Homebrew Aerysidian Dwarf Species Details

Aerysidian Dwarves are very similar to other "typical" dwarves, but have seen an easier time through out their history.  Their ancient empires stand strong, held fast by mountain peaks and deep halls.  There is a much larger spread of abilities among the subraces, and they all share variations of the "typical" dwarven abilities.  Some have innate magically abilities, but they all express a connection with their home and culture.  They all share some connection with the Earth, even the Salt Dwarves, for Salt is just spicy earth.  

ASD Dwarves are a big stockier than "typical" dwarves while still standing about the same height, and share similar variety in hair and eye color, but tend to have a few specific traits related to their sub-race.  Dwarves have a reputation for being strong and tough, but truthfully there is a great variety of talent with in the Dwarven family tree. 

Dwarves are known for their determination and stubborn natures, and that is a trait shared among all the branches.  They also tend to have strong personalities, either for better or worse.  Most dwarves have a natural sense of honor when it comes to matters of trade and contract, and tend towards Lawful alignments.  Dwarves have a strong sense of family, and tend to form bonds with people over periods of time, but are notoriously suspicious of outsiders.  Once accepted by a dwarf, one usually has a life long friend.  Dwarves are also legendary for holding a grudge as well, and "forgiveness" is a word no often use.  Dwarves tend to believe that one make's their own path in life, and one's path is a result of one's choices.  Treating traitors harshly also deters more traitors.  

 

Aerysidian Dwarf Traits

Your dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature.

Ability Score Increase

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1, or increase 1 score by 1; Select a Feat; Select One Skill/Tool proficiency. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.  Use the "optional feature" to select an option other than the +2/+1 option.

Age

Most Aerysidian Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 60. On average, they live about 300 years.

Size

Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 180 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Darkvision

Accustomed to life underground, 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.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.

Crystal Dwarf

Crystal dwarfs are the keepers of history, stories, and secrets of the mind.  Inheritors of ancient powers from the First Gem Dragons themselves, Crystal Dwarves are one of the few naturally psionic races on the continents.  They live in large, crystal covered caverns, often growing the crystal into usable architecture, leading to incredible beautiful locales.  

Crystal dwarves are more wiry and spindly than their kin, and tend to weigh a bit less than average, but see no reduction in their physical potential.  Their hair is much thinner and wiry, and then tend to braid both their hair and beards completely.  Hair color is shades of white, grey, silver, and platinum, while their eyes take on the hues of crystals and gems, with rare specimens sporting patters like Tiger's eye stones, or in very rare cases, Opal.

Crystal dwarves are calm, and wise.  They keep a positive attitude and channel negative energy by meditating and training.  Even in the face of death, they keep a slightly snarky tone about the situation, often finding a joke or reason to laugh at situations.  

While all Crystal Dwarves can communicate telepathically, they still use written and spoken word.  The majority of them express strong latent telekinetic abilities, but some do express telepathic abilities that are much stronger instead.

Natural Telepath

You can speak telepathically with a number creatures equal to your proficiency bonus within 30 feet, without any method for the creature to respond, and your telepathy is in a language you know.

Latent Major Telekinetic

You know the Mage Hand cantrip, and the hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait.  Starting at 3rd level, you can cast Shield once with this trait and regain use of it after completing a long rest.  Starting at 5th level, you can cast Enlarge/Reduce once with this trait and regain use of it after completing a long rest.

Ancient Ways

You have proficiency with Arcana and History.  You have Expertise on History checks involving Psionics.

Crystal Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws against Poison.  You have resistance to Acid, Poison, and Psychic damage.

Natural Linguists

Choose Two Additional Normal Languages, and One Exotic Language you know.

Meditate

You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.  You are immune the paralyzed condition.  

Iron Dwarf

Iron Dwarves are master of forge and fortress.  They are the best metal workers on the continent, and they delve deep into the mountains, finding ores and gems alike.  They fight with axes, considering the hammer a sacred tool and avoid sullying them in combat.  They tend to be even more extreme in nature, favoring everything in the strongest varieties.  They fight hard, drink hard, play hard, and are just generally as flexible as iron itself.  

Iron dwarves tend to be slightly larger than most dwarves, averaging 5 feet, with specimens reaching 5'4".  They are stockier as well and tend to average 200 pounds, with above average weights reaching 240 pounds.  They tend to have barrel shaped torsos, and short, thick legs.  Their hair tends to be shades of black, grey, silver, along with metallic shades of brown and red.  Often, they have a salt-peter type mix, but all have some metallic colors naturally, even if it is just highlights.  Their eyes tend towards metallic shades of all typical eye colors.  Silver and Golden eyes are especially prized as beautiful and pure silver or gold eyes are rare, and usually a sign of some ancient noble lineage.   

