User:T.G. Oskar/Core Races, Retooled (3.5 Race)

Author: T.G. Oskar (talk) Date Created: August 11th, 2010 Status: Essentially complete; looking to straighten the fluff Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Human

Personality

Humans run the gamut on this one. Humans have few recognizable personality traits that they share in common; a desire to succeed and progress, an ambition to excel on any circumstance, and a stubborn trait of never giving up. Aside from that, they define each and every personality trait in existence, or at least those that can be fully understood; though that does not prevent humans from developing the most bizarre and incomprehensible customs.

Physical Description

There is one reason why most “humanoid” or “demihuman” creatures are considered as such, and for a good reason: humans are the base upon which most other creatures are observed upon. Humans have a great diversity on eye color, hair color and skin tone; that is due to difference in regions or locations. The best way to define them is compared to other races, as they are almost a perfect average.

Relations

Humans are the go-to people when relationships are dealt with. A human can be the most hospitable of people or the most xenophobic of strangers, but that largely depends on the society it builds upon. Most specifically, you can define a human’s relation based on the society it lives; a commune type of society will be open to even monsters, while the most secluded kind of community will show disdain even for other humans. More often than not, humans are defined in terms of relationships by how the other races perceive them, but more often than not as well, they have good relationships with creatures similar to humans in lifestyle and form.

Alignment

Again, humans run the gamut in terms of alignment. They can be almost anything: pious, good natured, rebels, strict and disciplined, raucous and irreprehensible, cunning, manipulative, nefarious or downright cruel, and even distant and aloof. There is no defined alignment upon humans, but if one alignment suits them well, is that humans are neutral as a whole. There are slight tendencies that indicate that humans can be mildly inclined to evil because of their propensity to violence, but even the cold-hearted have a glimpse of goodwill in their hearts. Equally, while they are propense to order, humans innately shun offensive orders and can either be accepting and submissive, or opposed to the nature of law as a whole. If one word sums their alignment, is this one: indecipherable.

Lands

Humans can inhabit the wildest of locations, but they have a certain habitat which they prefer. Humans prefer plains with locations close to water sources, surrounded by mountains and with forests and caverns nearby. The most prosperous of human cities thrive under these conditions, and other places are often shaped by humans to resemble these conditions if one is missing. Humans are willing to shift the course of rivers, plow through forests and build in the depth of caves if necessary, so rather than they conforming to the place, the place has to conform to them. Even then, humans can survive in frigid lands and arid deserts with little to no problem, at least for a while; most of these people are nomads, and whenever they find a good and temperate plain, they settle quickly. One ambition of humans is to inhabit the places beyond the stars of night, due mostly to their unstoppable thirst for exploration.

Religion

Humans are wildly ambivalent in terms of religion. A human can be the most devout of followers, blinding itself to faith beyond magic and knowledge, or can be downright misotheist and actively campaigning for the death of gods, such is their arrogance and airs of superiority. The faith of a human is open to any deity, but it is more of a bargaining aspect; the human follows the doctrines of the deity it suits him or her better, and the more the deity provides or resembles the human, the more faithful he or she becomes. No deity can truly claim the faith of humans as a whole, and some humans do not follow a deity at all, instead following a philosophy or a lifestyle with the same religious fervor as that of certain races to their core deity. A human is equally as inclined as following perfection of magical practice with reverence as inclined to perfection of itself as a fundamental aspect of existence

Language

One of the key qualities of humans is the Common language. Humans in ancient times spoke a variety of dialects and languages, but one language amongst them developed and evolved to such extent that essentially overtook the tongue of each human. The Common language is undoubtedly the construct of humanity, and it is the language that a human speaks with greatest fluidity as it is constructed with humans in mind. However, such is the construction of the Common language that every single race can learn it with astounding ease. Conversely, humans gain a smattering of knowledge in every language and can identify peoples’ languages by means of accent and few words. Some of the human dialects of Common have Elven or Dwarven influences, not to mention more exotic influences. The skill of humans of adapting to virtually any language is such, that humans are considered almost natural linguists.

Racial Traits

• +2 on any one ability score. Humans are extremely balanced, to the point that they can be stronger, swifter, hardier, smarter, wiser or more graceful than their peers and close to some of the other races. However, that depends on their upbringing.
• Medium: As a Medium creature, a human has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Human base land speed is 30 feet.
• 1 extra feat at 1st level. This represents the incredible effort of humans, which translates into a greater amount of versatility.
• 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. This represents the trailblazing ability of humans to learn the skills to adapt to any circumstance.
• Skill Familiarity: A human may treat any single skill of his choice in the list of skills on the Player’s Handbook except for Use Magic Device as a class skill for all classes. Most humans begin training in a profession or developing a skill, and they get a much better grasp at the situation than other races.
• Automatic Languages: Common.
• Bonus Languages: Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass human takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
• Level Adjustment: +0

Dwarf

Personality

Dwarves are bizarre in their way of dealing with things. Much like the stone, they endure the toughest of insults and the worst of calamities with a stoicism that chills the tough men of each race. Their penchant for labor and work as a divine mandate reflects on their lifestyle: dwarves are untiring, unflinching workers who devote to a craft like no other. They are the race most full of confidence, although quite methodical in their actions which earns them the reputation of being stubborn, specifically when it deals with being convinced to try a new source of action, desist of an action, or push them to do something they deem impossible. As expected, dwarves are the opposite of humans and most elves in terms of ambition; a dwarf lasts virtually forever, thus it has no particular ambition; however, much as the stone adapts to the region with enough chipping, the dwarf slowly begins to resemble the people where they live.

Physical Description

Dwarves are short, stocky and unusually sturdy for their construction. Dwarves are roughly two or three inches smaller than the average human, though some can be taller (top dwarven height is usually six or seven inches smaller than the tallest human). Dwarves are extremely heavy and dense; this is due to their own body, which is a mixture of flesh-like clay and stone. Dwarves have skin and muscles much like humans do, but no bones; instead, they are comprised of a skeletal set of worked stone, upon which a cover of clay-like flesh molds around. The flesh is a combination of actual clay (usually colored sienna or ochre, but usually reaching gray, black or marble white), mud, and an imperceptible combination of living things acting as a single being, including lichen and fungi, allowing the clay independent movement and organic function (such as drawing yeast and nutrients from ale, generating gas movement to allow speech, and so forth). Dwarven flesh thus acts like flesh and muscle, making them slower than the common individual but also far more resilient. Dwarves, as mentioned, have no bones; instead, their rigidity is kept by means of stone constructions linked by spheres, all encased within the clay-like flesh-muscle exterior; their “skull” resembles a humanoid skull etching, their torso resembles a humanoid bust, their arm and leg “bones” resemble sturdy pillars, their hands and fingerbones resemble that of humanoids, but their feet are actually pillarbases with three equidistant “toes” which hold mirror symmetry with each other, making dwarves slower to run than the average human. Dwarven eyes are composites of flesh and crystal, with a gem (usually clear or yellow quartz, but occasionally beryl or corundum) where the iris would stand, the dwarven eye chamber cut as if a precious gem. Dwarven hair is actually a type of moss that grows in their heads, and in the case of males, beard and body.

