved while underwater, allowing them to pick up many different scents.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

At a glance, many people might mistake Selachii for evil races such as sahuagin or goblins, but Selachii are in fact quite different. They do often have a certain goblinoid simplicity and mischievousness, but Selachii are typically easygoing and bond easily to those who prove their trustworthiness. They are especially valued in coastal communities, where their knowledge of the sea and proficiency at navigating it makes them valuable to maritime work.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Beastkin

Lifespan

300 years

Average Height

Males: 5' 5" + 2d10 inches
Females: 5' 5" + 2d8 inches

Average Weight

Males: 130 lbs + 1d100 lbs.
Females: 135lbs + 1d100 lbs.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Selachii come in a variety of colors, though many are deep gray or blue with white torso and inner arms. Red coloration is uncommon, but well-known.