Half-Elves, yes? Why not Half-Dwarves?

Trooper Maximus

First Post
A 4E treatment of the half-dwarf. Constructive criticism much appreciated. Please forgive me I'm not an english teacher, that's my brother.



MüL (Half-Dwarf)


Tough as a dwarf
and tall as a man

RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 5’ 6” – 6’ 2”
Average Weight: 160 – 230 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Dwarven, choice of one other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Athletics
Dwarven Heritage: You can use your second wind as a minor action instead of a standard action.
Tireless Toil: You can endure in harsh conditions without food or water without ill effects three times longer than normal.
Sterner Stuff: +3 to Fortitude defense.
Defiant Even Unto Death: You have twice as many Death Saving Throws for a total of six (6).

Very rarely do dwarves and humans mate. When they do, the couples are more often than not biologically incompatible to bear offspring. In the unlikely event that the parents are capable of produce a child the result, regardless of parentage, is always a mül.

Born to mixed couples they are often the subject of prejudice in both their native societies. Due to the inherent racism they frequently face many find solace in religious sects. Their hardy physique makes them very capable fighters and warlords. Fortunately their natural toughness makes them apt candidates for adventuring.

Play a mül if you want . . .

  • to be able to shrug off ruining pain, survive in the most unforgiving environments and stand firm against waves of enemies.
  • to show a world its not who you were born to but what you do that determines your greatness.
  • to be a member of a race that favors the fighter, warlord and cleric class.

PHYSICAL QUALITIES
Müls are as tall, sometimes taller, than their human parents and typically not as broad as their dwarven parents. They are born hairless and only grow eyebrows and eyelashes, along with nose & ear hair, within a few weeks of being born. That is all the hair they will ever grow. Skin tones and eye color run the typical gamut of human and dwarf norms.
Many villages frown upon the birth of a mül child as they are all sterile or barren and cannot produce offspring to help sustain a community. Thus, many are led to live violent and arduous lives of the second-class citizenry. Most of the relatively few müls to exist become warriors.
There is no commonality to mül society. One might say there isn’t one since there are so few of them in the world. On the off chance that two of these beings should ever meet they’re just as likely to rejoice in commonality as to manifest an instant dislike for the other because of what they represent, an outcast in a cruel and unfair world.
Müls don’t live any longer than their human parents but like their dwarven parents manage to stave off the effects of old-age right up until the last few months of life.

PLAYING A MüL
Inheriting the best parts of their mixed parentage müls are ideally suited to live the life of an adventurer. They typically see the world from the perspective of a victim as they are usually treated unfairly by a world that doesn’t want them. That is not to say that they are all anti-social misanthropes but most members of the mül race are at least cautious when first introduced to new people.
One trait that is universally shared by all müls is their almost iron built bodies. They are able to endure beyond the limits of any other humanoid race. They can perform grueling, intense labor for days at a time without rest, food and with very little water. This, unfortunately, makes them especially attractive to slavers and more than a few of these rare breed beings have been captured and sold into unwilling servitude.

Mül Characteristics: Angry,cautious, defiant, hard-nosed, lonely, uncouth


MǕL ADVENTURERS
Three sample mül adventurers are described below.
Rikus was born into slavery but his spirit was always free. Pitted to face horrible creatures for the amusement of a cruel king for most of his life he was at last able to secure his freedom when he helped over throw the corrupt monarch and slavery was outlawed. Now, Rikus uses his sword to lead mighty legions against slave owning nations in a bloody crusade to end slavery across the land. Negotiations, after all, are for more civilized races.
Ezekiel was abandoned at birth on the doorstep of a church dedicated to Moradin. He was raised as a ward of the church and trained in the holy texts of the creation god. Now a grown man, Ezekiel has begun a pilgrimage to preach the word of Moradin and do good deeds in his name. He ultimately hopes to create a great cathedral to his patron god and fill it with his converted followers. They will be his children and he their father.
Tulg was raised by the cruel world that rejected him. The streets were his home and from them he learned self-reliance, pride in himself and that the strong must do whatever it takes to survive; even take from the weak. Tulg resents his life and wonders what it would be like to live the charmed life of a noble. Perhaps when he accumulates enough wealth he will find out.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

A Average Height: 5’ 6” – 6’ 2”.
I think this is too tall, you might want to shorten it a bit.
A Languages: Common, Dwarven, choice of one other”.
This is one too many languages, all the other races just get two.
A Tireless Toil: You can endure in harsh conditions without food or water without ill effects three times longer than normal.
I don't see how this will affect game play. Wizards even edited it from the warforged section when they converted to 4e.
A Sterner Stuff: +3 to Fortitude defense.
Whoa, I think this is way too high. The only equivalent in the PHB is the Eladrin Will Defense and it's only +1. Maybe give a +3 vs. poison in addition. The Eladrin have a +2 to charm.
ADefiant Even Unto Death: You have twice as many Death Saving Throws for a total of six (6).
I would change this to the encounter power for the Mul. Only usable once per encounter, as an immediate interrupt when a death save was failed. Reroll and keep the higher result.