Although a dwarf can define itself as a male or as a female, there are little physical aspects that truly define them as male or female, which have pronounced during the years. Males are rugged, with heavily muscular bodies (though their “muscles” are out of proportion when compared to true humanoid or animalistic muscles) covered with wisps of mossy hair, wide-brimmed heads with sunken eyeslots, wide and stubby noses (though they don’t need to breathe, it serves as an exhaust for gases), small lips, wide brows, thick sideburns and thick beards. Females only have a thin but abundant amount of moss in their heads, but their face resembles that of a human female, albeit with the same wide and stubby nose, small lips and slightly puffed cheeks. Aside from that, dwarven body structure is similar; flat-chested (although some vain dwarven females simulate mammal glands to “blend in”), muscular (though females are less muscular than male, they still have wide torsos) but with a wide stomach (mostly on males), wide hips, arms and legs. It is difficult to explain why dwarves resemble physically humans in such depth, but dwarves claim that it is because humans have the right shape and size for their needs, and thus dwarves are constructed to their image.

Relations

Dwarves are mildly xenophobic, preferring to live in massive stone strongholds deep within the mountains (and in many occasions inside them) rather than on a city. They are tough to make relations with, since they are slow to make friendships; however, once any being has earned the trust of a dwarf, they are extremely loyal. Dwarves are also slow to anger, though when angered, there is little that can make them change opinion. Dwarves and elves rarely stand each other, but in times of need they have proven to be great allies. Dwarves speak with humans in equal regard, considering their physical resemblance and equal industrial advancements, but they rarely have time to make a true friendship with them. Arguably, the stone-born gnomes and the stone-made dwarves hold the greatest of esteems, with dwarves calling gnomes tikk’aztilli (or small rock cousins, loosely translated) and forging (figuratively speaking, but some would say literally) enduring friendships. Dwarves treat orcs and especially half-orcs with a mixture of suspicion and pity, unable to contain the fury within themselves as the consuming fire, dwarves refer to orcs as the barhari balbazurt (roughly, “those uncontrollable embers that we have to endure living with”), not as an insult (though most dwarves with a hint of arrogance use it despectively) but as a lament, usually sighing as they mention it (in fact, the dwarven word for orc is an actual insult, jarre or “ugly”).

Alignment

Because of their upbringing, the disciplined nature of their deity and their society, dwarves are unambiguously lawful. Most are also good, though as a whole they tend to be neutral (their good inclinations come from creating to build, not to destroy). Chaotic dwarves are rare, but usually driven by the need to change their lifestyle and transmute into something new (na’alinan or “forge oneself anew”). Evil dwarves are very rare, but usually are the most xenophobic and those who believe that destruction must emerge so that creation strives forth, as it is a cycle that stagnates with its prevention.

Lands

The main region of the dwarves is undoubtedly inside a mountain. Constructing majestic strongholds forged from the very foundation of the mountain, carefully carved so as to support the massive weight of the mountain without cracking, and with surprising detail. Any mountain reach will certainly house several dwarven strongholds, built from the top to the bottom of the mountain and reaching even deep underground. Often, these great strongholds will have a series of carefully constructed tunnels to the exterior, where fortifications protect the inner stronghold and where business with other races happens. Dwarves usually claim a mountain for several clans, living in seclusion and communion, altering the mountain into a massive fortress.

A few dwarves prefer living underground, expanding themselves beyond a mountain, and creating connecting tunnels between small hills and even burrows. These are rare, but not impossible to find; usually, they emerge from an abandoned human structure such as a fort or castle and expand much like a subterrane fungi, covering an impressive territory unseen to the surface eye.

Religion

The main deity of the dwarves is Moradin Dwarffather, the legendary creator of the dwarves. Moradin itself is a creation, and the core example of dwarven lifestyle; while normal dwarves are made of clay, mud, stone and fungi, Moradin is composed of glistening metals and rare soil, but still a living being. Moradin is considered the god of the forge, the mountain and the stone, as well as the most important deity of the dwarves. A few dwarves follow a similar creator god, called Zegfyld Stormbringer and heralded as the god of engineering, technology, storm, and also the extraofficial god of constructs. Both faiths, that of Moradin and that of Zegfyld, hold an extremely cordial relationship, albeit followers of Moradin and Zegfyld differ in their creation myths: Moradin followers claim the All-Father was constructed from nothing but a thought of order, while Zegfyld followers believe Moradin is one of his greatest creations and thus Zegfyld is the grandfather of all dwarves. Dwarves are extremely pious, but believe that worship is best demonstrated by following the precepts of their deities and improving themselves; thus, it isn’t natural to see dwarves devoted to work and to self-improvement rather than acts of prostration.

Language

The Dwarven language is a dialect of the Terran language spoken by the elementals, but that has developed in its own language. Dwarves, unable to breathe, speak by expelling gases through their body instead of exhalating; thus, the Dwarven language sounds guttural and strong, with a focus on syllables, The Dwarven alphabet is a magical writing in its own right, a set of carvings that strongly resemble the runes from top-dwelling barbaric humans and that serves as a basis to the Common language alphabet. Each of the carvings in the Dwarven alphabet were originally meant to be written in stone, so they are rigid and composed of straight lines; thus, written Dwarven and carved Dwarven look and behave differently. Carved Dwarven Runic is rough whether carved or written; Paper Dwarven Runic has a few inflexions and curves that make it natural to be written by hand, and mostly the preferred form of Dwarven Runic writing by humans and elves which are accustomed to curved writing.

