Dwarf

by Ralsu

A dwarf is a medium-sized sentient creature that weighs about as much
as a human and makes its home beneath the ground or in tunnels hollowed
into the mountainside. Males tend to be slightly taller and heavier
than females, but all dwarves are stocky—with rounded torsos, tan skin,
and thick skulls. Males pride themselves for their long, braided
beards. Both genders typically display long hair, though males may tie
theirs back. Dwarves favor hard work over play and build friendships
slowly.



The dwarves of Xen'drick have long existed as an association of clans.
They have yet to combine into one mighty empire and rise to the level
of noteriety that humans and elves share. Their more content to lead
that lives among their clan, fighting giants and profiting from the
minerals they unearth in deep tunnels.



Adventures and combat:

Because dwarves can live over 400 years, they pick their battles
carefully. This does not mean that they hesitate to do battle; they
simply exercise more consideration than comparatively short-lived
humans and halflings. Most often, dwarves fight to protect land or
possessions, not for causes or ideals. When a dwarf is finally spurred
to combat, he displays a tolerance for damage and a high resistance to
magic.



href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Site-Graphics&id=Dwarf&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Dwarf"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/Site-Graphics/Dwarf.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 145px; height: 255px;" align="left"> style="font-weight: bold;">Racial traits

+2 constitution, -2 charisma:
All dwarves are stout but can behave
brusquely until befriended.



+2 bonus on search checks:
Dwarvers work so often with intricate stone design and in finding
obscure minerals that they have innately enhanced perception. style="font-weight: bold;">



 +2 to saves against spells:
Dwarves are
naturally resistant to the effects of magic.



+2 to saves against poison:
The hardy makeup of a dwarf makes him resistant to toxins.



+4 to Balance checks: Dwarves
have a low center of gravity and are hard to knock down.



Dwarven waraxes as martial weapons:
Dwarves are familiar enough with dwarven waraxes that they are not
exotic weapons.



Classes

The high constitution
of a dwarf increases her chance of survival as any class. Even so, her
reduced charisma makes bard, paladin, or sorcerer suspect professions
because those classes rely on charisma to cast spells. In the end
dwarves serve best as one of the following classes:

• href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=138">Barbarian
• href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=141">Fighter
• href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=143">Ranger
  

Enhancements

A dwarf has access to the following Enhancements:

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Axe Damage I-II increases damage with axe
weapons by 1 or 2 points. style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Dwarf
Toughness style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">doubles
the benefit of the Toughness Feat. It is a great choice for fighters
and barbarians who have the Toughness Feat. Dwarven Armored Agility I-III reduces the armor check penalty
to many skills by 1 to 3 points. It is very useful for dwarf fighters
who wear heavy armor. style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Dwarven
Cleverness style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">bestows
a +2 bonus to saves vs. traps. Dwarven Constitution I-II adds 1 or 2 points to the
dwarf's Consitution score. style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Dwarven
Posion Resistance I-III style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">adds
a bonus of 2-4 points to saves vs. poison. Dwarven Search I-V grants a bonus to the search
skill by 5 to 9 points. It is suitable for dwarf ranger scouts. style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Dwarven
Shield Mastery I-III style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">causes
the dwarf to block more damage with a shield. This works well for dwarf
fighters who seek to be defensive powerhouses. Dwarven Spell Resistance I-III makes the dwarf even more
resistant to spells, increasing the bonus by
2 to 4 points. It works well for just about any dwarf character. style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Giant
Dodger style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">adds
a +4 dodge bonus against giants. It is a decent choice with so many
giant foes in the game, but
giants' susceptibility to crowd control spells makes this Enhancement
less valuable. Goblinoid Hatred increases the dwarf's attack
bonus against goblinoid foes by +2 to +4. Note:
Other dwarven Enhancements may become available depending on your
choice of class. These will generally be fine choices for a character
of that class.