Grindylows are nasty little creatures, taking the role of goblins in the sea. They are tribal, aggressive, and destructive, able to live in peace only with octopi and creatures that are vastly more powerful. They enjoy many of the same sadistic “games” that goblins do, only lacking the love of fire.
Grindylows have an intense hatred for the “imperfections” of squid, and go out of their way to destroy them and any squid-like images they come across. Grindylows lack the superstitious dread of words and magic that their goblin kin have; although they are by no means literate or magically adept. Grindylow are fully amphibious, but tend to panic if they cannot see, or at least hear the ocean.
Grindylow Racial Characteristics
Grindylows as characters are defined by their class levels-they do not possess racial Hit Dice. They have the following racial characteristics.
- +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: You are flexible and tough, but crude.
- Small: You are a Small creature and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks..
- Slow Speed: You have a base land speed of 15 feet, and a base swim speed of 30 feet.
- Aberrant Goblin: You are a humanoid with the aberrant and goblinoid subtypes.
- Amphibious: You are amphibious, gain a +8 racial bonus to Athletics checks to swim, and can move in water without making an Athletics check. A grindylow can breathe both air and water, and Athletics is always a class skill for a grindylow.
- Darkvision: You can see in areas of low-light and darkness without penalty.
- Natural Armor: You gain a +2 natural armor bonus.
- Sneaky: You gain a +4 racial bonus to Stealth checks.
- Jet: You can swim backward as a full round action a speed of 100 feet. You must move in a straight line while jetting, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity when you do so.
- Tangling Tentacles: Your tentacles, constantly writhe and reach out to tug at and trip adjacent foes. During your turn, you may make a single trip attack against any foe that it flanks as a move action. It gains a +4 racial bonus on trip attacks made with your tangling tentacles, and if it fails to trip a foe, that creature can’t attempt to trip you in retaliation.
- Languages: You speak Aquan and Goblin. Grindylows with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aboleth, Aklo, Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, and Sahuagin.
Alternate Racial Characteristics
Bleeding Bite: The grindylow gains a primary bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage and inflicts one point of bleed damage. This racial characteristic replaces the tangling tentacles racial characteristic.
Blending: The grindylow’s skin changes color and texture to match the environment. It gains a +8 racial bonus to Stealth checks. This racial trait replaces the natural armor racial characteristic.
Cephalopod Empathy: The grindylow gains a +10 racial bonus to Handle Animal checks involving octopus. This racial trait replaces the sneaky racial characteristic.
Cling: The grindylow is a master at using its tentacles to grab its foes, gaining the Improved Grapple feat with its tentacles. This racial trait replaces the jet racial characteristic.
Goblin-Kin: The grindylow has a way with goblins, granting it a +4 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks against goblins. This racial trait replaces the sneaky racial characteristic.
Ink: Three times per day as a free action the grindylow may fire a cloud of ink while in water. The ink fills a 20-foot radius sphere, and provides total concealment, lasting for one minute. This racial trait replaces the jet racial characteristic.
Sizable Catch: The grindylow has undergone rapid growth and is Medium sized. This racial trait replaces the Small size racial characteristic.
Skin of the Deep: The grindylow’s slimy flesh provides it with resist fire 5, and a +3 natural armor. The skin dries out easily; however, and the grindylow must be fully submersed in salt water for at least 2 hours out of very 24 or it takes one point of Constitution damage per day. Any lost Constitution points are restored when the grindylow submerges itself in salt water for at least two hours. This racial trait replaces the natural armor racial characteristic.
Shed Tentacles: The grindylow can shed one of its six tentacles as a free action to reroll any attempt to escape a grapple check. The grindylow’s speed drops by 5 feet for every two tentacles shed, to a minimum of 5 feet per round. The tentacles regrow fully in one week. This racial trait replaces the tangling tentacles racial characteristic.
Spiny Tentacles: The grindylow’s tentacles are covered with sharp outgrowths, allowing it to deal 1d4 points of damage on a successful grapple check. This racial trait replaces the tangling tentacles racial characteristic.
Talented Tentacles: The grindylow has a high degree of dexterity in its tentacles, allowing it to manipulate small items the size of a dagger or less, and grants the grindylow a +2 racial bonus to Disable Device and Sleight of Hand checks. This racial trait replaces the tangling tentacles racial characteristic.
Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Local)
DC 10: Though they look lie octopus-goblins, grindylow are aquatic aberrations that can function on land as well, for short periods of time.
DC 15: The tangling tentacles of a grindylow are a serious hazard to combat with them, and they use them to full advantage, to trip opponents.
DC 20: Grindylows love octopi, as beautiful animals and pets. Conversely, they hate squid and go out of their way to attack them.
DC 25: Certain throwback grindylows never stop growing, as fish do, and can reach Huge size, gaining the ability to use all of their tentacles offensively.