Dwarven Resistance to Magic

[Bronn Spellforger]

Dwarves are funny. If they were a non standard race they'd be at least +1ECL.
They gain a "strong" stat (con) and lose on a "weak" stat (cha), as per the DMG.
They get +2 to all saves (+2 vs poison and spells... whats left really?).
They get +4 AC vs giants, +1 to hit orcs, etc.
Oh but they move slower (apparently that balances out all the other bonuses), but are still medium sized creatures (and can use all the weapons just like any other race).

Don't forget:
Darkvision (beats out Elven low-light vision)
Stonecunning -- Let's him act like a rogue in looking for traps
+2 Appraise checks (stone/metal)
+2 Craft checks (stone/metal)
Favored class: Figher -- which is arguably the easiest class to multi-class with.

When I was creating my first 3E character, I couldn't believe how much better Dwarves were! Elves were the most powerful race in 2E, but Dwarves definitely have them beat out in 3E. Looking only at stats, they make the best Wizards ... easy! (More Hit Points, better saving throws vs. spells, etc).

 

[Tom Cashel]

And none of that will help you in the least against the big bad dragon on Sunday, Bronn.

Consider yourself warned...DOOM! DOOM! DOOM!

 

[EOL]

Dwarves are funny. If they were a non standard race they'd be at least +1ECL.
They gain a "strong" stat (con) and lose on a "weak" stat (cha), as per the DMG.
They get +2 to all saves (+2 vs poison and spells... whats left really?).
They get +4 AC vs giants, +1 to hit orcs, etc.
Oh but they move slower (apparently that balances out all the other bonuses), but are still medium sized creatures (and can use all the weapons just like any other race).

Comon WotC what were you thinking? You broke every one of your own rules on dwarves, and yet Gensai are +1ECL even though they are worse than dwarves in almost every respect.

Even with just a +2 to Will saves they beat out elves (+2 on Enchantments only) and every other race (save maybe humans in some situations, but I'd give the edge to dwarves).

I hadn't thought about the Gensai, that's a good point. Though I'm not sure about Earth and Air Gensai, Dwarves are definitely more powerful than Fire and water. I always thought it was a mistake to make the latter two +1 ECL.

I've got a real powergamer in my campaign and he went straight for the dwarf. I'd love to see the look on his face if I told him I was making Dwarves ECL +1, retroactively (not that I would). Ohhh.. and the whole slow movement thing? He took a single level of Barbarian and then the rest as fighter, problem solved.

 

[DWARF]

To make them a bit more "balanced" and actually fit the mold of what I feel Dwarves are better, I changed the -2 to Cha into a -2 to Dex. These legs we got arn't quite as...... mobile... as the rest 'o yoos. And anyone who says Dwarves can't make a good enough impression has never, NEVER tried to argue with one!

 

[Gromm]

-2 Dex makes perfect sense to me personally.
Hell -2 Dex and Cha makes perfect sense to me.
1/2 orcs get 2 off two stats and all they get is darkvision.
Dwarves get darkvision and a laundry list of the best racial abilites in the game.
Shield dwarves (I think) from FRCS do actually have the -2 dex. Of course noone makes one since the regular dwarves are still around.

 

[Madfox]

They get +2 to all saves (+2 vs poison and spells... whats left really?).

Traps, breath weapons, spells that do not affect the dwarf directly(e.g. the grease, rock to mud, soften stone and earth, and so on) and above all all kinds of natural trap-like events.

I agree that dwarvers are strong, but if it were not for my current dwarf only campaign, it still would be the least favourite race. I do give dwarves penalties to dexterity and not charisma.