HOMEBREW REQUEST: Sky Dwarves

[FrancisBean]

I've got a home-grown campaign setting with an extinct dwarven subrace. Theoretically, I should never need their subracial features, because they've been extinct for about 5,000 years. Barring a time-travel plotline or communicating with long-dead peoples or things like that, I can't see it ever coming up. Which means, given player characters, it will absolutely come up. Does anybody feel up to generating some reasonable subrace features for the following fluff? I'm feeling a little stuck.

The Sky Dwarves were miners of mithril who found a unique application for the metal: they used it to draw wires finer than the eye could see, and wove these wires into a supple, magical cloth. With this cloth they covered cunning frames to build gliders capable of catching the slightest updraft and as maneuverable as the lords of eagles. These Sky Dwarves found the vault of heaven to be as homelike as the deepest mines, and lived happily in both.

The Sky Dwarves dwelt mostly in the highest mountains, and kept their secrets of flight to themselves. But still they traded with the neighboring peoples, always by way of large cargo gliders launched from secretive strongholds, and never a footprint left behind to show the way to their homes. Sadly, when the dwarvish plague broke out, the Sky Dwarves, living in tight communities, were hardest hit. The last of the race died out about 5,000 years ago. Even among the sages of the longest-lived humanoid races, knowledge of them has mostly vanished, although there are some draconic scholars who still have accounts of them.

Any takers?

[Greywander]

Fortunately for you, the dwarf base traits are already pretty fleshed out, so the subraces don't need to add a lot.

Maybe something like the following?

DEX +1
Innate Magic (Gust at 1st level, Feather Fall at 3rd, Gust of Wind at 5th level) (Spellcasting ability is CON)

In other words, spells that help them blow the gliders or protect them from falling.

[zinycor]

how about a bonus to int, and some innate spellcasting?

[FrancisBean]

Fortunately for you, the dwarf base traits are already pretty fleshed out, so the subraces don't need to add a lot.

Maybe something like the following?

DEX +1
Innate Magic (Gust at 1st level, Feather Fall at 3rd, Gust of Wind at 5th level) (Spellcasting ability is CON)

In other words, spells that help them blow the gliders or protect them from falling.

That's simple and straight-forward, and I like it. I don't know why I didn't even think about the Feather Fall aspect... It's just such an obvious need!

EDIT: Although it should also probably come with a 1st-level vehicle proficiency in the gliders.

[zinycor]

EDIT: Although it should also probably come with a 1st-level vehicle proficiency in the gliders.

Good idea.

[Tvtyrant]

Feat: Dwarven Sky Magic

Sky Dwarves can access abilities lost to other races.

Requirement: Dwarf, knowledge of Sky Dwarf secrets (if their ruins are thoroughly explored.

Benefit:

Can craft mithral threads.

"DEX +1
Innate Magic (Gust at 1st level, Feather Fall at 3rd, Gust of Wind at 5th level) (Spellcasting ability is CON)"

Control Weather as a ritual.

Stolen from Greywander, a way for a dwarf to rediscover the lost arts of the Sky Dwarves.

[Magicspook]

So every dwarven subrace gets:
-a single extra statpoint.
-a defensive trait


For a hanglider inventor skydwarf, Im imagining a bonus to dex or int. If you want to go more traderish, do charisma.

For the defensive trait, that really depends on the kind of flavour you want. Are these sky dwarves more nimble and elegant than their cousins? Then I'd suggest some dodging feature (like the arrow deflection of the monk class) or maybe an increase to movement speed and jump distance. If you are going more for a rugged dwarf surviving the harsh cold of the tallest mountain peaks, resistance to cold damage would do nicely.

As a ribbon feature, you could add proficiency in vehicles (air), navigator's tools or cartographer's tools. Depending on the type of game you play, these are unlikely to ever be used but they add flavour.

Speaking of flavour, consider giving them some physical adaptions to their mountain environment,whih resemblethose of the animals that live in high mountains. Capricorn horns, hooves, some feathery bits (or maybe they just decorate their braids with feathers?) or furry Marmot paws.

I hope you like these suggestions :)

EDIT: feather falling fits these guys perfectly. Should have thought of that as well.

[zinycor]

So every dwarven subrace gets:
-a single extra statpoint.
-a defensive trait



mountain dwarves get 2 extra statpoints

[Spectrulus]

I'm currently hosting a campaign with sky dwarves, here's my take

Sky Dwarves
Sky dwarves resemble their kin in most ways, but have skin tones ranging from light blues to deep shale. They are built leaner than other dwarves, and their hair is very curly and white.
+1 Cha
Air Blessed
Sky dwarves never fall, and only float. Treat this ability as if they were continually affected by Feather Fall, as per the spell, except they only can fall a maximum of 30 feet per round.
Gifts of the Zephyr
Sky dwarves can cast Gust as racial cantrip, and upon reaching third level they can cast Gust of Wind 1/day. All of their racial spells are keyed off their Charisma modifier.

[Sigreid]

Make them clearly dwarves from beards and culture but taller and more agile. Assuming they had been their own thing long enough to adapt to the skies.

[rlc]

Maybe some kind of ability to make said air vehicles

[Bjarkmundur]

I can imagine them being considerably leaner than their cousins, since it helps them maneuver in the air on their gliders. Nothing suggest that they'd be magical themselves. These are craftsmen with a different culture, not airbenders. Unless your other 5000 year old dwarves have Mold Earth, I don't think it's appropriate.


They get reeeaaallly mad when mistaken for halflings.
I mean really mad.

+1 Dex
Acrobatics Expertise (avoids falling, maintain balance, reduce falling damage).
Proficiency with gliders.

[Nagog]

How long did they live this life? If it was more than 3-4 generations, there may have been some genetic drift towards a small, lighter frame. As has been suggested, Dex may be the way to represent that. They also may have a feature that changes fall damage from d6s to d4s? It's powerful, but situational, and would make sense with their affinity for heights.

[Bjarkmundur]

They also may have a feature that changes fall damage from d6s to d4s?

Ooooo. Much more crunchy than just bonus acrobatics, I like it.

[MagneticKitty]

I like the thought that they're bat like. Cave dwellers. Sky elves have bird wings, dwarves would have bat. Large bat like ears with a point (like those overly long elf ears you see sometimes)
Small vestigial tail. Turned up nose that reminds you of how a vampire bat nose is. Nose is normal enough to pass as normal though.
They wrap their wings around their body and put an extra jacket or vest on to hide their wings

Maybe plus 1 dex
25 climb
Feather fall targeting self only
25 fly at level 5