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  1. - Top - End - #1
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    Default [d20r, Race] Dwarf

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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.
    Last edited by Fax Celestis; 2009-03-07 at 03:54 PM.

  2. - Top - End - #2
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Nice.

    Much better than the normal one. This one has no encounter ruiners like the giant fighting and teh natural talents are cool. Good job!
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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Any particular reason there is no crafting/blacksmithing related fluff? Are you removing that, or it just didn't seem super important to fit into the brief overview, or what?

    The Natural Talents Defensive training seems a little odd to me. It feels more like a Halfling ability. Maybe if it could add to AC as well.

    IIRC, one of the initial reasons why dwarves had very few wizards/sorcerers was because arcane magic had a percentage chance to fail around them. Since the d20r version of the dwarf has no mechanical reason to have a shortage of arcane casters, perhaps one of their Natural Talents could be related to that? SR against arcane spells? An ability to disrupt an arcane spell as it is cast?

    Maybe it's just person preference, but whenever a race has predilections against a certain class, I always like at least a small mechanical reflection/reason for that aversion.

    My only other comment is the favored class. Why Warlord? As soon as you had first made it, I had always pegged Dreadnaught for the dwarf. Especially since it focuses on Constitution and defense, two areas dwarves have always specialized in.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by MammonAzrael View Post
    Any particular reason there is no crafting/blacksmithing related fluff? Are you removing that, or it just didn't seem super important to fit into the brief overview, or what?
    That'll go into the Dwarf Paragon class.

    The Natural Talents Defensive training seems a little odd to me. It feels more like a Halfling ability. Maybe if it could add to AC as well.
    Yeah, I was considering an equal bonus to Dodge AC, to make up for the missing Defensive Training v. Giants ability.

    IIRC, one of the initial reasons why dwarves had very few wizards/sorcerers was because arcane magic had a percentage chance to fail around them. Since the d20r version of the dwarf has no mechanical reason to have a shortage of arcane casters, perhaps one of their Natural Talents could be related to that? SR against arcane spells? An ability to disrupt an arcane spell as it is cast?

    Maybe it's just person preference, but whenever a race has predilections against a certain class, I always like at least a small mechanical reflection/reason for that aversion.
    Well, they don't really have any abilities that make a good spellcaster (no +mental stats, no racial features that augment them, etc), so it's more of an absence of natural talent thing.

    My only other comment is the favored class. Why Warlord? As soon as you had first made it, I had always pegged Dreadnaught for the dwarf. Especially since it focuses on Constitution and defense, two areas dwarves have always specialized in.
    I went with warlord as I was going with the "advanced combat tactics" concept rather than the "brute force stunner" concept. I think it fits a dwarf's natural sense of orderliness better than the dreadnaught anyway.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by Fax Celestis View Post
    That'll go into the Dwarf Paragon class.
    That works.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fax Celestis View Post
    Yeah, I was considering an equal bonus to Dodge AC, to make up for the missing Defensive Training v. Giants ability.
    That's what I was thinking.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fax Celestis View Post
    Well, they don't really have any abilities that make a good spellcaster (no +mental stats, no racial features that augment them, etc), so it's more of an absence of natural talent thing.
    True, but they don't have any features to support their favoring clerics, either. While it would be a bit of a flavor change, I think it would really help these dwarves stand out if they had something innate that was expressly anti-arcane. It would be quite the cool racial feature.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fax Celestis View Post
    I went with warlord as I was going with the "advanced combat tactics" concept rather than the "brute force stunner" concept. I think it fits a dwarf's natural sense of orderliness better than the dreadnaught anyway.
    While I can definitely see this, and Warlords being popular among dwarves makes sense, since they're very organized military, I would think Dreadnaught would make more sense in the fact that they are often fighting underground, or in cramped spaces, where a Warlord's auras won't see as much play. Dwarves a certainly the most militant feeling race out there, IMO, and I think the Dreadnaught would just fit slightly better.

    But really, either one works.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by MammonAzrael View Post
    True, but they don't have any features to support their favoring clerics, either. While it would be a bit of a flavor change, I think it would really help these dwarves stand out if they had something innate that was expressly anti-arcane. It would be quite the cool racial feature.
    I'll go racial feat or paragon class for that, I think. Something like SR as a base racial feature is kinda strong.

    While I can definitely see this, and Warlords being popular among dwarves makes sense, since they're very organized military, I would think Dreadnaught would make more sense in the fact that they are often fighting underground, or in cramped spaces, where a Warlord's auras won't see as much play. Dwarves a certainly the most militant feeling race out there, IMO, and I think the Dreadnaught would just fit slightly better.

