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.

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.

 +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:

• Barbarian
• Fighter
• Ranger
  

Enhancements
A dwarf has access to the following Enhancements:

Axe Damage I-II	increases damage with axe weapons by 1 or 2 points.
Dwarf Toughness	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.
Dwarven Cleverness	bestows a +2 bonus to saves vs. traps.
Dwarven Constitution I-II	adds 1 or 2 points to the dwarf's Consitution score.
Dwarven Posion Resistance I-III	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.
Dwarven Shield Mastery I-III	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.
Giant Dodger	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.