classes

C h a p t e r 2: R aces R a cia l T r a i t s

VAISIT TO ONE OF THE GREAT CITIES IN THE The description of each race includes racial traits that
w orlds o f D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s — are com m on to m em bers o f that race. The follow ing
W aterdeep, the Free City o f Greyhawk, or entries appear am ong the traits o f most races.
even uncanny Sigil, the City o f D oors—
overw helm s the sen ses. V oices chatter in A b il it y Score In crease
countless different languages. The sm ells Every race increases one or m ore o f a character’s
of cooking in dozens o f different cuisines ability scores.
mingle with the odors of crow ded streets and poor
sanitation. Buildings in myriad architectural styles A ge
display the diverse origins of their inhabitants. The age entry notes the age w hen a m em ber o f the race
And the people them selves—people of varying size, is con sid ered an adult, as w ell as the race’s expected
shape, and color, dressed in a dazzling spectrum lifespan. This information can help you decide how
o f styles and hues—represent m any different races, old your character is at the start o f the gam e. You
from diminutive halflings and stout dwarves to can choose any age for your character, which could
majestically beautiful elves, mingling am ong a variety provide an explanation for som e o f your ability scores.
of human ethnicities. For example, if you play a young or very old character,
Scattered am ong the m em bers of these more com m on your age could explain a particularly low Strength or
races are the true exotics: a hulking dragonborn here, Constitution score, while advanced age could account
pushing his way through the crow d, and a sly tiefling for a high Intelligence or W isdom .
there, lurking in the shadow s w ith m ischief in her eyes.
A group o f gnom es laughs as one of them activates a A l ig n m e n t
clever w ood en toy that m oves o f its ow n accord. Half- Most races have tendencies toward certain alignments,
elves and half-orcs live and w ork alongside humans, described in this entry. T hese are not binding for player
without fully belonging to the races o f either o f their characters, but considering why your dw arf is chaotic,
parents. And there, w ell out o f the sunlight, is a lone for example, in defiance o f lawful dw arf society can help
drow —a fugitive from the subterranean expanse of you better define your character.
the Underdark, trying to make his way in a world
that fears his kind. S iz e
Characters of m ost races are Medium, a size category
C h o o sin g a Race including creatures that are roughly 4 to 8 feet tall.
M em bers o f a few races are Sm all (betw een 2 and 4 feet
Humans are the m ost com m on people in the w orlds of tall), w hich m eans that certain rules o f the gam e affect
D&D, but they live and w ork alongside dwarves, elves, them differently. The m ost im portant o f these rules
halflings, and countless other fantastic species. Your is that Sm all characters have trouble w ielding heavy
character belongs to one of these peoples. w eapons, as explained in chapter 6.

Not every intelligent race o f the multiverse is Speed
appropriate for a player-controlled adventurer. Dwarves, Your speed determ ines how far you can m ove when
elves, halflings, and humans are the m ost com m on traveling (chapter 8) and fighting (chapter 9).
races to produce the sort o f adventurers w ho make up
typical parties. D ragonborn, gnom es, half-elves, half- L anguages
orcs, and tieflings are less com m on as adventurers. By virtue of your race, your character can speak, read,
Drow, a subrace of elves, are also uncom m on. and write certain languages. Chapter 4 lists the most
com m on languages of the D&D multiverse.
Your choice o f race affects many different aspects of
your character. It establishes fundam ental qualities that Su b r a c e s
exist throughout your character’s adventuring career. Som e races have subraces. M em bers of a subrace
W h en m akin g this decision, keep in m ind the kind o f have the traits of the parent race in addition to the
character you w ant to play. F or exam ple, a halfling could traits specified for their subrace. Relationships am ong
be a good choice for a sneaky rogue, a dwarf makes a subraces vary significantly from race to race and
tough warrior, and an elf can be a master o f arcane magic. w orld to world. In the D ragonlance cam paign setting,
for exam ple, m ountain dw arves and hill dw arves live
Your character race not only affects your ability scores together as different clans o f the sam e people, but in
and traits but also provides the cues for building your the Forgotten Realm s, they live far apart in separate
character’s story. E ach race’s description in this chapter kingdom s and call themselves shield dwarves and
includes inform ation to help you roleplay a character of gold dwarves, respectively.
that race, including personality, physical appearance,
features o f society, and racial alignment tendencies.
T hese details are suggestions to help you think about
your character; adventurers can deviate w idely from the
norm for their race. It’s w orthw hile to consider why your
character is different, as a helpful way to think about
y ou r character’s backgrou n d and personality.

