Homebrew Half-Dwarf Species Details

Half-Dwarf

Be they the children of migrant humans seeking refuge in dwarven kingdoms, or of dwarven merchants who struck rich in the wide open world, half-dwarves come from proud and ambitious races on both sides. Some say that dwarven blood tempers human impatience, while others say that human heritage allows them to be more flexible than the stone. Some half-dwarves live in human settlements, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved one's age while life marches ever onward for them. Others live with dwarves, restless and chafing against the strict rules of dwarven society while being treated like children by their elders. Though half-dwarves crave stability and community, they can often only find it by making a name for themselves as adventurers, wandering and finding their true families amongst other misfits and outcasts.

Physical Description

To humans, half-dwarves look like tall dwarves, and to dwarves, they look like short humans. They typically sit in the middle range of heights between their parents, although they're a little bulkier than the average human. Half-dwarves share their dwarven parent's hairiness, though some choose to shave extensively to mask their dwarven ancestry. Half-dwarves can be as varied as either race, though they tend to have the coloration of their human parents. They are incredibly resilient, and more adaptable than their dwarven parents, making half-dwarves hardy enough to survive extreme climates and environments.

History

The existence of Half-Dwarfs is as old as their ancestors, though less common. There is no taboo against humans and dwarves breeding, but it is a somewhat rare occurrence.

Society

Dwarf blood is generally more difficult to recognize for the untrained eye, which allows Half-Dwarfs to fit into any human society more comfortably than Dwarven societies.

Half-Dwarf Names

Half-dwarves use either human or dwarven naming conventions. As if to emphasize that they don't really fit into either society, half-dwarves raised among humans are often given dwarven names, and vice-versa. Half-dwarves typically retain some attachment to their clan names.

Half-Dwarf Traits

Your half-dwarf character has some qualities in common with dwarves and some that are unique to half-dwarves.

Dwarven Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “Combat” section).

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age

Half-dwarves mature slightly slower than humans but much faster than dwarves. They reach adulthood at the age of 30 and often live to be about 200 years old.

Alignment

Half-Dwarfs lean away from evil to preserve the accomplishments of their societies, however, they are not restricted from evil.

Size

Half-dwarves are bulkier than most humans, but taller than most dwarves, standing between 4-and-a-half and 5-and-a-half feet tall, and can weigh anywhere from 150 to 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your dwarf 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.

Skill Versatility

You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

Languages

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