Racial Traits

• +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -4 Dexterity, -2 Charisma: Dwarves are tough and sturdy, but their clay-like flesh and heavy stone constitution makes them unusually slow. Dwarves are wise given their recollected knowledge and devotion to ancestral wisdom, but they are mildly xenophobic, their lifestyle making them hard to establish any lasting relationship or deal appropriately with other beings.
• Construct (Living Construct): Dwarves are constructs with the living construct subtype. Dwarves are creatures that reproduce on their own, but their method of reproduction and their physical traits makes them unusual; they are created instead of born, they shape themselves instead of growing. Dwarves are living constructs who combine aspects of both constructs and living creatures, as detailed below.
  • A dwarf derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws, and skill points from the class it selects.
  • Unlike other constructs, a dwarf has a Constitution score. Although built of stone and mud and lichen and moss, dwarves have quasi-biological “organs” that regulate their vital functions.
  • Unlike other constructs, a Dwarf is not immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities. They have complex thinking patterns that can be disrupted; a bizarre combination of a localized hive mind that possesses its own individuality.
  • Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain. Although they have some degree of taste and sense, they have a much more different metabolism.
  • A dwarf cannot heal lethal damage naturally. A dwarf usually has to repair his own wounds, most likely by guzzling ale and placing mud on the wound while it dries.
  • Unlike other constructs, dwarves are subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, death effects, and necromancy effects. A dwarf is like a stronghold; it has places that are more vulnerable than usual.
  • As living constructs, dwarves can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a dwarf can be healed by a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a dwarf is vulnerable to disable construct and harm. However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure hit point damage or ability damage provide only half their normal effects to a dwarf.
  • The unusual physical construction of Dwarves makes them vulnerable to certain spells and effects that normally don’t affect living creatures. A dwarf is a construct made of stone and mud, so spells that affect those (stone shape, transmute mud to rock, transmute rock to mud, stone to flesh) affect the dwarf as if it were an object of that kind. Stone shape allows the dwarf to gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks when using the spell to refine his or her features; transmute rock to mud grants the dwarf damage reduction 10/adamantine but slows the dwarf for 2d6 rounds, while transmute rock to mud restores a dwarf an amount of hit points as if a heal spell (but does not remove conditions). A stone to flesh spell eliminates the dwarf’s living construct benefits and penalties for one day per caster level of the spellcaster instead of being an instantaneous effect; a flesh to stone cancels this effect. A character with the stone tell spell acts as if having the tongues spell when speaking to dwarves. Statue gives the dwarf temporary construct benefits instead of turning it into a statue. Repel metal or stone repels a dwarf as if a stone object.
  • A dwarf responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A dwarf with 0 hit points is disabled, as with a living creature. He can take only a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and greater than –10, a dwarf is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and cannot perform any actions. An inert dwarf does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, however, as with a living creature that has become stable.
  • As a living construct, a dwarf can be raised or resurrected.
  • A dwarf does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but he can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes’ feast and potions. Dwarves, however, need to consume ale to survive, which means they are not exempt from drinking.
  • Although living constructs do not need to sleep, a dwarven wizard must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.
• Medium: As a Medium creature, a dwarf has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Darkvision: A 60 can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and a can function just fine with no light at all.
• Low-Light Vision: A can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Tremorsense up to 30 feet. Being made primarily of stone, mud and living compounds, a dwarf can sense vibrations even in lack of sight.
• Natural Armor: A dwarf has a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. This bonus increases by 1 for every five character levels. As a dwarf develops, its clay-like flesh hardens in the exterior, becoming strong yet brittle.
• Light Fortification (Ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on a dwarf, there is a 25% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally.
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Stability: A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on Balance checks and ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). Dwarven physiognomy is rigid, but unusually balanced even with violent movements.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. Dwarven physiognomy is fundamentally different from that of other creatures, regarding how it functions and how it reacts to circumstances.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Dwarf.
• Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon..
• Favored Class: Fighter
• Level Adjustment: +0

Dwarven Ethnics

Deep Dwarf

Normally, there is little difference between the sub-surface dwelling dwarves and the underground dwarves. However, some clans dig deeper and deal with tougher pressures, becoming a different kind of dwarf than their higher-dwelling counterparts. Deep dwarves are the exaggeration of dwarves: sturdier, smaller, stockier, and more xenophobic than their higher-dwelling counterparts. Deep dwarves are less muscular but their skin is stone-like; their skin is usually gray in color, moist rather than dry as with normal dwarves, and much tougher. High-dwelling dwarves and deep dwarves are usually on friendly terms, sharing a strong work and familial ethic that transcends their living place. Deep dwarves are rarer than higher-dwelling dwarves, since as expected, they have even less reasons to adventure. Only the destruction of an inner stronghold can draw a dwarf from their home, usually in the name of vindication.

Deep Dwarf Racial Traits

The deep dwarf has the same racial traits as a common dwarf, but with the following changes:

• +2 Constitution, -4 Dexterity,. This is in addition to the dwarf’s racial ability score adjustments. Deep dwarves are extremely tough-skinned, but that tough flesh results on increased bulk, and thus deep dwarves are notoriously slow.
• Damage Reduction: A deep dwarf has damage reduction 1/adamantine, which reduces the first point of physical damage from any source except adamantine weapons and attacks that are treated as if wielding an adamantine weapon.
• Light Sensitivity: Deep dwarves are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Black Dwarf (Svaltalfar)

A rarely found and extremely distant relative to the dwarf is the black dwarf. The black dwarf isn’t exactly black-skinned, though they have traditionally black hair and very pale skin covered with soot (which lends to their name). Black dwarves are not musculous and are smaller than their kin, but otherwise resemble dwarves physically. Black dwarves, however, are not constructs; instead, they are deep mountain fae spirits, and the source of confusion of certain scholars that treat them as such; in fact, black dwarves are more related to elves and gnomes than to dwarves. Much of the fabled skill with metallurgy and forging attributed to dwarves actually comes from these small beings, which are imbued with magical power in their veins. Black dwarves are extremely secluded, loud, boisterous and usually chaotic in nature, although they will honor an oath when placed upon. Unlike other fae, black dwarves do not fear cold iron, and actually thrive upon it, seeking deep veins of iron and applying cold-iron forging tactics to repel the Unseelie fae. Another expected trait is the terrible curse of a black dwarf, usually as a result of a lack of appreciation or proper payment for the job but occasionally at the whim of the creature. Black dwarves live in secluded caverns, usually away from dwarven strongholds, and while they have no animosity towards the dwarves, they do have a mild amount of rivalry.

Black Dwarf Racial Traits

Black dwarves share some of the traits of fae and dwarves, but otherwise they behave as if they were their own distinct race. Their peculiar traits show as follows.

• +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength. Black dwarves, owing to their fey nature, are naturally swifter than other races, and their earth hold makes them durable. However, they aren’t very strong, even if they wield very heavy hammers; they construct magic items that grant them strength, however, and they have a brief stint of supernal strength.
• Fey: Black dwarves are fey with the earth subtype.The natural spirits of the depths of the mountain and the caverns, black dwarves hold traits akin to the forest fae. However, unlike other fae, they are immune to the usual repulsion to cold iron.
• Small: As a Small creature, a black dwarf gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –4 size penalty on special attack (bull rushes, grapples, overruns, and trips) checks, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Black dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, black dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations). Black dwarves also have a burrow speed of 30 ft.
• Darkvision: A 60 can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and a can function just fine with no light at all.
• Low-Light Vision: A can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Tremorsense up to 30 feet. Accustomed to touching the ground, and being spirits of the earth, black dwarves are able to feel the vibrations in the ground with ease.
• Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/day - bull’s strength, mending. At 5th level, they can cast bestow curse once per day, and at 11th level they can cast fabricate and major creation each once per day. All spell-like abilities are cast as a spellcaster of the black dwarf’s character level, and the saving throw DC is based on Charisma. Black dwarves are innately gifted with the ability to fix and increase their strength, and at later levels their curse and magical creation abilities emerge forth.