Iron Dwarves are notoriously inflexible and intractable once they have decided on a course of action.  They value family and social ties, and find it hard to bond with other races due to their intense natures.  They value action over words, following through on one's word is the measure of a man.  They are also careful who they give their word too, as a promise never made is a promise never broken.  The tend to shy away from Neutral Alignments, and veer more towards Chaotic alignments than their brethren.  

Will of Iron

You have advantage on saving throw to resist or end Enchantment spells, Charmed condition, Frightened condition.

Iron Dwarf Combat Training

You have proficiency with the Handaxe, Battle Axe, and Greataxe.  You also have proficiency with light/medium armor, and shields.

Metalcunning

Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of metalwork or items made mostly of metal, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.  You have advantage on skill checks to determine the value or authenticity of items or object made mostly of metal.  

Iron Resilience

Iron Dwarves are naturally thick skinned, and hard to kill, in addition to the legendary dwarven poison resistance.  You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage  You also have resistance to Piercing damage.  Whenever you make your first Death Save, you have advantage on the roll.  Once you use this trait, you must complete a long rest before using it again.

Soul of the Forge

Iron dwarves are naturally inclined to metalworking and smithing.  You have proficiency with Smith's Tools, and add your proficiency bonus an additional time when using them.  As a Reaction to taking being hit with an attack that deals Fire Damage, you gain Resistance to Fire damage for 1 minute.  You can use this Reaction one time with this trait and regain use of it upon finishing a Short Rest.

Onyx Dwarf

Masters of the rocky deserts, and worshippers of death, they are known for their giant stone monuments.  More magically inclined than most Stout Folk, they have a strange relationship with Death, making them premier undead hunters and necromancers all the same.  

Soul Magic

You know the Spare the Dying cantrip.  When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the False Life spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the Warding Wind spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.  These spells do not have any save/attack so there is no need for a spellcasting trait.

Way of the Desert

You have proficiency in the Survival skill.  You have advantage on Constitution saves to avoid Exhaustion.  You require half the normal daily amount of water than normal.  

Eyes of Truth

You have advantage on saving throws to resist Illusions and Illusion spells.  You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the Blinded condition.

Onyx Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against necrotic and poison damage.

Onyx Dwarf Combat Training

You have proficiency with the Short Bow, Scimitar, and the Net.  You also have proficiency with light and medium armor. 

Salt Dwarf

Master of the coastal cliffsides and the seas, the Salt Dwarfs are masters of ship and sail.  Renowned shipbuilders and sailors alike, they make good pirates too.  It is said that they are drawn to the salt in the sea, and only stay on land long enough to take shore leave or build a ship.  They prefer to settle around natural harbors, and places where they can set up dry docks.  They are attuned to the weather and seas, and have an intuition that belies logic.  They are beginning to experiment with "dragon powder"  (aka gunpowder), but the results have been mixed.  

Sea Legs

You have proficiency in your choice of Acrobatics OR Athletics skill.  At 1st level you gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed.  You also have proficiency with Navigator's Tools, Woodcarver's Tools and Water Vehicles.

Salt in the Blood

You know the Druidcraft cantrip.  When you reach 3rd level, you can cast Fog Cloud once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast Gust of Wind once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.  At level 5, choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, and use that trait to determine the save DC for Gust of Wind.

You can treat salt water as regular water for drinking purposes.

Salty Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws vs Poison.  You have resistance to Cold and Poison damage.  

Salt Dwarf Combat Training

You have proficiency with the Trident, Net, Handaxe, and Whip.  You have proficiency with Light Armor.

Deep Lungs

Salt Dwarves are not amphibious but can sustain their breath for up to one half hour without much effort.  You can hold your breath for 30+CON modifier minutes before suffocating.

Shipborn

You have proficiency in Water Vehicles, Navigator's Tools, and Woodcarver's Tools.  

Stone Dwarf

Masters of stone and hill, they live in massive stone halls under the earth.

Stone Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against lightning and poison damage

Master Stonesmith

You have proficiency and Expertise with Mason's Tools.

Dwarven Resilience

Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

Stone Dwarf Combat Training

You have proficiency with the Light Hammer, Warhammer, and Maul.  You are proficient with light and medium armor.

Stonecunning

Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Soul of Stone

You know the Mold Earth cantrip.  At 3rd level you can cast Earth Tremor once with this trait and regain use of it upon finishing a long rest.  At 5th level you can cast Spike Growth once with this trait and regain use of it upon finishing a long rest.

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