[3.5 Race] All Of The Tentacles

[Lix Lorn]

TENTACULAR

Tentaculars are a highly odd race, resembling nothing so much as a writhing ball of flowing limbs. Despite their disturbing appearance, they are both intelligent, cultured, and highly charismatic. While their initial meetings with outsiders are often unfriendly, relations often rapidly reverse towards a more amiable situation.

TYPICAL TENTACULARS
Tentaculars tend to have a dry wit, and an excellent sense of timing. Their horrific and inhuman appearance is often considered at odds with their racial proclivity towards the higher arts, and their common personality traits of amiability and charm.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Other races tend to find it difficult to tell one Tentacular from another, although they can distinguish amongst themselves with ease. They do vary in colour; coming in all shades of blue, green, black, pink, and more besides. While their bodies do have a central core, it is essentially a compact cylinder containing their eyes, the only part visible to an outsider, and their organs, while their hundreds of tentacles serve the purpose of locomotion and grip, as well as opening up to take in sustenence. To many races surprise, Tentaculars do have two genders, as with most human races, although the differences are very difficult to notice.

Relations With Other Races
Tentaculars often dive happily into the culture and society of other races, making themselves at home among strangers. While first contact tends to involve screams, flames, and pitchforks, Tentaculars have become used to smoothing over their first reactions and forming a lasting friendship. Tentaculars often take a significant status in their local economy, their friendly natures giving them an excellent talent for a merchant’s life. Many Tentacular cities with good locations have become trade hubs.

Alignment
Tentaculars have a racial tendency towards good, but no real preference for chaos or law. Helpfulness, joviality, and friendliness are their most important traits, and they will happily obey any laws that do not seem unjust

Tentacular Lands
Tentaculars are not native to our material plane, having found a way in and fallen in love with our people and our lands. Their own home plane is one of seas and mountains, with few if any other sentient beings.

Religion
While Tentaculars do have their own deity, many of them experiment with those of other races. As with almost everything they do, Tentacular religion is defined by experiences-the same thing that drives them to investigate the myriad possibilities of the material plane.

Language
The Tentacular language is called Tentarin, and is a flowing, lilting language that sounds almost like song.

Common Names
Common Tentacular names include Teris, Karina, Lina, Para and Tika. They often use r sounds, and like names that end with a vowel. However, Tentacular children born in other lands are often named according to the culture native to that land.

Adventurers
Tentaculars are driven to adventure by the same force that drives everything they do: Sensation. Tentaculars seek out new experiences, and few of them have seen even a tenth of the wonders of the material plane. An adventurer can seek out wonderful new beings and monsters-and kill them.

Tentacular Racial Traits
Abilities: +2 Dex, +2 Int, +4 Cha
Size: Medium.
Type: A Tentacular is an Aberration. They are not subject to spells or effects that affect only humanoids, such as dominate person or charm person.
Movement Rate: 30ft.
Natural Weapons:: A first level Tentacular has two tentacle attacks, each doing 1d6+Str mod damage. At ECL sixth, and at each multiple of six thereafter, they may make an additional tentacle attack, representing their increasing co-ordination and ability to utilise their many limbs in combat.
Skills: A Tentacular has a +3 racial bonus to all social skills (Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate) as long as the interaction relies somehow upon seduction or desire.
Favoured Class: Wizard, Beguiler.
LA:+2

[Grod_The_Giant]

It's definitly not LA+3- worthy. I'd say +2 at most, +1 if you lowered the stat bonuses. Natural weapons and non-humanoid tying are both worth a decent amount, but not three levels worth.

[Cipher Stars]

Yay a tentacular thread!

Related:
Tentastical Shadow

Tentacular Knight

Octopian Lord

Tentacle Spells

Thingamajig

[Lix Lorn]

:O Links!

I wasn't sure about the LA. Thanks.

[Owrtho]

Yay, everything is better with tentacles! They also are the universal solution to problems.
This race gets my approval. It also makes me desire to play in a game where everyone uses tentacles.
Except perhaps one hapless normal person.
And expanding on Cipherthe3vil's list of tentacle themed links:
Akodrin - Welknair
Begetter of the Black Bothria - afroakuma
Blacklight Warper - Hyooz
Gilim-á-úr-šár - owrtho
Octocrow - Eldan
Ozodrin (PRCs) - owrtho
Wyrd-blooded (depending on Heritage) - Troll Brau

Owrtho

[Analytica]

{{scrubbed}}

[Steward]

I feel as if there aren't enough good-aligned aberrations. Thank you for this. There's no reason why something with lots of tentacles, lots of eyes, etc. has to be bad, right?

[Lix Lorn]

Agreed! I mainly did this because the image of a ball of tentacles with a top hat and a monocle was irresistable.

[Merchant]

How do you feel about making racial feats Lix Lorn?

Love the race by the way. But I'm one of those fellow Tentacle Enthusiasts

[Lix Lorn]

How do I feel? Mostly lazy. Make your pitch. xD

[Cieyrin]

What surprises me is, by the description of their home plane, I'd think they'd have a swim speed.