• Master Smith (Ex): Black dwarves gain one bonus feat, which must be selected from the list of item creation feats in the Feats section of the Player’s Handbook. For purposes of this feat and of other item creation feats he wishes to choose, the black dwarf is considered to meet the prerequisite caster level, but it still requires knowledge of a particular spell in order to create those items. Usually, a black dwarf will create magic weapons or armor, cursed items, and items to aid in the creation of other items unless they gain access to a scroll or attempt to forge an item using raw magical power (see below)

• Forging Magic Emulation (Sp): For purposes of forging items, a black dwarf may attempt to emulate one or more needed spells through manipulation of raw magic, but with a considerable risk. While using an item creation feat, a black dwarf may attempt a Use Magic Device with a DC equal to 8 plus the item’s caster level. However, if the skill check succeeds by 5 or less, the black dwarf also places a curse on the item. This must be attempted per each magic that needs to be emulated, although the roll is done once per spell.

• Item Deceiver: A black dwarf has a +2 racial skill bonus in Use Magic Device. As well, a black dwarf may make Use Magic Device checks untrained, and the skill is considered a class skill for all classes.

• Favored Class: Wizard
• Level Adjustment: +2

Vulcan Dwarf

Dwarves, owing to their stone structure, are affected by all of the natural weaknesses of stone: water, which while protected by their clay-like flesh can eventually ruin the dwarven constitution; air and the erosion effect that eventually creates the unforgiving wastes, and most importantly, the heat of a caldera which ends up transforming stone into lava. Of the latter, none is most dramatic as lava, and dwarves created near volcanic calderas manifest a set of traits that set them unique from other dwarves. Vulcan dwarves are dwarves created on the depths of the earth, where the heat is unbearable, and where clay hardens and stone melts. This makes vulcan dwarves incredibly tough, and resistant to fire and high pressure, but also noticeably different from the standard dwarf. Vulcan dwarves are usually black-skinned, with colors resembling obsidian, or with a strange porous clay flesh; however, their key aspects are their impressive body heat (which resembles the caldera of a volcano) and their complete lack of moss-hair, or occasional wisps that appear burnt and fragile. Vulcan dwarves and stone-dwelling dwarves have no animosity towards each other, but they rarely make contact unless a dwarven stronghold is created near a volcanic caldera, where the stronghold of vulcan dwarves usually locates. Occasionally, vulcan dwarves make peaceful contact with the azers, creatures of fire with uncanny resemblance to them, given their high resistance to fire and the nexus between volcanos and the Elemental Plane of Fire.

Vulcan Dwarf Racial Traits

The vulcan dwarf has the same racial traits as a common dwarf, but with the following changes:

• +2 Dexterity. This is in addition to the dwarf racial ability score adjustments. Vulcan dwarves have partially molten endoskeletal structures, and their clay-like flesh remains soft even at high temperatures. Thus, they can move with greater flexibility than their dwarven peers.
• Natural Armor: A vulcan dwarf has a +1 natural armor bonus to AC, but his bonus does not increase with character level as the dwarven natural armor. The skin of vulcan dwarves is tough, but the inner heat of their miniature calderas makes their skin remain soft instead of hard and brittle, thus their resistance to attacks is usually limited.
• Fire Resistance: A vulcan dwarf has resistance 5 against fire attacks. This benefit does not stack with other forms of fire resistance. The vulcan dwarf resistance to fire attacks increases by 5 for every five character levels, up to complete immunity to fire at character level 20th. As well, he gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against effects that relate to fire or heat.
• Cold Vulnerability: A vulcan dwarf takes double damage from cold energy attacks. Furthermore, he takes a -2 penalty to Dexterity for 1 minute if he takes at least 10 points of cold damage, but his natural armor bonus increases by 2.
• Heat Resistance (Ex): A vulcan dwarf is resistant to temperatures over and beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit, given their creation process.
• Heat Touch (Ex): A vulcan dwarf’s skin is hot to the touch, and that heat transfers to various substances. A vulcan dwarf deals an extra point of fire damage when making an unarmed attack or making a melee attack with a metal weapon. As well, any creature making an attack with a natural weapon takes 1 point of fire damage. This damage increases by 1 for every five character levels. A vulcan dwarf that touches a cold substance generally heats it to normal temperature in one round and fully heats it in two rounds; a vulcan dwarf that touches water heats the substance depending on the amount of time he touches the substance (ice -> cold -> tap -> hot -> boiling; each take one round).
• Fire Affinity (Sp): A vulcan dwarf treats his caster level as one higher when casting spells or spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor.
• A vulcan dwarf does not gain the stability, weapon familiarity, or racial saving throw bonus of regular dwarves. Their fire-related constitution does not grant them proper stability, their resistance to magic is attuned towards fire in general, and they are not trained in the weaponry of their dwarven cousins.

Dune Dwarves

Even the greatest of the mountains can become a pile of sand with enough time. Deserts are barren, unforgiving and dry places where even the durable stone cannot withstand the passage of time. The dune dwarf is created following this philosophy, which while not destructive is entirely fatalistic. Their flesh being a bizarre sand-like material rather than clay-like, and existing comfortably whether the desert turns unbearably hot or chilling cold, dune dwarves live in the dunes of the desert that grant them their ethnic name. Dune dwarves are relatively identical to their mountain-dwelling dwarven cousins, except their outer flesh is dry and cracked, of near-uniform light yellow or ochre color, and but a few wisps of moss that can grow in the fragile dermal shell. Dune dwarves offer help to the needy, but they are capable of realizing that the desert will eventually claim everyone’s life, including their own. Thus, they have the reputation of being treacherous people, which is not the case; if they have the right tools, then they believe the desert has not yet claimed its bounty, and they seek to retain the balance of the wastes and the forests in control, finding those who wish to advance the pass of the wastes as defilers of the worst kind.

Dune Dwarf Racial Traits

The dune dwarf has the same racial traits as a common dwarf, but with the following changes:

• +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution. This is in addition to the dwarf racial ability score adjustments. Dune dwarves are created with a sand-like flesh and thus have a much easier form of movement, but their skin becomes dry and brittle, and they cannot hold themselves as well as other dwarves.
• A dune dwarf has a burrow speed of 30 feet, but only on loose soil (such as sand). Dune dwarves can move through sand as if they were swimming, but not in other kinds of soil.
• Natural Armor: A dune dwarf has a +1 natural armor bonus to AC, but his bonus does not increase with character level as the regular dwarf's natural armor. The sandy texture of the dune dwarf’s skin remains as flexible during his lifetime as when he was created, and the winds of the waste often erode his outer skin.
• Weather Endurance (Ex): A dune dwarf is resistant to strikingly different kinds of temperatures, as if under the effects of an endure elements spell.
• Weapon Familiarity: Dune dwarves are considered proficient with the scimitar, the khopesh and the thrombash. See the Equipment section in Sandstorm, pages 97-98 for description on the khopesh and thrombash. Dune dwarves prefer the use of weapons that can flow with the winds of the wastes, and as such they don’t favor axes, instead going for sharper weapons.
• A dune dwarf does not gain the darkvision or stability of regular dwarves. Being constructed of sand and stone, they are not as stable as their cousins, and their existence upon the sun makes their vision less dependent upon complete vision in darkness.

