Let's be real. Playing a shark in a dungeon is basically the peak tabletop fantasy. You’re this hulking, toothy engine of destruction walking around on land, trying not to look at the party’s gnome as a light snack. But if you've spent more than five minutes looking for an official sharkfolk dnd with 2 subraces build in the Player's Handbook, you’ve probably noticed something annoying.
It isn't there.
Wizards of the Coast has given us fish-people like the Locathah and deep-sea horrors like the Grung or Simic Hybrids, but a true-blue (or true-grey) Sharkfolk—often called Selachians in homebrew circles—is missing from the official 5e roster. This leaves DMs and players in a weird spot. You have to build it yourself. To make it work without making the rest of your party feel useless, you need a balance between raw predatory power and actual utility.
Most people mess this up by giving them too many features. They want the bite, the swim speed, the armor, and the blood-scenting. Calm down. We’re going to look at how to structure a sharkfolk dnd with 2 subraces that actually feels balanced, focusing on the two archetypes everyone actually wants to play: the hulking Great White bruiser and the sleek, magical Reef Hunter.
Why the Sharkfolk Fantasy is Hard to Balance
Sharks are specialized. In the wild, they do one thing really well: they kill. Translating that to a d20 system usually results in a "Combat Monster" race that has zero social skills and breaks every water-based encounter the DM tries to run.
If you give a race a 40-foot swim speed and the ability to breathe underwater indefinitely, you’ve just bypassed 90% of the tension in a coastal adventure. That's why the best homebrew versions of this race—like those seen in popular community supplements on DMsGuild or discussed by designers like Ginny Di—focus on trade-offs. You get the jaws, but maybe you’re "clumsy" on land, or you need to submerge yourself every 24 hours to keep your skin from cracking.
Natural weapons are another sticking point. A d6 bite attack sounds fine until the Barbarian realizes they don't even need to carry an axe anymore. To keep it fair, the bite should be a tool, not a replacement for a build.
The Core Sharkfolk Traits
Before we split into subraces, every Sharkfolk needs a baseline. Think of this as the genetic "chassis."
They are almost always Medium-sized. Sorry, you can't be a Megalodon at level one. Your base walking speed is probably a standard 30 feet, though some designers argue for 25 feet to represent that "out of water" awkwardness. You definitely have Amphibious capabilities because, honestly, a PC that dies if they stay out of a puddle for ten minutes is a liability.
Then there’s Blood Frenzy. This is the iconic shark trait. In the Monster Manual, the Sahuagin have a version of this that gives advantage on melee attacks against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points. Do not give this to a player character. It is incredibly broken. Instead, a more balanced approach for a sharkfolk dnd with 2 subraces is to allow a "Hungry Jaws" feature—similar to the Lizardfolk—where you can make a bonus action bite once per short rest to gain temporary hit points. It’s flavorful, it’s crunchy, and it won't make your DM throw a d20 at your head.
The Apex Brute: The Great White Subrace
This is for the player who wants to be the tank. You want to walk through a door and have the goblins immediately reconsider their career choices.
The Great White subrace focuses on size and intimidation. You aren't just a shark; you’re a wall of muscle. Usually, this subrace grants a +2 to Strength or Constitution. It’s simple, but it works.
Powerful Build and Rugged Skin
Because these guys are massive, the Powerful Build trait (counting as one size larger for carrying and pushing) is a must. It fits the "land shark" aesthetic perfectly.
But the real kicker is the skin. Sharks have dermal denticles—basically tiny teeth covering their body. In-game, this should translate to a +1 bonus to Armor Class when you aren't wearing heavy armor. It’s not enough to make you invincible, but it makes that "unarmored shark" look actually viable for a Fighter or Paladin.
Menacing Presence
Let’s be honest: sharks are terrifying. If a seven-foot-tall Great White walks into a tavern, people don't ask for his ID. Giving this subrace proficiency in Intimidation is a "ribbon" feature—it’s flavorful and useful in roleplay without affecting combat math.