I'd also love to know how they get along with flumphs, as the de facto good aberrations that no one can really hate, since they're adorable floating tentacles things.

[Lix Lorn]

Hmm. I assume they just live on the land parts. xD

Flumphs? They think they're the poor adventurer's feather fall.

[Steward]

I really appreciate their somewhat debonair personalities too. It probably helps overcome the traditional (and, let's be honest, largely justified) reaction that most humanoids have towards creatures that look like this.

If they were the usual screaming morons most adventurers would have no problem skewering them even if they turned out to be Lawful Neutral or whatever, but when this thing offers everyone in the party a spot of tea and crumpets while adjusting its monocle and idly thumbing through a copy of Virgil's lesser works (simultaneously, of course -- tentacles are handy!), even the most murder-happy adventurer would have to at least pause to see what's up with it.

[Beacon of Chaos]

I didn't realise there were so many tentacle fans on this board XD

Do you have a club, and if so can I join?

Spoiler

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Race looks good. Tentacles and top hats are a mix that just can't go wrong! Interesting little disclaimer on the skill bonus.

Owrtho, an all tentacle game sounds like fun!

[Lix Lorn]

I really appreciate their somewhat debonair personalities too. It probably helps overcome the traditional (and, let's be honest, largely justified) reaction that most humanoids have towards creatures that look like this.

If they were the usual screaming morons most adventurers would have no problem skewering them even if they turned out to be Lawful Neutral or whatever, but when this thing offers everyone in the party a spot of tea and crumpets while adjusting its monocle and idly thumbing through a copy of Virgil's lesser works (simultaneously, of course -- tentacles are handy!), even the most murder-happy adventurer would have to at least pause to see what's up with it.

Lovely charming personalities leads to CONSENSUAL tentacle sex, and everyone knows that's the best kind.

I didn't realise there were so many tentacle fans on this board XD

Do you have a club, and if so can I join?

Spoiler

Show

Race looks good. Tentacles and top hats are a mix that just can't go wrong! Interesting little disclaimer on the skill bonus.

Owrtho, an all tentacle game sounds like fun!

Hee.

All tentacles is cool! I probably wouldn't actually use this. xD

[Mr.Bookworm]

I would actually bump this down to LA +1.

You have a total ability modifier of +8, but it's spread out, and the largest bonus is in Charisma, which isn't great for a lot of character concepts (and semi-useful at best for the two favored classes). Aberration type is decent, but not world-shaking. Same thing with the natural weapons. Minor situational bonus is a minor situational bonus.

Compares decently to Goliaths, which I tend to peg as the benchmark for LA +1.

Main thing missing here is how magic items interact with the race. I would take a look at Lords of Madness and how the tentacle-ish races there interact with them.

You also forgot the Automatic Language stuff in the entry.

[Cieyrin]

I would actually bump this down to LA +1.

You have a total ability modifier of +8, but it's spread out, and the largest bonus is in Charisma, which isn't great for a lot of character concepts (and semi-useful at best for the two favored classes). Aberration type is decent, but not world-shaking. Same thing with the natural weapons. Minor situational bonus is a minor situational bonus.

Compares decently to Goliaths, which I tend to peg as the benchmark for LA +1.

Main thing missing here is how magic items interact with the race. I would take a look at Lords of Madness and how the tentacle-ish races there interact with them.

You also forgot the Automatic Language stuff in the entry.

I don't know about that, they have the same stat spread as Catfolk do but better, Aberration gets them access to Rapidstrike chain, which they can put to good use, they get lots of free natural attacks, which could be beastly if combined with a Totemist, and the bonuses, while situational, are fairly broad and play well into the Beguiler's hands. A Beguiler needs Int more than Cha but Cha and Dex are strong secondaries and a Beguiler that can't be a Face is ignoring some of their biggest assets.

I do agree they're on the low side of LA +2 and could use some boosting to put them solidly there but they're too powerful for LA +1. They're not necessarily melee beasts like Goliaths but that's not the only measure of power, as they can make amazing Bards and Sorcerers, as well as Enchanters (especially Social Proficiency Enchanters), Illusionists and Beguilers, not to mention Warmages and Dread Necromancers.

[Lix Lorn]

So, what would you suggest to make them a little stronger?

And I don't understand what you mean by the bit with the magic items. Why wouldn't they interact with them the same way as anybody else?

[PersonMan]

So, what would you suggest to make them a little stronger?

And I don't understand what you mean by the bit with the magic items. Why wouldn't they interact with them the same way as anybody else?

I think he means, what if...