D warf Sh o r t a n d St o u t

“Y e r l a t e , e l f !” c a m e t h e r o u g h e d g e o f a f a m il ia r Bold and hardy, dwarves are know n as
voice. Bruenor Battlehammer walked up the back of his skilled warriors, miners, and workers
deadfoe, disregarding thefact that the heavy monster lay of stone and metal. Though they stand
on top of his elvenfriend. In spite of the added discomfort, w ell under 5 feet tall, dw arves are so
the dwarf’s long, pointed, often-broken nose and gray- broad and com pact that they can weigh
streaked though still-fiery red beard came as a welcome as much as a human standing nearly two
sight to Drizzt. “Knew I’d findy e in trouble ifI came out feet taller. Their courage and endurance
an' lookedforye!" are also easily a match for any of
the larger folk.
—R. A . S alvatore, The Crystal Shard Dwarven skin ranges from deep brow n to a paler
hue tinged with red, but the m ost com m on shades are
K ingdom s rich in ancient grandeur, halls carved into the light brow n or deep tan, like certain tones o f earth.
roots of mountains, the echoing of picks and hamm ers Their hair, w orn long but in sim ple styles, is usually
in deep m ines and blazing forges, a com m itm en t to black, gray, or brow n, though paler dw arves often have
clan and tradition, and a burning hatred o f goblins and red hair. Male dw arves value their beards highly and
orc s —th ese co m m o n threads unite all dw arves. groom them carefully.

L ong M em ory, L ong G rudges

D w arves can live to be m ore than 4 0 0 years old, so the
oldest living dwarves often rem em ber a very different
world. For example, som e o f the oldest dw arves living
in Citadel Felbarr (in the w orld o f the Forgotten R ealm s)
can recall the day, m ore than three centuries ago, w hen
orc s conquered the fortress and drove them into an exile
that lasted over 250 years. This longevity grants them a
perspective on the w orld that shorter-lived races such as
hum ans and halflings lack.

Dwarves are solid and enduring like the mountains
they love, weathering the passage o f centuries with stoic
endurance and little change. They respect the traditions
of their clans, tracing their ancestry back to the
founding o f their m ost ancient strongholds in the youth
o f the w orld, and don't abandon th ose traditions lightly.
Part o f those traditions is devotion to the gods o f the
dwarves, w ho uphold the dwarven ideals of industrious
labor, skill in battle, and devotion to the forge.

Individual dwarves are determ ined and loyal, true to
their w ord and decisive in action, som etim es to the point
of stubbornness. Many dwarves have a strong sense

