Dwarves

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Hill Dwarves

Standard Racial Traits

  • Ability Score Racial Traits: Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit gruff. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma.
  • Size: Dwarves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Type: Dwarves are humanoids with the dwarf subtype.
  • Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
  • Darkvision: Dwarves can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
  • Craftsman: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks that create objects from metal or stone (including gems).
  • Healthy: Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saves against disease and poison, and they need one fewer consecutive successful save (minimum 1) to be cured of diseases and poisons.
  • Iron Within: Dwarves gain 1 ki point. If the dwarf gains ki points from a different source, this ki point is added to that pool. In addition to any other ways in which the dwarf can use ki, the dwarf can expend the ki point as a swift action to either gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round or increase her base speed by 20 feet for 1 round. The bonus ki point does not allow the dwarf to make a ki strike unless she has another ability that allows her to do so, such as the ki pool from the monk class. Like other ki points, this ki point is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation.
  • Lorekeeper: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that pertain to dwarves, elves, and orcs. They can make such skill checks untrained.
  • Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
  • Stonecunning: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.
  • Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.
  • Languages: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven. Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Elven, Giant, Gol-Kaa, Orcish, Terran, and Undercommon.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Barrow Scholar: Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks to identify undead and can attempt them untrained. This racial trait replaces stonecunning.
  • Barrow Warden: Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to their AC against undead. This racial trait replaces iron within.
  • Deep Warrior: Dwarves with this racial trait grew up facing the abominations that live deep beneath the surface. They receive a +2 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the aberration type and a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks made to grapple such creatures (or to continue a grapple). This racial trait replaces iron within.
  • Desert Delver: Desert dwarves have adapted to the extremes of cold and heat that can suddenly occur in both the harsh deserts and the mountain tunnels around their caravan routes. Dwarves with this racial trait gain cold and fire resistance 1 and treat the temperature as 20 degrees cooler or warmer when determining the effects of extreme heat or extreme cold environments. This replaces defensive training.
  • Dimdweller: Whenever characters with this trait benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Dwarves can take this trait in place of craftsman and stonecunning.
  • Dusksight: When making ranged attacks, characters with this trait can reroll the miss chance granted by cover to any target in dim light, and take the better of the two rolls. The miss chance for total concealment applies normally. Dwarves can take this trait in place of iron within, also gaining low-light vision.
  • Iron Citizen: Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks, and Diplomacy is a class skill for such dwarves. This replaces stability.
  • Minesight: Dwarves with this racial trait increase the range of their darkvision to 120 feet; however, they are automatically dazzled in bright light and take a –2 penalty on saving throws against effects with the light descriptor. This racial trait alters darkvision.
  • Mountaineer: Mountain dwarves are skilled at climbing and navigating narrow ledges. Dwarves with this racial trait are immune to altitude sickness and do not lose their Dexterity bonus to AC when making Climb or Acrobatics checks to cross narrow or slippery surfaces. This racial trait replaces stability.
  • Relentless: Dwarves are skilled at pushing their way through a battlefield, tossing aside lesser foes with ease. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent. This bonus only applies while both the dwarf and his opponent are standing on the ground. This racial trait replaces stability.
  • Rock Stepper: Dwarves with this racial trait can skillfully negotiate rocky terrain. They can ignore difficult terrain created by rubble, broken ground, or steep stairs when they take a 5-foot step. This racial trait replaces stonecunning.
  • Sense Aberration: Dwarves with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks and on Perception checks to notice disguised or hidden aberrations. This racial trait replaced stonecunning.
  • Stoic Negotiator: Some dwarves use their unwavering stubbornness to get what they want in negotiations and other business matters. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Profession (merchant) checks. This racial trait replaces iron within and stonecunning.
  • Stubborn: Dwarves are renowned for their stubbornness. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Will saves to resist spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) schools. In addition, if they fail such a save, they receive another save 1 round later to prematurely end the effect (assuming it has a duration greater than 1 round). This second save is made at the same DC as the first. If the dwarf has a similar ability from another source (such as a rogue’s slippery mind), he can only use one of these abilities per round, but he can try the other on the second round if the first reroll ability fails. This racial trait replaces hardy.
  • Surface Survivalist: Some dwarves have dwelt so long above ground they have lost their ability to see at night. However, their adaptation to extreme environments allows them to treat wind conditions (when determining whether or not they are checked or blown away) and either hot or cold climates (choose one) as one step less severe. This racial trait replaces darkvision.
  • Tightfisted: Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against disarm and steal combat maneuvers and a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks to notice Sleight of Hand attempts. If a dwarf with this trait notices a Sleight of Hand attempt to steal from him and the dwarf is not flat-footed or has Combat Reflexes, the attempt triggers an attack of opportunity from that dwarf. This racial trait replaces stability and stonecunning.
  • Treasure Sense: Some dwarves have learned to sense the presence of material wealth with dragonlike precision. This ability functions as scent, except it can detect only precious metals (copper, silver, and gold) and creatures primarily made of such materials. This trait replaces stability and stonecunning.
  • Unstoppable: Some dwarves train from a young age to outlast even orcs on the battlefield. They gain Toughness as a bonus feat and a +1 racial bonus on Fortitude saves. This racial trait replaces hardy.
  • Viscous Blood: Dwarves with this trait take 1 less point of hit point damage, ability damage, or ability drain (minimum 1) from bleed and blood drain. They can attempt Heal checks to staunch their own bleeding as a swift action each round. This racial trait replaces healthy.
  • Wanderer: Dwarves with this trait gain Endurance as a bonus feat, and Climb and Swim are class skills for them. This racial trait replaces hardy.

Duergar

  • Ability Score Racial Traits: Duergar are intelligent, but often seem distracted. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom.
  • Size: Duergar are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Slow and Steady: Duergar have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
  • Darkvision: Duergar can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
  • Deep Warrior: Duergar receive a +2 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the aberration type and a +2 racial bonus to their CMB on attempts made to grapple such creatures (or to continue a grapple).
  • Hardy: Duergar receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
  • Hatred: Duergar receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against aberrations due to special training against these hated foes.
  • Stability: Duergar receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
  • Naturally Psionic: Duergar gain Wild Talent as a bonus feat at first level. If a duergar takes levels in a psionic class, Wild Talent is automatically replaced with Psionic Talent. Duergar PCs should instead take Awaken Talent.
  • Psionic Aptitude: When a duergar takes a level in a favored class, he can choose to gain an additional power point instead of a hit point or skill point.
  • Psi-Like Abilities: A duergar can use the following psi-like abilities once per day: moment of terrorA, true terrorA, and unearthly terrorA. The manifester level for these effects is equal to the duergar's hit dice—if the duergar's hit dice are below the necessary level, the power cannot be manifested. The saving throw DCs are 10 + the difference between the duergar's current sanity and his maximum sanity.
  • Unbalanced: A duergar treats his Sanity score as 5 higher than its actual value when making sanity checks. However, any loss of sanity for any reason is doubled.
  • Weapon Familiarity: Duergar are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.
  • Languages: Duergar begin play speaking Common, Dwarven, and Undercommon. Duergar with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Terran.