Homebrew Half-Dwarf Species Details

Half-dwarves combine what some say are the best qualities of their dwarf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition accentuated by the courage, loyalty, and endurance of a dwarf. Most half-dwarves spend a great deal of their life being unaware that they're anything but a full-blooded dwarf. When they do discover such, it generally propels them towards embracing their more human tendencies, often acting as the catalyst for satisfying their wanderlust with adventure.

Welcome Most Anywhere

Athough about a head taller, half-dwarves are almost indistinguishable from dwarves in features and characteristics. In height, they’re in-between both parents, with the shortest among them being average for a dwarf and the tallest being average for a human. They range from 4½ feet to 5½ feet tall and from 120 to just under 250 pounds, with men being generally taller and heavier than women.

Half-dwarven skin ranges from pale to dark brown and retains the earthy tones of their dwarven heritage. Their hair is usually black, gray, or brown, though paler half-dwarves often have red hair. Male half-dwarves also tend to grow beards very quickly and at a very young age, often having a full beard within months of entering pubesence.

Proud Member of the Community

Half-dwarves have no lands of their own, though they are welcome in human cities and dwarven kindoms, usually because the denizens of both generally just assume them to be slightly unusual dwarves. Half-dwarf races were common in certain areas at one point in history, but are almost unheard of now.

In most parts of the world, though, half-dwarves are uncommon enough that one might live their entire life without meeting another. Regardles, they retain the dwarven proclivity for valuing social standing and forming bonds with members of the community, often being an outspoken advocate for their city, town, or kingdom, and being renowned for the courageous and loyal nature they exhibit in defense of their neighbors.

Half-Dwarf Names

Half-dwarves use either human or dwarven naming conventions, generally following those of whichever culture they grew up within.

VERSATILITY & PERSISTANCE

As a race, half-dwarves have dwarven determination without dwarven stubbornness and human versatility without human sloppiness. They often make excellent warriors and smiths, though their ability to sturdily adapt without hesitation makes them sought out in most fields.

 

Half-Dwarf Traits

Your half-dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities from both it's human and dwarvish heritage.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Half-dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but live for about 200-225 years.

Alignment

Most half-dwarves have the dwarvish tendency towards lawfulness, but tend toward neither good nor evil like their human relatives.

Size

Half-Dwarves stand between 4½ and 5½ feet tall and average about 160 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

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

Darkvision

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).

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.