o f justice, and they are slow to forget w rongs they have S low to Tru st
suffered. A w rong done to one dw arf is a w rong done to
the d w a rf’s entire clan, so w hat begin s as on e dw arf’s Dwarves get along passably well with most other races. “The
hunt for vengeance can becom e a full-blown clan feud. difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a
hundred years,” is a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole,
C lan s a n d K in gd o m s but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member o f
a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust.
Dwarven kingdom s stretch deep beneath the mountains
where the dwarves mine gems and precious metals Elves. “ It’s not wise to depend on the elves. No telling what
and forge items o f wonder. They love the beauty and an elf will do next; when the hammer meets the orc’s head,
artistry o f precious m etals and fine jewelry, and in som e they’re as apt to start singing as to pull out a sword. They’re
dwarves this love festers into avarice. W hatever wealth flighty and frivolous. Two things to be said for them, though:
they can’t find in their mountains, they gain through They don’t have many smiths, but the ones they have do very
trade. They dislike boats, so enterprising humans and fine work. And when orcs or goblins come streaming down
halflings frequently handle trade in dwarven goods out o f the mountains, an elf’s good to have at your back. Not
along water routes. Trustworthy m em bers of other races as good as a dwarf, maybe, but no doubt they hate the orcs
are w elcom e in dw arf settlements, though som e areas as much as we do.”
are off limits even to them.
Halflings. “Sure, they’re pleasant folk. But show me a
The chief unit of dwarven society is the clan, and halfling hero. An empire, a triumphant army. Even a treasure
dwarves highly value social standing. Even dwarves for the ages made by halfling hands. Nothing. How can you
w ho live far from their ow n kingdom s cherish their clan take them seriously?”
identities and affiliations, recognize related dwarves,
and invoke their ancestors’ nam es in oaths and curses. Humans. “You take the time to get to know a human, and
To be clanless is the w orst fate that can befall a dwarf. by then the human’s on her deathbed. If you’re lucky, she’s
got kin— a daughter or granddaughter, maybe— who’s got
D w arves in other lands are typically artisans, hands and heart as good as hers. That’s when you can make
especially weaponsmiths, armorers, and jewelers. Som e a human friend. And watch them go! They set their hearts on
becom e m ercenaries or bodyguards, highly sought after something, they’ ll get it, whether it’s a dragon’s hoard or an
for their cou rag e and loyalty. empire’s throne. You have to admire that kind o f dedication,
even if it gets them in trouble more often than not.”
G ods, G old, and C lan

D w arves w ho take up the adventuring life might be
m otivated by a desire for treasure—for its ow n sake, for
a specific purpose, or even out o f an altruistic desire to
help others. Other dwarves are driven by the com m and
or inspiration o f a deity, a direct calling or simply a
desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and
ancestry are also important motivators. A dw arf might
seek to restore a clan’s lost honor, avenge an ancient
w rong the clan suffered, or earn a new place within the
clan after having been exiled. Or a dw arf might search
for the axe w ielded by a mighty ancestor, lost on the field
o f battle centuries ago.

D warf N am es Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the
artisan’s tools o f your choice: sm ith’s tools, brew er’s
A d w a rf’s nam e is granted by a clan elder, in a ccord a n ce supplies, or m a son ’s tools.
with tradition. Every proper dwarven name has been
used and reused down through the generations. A Stonecunning. W henever you m ake an Intelligence
d w a rf’s n am e b elon g s to the clan, not to the individual. (History) check related to the origin o f stonework, you
A dw arf w ho m isuses or brings sham e to a clan name are considered proficient in the H istory skill and add
is stripped o f the name and forbidden by law to use any double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of
dwarven nam e in its place. your normal proficiency bonus.

Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Languages. You can speak, read, and write C om m on
Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full o f hard consonants and
Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, M orgran, Orsik, guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into
Oskar, Rangrim , Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, whatever other language a dwarf might speak.
Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, Vondal
Subrace. T w o m ain su braces o f dw arves populate the
Female Names: Am ber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, w orlds o f D&D: hill dwarves and mountain dwarves.
Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Choose one of these subraces.
Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa,
Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra H il l D w arf
As a hill dwarf, you have keen senses, deep intuition,
Clan Names: Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, and remarkable resilience. The gold dwarves of Faerun
Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, in their m ighty southern kingdom are hill dw arves, as
Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim , Strakeln, are the exiled Neidar and the d eb a sed K lar o f K rynn in
Torunn, Ungart the D ragonlance setting.

