Ebon Dwarves

[Glade Riven]

So I am considering an unusual half-breed for my campaign setting: the Ebon dwarf; half drow, half dwarf. They look like dwarves, only with drow skin color, hair color, and eyes.

Now, there are two different directions that I am considering going with it:

1: hybrid stats and abilities between Drow and Dwarf, with the base stats of +2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Cha.

B: Go into a completly different direction, and make something new (and potentially creepy).

 

[Tovec]

Other people will know, isn't there some sort of half-drow template already in 3.X? I know there is Lolthed Touched or some such but I'd have to find what book that's in.
Once we get more/better information go with that and add it to dwarf and you're set.

 

[Thanael]

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, p. 16. Drow half-elves have 60 ft darkvision.

Half-Drow = Half Elf - Low-Light Vision + Dark Vision (+ Light Sensitivity).



The above assumes half-drow half human though same as the default halfelf.

SKR has made a transition class from Half-Drow to Drow:Savage Progressions: Transition Classes
Maybe giving a dwarf some levels in this class is the way to go... (Same article has the dwarf duergar transition class.)

There's a Half Drow template on Dndwiki.

Oh and slap either the tempalte or the transition class level on a Deep Dwarf or a Duergar for fun...

 

[Thanael]

Oh wait. That was all said in a 3.5 context above.

For PF if you use Golarion, Drow are a bit different. There's a secret to their race, check out the Lantern Bearer's secret society's fluff:

Lantern Bearers - Golarion World Wiki
Half-Drow in Golarion

 

[Glade Riven]

Not exactly where I'm wanting to go...

Non-OLG material is out. None of it has to do with half-drow, half dwarves anyways.

Phaetos isn't Golaron. Phaetos is a tidally locked planet, and Drow are from the dark side. The dwarves have an extensive naval empire, but part of their empire is protected by their own Great Wall known as the Frost Wall - built to keep the nomadic drow out. But long shifts on the Frost Wall can do strange things to a dwarf...

The two obvious directions to create this new race seem to lean towards gnomish or duergar-like traits. So a bit of brainstorming with a freind after I posted this thread, there is a third direction I can take it in: semi-construct. Ebon Dwarves would not actually be constructs, but they would have some construct-like traits.

Think purple-black skinned sneaky, murderous, and ultimatly souless dwarf.

Here are the traits I am thinking of:

- +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Wis, -2 Cha; Ebon Dwarves are nimble and hearty, but their souless nature leaves them not well liked and with a tendency to think more logically rather than wisely.
- Size: Medium; Ebon dwarves are usually slightly taller than normal dwarves.
- Speed: 30 ft
- Darkvision: Ebon Dwarves can see in the dark up to 120 feet.
- Insomniac: Ebon Dwarves only need to sleep for 4 hours out of every 24. They must still rest for the full 8 hours to regain abilities that recharge on a daily basis.
- Souless: An Ebon Dwarf is immune to spells that affect a creature's soul, such as soul trap. It also means that they cannot become a lich, vampire, ghost, or any undead that requires a soul. Nor can an Ebon Dwarf be raised from the dead. The bodies of Ebon Dwarves can be animated through other processes (as a zombie or golem, for instance). When reanimated, there is a chance that the original memories and personality of the Ebon. If an Ebon Dwarf ever gains a soul (such as through the use of a wish spell), this racial ability is removed and an Ebon Dwarf is like any other living creature.
- Spell Resistance: Ebon Dwarves possess spell resistance equal to 6 plus their class levels.
- Spell-Like Abilities: A Ebon Dwarves can cast dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire each once per day, using his total character level as his caster level.
- Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds Ebon Dwarves for 1 round; on subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
- Weapon Familiarity: Ebon Dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.
- Languages: Ebon Dwarves begin play speaking Common, Undercommon, and Dwarven. Ebon Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Terran.