Adventurer McTentacle: Egads! Good chap, I do believe that this is a magic cloak!
Adventurer McNotTentacle: Yeah, I think so, too. You want it?
A. McTentacle: What a fine offer, ol' chum! I do think I will! *tries on cape*
Player of A. McTentacle: Ok, so...wait a second, I'm a mass of tentacles. How do I wear a cloak?
DM: I...uh. Hmmmm. Maybe... I have no idea.
Player of A. McNotTentacle: Speaking of which, when I level I won't be needing my boots, but you really need a bonus to-wait, could you even wear boots?
Player of A. McAlsoNotTentacle: And I just found a pair of Pants Gloves of Dexterity +6, so I won't be needing the +2 ones. Can you wear pants gloves?
DM: If only the creator of this homebrew had told us how to resolve this issue! It will haunt me to my grave!

EDIT: As for ways to increase their power, I'd say:

-A Swim speed, with or without lizardfolk-esque water breathing breath holding. Makes sense if they live on small islands with water between them.
-A bit of natural armor
-If they don't have water breathing, breath holding, etc. maybe a 1/day Water Breathing SLA?

[Cieyrin]

So, what would you suggest to make them a little stronger?

And I don't understand what you mean by the bit with the magic items. Why wouldn't they interact with them the same way as anybody else?

For the magic item part, it's because they don't have the humanoid anatomy generally assumed. Lords of Madness went to the trouble of going through each monster race to define what items they could use and which they couldn't, often leading to them having extra slots to make up for the fact that they can't wear boots and vests, etc. For example, the Grell can wear:

• Two amulets, brooches, medallions, necklaces, periapts, or scarabs embedded in the thick hide of its body.
• Two pairs of bracers or bracelets on the thick upper portions of two tentacles.
• Up to four rings on the slender tips of four additional tentacles.

Grell cannot wear headbands, hats, helmets, phylacteries, lenses, goggles, vests, vestments, shirts, robes, suits of armor (although a specially made suit of grell barding is at least conceivable), belts, cloaks, capes, mantles, gloves, gauntlets, boots, or shoes. Grell philosophers design unique items that use the ring or amulet slots.

As for boosting them solidly into LA +2, I'd consider the swim speed and amphibious nature, as well as maybe a couple SLAs related to Enchantment, as well as a racial bonus to grapple, just as a couple of ideas.

[Lix Lorn]

I think he means, what if...

Adventurer McTentacle: Egads! Good chap, I do believe that this is a magic cloak!
Adventurer McNotTentacle: Yeah, I think so, too. You want it?
A. McTentacle: What a fine offer, ol' chum! I do think I will! *tries on cape*
Player of A. McTentacle: Ok, so...wait a second, I'm a mass of tentacles. How do I wear a cloak?
DM: I...uh. Hmmmm. Maybe... I have no idea.
Player of A. McNotTentacle: Speaking of which, when I level I won't be needing my boots, but you really need a bonus to-wait, could you even wear boots?
Player of A. McAlsoNotTentacle: And I just found a pair of Pants Gloves of Dexterity +6, so I won't be needing the +2 ones. Can you wear pants gloves?
DM: If only the creator of this homebrew had told us how to resolve this issue! It will haunt me to my grave!

EDIT: As for ways to increase their power, I'd say:

-A Swim speed, with or without lizardfolk-esque water breathing breath holding. Makes sense if they live on small islands with water between them.
-A bit of natural armor
-If they don't have water breathing, breath holding, etc. maybe a 1/day Water Breathing SLA?

I seeeeee. xD
(McNotATentacle is the best surname)
I guess I can put some thought into it, but I generally assumed that they could use magic items mostly normally. Probably not shirts though. Boots, gloves, and gauntlets would be pooossible, but would really need to be specially made.

As for boosting them solidly into LA +2, I'd consider the swim speed and amphibious nature, as well as maybe a couple SLAs related to Enchantment, as well as a racial bonus to grapple, just as a couple of ideas.

Hmm. I don't want to give them SLAs, especially not enchantment ones, because I want to keep them nice, rather than using mindrape.
I don't really want to make them amphibious, either. I really don't know why I have such an objection to it, it makes sense. I originally planned on giving them a climb speed, thinking that a mass of tentacles would make that easier. Would that work, along with some natural armour?

...I could give them Black Tentacles as an SLA.

[Cieyrin]

Hmm. I don't want to give them SLAs, especially not enchantment ones, because I want to keep them nice, rather than using mindrape.
I don't really want to make them amphibious, either. I really don't know why I have such an objection to it, it makes sense. I originally planned on giving them a climb speed, thinking that a mass of tentacles would make that easier. Would that work, along with some natural armour?

...I could give them Black Tentacles as an SLA.

So they're tree octopi, eh?

For the spell-likes, I was thinking less mind-rapey and more bardic/social cues apt but I suppose I can't really find something that works without making them uber-Diplomancers. I was looking for something like the 2nd Ed Friends spell but that doesn't seem to exist in 3.X.

[Lix Lorn]

Cliff octopi.
And more like squid, actually.

[Owrtho]

Obviously the ideal SLAs for the race would be Create Monocle, Create Tophat, and Create Tea. After all, a proper gentleman without a monocle can hardly be considered a terribly proper gentleman at all.

Owrtho

[Lix Lorn]

Clearly, someone typed in Owrtho: State The Obvious.