D w arf T raits Ability Score Increase. Your W isd om score
in creases by 1.
Your dwarf character has an assortm ent of inborn
abilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature. Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point m axim um
in creases by 1, and it in creases by 1 every tim e you
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution sco re gain a level.
in creases by 2.
M o u n t a in D w arf
Age. D w a rves m ature at the sa m e rate as hum ans, but A s a mountain dwarf, you're strong and hardy,
they’re con sid ered y ou n g until they reach the age o f 50. a ccu stom ed to a difficult life in rugged terrain. You’re
On average, they live about 350 years. probably on the tall side (for a dwarf), and tend toward
lighter coloration. The shield dwarves o f northern
Alignment. M ost dw arves are lawful, believing firmly Faerun, as w ell as the ruling Hylar clan and the noble
in the benefits o f a w ell-ordered society. Th ey tend Daewar clan of Dragonlance, are mountain dwarves.
toward good as well, with a strong sense o f fair play and
a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score
a just order. increases by 2.

Size. D w a rves stand b etw een 4 and 5 feet tall and Dwarven Armor Training. You have proficiency w ith
average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium. light and m edium armor.

Speed. Your b a se w alkin g sp eed is 25 feet. Your D uergar
speed is not reduced by w earing heavy armor. In cities deep in the Underdark live the duergar, or gray
dwarves. These vicious, stealthy slave traders raid the surface
Darkvision. A ccu stom ed to life underground, you world for captives, then sell their prey to the other races of
have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You the Underdark. They have innate magical abilities to become
can see in dim light w ithin 6 0 feet o f you as if it w ere invisible and to temporarily grow to giant size.
bright light, and in darkness as if it w ere dim light. You
ca n ’t d iscern color in darkness, only shades o f gray.

Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving
throws against poison, and you have resistance against
p oison dam age (explained in chapter 9).

Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency
with the battleaxe, handaxe, throwing hammer,
and warhammer.

CHAPTER 3: RACES OF THE REALMS

AER0N IS HOME TO MANY RACES, SOME OF long memories and often an equally long list of griev-
ances against their ancient enemies. The more conser-
them immigrants from other worlds who vative among them want to maintain the traditions and
found their way here in ancient times when remaining holdings of their people, isolated from the in-
gates and portals were more plentiful, fluence of outsiders and safe from invaders behind thick
and easier to traverse. Others are relative walls of stone. Shield dwarves of a more adventurous
newcomers to the world, still finding a bent are interested in exploring the world and seeing
place for themselves among the long- what lies beyond the bounds of their ancient dwarfhold s.
established races. The civilizations of the elder races
have declined, while those of the younger races are Shield dwarves have the racial traits of mountain
flourishing and spreading ever outward. dwarves in the Player's Handbook. Their skin is usu-
The character races described in the Player's Hand- a lly fair, eyes green, hazel, or silver-blue, and they have
book are a ll found in the Realms, along with some brown, blond, or red hair. Full beards and mustaches
subraces unique to Faerun. Each character race has all are commonly seen on ma le shield dwarves.
the traits of the primary race, as given in the Player 's
Handbook, plus traits for each subrace that are unique Shield dwarves are renowned artisans, particularly in
to those individuals. This chapter provides racial traits metal and stone. They tend to focus more on sturdiness
for a subrace only when they differ from or replace those in their craft than on the artistic flourishes and gilding
given in the Player's Handbook. The information in this favored by their gold dwarf cousi ns. Shield dwarf craft-
chapter is specific to the Realms, so if something stated ers build to last, and each one's signature mark placed
here differs from what's presented in the Player's Hand- upon an enduring masterpiece serves as a way of gain-
book, this materia l takes precedence. ing immortality.

