Homebrew Undead (Dwarf) Species Details

Life as we knew it is long gone. I, like you, look forward to the building of the new world based in our new normal. — Bertrand Riel, Undead Rights Activist Undead have no need for conquest or empire building. Typically, undead will seek out abandoned villages, towns or cities to inhabit, and will maintain the relevant infrastructures to their new normal. When an undead chooses to explore the world at large, the motivation is to gain knowledge or have an experience previously wanted when alive, but never got around to. The only reason for an undead character to collect currency or items are to interact with outside societies. 

Diverse Xenophobia

Undead are largely considered by all common races as xenophobic, despite having a diverse and unique culture of their own. This perspective comes from the decentralized nature of undead society. Humans tend to have lordships, orcs tend to have chieftains, but undead tend to have a role for every individual. This has led to the misconception that undead are xenophobic of outside cultures by all common races. The undead perspective is that the decentralized communities that they have built function best when not influenced by outsiders. Undead culture was formed by a variety of spiritual, governing and philosophical underpinnings of all common races. Matters concerning divinity are handled by Divine Counsellors who adhere to outlines of clerics, druids and paladins; while adhering to a combined pantheon of deities. Likewise, this open-minded approach to an inclusive hegemony extends to all aspects of undead society. 

Undead Names and Ethnicities

Despite being viewed as xenophobic by other cultures, undead communities are quite diverse. This comes from their focus on similarities, rather than differences. This is most commonly seen in undead traditions around naming. Rarely does an individual, whom is undead, take on a new name. If an undead does take a new name, this is taken quite seriously, and requires the blessing of a Divine Counsellor. Typically, undead retain the names they were given in life. 

Undead Features

Undead characters maintain the speed at which their living counter-part can walk, burrow, climb, fly or swim. Additionally, undead characters maintain most of the traits of their living counter-parts, with the exception of languages. Undead characters are able to understand all languages know to their living counter-parts, however, undead can only speak in common. Unlike their living counter-parts, some race specific traits can be lost. For instance, an undead dragonborn may lose the racial trait of Breath Weapon if the dragonborn's throat is damaged, as undead cannot regenerate.

Undead (Dwarf) Traits

While similar to their living counter-parts, your undead character has differences in their traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age

Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.

Alignment

Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order.

Size

Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 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.

Resistances

Poison, Sickness

Dwarven Combat Training

You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.

Tool Proficiency

You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools.

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.

Feed

Once dead, can feed on target creature to regain 1D4 HP

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.

Slam

Reaction: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage

Undead Fortitude

If damage reduces the undead human to 0 Hit Points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+ the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the undead human drops to 1 hit point instead