Octopode

This page is about the player species. For the monster, see Octopode (monster).

Octopodes are a race of intelligent, amphibious cephalopods. They are physiologically very different from other species: their rubbery body has no arms or legs, instead boasting eight prehensile tentacles! While this makes wearing most types of armour impossible, octopodes can fit a ring on each of their tentacles, for a total of eight. They also have a beak for a mouth and can change their skin color to match their surroundings for a slight boost to stealth.

Innate Abilities

Octopodes have the following innate abilities:

• You cannot wear most types of armour (All armour is off-limits, save for shields and hats -- not helmets).
• You can wear up to eight rings at the same time.
• You are amphibious. While in water, you can swim with no penalties, and receive a large stealth boost, equivalent to merfolk. Unlike merfolk, you don't get the EV or speed boost.
• Your rubbery body absorbs attacks (+1 AC).
• Your skin changes color to match your surroundings (Stlth).
• You have a mass of large tentacles instead of arms.
• You can constrict up to eight enemies at a time.

Constriction

The octopode's constriction ability is passive. When attacking an adjacent foe in melee (barehanded or with a weapon), a constriction attack is automatically attempted with one of your free tentacles and, if successful, will continue for as long as you remain on your current tile. If you were to attack a different target, a new constriction attack would be initiated while your previous constrictions continue. All constricted enemies will take damage each turn and be unable to move away from their current tile until they escape or are released. This effect continues even if you are just resting on the tile or casting spells. Once you leave the tile, however, all constrictions are lost. Technically, wielding a weapon or wearing a shield decreases the number of total possible constrictions; but unless you're fighting bats, attempting to constrict too many enemies at one time is unwise.

Preferred Backgrounds

Octopodes' near-complete inability to wear armour makes them poorly suited to melee combat. They thus prefer to dabble in magic as Transmuters, Wizards, Conjurers, Summoners, Necromancers, Fire Elementalists, Ice Elementalists, Air Elementalists, Earth Elementalists, or Venom Mages.

Level Bonuses

• Octopodes gain 1 Strength, Intelligence, or Dexterity every 5 levels.
• Octopodes have 10% less HP than average.
• Octopodes have average MP.
• Octopodes gain 3 magic resistance per level.

Starting Skills and Equipment

Octopodes receive the skills and equipment listed for their background, save that body armour is removed.

Difficulty of Play

Octopodes are a difficult race to play. While the prospect of an octopode wearing eight artefact rings with multiple intrinsics, stats boosts and bonuses sounds nice, getting there is another matter entirely. The lack of armour makes the early game risky; later on, their lack of HP gives them the semblance of being deep elves, but without the awesome magical aptitudes. Without good EV, SH, and careful avoidance of monsters you aren't ready for, engaging in melee isn't so much a last resort as disguised suicide.

On the other hand, octopodes level nearly as quickly as humans, are quite versatile thanks to their average or better aptitudes in everything (save Armour), and can make great use of deep water to avoid monsters.

Skill aptitudes

The higher the value, the better the aptitude.

Skill	Aptitude	Skill	Aptitude	Skill	Aptitude
Attack		Miscellaneous		Magic
Fighting	0	Armour	N/A	Spellcasting	0
Short Blades	0	Dodging	0	Conjurations	0
Long Blades	0	Stealth	3	Hexes	0
Axes	0	Stabbing	0	Charms	0
Maces & Flails	0	Shields	0	Summonings	0
Polearms	0	Traps	1	Necromancy	0
Staves	0			Translocations	0
Unarmed Combat	0			Transmutation	0
		Fire Magic	0
Throwing	0	Ice Magic	0	Invocations	0
Slings	0	Air Magic	0	Evocations	1
Bows	0	Earth Magic	0
Crossbows	0	Poison Magic	2	Experience	110