DWARVES GOLD DWARVES

The Stout Folk are deliberate and steadfast, with a Gold dwarves are common in the lands to the south and
proud history as great artisans, builders, and warriors. east. They are formidable wa rriors, proud of their long
Although the glory of their empires faded long ago, the traditions, with strong ties to clan. They are gruff and
dwarves still hold to their ancient ways a nd traditions. haughty and have a love of fine craftsmanship and a n
They stubbornly defend what remains of their old do- eagerness to trade.
mains beneath hill and mountain, and some seek to
reclaim what they have lost to the depredations of ores, Significant settlements of gold dwarves exist in the
goblins, and the inexorable march of time. Great Rift, the area surrounding the Dragon Coast,
as well as in the Old Empires of eastern Faerun.
According to their own legends, dwarves were formed Smaller communities are found in the Smoking Moun-
from iron, mithral, earth, and stone on the Soulforge of tains, in the Giant's Run Mountains, and the Western
Moradin. After the All-Father breathed life into them in Heartlands.
the hea rt of the world, dwarves found their way to the
surface and, from there, spread across each continent. Because they have not endured the same cycle of
invasion and displacement, gold dwarves tend to be
Thousands of years of settlement and separation more optimistic than their shield dwarf cousins, but
divided the dwarves into distinct subraces: the shield they're still standoffish and prideful as only a dwa rf
dwarves, most common in the North and the Sword can be. They believe their race's stable history is the
Coast; the gold dwarves of the southern la nds; a nd the result of their attentiveness to tradition, and have little
gray dwarves, or duergar, of the Underdark. doubt that the future of the gold dwarves will be just
as peaceful , if they remain true to their customs and
The Dwarvish language of Faerun uses a runic alpha- principles.
bet called Dethek, whose characters are easy to etch
into stone and metal, as evidenced by the runestones DWARF CLANS OF THE NORTH
and way-markers found in ancient dwarven tunnels
and mines. All dwarves count their clan heritage as an important part
of their lineage and identity. While in some cities a single
SHIELD DWARVES clan dominates (or is the only one in residence) , in other
dwarven communities there is a complex relationship be-
The ancestral home of the shield dwarves is in northern tween family, clan, and the larger society.
Faerun , where ancient dwarfholds exist in the North,
Damara, lmpiltur, Vaasa, the Vast, and the Western Some of the dwarf clans in the North are Arnskull ,
Heartlands. The most famous of the old shield dwa rf Battlehammer, Blackbanner, Blackhammer, Bucklebar,
cities is Citadel Adbar, north and east of Silverymoon. Darkfell , Deepaxe, Deepdelve, Eaglecleft, Foehammer,
Many of these dwarfholds have changed hands over the Gallowgla r, Hillsafar, Horn, lronshield , jundeth, Narlagh,
centuries in a cycle of invasion by enemies, followed by Orothiar, Quarrymaster, Rockfist, Sstar, Stoneshaft, Stone-
reconquest by the dwa rves. shield , Stoneshoulder, Trueforger, Watchever, Worldthrone,
Wyrmslayer, and Yund.
Living in a near-constant state of war for generations,
shield dwarves are a hardy people, slow to trust, with Some dwarves hail from the family that founded or rules
a given clan, and so they use the clan name as their family
name. Others are simpl y "of" the clan, but bear the clan
name with as much pride as their own surnames .

