[d20r, Race] Dwarf

[Fax Celestis]

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Dwarves favor earth tones in their clothing and prefer simple and functional garb. The skin can be very dark, but it is always some shade of tan or brown. Hair color can be black, gray, or brown, with occasional instances of blond. Dwarves average 4 feet tall and weigh as much as adult humans.

Dwarves speak Dwarven. Most who travel outside dwarven lands (as traders, mercenaries, or adventurers) know the Common tongue, while warriors in the dwarven cities usually learn Goblin to better interrogate and spy on those evil denizens of the deep caves.

Most dwarves encountered outside their home are warriors.

Dwarves are experts in combat, effectively using their environment and executing well-planned group attacks. They rarely use magic in fights, since they have few wizards or sorcerers (but dwarven clerics throw themselves into battle as heartily as their fellow warriors). If they have time to prepare, they may build deadfalls or other traps involving stone. In addition to the dwarven waraxe and thrown hammer, dwarves also use warhammers, picks, shortbows, heavy crossbows, and maces.

• -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution
• Medium size: Dwarves, being medium, receive no adjustments based on size.
• Dwarven: Dwarves are humanoids with the (Dwarf) subtype.
• Speed: A dwarf's base land speed is 20 feet. Dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
• Darkvision: out to 60'.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Awareness checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make an Awareness check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Awareness skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.
  
  A dwarf also receives a +2 racial bonus on Appraise or Craft checks related to metal or stone items.
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves treat any weapon that has the word 'dwarf' or 'dwarven' in its name as a martial weapon rather than an exotic one.
• Stability: Dwarves are exceptionally stable on their feet. A dwarf has a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
• Hearty: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
• Natural Talent: A dwarf has a small pool of reserve energy they may tap into daily. A dwarf has one charge per three class levels, minimum one. A charge may be spent to power a feat with the [Dwarf] descriptor or to activate one of the following abilities:
  
  • Crushing Blow: A dwarf can activate this ability as a standard action. As part of this ability, he makes an attack roll at his full base attack bonus. This attack deals normal damage, but automatically overcomes any damage reduction his foe may have.
  • Defensive Training: A dwarf can activate this ability as an immediate action to gain a +2 racial bonus to his next saving throw this round.
  • Stolid: A dwarf can activate this ability as a move action to gain damage reduction equal to his Constitution modifier for one round. This damage reduction is overcome by adamantine weapons.
• Automatic Languages: Dwarven, Common. Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Warlord.