Homebrew Frost Dwarf Species Details

About

This stocky humanoid is about 4 feet tall with bright blue eyes and long bluish-white hair.

Frost dwarves are chaotic and untamed as the glacial expanses which they inhabit. Often they have lairs hidden deep beneath snow and ice packs burrowed deep into the living stone where they plunder for gemstones and metals as any other dwarf. Skilled crafters, frost dwarves trade freely with frost giants, constructing many of their massive weapons and armor in exchange for loot and protection. They are typically disliked and dismissed by their “true” dwarven kin who consider them to be abominations or worse.

Frost dwarves are known for their rudeness and coarse sense of humor. They are, however, famed for their skill at craftsmanship and the enchantment of strange and unusual magical items. Frost dwarf traps are legendary amongst the frozen wastes of the world.

Frost dwarves are proficient combatants and make use of their natural surroundings to their advantage. They assault enemies with crossbows from distance and use their battleaxe to crush charges. They enjoy surprise and prefer to attack using dirty tricks such as unleashing avalanches upon unsuspecting travelers, then pick through their frozen carcasses for loot.

Higher level frost dwarves often ride winter wolves as mounts. It is not uncommon for 1-2 of the beasts to be in the company of a frost dwarf squad.

Society
Frost dwarves are commonly found serving frost giant masters. In their own nations, they elect a king from the ruling clans. This jarl rules for life though does not necessarily establish any form of dynasty. Frost dwarf clans organize themselves loosely after the fashion of their mountain and hill dwarf cousins but are more tribal in nature.

Frost dwarves keep a semblance of military titles amongst the various clans. Frost dwarves are attuned to the use of magic and many of their leaders are powerful wizards or clerics. They are equally likely to be barbarians.

There are no frost dwarf females. Frost dwarves are born to the union of a frost dwarf and dwarf (any), human, gnome, or frost or hill giant. Any child conceived from such a union is always born a frost dwarf male and reaches full size within a matter of weeks.

Frost dwarf children are often abandoned near known frost dwarf communities where it is expected they will be found and cared for or claimed by their father’s clan. Frost dwarves are often shunned by their maternal parent as an abomination, especially among hill and mountain dwarves who likely banish the mother from their halls if she survives the child’s birth. The exception to this rule is that of frost dwarves born to frost giant and jotun mothers. In frost giant culture, frost dwarves are considered a sign of good luck. They are, however, still sent to live amongst others of their kind until they reach the age of maturity, which is about 50 years old, when they are welcomed back amongst the frost giants who sired them.

Frost Dwarf Traits

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

Frost Breath.

You can use your action to exhale a 15- foot cone of freezing air. Each creature in the area of exhalation must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 cold damage on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.

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.

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.

Acclimation

 You have resistance to cold damage, and you ignore nonmagical difficult terrain caused by snow or ice.

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.

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.