Gold dwarves have the racial traits of hill dwarves in Physically similar to other dwarves in some ways, du-
the Player's Handbook. They are stocky and muscular, ergar are wiry and lean, w ith black eyes and bald heads,
averaging about 4 feet tall, with brown s kin , black or with the males growing long, unkempt, gray beards.
brown hair, and brown or hazel eyes, with green eyes
rare (and considered lucky). Males grow full beards that Duergar value toil above all else. S howing emotions
they keep oiled and well groomed, and both genders other than grim determination or wrath is frowned on
wear their hair long and often elaborately braided. in their culture, but they can sometimes seem joyful
when at work. They have the typical dwarven apprecia-
Gold dwarves are best known for crafting beautiful tion for order, tradition , and impeccable craftsmanship,
objects. According to them, a ll the natural resources of but their goods are purely utilitarian, disdaining aes-
the world exist for mortals to turn them into objects of thetic or artistic value.
great beauty. Gold dwarves don't want the most of every-
thing; they want the best. Their artisans toil over items Few duergar become adventurers, fewer still on the
for years, getting their etchin gs and fine details just right surface world, because they are a hidebound and sus-
before being satisfied with their efforts. picious race. Those who leave their subterranean cities
are usua lly exiles. Check with your Dungeon Master to
That deliberate, perfectionist approach is a reflec- see if you can play a gray dwarf character.
tion of gold dwarf culture, in which there is a right and
proper way to do everything. Tradition dictates every as- DUERGAR SUBRACE TRAITS
pect of a gold dwarf's life, from one's place in society, to The duergar subrace has the dwarf traits in the Player 's
prospects for marriage, to what careers are acceptable. Handbook , plus the subrace traits below.
Gold dwarves who take up a life of adventuri ng, away
from the clan, rarely forsake their traditions when doing Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score in-
so. Even though they might have to live as outsiders for creases by 1.
a time, they hope to ultimately improve their sta nding in
their society. Superior Darkvision. Your darkvision has a radius
of 120 feet.
GRAY DWARVES (DUERGAR)
Extra Language. You can speak, read, and write
The gray dwarves, or duergar, live deep in the Un- Unde rcommo n.
derdark. After delving deeper than any other dwarves,
they were enslaved by mind fl ayers for eons. Although Duergar Resilience. You have advantage on saving
they eventually won their freedom , these grim, ash- throws against illusions and against being charmed or
en-skinned dwarves now take slaves of their own and paralyzed.
are as tyran nical as their former masters.
Duergar Magic. When you reach 3rd level, you can
CHAPTER 3 I RACES OF THE REALMS cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself once with this
trait, using only the spell's enlarge option. When you
reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell on
yo urself once with this trait. Yo u don't need material
components for either s pell, and you can't cast them
while you're in direct sunlight, a lthough sunlight has no
effect on them once cast. You regain the ability to cast
these spells with this trait when you finish a long rest.
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack
rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on
sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever
you a re trying to perceive is in direct s unlight.

DWARVEN DEITIES

The gods of the dwarves are a pantheon, or clan, collec-
tively known as the Morndinsamman.

FORGE FATHER AND REVERED MOTHER
Moradin, the Soulforger, leads the dwarven gods.
Known as Dwarf-father or All-Father, he is the god
of the dwarf people as a whole, as well as the god of
creation, "dwarf-crafts" (smithing and stonework), and
protection. His wife is the Revered Mother, Berrona r
Truesilver, goddess of hea rth and home, of honesty and
faithfulness , and of oaths, loyalty, and honor.

GODS OF BATTLE
Clangeddin S ilverbeard is the dwarven god of war and
valor. Gorm Gulthyn, a lso called Fire Eyes a nd the Lord
of the Bronze Mask, is the god of defense and vigilance,
the protector of dwarves. Haela Brightaxe is the god-
dess of luck in battle, and the patron of dwarf fighters.

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Gons OF CRAFT
Dumathoin, the Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain,
is the patron of the shield dwarves, as well as the god
of buried wealth, mining, gems, and exploration, and
the guardian of the dead. Sharindlar, Lady of Life and
Mercy, is the goddess of healing, romantic love, and fer­
t ility, often associated with the moon.

GODS OF FAR PLACES
The god of invention and discovery is Dugmaren Bright­
mantle, called the Wandering Tinker or the Gleam
in the Eye. Marthammor Duin is the traveler's god,
patron of expatriates and guides, and deity of lightning
and roads.

Gons OF WEALTH
Vergadain, called the Merchant King, is the god of
thieves (who commands his followers never to steal
from other dwarves), luck, and chance, as well as com­
merce and negotiation. Abbathor is the god of greed,
sometimes portrayed as a dragon filled with envy of the
wealth of others, who jealously tends his own hoard.

Gons OF EVIL
Laduguer is the patron of the duergar, god of magic and
those crafts not governed by Moradin. Also worshiped
among the duergar is Deep Duerra, a goddess of con­
quest and of the powers of the mind.