Dwarf

The origins of dwarves are shrouded in myth, with some saying that their ancestors were fashioned from the very stone itself. Dwarven culture reflects this tradition, often celebrating practices related to the working of stone and metal.

Contents

Ancestral Traits

Your dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven biology.

Age. Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.

Size. Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage, most likely a feature of you ancestors’ diet.

Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level, due in large part to the long history of difficult labor required to survive underground for generations.

Cultural Traits

Hill Dwarf

Characters who grows up in a hill dwarven community take on several distinctive cultural traits, in part due to their long history living underground and valuing of skill with traditional dwarven weapons and crafts. Dwarven culture values perseverance in labor and the maintenance of their traditions. Further, respect is shown for their wise elders.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Alignment. Dwarven society is well-ordered, with strict laws and customs governing behavior. As a result, the culture tends to promote lawful values, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order.

Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.

Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, mechanic’s tools, or mason’s tools.

Stonecunning. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language you might speak.

Deep Dwarf

Source More Ancestries & Cultures, Copyright 2020, Arcanist Press LLP.

In addition to the more common dwarf communities who live beneath the hills or on mountain tops, some dwarven communities delve deep into the subterranean reaches of the very foundations of the land. These deep dwarven communities develop their own distinctive culture and practices as a result of their exploratory practices. Indeed, they must work very hard to find sufficient food and resources for their communities to survive in such a dangerous environment.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Constitution by 1.

Alignment. Deep dwarven society values resourcefulness, no matter the methods, accepting unconventional individuals readily if they benefit the community. As such, they tend toward chaotic values.

Deep Dwarf Magic. Children are trained in special magical techniques that provide them the tools they need to survive and contribute to deep dwarven culture as adults. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the expeditious retreat spell once. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the pass without trace spell once, without requiring material components. You regain the ability to cast these spells with this trait when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Deep Dwarven Survival Training. Everyone living in deep dwarven communities is expected to contribute to the community’s survival. You have proficiency in the Survival skill as well as with the light crossbow, shortsword, and javelin.

Tunnel Sense. Deep dwarven communities often occupy complex networks of tunnels and rocky passages. Those who live in these communities long enough come to have a special facility with finding their way around underground. When moving in natural passages underground, you cannot become lost except through magical means. What’s more, you have developed an innate sense for whether you are descending, ascending, or traveling in a straight line when moving through such tunnels.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, and Undercommon.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

More Ancestries & Cultures, Copyright 2020, Arcanist Press LLP.

Rock Dwarf

Source More Ancestries & Cultures, Copyright 2020, Arcanist Press LLP.

In addition to the more common dwarf communities who live beneath the hills, some dwarven communities develop above ground, high in the mountains or deep within ravines. These rock dwarven communities develop their own distinctive culture and practices, emphasizing defense of their communities as an important value.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution by 1.

Alignment. Rock dwarven society has a martial focus, as their communities are often endangered by the fauna of the high mountains. As such, they tend toward law more often than not.

Rock Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency with the mace, heavy crossbow, and warpick, as well as light and medium armor.

Rock-wise. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) check related to geology, such as rocks, mountains, or gems, you are considered proficient in the Nature skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

More Ancestries & Cultures, Copyright 2020, Arcanist Press LLP.

Sea Dwarf

Source More Ancestries & Cultures, Copyright 2020, Arcanist Press LLP.

In addition to the more common dwarf communities who live beneath the hills or on mountain tops, a few dwarven communities ply the open seas. In many cases, these communities reside on or within mountain islands that make up island chains and archipelagos, or even within the calderas of extinct oceanic volcanoes. For such communities, the sea becomes their primary means of transport, but also the source of much of their survival, as their small, rocky islands cannot produce enough food for them to at; thus, they take to the seas to fish.

Sea dwarven communities respect the fickleness of the sea and it weather, while valuing the camaraderie of a ship’s crew. These experiences result in those who grow up in these communities developing certain traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Dexterity by 1.

Alignment. Sea dwarven society values cooperation, mutual aid, and insight, both into the sea and sky, as well as each other. They tend away from chaos and evil.

Born Sailors. Sea dwarven community members live much of their lives at sea. You have proficiency in Navigators Tools and Vehicles (Water).

Sea-Wise. The young people in sea dwarven communities are taught the ways of the sea from an early age. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check related to the sea, you are considered proficient in the skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Sea Dwarven Defense. Everyone living in sea dwarven communities is expected to protect the ships from pirates and worse. You have proficiency in the Survival skill heavy crossbow, shortsword, and net.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

More Ancestries & Cultures, Copyright 2020, Arcanist Press LLP.

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