Elf

Elves (alvar) are native inhabitants of the plane of Arcadia (their region is most commonly called Sylesseyth), the realm of the Fae. As the realm of Fae is a reflection of the Material Plane but haunted with unearthly beauty and overwhelming nature, so Elves are the Fae reflection of humans. High Elves (so known for their regal status and predominance over less common ethnics) are hauntingly similar to normal humans, but upon close examination, their nature as Fae is revealed. Elves are equally as talented as humans, although they take to refined, artistic endeavors instead of human practicality; however, they are equally as versatile and strong-willed as humans are. Elves are often considered arrogant and petulant; this is because of their usual shock to meet their non-Fae counterpart, and also because of their unusually long lives compared to the human life expectancy.

Personality

Unbeknownst to most races, elves can be just as ambitious and motivated as humans are, but taken to the extremes. If a human is considered a perfectionist and seeks to do things right, the elf won’t rest until it exceeds the expectatives of every single race. If a human reacts brashly towards an insult, an elf considers the insult a threat payable with death. If a human is proud, the elf is downright petulant. However, there are traits that they share with other fae; mostly, their unpredictable behavior, their airs of superiority and their near incomprehensible lifestyle. Even so, elves are the most reasonable fae to relate with.

Physical Description

Elves are roughly as tall as humans, albeit lithe-shaped and unusually beautiful. Their ears are elongated, their noses are most often fine and small, and their eyes are similar in nature to the eyes of a cat or an owl. Male elves often are as strong as an average human, but their peak strength pales in comparison to peak human strength. Their speed and agility are superior to human standards, though. Elven hair color ranges between blond, bruin and green, and their skin color ranges from pale to light-greenish. They have no body hair except for in their heads, a small amount in their brows and eyelids.

Relations

Elves are fae first and foremost, and thus they hold a great deal of camaraderie with nearly all fae. Being followers of Queen Titania and King Oberon, they follow the Sidhe and the Seelie Court rules, and are often the ambassadors to most of the fae. However, they have a great deal of distrust towards the Unseelie Court, as well as the Fomorians which are the monsters within the Fae. They also have a great deal of enmity towards the goblins, given their macabre lifestyle.

Amongst Material Plane inhabitants, elves treat humans as lesser-developed kin, although they still possess a great deal of culture shock and usually end up treating them as children. Their relationship with the dwarves, the halflings and the gnomes is largely unknown, though elves distrust gnomes for their penchant to advance technology. Elves and orcs, however, have a history of enmity, much as the enmity between the elves and the goblins. This enmity exists since ancient times, mostly between the gods of the elves and the gods of the orcs.

Alignment

Like most fae, elves value freedom of thought and action to the extent of being chaotic in nature. Unlike most fae, however, their inclination towards chaos is easier to understand; they aren’t prone to drag creatures for years in search of entertainment, or punish their quarry cruelly just for diversion. As a whole, elven society is neutral but with a focus on individuality and freedom, where an elf can either be extremely loyal so as to follow the law to the letter, or wander the world full of wanderlust. Thus, while elves are equally as divergent as humans, they tend to be neutral, with both strong chaotic and relatively good inclinations.

Lands

Most of the elven lands lay in Arcadia, the land of the Fae; in those lands, they have majestic structures that use forests and nature as supports, and where they can live in unison with the land. Elves construct with fine woods, crystal, magically shaped stone and decorations in mithril and silver, which tend to glisten with light. On the Material Plane, the few elven settlements of great importance have lesser yet significant reflections of their architecture, mostly settling on dense forests of temperate climate, the environment most similar to the Arcadian environment. However, they can settle for odd places, such as human cities or dwarven underground structures, once they manage to deal with the usual trouble of dealing with the loss of necessities.

Religion

The main god of the elves is Corellon Larethian, considered by most to be the first of the elves. Corellon is on the same degree of mystery and legend as the first human, or the first halfling; however, he rarely reveals much about his past. He is revered as a great leader, the wisest amongst their race and the example to which all other elves must aspire, but elves aren’t particularly forced or even inclined to worship Corellon with fervor and devotion as humans do to their deities. Given that Corellon resides in Arcadia with his consort, few elves would dare try to deny the existence of a deity as humans may do, but most are similar to humans in that they don’t consider Corellon to be all-powerful; oddly enough, Corellon shares that feeling and does not mind that elves do not worship him. Also oddly enough is that Corellon is a friendly deity, although a rare sight on the Material Plane.

Names

Amongst themselves, elves speak a language which has progressed through the ages. The Elven language is beautiful, melodic and fit for poetry given the importance it places on intonation and pronunciation, although a word may have five different ways of being spoken and all can mean exactly the same thing, down to the behavior they comply. Elves speak Sylvan as a lingua franca between other fae, given that Sylvan is the common language in Arcadia; however, Elves that travel to the Material Plane take the time to learn the Common language and practice the same rigor in pronunciation as they do in their native language, which tends to cause problems as elves suddenly burst into a fit of fixing the way humans or other races speak the language. The Elven language has its own script, which is flowing as the wind and the water, and the scripture of choice when dealing with most magical writings.

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength. An elf is unusually lithe, given the characteristics they draw from animals; although clearly humanoid in appearance, their unique physiognomy allows them swifter reaction capabilities and superb vision. However, that same physiognomy, coupled with their unusually long lives in contemplation and study which grant them great knowledge and superior intellect, makes them physically weaker than the average human.
• Fey: As Arborea, the land of the fae, is the reflection of nature in the Material Plane, so do elves are the reflection of humans. However, as most of the inhabitants of Arborea, elves are creatures of nature, and thus their bodies are attuned with nature.
• Medium: As a Medium creature, an elf has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Elf base land speed is 30 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Sustenance: So as long as an elf has access to sunlight and soil, the elf does not need to eat or drink. The elf must insert her feet into loose and fertile soil; if the soil is too hard, devoid of nutrients or dry, the elf gains no benefit from this ability.
• SRD:Natural_Armor: Elves have a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. Their skin is sturdier and their “muscles” are tougher than the common individual, thus they can resist damage much easily.
• Iron Vulnerability: Elves are brutally allergic to iron, such that holding an item or wearing armor made of this material causes a terrible reaction on them. When holding an item made of iron, or wearing armor made of any metal with an iron compound (for purposes of the game, this implies iron, steel and adamantine), the elf becomes sickened and takes one point of lethal damage each hour, for as long as she remains in contact with the item and for one hour afterwards. This damage is not reduced by damage reduction (whether innate or otherwise), nor resistance to damage. Treat as a poison for purposes of which spells and effects may restore the condition. An elf wielding an item made of cold iron is nauseated instead of sickened, and takes 2 points of damage each hour.
• Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats. Even if not a warrior, an elf usually trains in the use of weaponry for mere diversion. Given their penchant for doing things precise and right, they gain a degree of mastery on such weapons.
• +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Elves have keen ears and sharp eyesight, owing to their elongated ears and cat-like eyes. They also have a strong sense of smell, but not as keen as that of a hound.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan and Elven.
• Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc.
• Favored Class: Wizard
• Level Adjustment: +0

