Half-Dwarf (5e Race)
Half-Dwarf[edit]
Be they the children of migrant humans seeking refuge in dwarven kingdoms, or of dwarven merchants who struck rich in the wide open world, half-dwarves come from proud and ambitious races on both sides. Some say that dwarven blood tempers human impatience, while others say that human heritage allows them to be more flexible than the stone. Some half-dwarves live in human settlements, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved one's age while life marches ever onward for them. Others live with dwarves, restless and chafing against the strict rules of dwarven society while being treated like children by their elders. Though half-dwarves crave stability and community, they can often only find it by making a name for themselves as adventurers, wandering and finding their true families amongst other misfits and outcasts.
Physical Description[edit]
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| By Jason Engle |
To humans, half-dwarves look like tall dwarves, and to dwarves, they look like short humans. They typically sit in the middle range of heights between their parents, although they're a little bulkier than the average human. Half-dwarves share their dwarven parent's hairiness, though some choose to shave extensively to mask their dwarven ancestry. Half-dwarves can be as varied as either race, though they tend to have the coloration of their human parents. They are incredibly resilient, and more adaptable than their dwarven parents, making half-dwarves hardy enough to survive extreme climates and environments.
History[edit]
The existence of Half-Dwarfs is as old as their ancestors, though less common. There is no taboo against humans and dwarves breeding, but it is a somewhat rare occurrence.
Society[edit]
Dwarf blood is generally more difficult to recognize for the untrained eye, which allows Half-Dwarfs to fit into any human society more comfortably than Dwarven societies.
Half-Dwarf Names[edit]
Half-dwarves use either human or dwarven naming conventions. As if to emphasize that they don't really fit into either society, half-dwarves raised among humans are often given dwarven names, and vice-versa. Half-dwarves typically retain some attachment to their clan names.
Half-Dwarf Traits[edit]
Half-Dwarves share the versatility of their human heritage while retaining some of the resilience of their Dwarven ancestors.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
Age. Half-dwarves mature slightly slower than humans but much faster than dwarves. They reach adulthood at the age of 30 and often live to be about 200 years old.
Alignment. Half-Dwarfs lean away from evil to preserve the accomplishments of their societies, however, they are not restricted from evil.
Size. Half-dwarves are bulkier than most humans, but taller than most dwarves, standing between 4-and-a-half and 5-and-a-half feet tall, and can weigh anywhere from 150 to 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision. 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 poisoned and you have resistance against poison damage.
Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice, and one set of artisan's tools.
Dwarvish Versatility. Choose a subrace of Dwarf, you gain that subrace feature.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish.
Suggested Characteristics[edit]
When creating a half-dwarf character, you can use the following table to help flesh out your character. Use these table in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | I enjoy alcohol as much as any dwarf, but I share with my human heritage when it comes to how well I can handle the drink. |
| 2 | I always want to believe I'm right. Even when I know I'm wrong. |
| 3 | While I take my time to perform any activity, I always wish to add my own little flair of creative touch. |
| 4 | I inhabit the best traits of both races. Dwarves need to keep up and humans need to stop rushing. |
| 5 | I relate to any other half-blood creature. In this world, we half-races need to stick together. |
| 6 | My issue of self-identity leads to many jokes about my own emotional pain. |
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