    But really, either one works.
    As it is, I'm torn on how Favored Class is going to work anyway, since I'm removing the mulitclassing XP penalty.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Are you taking suggestions?
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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by afroakuma View Post
    Are you taking suggestions?
    Go right ahead. I was thinking something like +1 skill point and +1 prowess per level when in favored class, but that can get kinda ridiculous.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    I liked the extra skill and prowess point idea. The prowess point could get out of hand, I don't know, as I don't have a great feel for how much prowess points are going to effect builds. The skill point shouldn't unbalance anything, but it doesn't really fit for all classes, especially those that care little about skills.

    One option could be getting a free bonus racial feat. Presumably studying your races favored class has helped you unlock some of your races natural potential.

    They could get an extra charge of Natural X.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by Fax Celestis View Post
    • -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution.
    Finally! Dwarves now make better clerics and poorer ninjas!

    Not much to say otherwise, except that I like how they look.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by Lappy9000 View Post
    Finally! Dwarves now make better clerics and poorer ninjas!

    Not much to say otherwise, except that I like how they look.
    there goes my dwarven monk though...

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by blackspeeker View Post
    there goes my dwarven monk though...
    Speaking of dwarven monks though, it might be cool if dwarves didn't loose the monk's speed bonus if they were wearing medium or heavy armor, or had a medium/heavy load. It would go well with their normal movement ability. Probably best as a feat of some type.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by MammonAzrael View Post
    Speaking of dwarven monks though, it might be cool if dwarves didn't loose the monk's speed bonus if they were wearing medium or heavy armor, or had a medium/heavy load. It would go well with their normal movement ability. Probably best as a feat of some type.
    That's....a really good idea. I whole-heartedly support this.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    I'd agree with the idea that Prowess is the best way to confer favored class bonuses.

    Also, one can always consider the option of having a couple favored classes per race, instead of one. Makes more sense, because as focused as a race may be, there will be more than one class that you will find in abundance.

    Perhaps a couple favored classes, and a couple of rejected classes, which force a prowess reduction? Of course, one doesn't want to force more limits on character creation.

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    ElfMonkGuy

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    I don't think making added bonuses for being in your favored class is a good idea. You're making it so people will choose certain class-race combinations for the bonuses so they won't fall behind the other characters and this will also make the human more attractive because of its open favored class.

    It's late and I'm not typing what I'm trying to say very well. I guess all I'm trying to say is: Why do we need favored classes in the first place? The race's stats already naturally gravitate them to certain classes, so don't worry about deciding which class is liked by the most dwarves.
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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Daracaex raises a good point; there's already a kind of implied bonus for certain classes in the ability adjustments, and perhaps some of the other racial abilities. Leaving it to these implied bonuses also lets multiple classes take the "favored class" role without having to actually list multiple classes.

    At the same time, though, there's something nice about a favored class. I like the sound of an extra skill point and prowess point with a favored class; they seem like nice, tangible benefits that at the same time aren't so big they make it foolish to play a non-favored class or a non-favored race.

    I remember once a discussion about how dwarves are right on the borderline between small and medium, due to their height. Do you think a "Small Build" ability, that lets them function as Small in certain situations, would be a good idea?

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    I see Daracaex's point, but like Magnor I like the small bonus to favored classes. I think that keeping the bonus small is key. A single bonus skill point isn't overwhelming, and could work well.

    The other option is to give each race 3 or 4 favored classes, so the race isn't as pegged as a single class. For instance, the Dwarf could be a Warlord, Dreadnaught, Cleric, and perhaps one more.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    The multiple favored classes is a thought, but then how would you handle humans? Give them free choice, maybe reduce the number to balance out the potential for problems? Then again, it's a small enough bonus, it might not be all that much of a problem.
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    DwarfFighterGuy

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by Daracaex View Post
    I don't think making added bonuses for being in your favored class is a good idea. You're making it so people will choose certain class-race combinations for the bonuses so they won't fall behind the other characters and this will also make the human more attractive because of its open favored class.
    I think racial substitution levels could work well there.
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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    This could be very useful.

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    Default Re: [d20r, Race] Dwarf

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg View Post
    I think racial substitution levels could work well there.
    Great idea. Make some nice racial substitution levels for classes that would be favored by the race. Instead of giving extra skill points and prowess points, let them have a slightly more powerful or, preferably, more flavorful alternate level or two to take. Options remain open, but the race still gets to add their flavor to classes that they "like."
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