Elven Ethnics

High Elves

The common elf seen in the world is often called a “high” elf, but that is not the case. True high elves are majestic creatures, even more regal than the average elf. The high elf (the true high elf, that is) is to the average elf what the elf is to a human; they are even more extreme, more arrogant, and more talented than their peers. A high elf looks mostly like the average elf, but they usually hold even more extreme animal and plant traits: their hair may be sprinkled with leaves of the same color as the hair, and their head may sprout a beautiful and fragrant flower. Their smell is fragrant as that of a flower, yet their nails are as sharp as claws. High elves rarely mingle in the Material Plane, but when they do their business is often of great importance; high elves usually remain in Arcadia, living their lives with great comfort and tranquility. Even rarer is the high elf adventurer, which remains in the Material Plane for an extended amount of time; such an adventurer is usually a magic-user, for only the thirst for knowledge may drive them away from their beloved faelands.

High Elf Racial Traits

The high elf has the same racial traits as a common elf, but with the following changes:

• +4 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength. This replaces the bonuses to ability scores.
• Natural Weapon: High elves have strong and durable claws, which they can use as natural weapons if they desire. More often than not, a high elf will refuse to use his hands on such a barbaric act, but when they need to defend themselves, they unleash their fury as brief and as deadly as possible. A high elf has claws that deal 1d6 points of damage as a primary natural weapon.
• Damage Reduction: The skin of an elf is comprised of flesh as humans and animals, but their internal structure is remarkably similar to that of a plant; thus, they have a degree of resistance to damage compared to the average human. An elf has damage reduction 1/cold iron; that is, it takes one less point of damage from any attacks except those dealt with weapons made of cold iron. Their damage reduction increases as they gain character levels; an elf gains one extra point of damage reduction per every 5 character levels.
• Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/day – barkskin, calm emotions, dancing lights, entangle, faerie fire. All spell-like abilities are cast as a 1st level spellcaster (unless the high elf has levels in a spellcasting class), and the saving throw DC is based on Charisma. A high elf of 7th level may use plane shift once per day. A high elf is innately attuned with magic, to the extent of learning spells to alter nature, their own physiognomy, or ambient light. As they progress, they become capable of shifting into their plane and back with little difficulty.
• Greater Iron Vulnerability: Just as high elves exaggerate positive elven traits, so do their weaknesses. A high elf that touches iron or iron alloys in any way (for purposes of the game, iron and cold iron, steel and adamantine) becomes nauseated and takes 1d6 points of damage per minute for as long as it remains in contact and for one day afterwards. Treat as a poison for purposes of which spells and effects may restore the condition. This replaces the iron vulnerability racial trait.
• Level Adjustment: +1. A high elf is more powerful than the average elf, given the access to spell-like abilities combined with the higher racial ability score adjustments.

Blood Elves

So called because of their usual coloring, blood elves are elves born in places where there is a great deal of iron in the environment. Blood elves have more animalistic traits and less plant-like traits than their elven peers, as well as red eyes and hair in black or red tones, but their exposure to iron makes them frail and sick. Blood elves often look sick, with red bulges in their eyes, a voice which sounds as if they were in pain, and red “blood” instead of the green compound that all elves tend to have. Blood elves are shunned by high elves as “mutants”, while the common elf and the human cannot help but assist them. Blood elves have drastically shorter lifetimes given the reason that they must stave off a disease they are born with, but they are born with the ability to handle iron without much difficulty before the tell-tale effects kick in.

Blood Elf Racial Traits

The blood elf has the same racial traits as a common elf, but with the following changes:

• -2 Constitution. This is in addition to the blood elf’s racial ability score adjustments.
• -1 on Fortitude saves. Blood elves are unusually frail, so they are unable to resist effects that affect their body as much as other races would. This does not apply to poisons and diseases (see below)
• +4 racial bonus on saving throws against poisons and diseases. The struggle of the blood elf to stave off the condition it suffers has developed an unusually strong immune system, which allows them to resist the effects of poisons and diseases with ease.
• Lesser Iron Vulnerability: A blood elf may wield iron weapons and armor without penalty, and may even wield cold iron weapons without the crippling penalties, for a number of hours equal to her character level. Afterwards, the iron vulnerability kicks in, at least until the elf loses contact with the item. If the blood elf loses contact with all items made of iron or of an iron alloy, the counter resets. This replaces the iron vulnerability racial trait of elves.
• Sustenance: a blood elf does not gain the sustenance racial ability. Blood elves lose a great deal of their plant-like traits, and must consume food and drink to survive.
• Fast healing: if a blood elf becomes immune to poisons and diseases, the advanced metabolism of the blood elf strengthens to the point it staves off any wound. The elf gains fast healing 1 whenever it gains immunity to poisons or diseases.

Wood Elves

Kindred to the elves but even more attuned with nature, wood elves are essentially the savages of elven culture. Consummate hunters and gatherers, wood elves live deep within the forests, where they use their plant traits to their advantage. Wood elves have far more pronounced animalistic and plant-like traits, such as coarse body hair, sharp claws and mildly sharp fangs, a keen sense of smell and a skin color that grants them great camouflage in forestal locations. Wood elves are physically fitter than their common elven kindred, but less amiable than their cousins.

Wood Elf Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. This replaces the racial ability score adjustments.
• Natural Weapon: Wood elves have sharp claws they can use whenever they are left weaponless, which means they are never unprotected when the situation becomes dire. A wood elf has claws that deal 1d6 points of damage as a primary natural weapon.
• Weapon Proficiency: Wood elves only gain proficiency with longbows (including composite longbows). Wood elves do not seek the grace and skill of their elven cousins, but rather a practical tool they may use. Wood elves prefer thus spears and bows as their weapons.
• +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks, and +8 racial bonus on Hide checks on forests and natural terrain. A wood elf is effectively camouflaged when hiding within the forest, and his senses are far more attuned than the norm.
• Scent (Ex): A wood elf has a keen sense of smell, almost as good if not as better as a hound. A blood elf with the Track feat may track a creature by its sense of smell.
• Favored Class: Ranger. A wood elf lives the life of a hunter, and rarely if ever seeks to follow the high magic arts unless it becomes a druid.

