Dwarves
Dwarves are a stoic but stern race, ensconced in cities carved from the hearts of mountains and fiercely determined to repel the depredations of savage races like orcs and goblins. More than any other race, dwarves have acquired a reputation as dour and humorless artisans of the earth. It could be said that their history shapes the dark disposition of many dwarves, for they reside in high mountains and dangerous realms below the earth, constantly at war with giants, goblins, and other such horrors.
Dwarves are lovers of history and tradition, and their long lifespan leads to far less in the way of generational shifts in attitudes, styles, fashions, and trends than shorter-lived races exhibit. If a thing is not broken, they do not fix it or change it; and if it is broken, they fix it rather than replace it. Thrifty as a rule, dwarves are loath to discard anything unless it is truly ruined and unable to be fixed. At the same time, dwarves' meticulous, near-obsessive attention to detail and durability in their craftsmanship makes that a rare occurrence, as the things they make are built to last. As a result, buildings, artwork, tools, housewares, garments, weapons, and virtually everything else made by dwarves still sees regular use at an age when such items would be relegated to museum pieces, dusty antique shelves, or junkyard fodder by other races. Taken together, these traits create the impression that dwarves are a race frozen in time.
Nothing could be further from the truth, however, as dwarves are both thoughtful and imaginative, willing to experiment, if always keen to refine and perfect a new technique or product before moving on to the next one. Dwarves have achieved feats of metallurgy, stonework, and engineering that have consistently outpaced the technological advances of other races, though some non-dwarven races have used magic to supplement and perfect their own creations to achieve the same ends through mystical rather than mundane means. They are also a race typified by stubborn courage and dedication to seeing tasks through to completion, whatever the risks. These traits have led dwarves to explore and settle in extreme environments that would cause other races to quail and retreat. From the darkest depths of the underworld to the highest mountain peaks, from rusting iron citadels along desolate rocky coasts to squat jungle ziggurats, dwarves have established their enclaves and redoubts, holding them against all comers or perishing to the last and leaving only their enduring monuments to stand as their legacy.
While it is said that dwarves are not venturesome or inventive, it would be more accurate to say that they maintain a focus on and dedication to each task they undertake and every change they adopt, vetting such changes thoroughly before adopting them wholeheartedly. When faced with new circumstances and new needs, they react by applying tried and true tools and techniques systematically, using existing methods whenever possible rather than trying to invent novel solutions for every situation. If necessity requires, however, they throw themselves with equal vigor into developing the next perfect procedure for demolishing the obstacles that get in their way. Once their desired goal is obtained, they focus on consolidating each new piece of territory or conceptual advance. Dwarves thus rarely overextend themselves, but they also may miss opportunities to seize the initiative and maximize the advantages they create.
Darkvision
Defensive Training
Greed
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race gain a +2 bonus on Appraise checks to determine the price of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones.
Hatred
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Choose two subtypes of humanoids or outsiders or one creature type other than humanoid or outsider. Members of this race gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against creatures of these subtypes or this type.
Hardy
Prerequisite: The race has at least a +2 racial bonus to Constitution; Benefit: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Stability
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD when resisting bull rush or trip attempts while standing on the ground.
Stonecunning
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to 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
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Choose up to two weapons, or one weapon and a racial weapon group. When choosing a racial weapon group, you must choose a group that includes the same name as one of your subtypes. Members of this race are proficient with those weapons. For the purposes of weapon familiarity, all bows are considered one weapon. Special: This trait can be taken up to two times. The second time it is taken, the race becomes proficient with another two weapons or one weapon and a racial weapon group.
Ancient Enmity
Craftsman
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Member of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks to create objects from metal or stone.
Deep Warrior
Giant Hunter
Lorekeeper
Magic Resistant
Minesight
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race have darkvision 90 feet; however, they are automatically dazzled in bright light and take a –2 penalty on saving throws against effects with the light descriptor.
Relentless
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent. This bonus only applies while both the member of this race and its opponent are standing on the ground.
Rock Stepper
Saltbeard
Sky Sentinel
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls, a +2 dodge bonus to AC, and a +2 bonus on Perception checks against flying creatures. In addition, enemies on higher ground gain no attack roll bonus against members of this race.
Stonesinger
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race are treated as 1 level higher when casting spells with the earth descriptor or using powers of the Earth domain, bloodline powers of the earth elemental bloodline, and revelations of the oracle's stone mystery. This trait does not give members of this race early access to level-based powers; it only affects powers they could already use without this trait.
Stubborn
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on Will saving throws to resist spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) subschools. In addition, if a member of this race fails such a save, it receives another save 1 round later to prematurely end the effect (assuming the spell or spell-like ability has a duration greater than 1 round). This second save is made at the same DC as the first. If the member of the race has a similar ability from another source (such as a rogue's slippery mind class feature), it can only use one of these abilities per round, but can try the other on the second round if the first reroll ability fails.
Surface Survivalist
Xenophobic
Wyrmscourged
Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and on saving throws against the extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities of dragons. In addition, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks to identify dragons and can make such checks untrained.
- Size
- Medium
- Speed
- 20 ft.
- Languages
- Common, Dwarven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, Undercommon
- Universe
- core
- Source
- Advanced Race Guide
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