Homebrew Calderian Dwarf Species Details

Dwarves are subterranean humanoid creatures that are very skilled craftsmen with an obsession with perfection, beauty, and efficiency. They work tirelessly to create their magnum opus each day of their lives. Their skills are unique in their accuracy, capable of crafting things that no other race can manage to match in terms of fine details and precession.

Alongside their craftsmanship, dwarves smoke a substance called 'grot', and are heavy drinkers. Their liquor of choice is described as "spicy" and "funky", presumably being much stronger than most human liquors. Dwarves can uniquely handle the drink pretty well, and are amused by outsiders attempts at drinking it.

Dwarves have a hard, metallic shell decorated with intricate and flowing patterns across their bodies, sometimes inlaid with gold and/or copper. It's possible that their hearts are also metal, with strong magical veins. This implies their heart also has a pattern to draw in mana, but the dwarves themselves have not confirmed this with seriousness.

Dwarves have large, dense torsos, no necks, and comparatively skinny limbs ending in insect-like claws with four digits. They also possess hair in the form of a small tuft on the back of their main head-plate and magnificent beards, which completely cover their mouths with no exception. Their torso has grooves in its metallic armour of exactly the right shape for their limbs to fold into, creating a compact jar-like shape. It is not entirely known what this is used for, but most assume they sleep like this.

Standing straight, they reach around chest height of an average human. When sitting or curled into a ball, they are closer to hip height.

Calderian Dwarf Traits

Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium or small (about 4–6 feet tall)
Speed: 25 feet

As a Calderian Dwarf, you have these special traits.

Darkvision

You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

 

Chitinous Vessel

• While you are not wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Constitution modifier 

• You can still use a shield with this feature

 

Sealed Physiology

• You have advantage on saving throws against poison

• You have resistance to poison damage

 

Folded Form

• As a bonus action, you can enter a Folded Form:

  • Your speed becomes 0

  • You gain advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws

  • You cannot be knocked prone

  • You become resistant to piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning

• You can exit Folded Form as a bonus action

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses on a long rest.

 

Artisan-Forged Mind

• You gain proficiency with one set of artisan’s tools of your choice

• Whenever you make an ability check using artisan’s tools you’re proficient with, you can add double your proficiency bonus

 

Alien Stillness

• You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened

• You can remain motionless for hours without discomfort, and doing so does not interrupt a long rest