PDA

View Full Version : Alternate Dwarf (3.5/PF) P.E.A.C.H.



Notreallyhere77
2010-09-23, 02:28 PM
Hello. I had an idea not long ago for an alternative dwarf. One that was truly dwarfish in stature, but could still kick butt like the default version.

Here's what I came up with:

• +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma.
• Small. As small creatures, dwarves receive a +1 size bonus to attacks and AC, and +4 size bonus to hide checks.
• Powerful Build: The physical stature of dwarves lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger.
Whenever a dwarf is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the dwarf is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him.
A dwarf is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A dwarf can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
• Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search 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 a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search 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.
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Stability: A dwarf gains a +2 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).
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
• +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught flat-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too.
• +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items.
• +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass dwarf ’s fighter class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing

Tl;dr version: dwarves are now small, powerful build trait, lose 2 points of stability and combat bonus against goblinoids.

Bulwer
2010-09-23, 02:29 PM
Small + PB is a great solution here. I love it.

Zaydos
2010-09-23, 02:33 PM
They're stronger than standard, unless you're going for reach via expansion tricks. From a fluff perspective it works much better than their being on the small side of medium, and I think they'd have had powerful build initially if it had existed.

Notreallyhere77
2010-09-23, 02:37 PM
@ Zaydos: How much stronger are they?
I tried to balance them out by taking away some combat bonuses. How much farther should I go?
I am loath to remove their dodge bonus against giants, for flavor reasons (most dwarves in my upcoming campaign are enslaved by giants or escaped), but I could get rid of the stability bonus completely and reduce their magic resistance...

Zaydos
2010-09-23, 02:42 PM
They get +1 to Attack and AC from being small. They lose +2 vs bull rush and +1 to hit goblins and orcs.

Optimized melee tends to already go the route of "make my monster grow" so the inability to easily reach Large size might balance them out.

I've toyed with the idea myself but never ended up implementing it. My advice would be try them out, unless your group is all heavy optimizers they probably won't choose dwarves based on that difference.

Notreallyhere77
2010-09-23, 03:00 PM
Optimized melee tends to already go the route of "make my monster grow" so the inability to easily reach Large size might balance them out.

I thought... never mind, if goliaths can't do it, neither can enlarged dwarves. Stupid stubby limbs...



I've toyed with the idea myself but never ended up implementing it. My advice would be try them out, unless your group is all heavy optimizers they probably won't choose dwarves based on that difference.

Three out of five are, but I don't think they'll give up their precious human bonus feats or half-orc strength.

Zaydos
2010-09-23, 03:05 PM
I thought... never mind, if goliaths can't do it, neither can enlarged dwarves. Stupid stubby limbs...


Three out of five are, but I don't think they'll give up their precious human bonus feats or half-orc strength.

Then go for it, sometimes flavor just has to win out. Besides heavy optimizers should know melee isn't the best choice. Personally I'd drop half-orc strength in a heart beat for this (+1.5 damage and +1 to certain opposed rolls versus +1 to AC, +1 hp/level, +1 to Fort saves, +1 skill point/level, +2 on many saves) unless I was going for large and in charge, but that's my own personal taste. And it is still comparable to human which is a good place to be (personally I like dwarves because they're right at the level where game mechanically they can tempt me away from that juicy bonus feat; with this they might actually succeed... and also fluff, I love dwarf fluff).