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RACES
A race is not a rigid mechanical package but a collection of racial skills that reflect what your character can
innately do because of their culture, physiology, or inborn instincts. These skills define your natural
affinities, physical traits, or social conditioning - whether you're an elf, a dwarf, or something entirely new.
They also provide a framework for your character's background, allowing you to roleplay your character more
effectively.
We provide examples of common fantasy ancestries such as dwarves, elves, and halflings, but these are just
templates. You are encouraged to adapt or create your own races to suit the lore and themes of your world or
campaign. Use the examples as inspiration, not limits.
CREATING A RACE
When you create a character, you receive 20 XR to spend on racial skills. These points represent the latent
traits and instincts passed down through bloodlines, heritage, or cultural immersion.
Some abilities - such as Darkvision, Low-Light Vision, or Natural Weapons - can only be taken as racial skills,
unless a compelling narrative justification is approved by the DM. In general, if a trait is biological or
deeply cultural, it belongs to the race.
We do not tie ability score modifiers to races. Your Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma are personal
attributes, not fixed by your ancestry. This approach emphasizes the diversity and individuality of characters
within each race - your elf can be tough, your orc can be wise.
SMALL CHARACTERS
A Small character gets a +1 size bonus to Defense, and a starting score of 4 to Stealth.
A Small character's carrying capacity is three-quarters of that of a Medium character.
A Small character generally moves about two-thirds as fast as a Medium character.
A Small character is restricted to use smaller weapons.
RACE AND LANGUAGES
All characters know how to speak Common. A dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, half-orc, or halfling also speaks a
racial language, as appropriate. A character who has an Intelligence bonus at 1st level speaks other languages
as well, one extra language per point of Intelligence bonus as a starting character.
HUMANS
Humans are the most adaptable ancestry and start with 20 XR to spend freely on racial skills of your choice.
They have no preset traits - their defining feature is versatility. Any other race can be built starting from
the human template, adding specific racial skills to reflect their unique heritage.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Human base land speed is 30 feet.
• 20 extra Experience Rolls at creation.
• Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the
Speak Language skill.
DWARVES
• Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their 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: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is
otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework,
such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone
surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also
counts as unusual stonework. The passive Perception regarding unusual stonework also has a bonus of +2. A dwarf
can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is
up.
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves have a starting score of 2 to Battleaxe and Warhammer.
• Stability: A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on 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).
• Dwarves have a +2 bonus on Fortitude against poison.
• Dwarves have a bonus of +2 on Craft and Appraise checks related to metal or stone.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and
Undercommon.
ELVES
• Medium: As Medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Elf base land speed is 30 feet.
• Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +2 saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
• 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.
• Weapon Proficiency: Elves have a starting score of 2 in longsword, rapier, longbow and shortbow. For
them, longsowrd and rapier are considered to be in the same weapon group.
• Elves have a starting score of 2 in Perception.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and
Sylvan.
GNOMES
• Small: As a Small creature, a gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, and a starting score of 4 to
Stealth, has to use smaller weapons, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium
character.
• Gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: A gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and
similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these
conditions.
• +2 bonus on Fortitude, Reflex and Will against spells and spells effects.
• A starting score of 2 to Perpception.
• A starting score of 2 to Craft (alchemy).
• Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, and Orc.
In addition, a gnome can speak with a burrowing mammal (a badger, fox, rabbit, or the like, see below). This
ability is innate to gnomes. See the speak with animals spell description.
• A starting score of 1 to speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute). A gnome
with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has a starting score of 1 in the following magical skills: dancing
lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation, minor image.
HALF-ELVES
• Medium: As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet.
• Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 bonus on saving throws against
enchantment spells or effects.
• 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.
• Half-elves have a +2 bonus on Will against enchantment.
• A starting score of 4 in Perception and Investigate.
• A starting score of 4 in Persuasion.
• Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as
Druidic).
HALF-ORCS
• Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
• Savage Attacks: When an half-orc scores a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, they can roll one of
the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
• Relentless Endurance: When an half-orc is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, they can drop
to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
• A starting score of 2 in Intimidation.
• A starting score of 3 in Survival.
• Darkvision: Half-orcs (and orcs) can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only,
but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all.
• Weapon Familiarity: Half-orcs have a starting score of 2 to Greataxe and Falchion.
• Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
HALFLINGS
• Small: As a Small creature, a halfling gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class, and a starting score of 4 to
Stealth, has to use smaller weapons, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium
character.
• Halflings can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than them.
• A starting score of 2 to Athletics, Perception and Stealth.
• A starting score of 1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
• +2 bonus on Will against fear.
• A starting score of 1 to two thrown weapons of choice and slings.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Halfling. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.