Dark Elves

Dark elves are a rare breed within the elves. Of darker green hair and skin colors, closer in color to marshes and swamps than vivid forests, dark elves contrast with the pale and bright look of the elves, making their “dark” conception less of a physical description and more of a description of opposition. While most of the elves follow the Seelie Court and the “nobler” aspects of Fae culture, the dark elves embrace the more sinister aspects of nature as presented by the Unseelie Court. Dark elves serve the concept of the reflection of nature as happens in Arcadia; such as the elves are the Seelie reflection of humans, dark elves are the Unseelie reflection; passionate, reckless, unhinged, and in human concepts, fully immoral. However, this is not, as it usually happens with studies of the fae, due to a rejection of morals but rather to a complete lack of understanding about morals or a different interpretation of morals. Dark elves are as hard to deal as any fae does, completely unpredictable and often the source of many of the legends about the fae. Dark elves in the Material Plane cannot fully comprehend the orderly way of thinking of humans, and blatantly disregard the law as an alien concept that cannot truly comprehend. The very occasional dark elf manages to be lawful, often by understanding a twisted concept of a law but nonetheless striving to follow and understand the concept of a law. As expected, dark elves rarely if ever follow Corellon, as befitting their rejection to the Seelie Court.

Dark Elf Racial Traits

Dark elves have the same exact traits as the common elf, except whenever there is a reference to the Seelie Court, the dark elves reference to the Unseelie Court.

Half-Elves

Due to the intrinsic similarities between humans and elves, as well as the capability for humans to adapt, both races can interact with each other and produce offspring that shares some of the characteristics of each race. Less attuned to nature and more humanoid in appearance than elves, they are nonetheless more poised, longer lived and graceful than humans. A half-elf keeps various of the distinctive traits of elves, such as their pointed ears and their slanted eyes, but they develop human characteristics such as body hair. Half-elves aren’t as physically adapted as true elves are, but they are nonetheless more ambitious than their parents, hoping to excel without becoming arrogant about their abilities. Half-elves are well accepted on human communities, and elves see their half-human offspring with certain disdain for the “stain to the race”, but nonetheless treat them as they would humans, with greater restrictions but greater benefits to those who show distinctive elven traits.

Half-Elf Racial Features

Half elves share some of the traits of humans and elves, but otherwise they behave as if they were their own distinct race. Their peculiar traits show as follows.

• +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma. The human heritage of half-elves cause them to be average physically, but the combination of mental traits between humans and elves makes them generally smarter than the average individual. Furthermore, their elven heritage makes them comely, and their ability to blend with the crowds manifests as a result of dealing with their mixed heritage.
• Humanoid: Unlike elves, the half-elves are closer to humans than to fey. Their physiognomy shows as such.
• Fae-blooded: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered a fey.
• Low-Light Vision: A half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Bewilderment: Half-elves have only a hint of magical power, but their capabilities are attuned to boggling the mind. They gain a +1 racial bonus to caster level when using enchantment or illusion spells. This benefit increases by 1 for every five character levels, but their caster level bonus cannot exceed their base caster level +1 (+2 at 11th level) before adding other bonuses to caster level (such as bonuses from feats or class abilities).
• +1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Half-elves retain a measure of their elven parent’s senses, but distilled within the human heritage.
• 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. Half-elves gain a small measure of the thirst of learning that humans get, and the training they follow through, while getting greater benefit because of their longer lives.
• Weapon Proficiency: Half-elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feat for a single weapon of their choice. While they usually take the weapons upon which their parents train upon, half-elves may take proficiency in a wider variety of weapons.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven, plus one additional language
• Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). Half-elves gain the incredible talent in linguistics of their human parents, but usually they remain content with just learning the common language and that of their elven parents.
• Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-elf takes an experience point penalty, her highest-level class does not count.

Drow (Ash Elves)

If the concept of dark elves can be disconcerting by scholars of the elven culture, even more shocking is the aspect of the drow, or “ash elves” given their dark skin. Drow are universally reviled by all elves, even the dark elves which usually oppose all elves as well. Drow are a group of elves that were rejected by Corellon in a terrible schism when one of his former consorts rebelled against him. They were shunned underground, and the years without contact on the sun has turned them into reflections of their former self. Drow are of an ashen or black skin, naturally white-haired but more often than not tinted a shade of purple or blue, and red eyes resembling more vermin than animal. Their animalistic and plant-like features made ash elves behave more like vermin and fungi, drawing sustenance from the lack of light and presence of moisture, and developing a taste for poison and rigid structures like the vermin they are most familiar with; arachnids. Even then, the drow are a divided civilization; some of the drow are spider-like in nature, consummate hunters and followers of the Demon Queen of Spiders, Lolth; the other group are scorpion-like, treacherous and venomous but understanding of their true nature. Both spider-drow and scorpion-drow oppose each other, and both are equally reviled by the remaining elves, including the dark elves ; coupled with their shared hatred against the Fomorians, the web of shared and broken relationships between elves reaches a startling conclusion. Drow loathe to be called “elves”, thinking themselves as the natural progression of the ancient caste, though it is more correct to think of drow as a very distant ethnic as an inhabitant from the wastes would be to an inhabitant of the planes; the same race, but shaped in a very different way.

Drow Racial Traits

Both types of drow have the same features. Each drow ethnic also has its own share of abilities.

• Natural Armor: The skin of a drow is sturdier and more rigid than that of the base elf, albeit the texture is that of flesh. That is because of the very thin film of chitin behind their skin, which helps them to protect their internal organs. The bonus to natural armor gained from their shared elven traits increases by 1 every six character levels.
• +4 bonus on saving throws against poisons. Both spider and scorpion drow are the byproduct of poisonous fungi and poisonous vermin, so it is natural that adopting their traits also grants them a measure of resistance to all poisons.
• Sustenance: So as long as it has access to large quantities of moisture and soil, the drow does not need to eat or drink. The drow must insert remain in hand and feet contact with moist rock to gain the benefit of this ability for at least one hour each day.
• Light Sensitivity: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
• Spell-like Ability (Sp): 1/day – poison. All spell-like abilities are cast at their minimum caster level (unless the drow has levels in a spellcasting class), and the saving throw DC is based on Charisma. Drow have a strong relationship with poisonous vermin, and thus have awakened their magical potential towards the creation of their own kinds of poison.

Spider Drow

The deep-dwelling spider drow are the original result of the terrible schism between Corellon and Lolth that resulted in their banishment to the depths of the earth, although the truth lies in that they were to be banished into the Abyss itself. Spider drow are treacherous, methodical and sadist, holding no ounce of honor in their blood as they have developed their own conception of honor. Drawing resources from the ever-resourceful spider, drow have awakened their magical potential and developed abilities far beyond their elven kindred. In spider drow communities, as befitting the whims of their master, females rule in a matriarchy that only allows the strongest of the females to rule and prosper; thus, betrayal and treachery are the order of the day. Drow society firmly believes in the survival of the fittest, a concept only studied sparingly by most humans.

Spider Drow Racial Traits

These traits are in addition to the elf and drow traits, unless indicated.

