Homebrew Half-Dwarf Race Details

“These poor sods are like tall dwarves to the humans, and short humans to us dwarves! Tell ye what though, they'd drink either o' our races straight under the table!”

— Thordrik Stonewrought

Caught between two worlds, a half-dwarf's heritage is split between both the strict tradition of the dwarves and the ambition of humans. Some say half-dwarves embody the best qualities of their parents, with the fierce spirit of humanity and the skill of dwarven crafters—of course, most just believe their mixed blood amplifies each other's pride and stubbornness, and that a slighted half-dwarf is fearsome to behold.

Dual Heritage

A half-dwarf is rare among both dwarven and human cultures. Whether they are the child of a travelling dwarven merchant or a human apprenticed to a dwarven crafter, the few half-dwarves in existence may find shelter among either of their parent's homelands.

Humans tend to be much more accepting, and a cunning half-dwarf will manage to pass itself off as either a lanky dwarf or a stocky human. Dwarves, however, are much more suspicious folk, their clans rooted in strict tradition. Although accepted, half-dwarves rarely go unnoticed by the stouter kin. They may chafe under the rigid conditions of dwarven society and struggle to reach the peak of their chosen profession.

Half-dwarves stand between the heights of both their parent races yet have broader, stronger builds than a human. Their skin and hair color ranges between all varieties known to both humans and dwarves.

Legendary Hatred 

Half-dwarves live twice as long as humans, but only half as long as a dwarf. Despite this they share the quality of holding grudges with their dwarven relations, but where as many dwarves are content to sit on bitterness and enmity, a half-dwarf is driven to seek instant resolutions or revenge—often through forceful or even outright violent means with little forethought given to the matter. This trait leads many people to tread carefully around their half-dwarf neighbours, and sees many half-dwarf adventurers pursue an oath of vengeance as a paladin.

Regardless of where they grow up, half-dwarves are fiercely independent and share in a dwarf's famous loyalty. When it comes to religions, half-dwarves are surprisingly open-minded, following human or dwarven gods, or even the deities of other races entirely.

Pragmatic and Versatile

The role of a half-dwarf in society is as varied as their purely human cousins' might be. Although, like dwarves, they are skilled miners, blacksmiths and so on, a half-dwarf can turn their hand to any task with surprising ease. Their only typical shortcoming is a lack of artistic vision, with their creations favoring functionality and ease-of-use over any kind of aesthetic quality whatsoever. 

Half-Dwarf Names

A half-dwarf often takes two first names, one from either side of its parentage, each resembling the other. Typically a half-dwarf living with dwarves uses their dwarven name, and likewise a half-dwarven among humans uses their other. Despite their pride, half-dwarves are practical folk who realize that sometimes the best way to live alongside people is to fit in.

Most half-dwarves are also given a dwarven clan name. This is at the firm insistence of their strict, tradition-following dwarven parent. See the dwarf race for examples.

Male Names: Adrik/Adam, Dain/Daniel, Rorik/Roland, Travok/Trevor

Female Names: Audhild/Audrey, Diesa/Daisy, Idelstra/Isabelle, Kathra/Katherine

Subrace

Half-dwarves have no variants or subraces. Instead, they are designed to let you choose an ability score, language, and proficiency bonuses in various tools and skills to fit with any of the three main dwarf subraces they may be descended from, Hill, Mountain and Grey (Duergar) Dwarf. Alternative choices reflect the variety of the human race and their particular upbringing.

Half-Dwarf Traits

Your half-dwarf character has a mixture of abilities from their mixed parentage, and some unique to themselves.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution, Charisma, and one ability score of your choice each increases by 1.

Age

Half-dwarves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20, but dwarves will consider them young until they reach the age of 50, much to most half-dwarves' chagrin. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years.

Alignment

Like humans, most half-dwarves tend toward no particular alignment. Some half-dwarves are influenced toward lawfulness and goodness if raised among dwarves, others struggle under such a strict, structured society and rebel with a chaotic nature.

Size

Half-dwarves are slightly shorter and bulkier than humans, ranging from 4 to 5 and a half feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Darkvision

Thanks to your dwarven blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “Combat” section).

Tool Proficiency

You gain proficiency with any tool of your choice.

Skillful

You gain proficiency in a skill of your choice.

Vengeful Retaliation

When a creature hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to move up to half your speed and make one weapon attack against the creature. After you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, and one extra language of your choice.