Homebrew Dwarfling Species Details

Lithe and Steady

Dwarflings are sturdy enough beings that look very firmly like the sum of their parts: taller and more muscular than their Halfling families but thinner and more nimble than Dwarves, they can fulfill roles within Dwarven and Halfling societies that those societies didn't know they needed filling. Given their somewhat natural inclination toward layering on muscle, they end up weighing significantly more than any Halfling, though not quite reaching the heights of a truly heavy Dwarf.

Their hair is usually somewhat wavy in dark browns and grey tones, though on occasion an individual may turn up with a red or even sandy blonde tone. Their skin colors range from a tawny tan to a ruddy grey-brown and male Dwarflings can grow impressive, fine beards, though they usually lose the Halfling inclination toward mutton chops. Their manners of dress and adornment typically relate to what society they are raised among, but one thing is universal: Dwarflings stand out among their peers from a young age due to height and build differences.

Carving Out A Place

Dwarflings who live in a Dwarven or Halfling society have to face certain realities. No matter how accepting the place you grow up, if you do not have many other Dwarflings around you, you will find yourself an outlier and, regardless of a society's intent, outliers often find themselves marginalized or, at best, inconvenienced. That's why they have to use their differences to carve a place out for themselves among their communities. Connected to the earth and the stone, many Dwarflings make themselves useful either in the fields of the surface or deep beneath the earth.

Underground, Dwarflings may not have quite the stamina as those around them, but they can easily squeeze into places their Dwarven kin cannot making extracting resources and scouting cave systems simpler. They also find themselves skilled artisans, working with speed that many Dwarves appreciate without sacrificing exacting detail. When working the land above, Dwarflings might be somewhat slower and clumbsier in the fields, but they can more easily remove stones and stumps in their path and work longer, harder and with more efficiency than those around them. In short, as long as their talents are well utilized, they may make themselves at home in most kinds of manual labor. In this way, a Dwarfling can use their differences to their advantage.

Making a Name

For some Dwarflings, the comforts of the shire or the stone are not enough, integrating into the societies around them, a trivial matter at best. Maybe they go out to find a treasure worthy of any Dwarven hall, to pursue wealth or to create a legacy for themselves, or even to protect their family's. Many Dwarflings find themselves in service to a deity of the forge, of nature or of stone and this might lead them out into the world. Finally, Dwarflings might be motivated to quit their halls or their fields in the name of a noble or altruistic deed.

Dwarfling Names

Dwarfling naming conventions usually relate to the society they are raised in, though sometimes you will see a family mix names. In some rare cases a Dwarven clan might reject a Dwarfling, at which point their options are to take a Halfling family name if they have connections to their Halfling roots, continue to attempt to claim their Dwarven clan name, or hold onto their personal name and make do. 

Dwarfling Traits

Both blessed and cursed to be the products of their genealogy,  the Dwarfling finds their place in society by filling voids in Dwarven and Halfling societies.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution Score increases by 1. Your Dexterity Score increases by 1. 

Age

Not quite as long lived as Dwarves, Dwarflings mature a bit faster, reaching adulthood by the age of 20 and generally live late into their first century. 

Alignment

Most Dwarflings are heavily inclined toward being Lawful and tend toward the good side of the spectrum. 

Size

Most Dwarflings reach anywhere between 3 to 4 feet but a rare few surpass 4. You average out at 120 pounds and your size is medium. 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Dark Vision

A gift from your Dwarven parent, 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.

Stout of Heart

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

Tool Proficiency

You gain proficiency with one of the following artisan’s tools of your choice: brewer’s supplies, cook's utensils, or mason’s tools.

Lithe

You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than your own.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish or Halfling depending on the society they grew up in. It's possible you will have a notable accent if you were raised around your parent of the opposite society.