• {Property Link|Racial Ability Adjustments|SRD:Strength|+4 Strength}}, -4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma. This is in addition to the elven racial ability score adjustments. Spider drow are unusually stronger than their elven kin, but their dexterity leaves much to be desired, even though drow are skilled in light weaponry and armor.
• Darkvision: A drow can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and a drow can function just fine with no light at all.. Spider drow have lived in darkness for so long that their eyes have acclimated to the environment.
• +2 racial bonus on Reflex saves. Drow are not entirely slow, but they are relatively quiet in their activities. However, they are capable of surprising reactions that can baffle the most dedicated warrior.
• Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/day — darkness, spider climb, web. Spider drow are gifted by their goddess Lolth in the abilities that define spiders, plus a measure of her power over darkness.
• Weapon Familiarity: Spider drow are proficient with the hand crossbow and the shortsword. This replaces all weapon proficiencies of the elf aside from the rapier.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Undercommon. This trait replaces the elf’s languages.
• Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Gnome, Goblin. This trait replaces the elf’s bonus languages.
• Favored Class: Cleric (for females), Fighter (for males). Females are expected to be in the service of Lolth, while males have forbidden the access to the magical arts. However, not all of the male drow follow that concept, adopting other deities, following the arcane arts, or even murdering female priestesses and assuming their identities. Male “priestesses” of Lolth take great care in hiding their true gender, and Lolth apparently does not care that said thing happens, though most female priestesses take this action as an insult.
• Level Adjustment: +1. The spider drow gains access to powerful spell-like abilities and their hard skin allows them to resist more wounds than the common elf, let alone the common individual. Their lack of Dexterity does not compensate for such potential.

Scorpion Drow

Inhabiting dark places but otherwise closer to the surface than the spider drow, scorpion drow are treacherous and unreliable, but even in their treachery lies a hint of nobility. They do not blame Corellon or the elves for their banishment; they just use them for their own benefit if necessary, more often than not offering to help them against their spider drow brethren before plunging the proverbial dagger in the back. However, this is more due to the traits they have acquired from their “parent” vermin, the scorpion. Scorpion drow are hunters first and foremost, proud in their ambush tactics and their skill in combat. Unlike most elves, they tend towards honorable behavior, even though in the end they permit backstabbing and treachery. Their mindset is rather unique; a scorpion is a creature of small size (disregarding monstrous scorpions which they deal with), and rather defenseless unless it uses cunning and intellect to defeat their enemies, hunt for food, and survive at inhospitable situations. If an individual proves to survive despite circumstances against them, scorpion drow honor him and respect him. However, they are not satisfied with a simple defeat, and may resume their treacherous ways if they find their honored guest complacent with their own skill. Only those who constantly prove themselves surviving against the odds and further are truly honored by the scorpion drow. Thus, it isn’t common to see scorpion drow honoring humans that live in the wastes, even though they attack them every now and then as the scorpion would, given their audacity and dare.

Scorpion Drow Racial Features

These traits are in addition to the elf and drow traits, unless indicated.

• -2 Strength, +2 Constitution. This is in addition to the elven racial ability score adjustments. Scorpion drow are hardier and physically fitter than their kindred.
• Tremorsense up to 30 feet. Scorpion drow live underground, but they aren’t used to darkness as their spider drow brethren; however, they are wary of changes in the vibration of the ground as scorpions do.
• +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently. All scorpion drow are trained to survive, and the best way is to remain hidden until the right moment to strike.
• Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/day— acid splash, hold person. The scorpion drow gain a magical method to mimic the traits of the poison of scorpions, such as the burning sensation and the paralysis.
• Weapon Familiarity: Scorpion drow are familiar with the kama, the spiked chain and the shortsword. This replaces all weapon proficiencies of the elf. Scorpion drow use tools fit for ambushes, or that resemble the fighting style of scorpions.
• Favored Class: Ranger. A scorpion drow usually enters classes that prefer stealth and skill, but most are attuned to ranger tactics than rogue tactics, so the overwhelming amount of scorpion drow tend to be rangers. Scorpion drow spellcasters are usually druids.
• Level Adjustment: +1. The scorpion drow gains access to powerful spell-like abilities and their hard skin allows them to resist more wounds than the common elf, let alone the common individual.

Gnome

Personality

Humans run the gamut on this one. Humans have few recognizable personality traits that they share in common; a desire to succeed and progress, an ambition to excel on any circumstance, and a stubborn trait of never giving up. Aside from that, they define each and every personality trait in existence, or at least those that can be fully understood; though that does not prevent humans from developing the most bizarre and incomprehensible customs.

Physical Description

There is one reason why most “humanoid” or “demihuman” creatures are considered as such, and for a good reason: humans are the base upon which most other creatures are observed upon. Humans have a great diversity on eye color, hair color and skin tone; that is due to difference in regions or locations. The best way to define them is compared to other races, as they are almost a perfect average.

Racial Traits

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• Automatic Languages: .
• Bonus Languages: .
• Favored Class:
• Level Adjustment: +
• Effective Character Level:

Halfling

Personality

Humans run the gamut on this one. Humans have few recognizable personality traits that they share in common; a desire to succeed and progress, an ambition to excel on any circumstance, and a stubborn trait of never giving up. Aside from that, they define each and every personality trait in existence, or at least those that can be fully understood; though that does not prevent humans from developing the most bizarre and incomprehensible customs.

Physical Description

There is one reason why most “humanoid” or “demihuman” creatures are considered as such, and for a good reason: humans are the base upon which most other creatures are observed upon. Humans have a great diversity on eye color, hair color and skin tone; that is due to difference in regions or locations. The best way to define them is compared to other races, as they are almost a perfect average.

Racial Traits

•  :
• ():
• <-race name-> base land speed is feet:
• }}" or "Low-Light Vision: A can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

" -->

•  :
• Automatic Languages: .
• Bonus Languages: .
• Favored Class:
• Level Adjustment: +
• Effective Character Level:

Orc

Personality

Humans run the gamut on this one. Humans have few recognizable personality traits that they share in common; a desire to succeed and progress, an ambition to excel on any circumstance, and a stubborn trait of never giving up. Aside from that, they define each and every personality trait in existence, or at least those that can be fully understood; though that does not prevent humans from developing the most bizarre and incomprehensible customs.

Physical Description

There is one reason why most “humanoid” or “demihuman” creatures are considered as such, and for a good reason: humans are the base upon which most other creatures are observed upon. Humans have a great diversity on eye color, hair color and skin tone; that is due to difference in regions or locations. The best way to define them is compared to other races, as they are almost a perfect average.

Racial Traits

•  :
• ():
• <-race name-> base land speed is feet:
• }}" or "Low-Light Vision: A can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

" -->

•  :
• Automatic Languages: .
• Bonus Languages: .
• Favored Class:
• Level Adjustment: +
• Effective Character Level:

Vital Statistics

Table: Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
years	+	+	+

Table: Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
years	years	years	+ years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	' "	+	lb.	× () lb.
Female	' "	+	lb.	× () lb.