Dwarf Class

Dwarves are incredibly rare, at least to anyone else’s knowledge. They’re hidden away in the privacy of their mountain, digging deeper, expanding in any direction they can. They’re learning what’s below, negotiating with it, killing it, defending against it, walling it off.

Dwarves are not warlike, but little appeals to them more than a well-crafted weapon infused with purpose and capability - except a machine of great utility. Utility to whom? It doesn’t matter. If the craftsmanship is good, it will work to great efficiency and purpose. If it works, it’s good. If it’s good, it’s worth keeping. Things that are worth keeping are best kept hidden away, behind a trapped lock in a warded room guarded by an army, if they’re not being used.

For context, see how classes and leveling work in this earlier post. Terse summary: Gain 1 template per level until level 4.

I wrote this class after reading this G+ thread and took several ideas from comments in it.

Class: Dwarf

Dwarves yearn for perfect craftsmanship and lust for precious metals and gems. They’ve adapted to life underground, but only to a civilized, well-lit sort of underground, full of productivity and digging.

Starting Equipment: leather armor, axe, rough iron shield.

Starting Skill: Craftsmanship. See Professions for a second skill.

Templates

A: Innate sense, Stony recovery, Obsession

B: Greed

C: Heart of the Mountain

D: Liver of the Delver

You gain +1 HP for each Dwarf template you possess. An adventurer’s first template must be a Dwarf template or none will ever be a dwarf template.

A:

Innate sense

Can smell/taste craftsmanship within 10’. This may be hampered by other overwhelming odors.

Stony recovery

When a dwarf dies from poison or disease, it turns into stone for 1d6+7 days, then returns to life at 1 HP, purified of the malady.

Obsession

Every time you rest in a civilized location, roll 1d20. On a 1, spend 1d20 days obsessed with making an object of power. Then roll 1d4 to see how great it is. A 1 means it is wonderful and 4 means its utility is questionable. Describe what you’d like it to be and the referee will describe what it actually is.

B:

Greed

Gain a bonus to saves for each slot of treasure carried beyond 5 slots.

C:

Heart of the Mountain

Always knows when all the secret doors and passages on a floor have been discovered.

D:

Liver of the Delver

Can sense the general direction of exits and stairs to other levels.

Professions