Imagine a scene where the party is trying to squeeze information out of a corrupt dockmaster. The Bard is failing his Persuasion checks. Then, the Sharkfolk just leans in, his multiple rows of serrated teeth glinting in the torchlight, and says nothing. That’s the Great White experience.
The Reef Stalker: The Sleek Subrace
Not every shark is a tank. Some are fast, colorful, and surprisingly magical. The Reef Stalker subrace is built for the Rogues, Rangers, and maybe even the occasional Druid.
While the Great White is about staying power, the Reef Stalker is about mobility and sensory perception. Instead of raw Strength, you’re looking at a +2 to Dexterity or Wisdom.
Electroreception: The "Sixth Sense"
Real sharks have the Ampullae of Lorenzini, which let them detect electromagnetic fields. This is such a cool feature to bring into a sharkfolk dnd with 2 subraces build.
In DnD terms, this translates perfectly to Blindsight out to 10 or 15 feet, but only while underwater or perhaps through vibrations in the ground (Tremorsense). It allows the Reef Stalker to find hidden enemies or navigate pitch-black caves. It’s niche, but when it comes up, you feel like a total badass.
Cunning Hunter
Reef sharks are masters of the "hit and run." To reflect this, this subrace might get a bonus to Stealth or a slightly higher swim speed—maybe 40 feet instead of 30.
I’ve seen some variations where the Reef Stalker gets a "Darting Strike," allowing them to move a few feet after making a melee attack without provoking opportunity attacks. It encourages a very different playstyle than the Great White. You aren't standing there taking hits; you're circling your prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The Roleplay Problem: How Do You Fit In?
One thing people overlook when playing a sharkfolk dnd with 2 subraces is the social baggage. Most commoners in a DnD setting have probably lost a cousin to a shark or a Sahuagin raid.
You aren't just another weirdo in the party like a Tiefling or a Dragonborn. You are a predator.
This creates a fantastic dynamic for roleplay. Do you lean into the "scary monster" trope, or are you the "gentle giant" trying to prove that you're more than just a mouth with fins? Some players play their Sharkfolk as being very literal—sharks don't have complex social hierarchies in the wild, so maybe your character doesn't understand things like "sarcasm" or "investing in a 401k." They understand hunger, territory, and the "vibe" of the water.
Mechanics to Watch Out For (Advice for DMs)
If you’re the DM and a player brings you a homebrew Sharkfolk, check these three things immediately:
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- The Bite Damage: If it’s higher than a d6, be careful. If it’s a d10, say no.
- Water Dependency: If the race has no penalty for being on land forever, they’re just a human with better stats. Make them need a long soak once in a while. It adds flavor and creates "ticking clock" scenarios for the party.
- The "Blood Sense": If the player wants to be able to "smell blood from a mile away," make it a Survival check with advantage, not an automatic "I know exactly where the invisible boss is" button.
Making the Choice
So, which one do you pick?
If you want to play a Barbarian who ignores armor and just wants to grapple a dragon into submission, go Great White. The combination of Powerful Build and Natural Armor makes you a nightmare on the front lines.
If you want to play a Gloomstalker Ranger or an Assassin Rogue who haunts the flooded basements of a city, the Reef Stalker is your best bet. That blindsight is a game-changer in tactical combat.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
- Audit the Stats: Use the Custom Ancestry rules from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything as a baseline if you want to keep things "semi-official" while flavoring the traits as shark-like.
- Coordinate with the DM: Make sure there’s actually going to be some water in the campaign. Playing a sharkfolk in a desert-themed "Dark Sun" style game is just masochism.
- Pick a Signature Move: Sharks are known for their "death roll." Work with your DM to see if you can flavor a successful grapple followed by a bite as a specialized maneuver.
The sharkfolk dnd with 2 subraces concept is one of the most fun ways to add some "teeth" to your party. Just remember that at the end of the day, you're still a member of a team. Don't eat the healer, even if they do smell like tuna.