D&D General what is a hill dwarf?

[Micah Sweet]

Dwarves of the Iron HILLs vs dwarves of the Lonely MOUNTAINs

I remember Dragonlance really picked up on this also in the lore, where the hill dwarves were those dwarves that were sent away from the mountain kingdom, and were forced to live in the hills around the mountain.

Dragonlance dwarves also better than 5e dwarves.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Yeah, Dragonlance was really my first exposure to the dichotomy, so that's generally what I default to.

Dwarves of the Iron HILLs vs dwarves of the Lonely MOUNTAINs

I remember Dragonlance really picked up on this also in the lore, where the hill dwarves were those dwarves that were sent away from the mountain kingdom, and were forced to live in the hills around the mountain.

Also, because no one else has made the joke yet:

 

[Hriston]

how did he do it?

The way the professor did it was that there were seven great Houses or Mansions of the dwarves, each one founded by one of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves who were created before the awakening of the elves by Aulë, the smith of the Valar. The most well known of these Houses, in the stories of the LotR and The Hobbit, was the Longbeards of Khazad Dûm. These are the mountain dwarves.

Other dwarves appear in the legendarium who have become estranged from their Houses due to exile for past misdeeds or some other deficiency and are known as "petty-dwarves". These dwarves are smaller and weaker than normal dwarves and tend to inhabit isolated hills and caves. These are the hill dwarves.

 

[GMMichael]

If you are asking why the designers want options instead of just generic “dwarf”, it is probably better to ask them. I’d rather not put words in their mouths.

Wha? That's what forums are for!

D&D designers: there are different kinds of dwarves because 1) sacred cows, and 2) people of different races conform to stereotypes that are more than superficial (I thought they we were moving away from this?)

George RR Martin: all dwarves are bastards in their fathers' eyes.

In my game: a hill dwarf is a dwarf who grew up in the hills. A mountain dwarf lives in the mountains. Same race, different scores?

 

[Charlaquin]

then why make a stat block for it?

Because they wanted all of the iconic races to have two subrace options.

 

[cbwjm]

With the changes with Tasha's release, mountain dwarves will need to be reworked or just have hill dwarf represent both.

 

[Tonguez]

Stenskærer are True Mountain dwarves; they cut the stone
Stameskærer are respected Hill dwarves; they cut the post to support the stone
Smudsskærer are lowly outcast and slaves reduced to ploughing dirt

 

[Davies]

Because they wanted all of the iconic races to have at least two subrace options.

FTFY. Elves have three.

 

[Zardnaar]

FTFY. Elves have three.

4 ones in the DMG. Elfitis

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Just the same as mountain dwarves but other stats.
I fully expect them to unite in 5.5e

Same stats. +1hp will replace con bonus.

Mountain dwarves have nothing special beyond "great for fighter or otherwise unarmored classes".
+1 hp is actually sonething tangible

And if you look very closely and ignore armor proficiency*, both subraces are worth half a feat.

*Which usually does nothing for characters that want +2 str.