Good job on the type up. I like it.
 
Last edited:

I think this is too tall, you might want to shorten it a bit.
I did make it a bit taller than a human, yeah. I agree.

This is one too many languages, all the other races just get two.
Half-Elves get Common, Elven & 1 other. I though it was supposed to reflect their multi-ethnicity?

I don't see how this will affect game play. Wizards even edited it from the warforged section when they converted to 4e.
Hmmm. . .not even for periods of rest needed like an Eladrin's trance? That was the point. Eladrin, Drow, Elves . . . none of them need to sleep. If the Mul's trademark is his endurance why not have him go like the energizer bunny?

Whoa, I think this is way too high. The only equivalent in the PHB is the Eladrin Will Defense and it's only +1. Maybe give a +3 vs. poison in addition. The Eladrin havve a +2 to charm.
Human's get +1 to all 3, Dwarves get +5 verses poison. I just made it +3 to Fort because it seemed like a happy medium.

I would change this to the encounter power for the Mul. Only usable once per encounter, as an immediate interrupt when a death save was failed. Reroll and keep the higher result.
That sounds good!

Good job on the type up. I like it.
Thanks. Would you let players use it?
 


Lets try this:

Mül (Half-Dwarf)

Tough as a dwarf, and as stubborn as a human

RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 4'9"-5"6"
Average Weight: 150 – 230 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Dwarven, choice of one other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Athletics
Dual Hertiage: You can take feats that have either dwarf or human as a prerequisite (as well as those specifically for müls,) as long as ou meet any other requirements.
Dwarven Resilience: You can use your second wind as a minor action instead of a standard action.
Sterner Stuff: +1 to Fortitude, +2 vs. poisons
Defiant Even Unto Death:You can use the Defiant Unto Death Encounter Power.

Defiant Even Unto Death Mül Racial Power
Your mixed heritage makes you tougher than either of your parents.
Encounter
Immediate Interrupt Personal

Effect: When you fail a death save, reroll that save. You are forced to take the second roll, even if it's lower.

Very rarely do dwarves and humans mate. When they do, the couples are more often than not biologically incompatible to bear offspring. In the unlikely event that the parents are capable of produce a child the result, regardless of parentage, is always a mül.

Born to mixed couples they are often the subject of prejudice in both their native societies. Due to their inability to bear children many find solace in religious sects or in leadership positions where they can be a figurative father or mother. Their hardy physique makes them very capable fighters and warlords. Fortunately their natural toughness makes them apt candidates for adventuring.

Play a mül if you want . . .

* to be able to shrug off ruining pain, survive in the most unforgiving environments and stand firm against waves of enemies.
* to show a world its not who you were born to but what you do that determines your greatness.
* to be a member of a race that favors the fighter, warlord and cleric class.

PHYSICAL QUALITIES
Müls are as slightly shorter than their human parents and typically not as broad as their dwarven parents. They are born hairless and only grow eyebrows and eyelashes, along with nose & ear hair, within a few weeks of being born. That is all the hair they will ever grow. Skin tones and eye color run the typical gamut of human and dwarf norms.
Many villages frown upon the birth of a mül child as they are all sterile or barren and cannot produce offspring to help sustain a community. Thus, many are led to live violent and arduous lives of the second-class citizenry. Most of the relatively few müls to exist become warriors.
There is no commonality to mül society. One might say there isn’t one since there are so few of them in the world. On the off chance that two of these beings should ever meet they’re just as likely to rejoice in commonality as to manifest an instant dislike for the other because of what they represent, an outcast in a cruel and unfair world.
Müls don’t live any longer than their human parents but like their dwarven parents manage to stave off the effects of old-age right up until the last few months of life.

PLAYING A MüL
Inheriting the best parts of their mixed parentage müls are ideally suited to live the life of an adventurer. They typically see the world from the perspective of a victim as they are usually treated unfairly by a world that doesn’t want them. That is not to say that they are all anti-social misanthropes but most members of the mül race are at least cautious when first introduced to new people.
One trait that is universally shared by all müls is their almost iron built bodies. They are able to endure beyond the limits of any other humanoid race. They can perform grueling, intense labor for days at a time without rest, food and with very little water. This, unfortunately, makes them especially attractive to slavers and more than a few of these rare breed beings have been captured and sold into unwilling servitude.

Mül Characteristics: Angry,cautious, defiant, hard-nosed, lonely, uncouth


MǕL ADVENTURERS
Three sample mül adventurers are described below.
Rikus was born into slavery but his spirit was always free. Pitted to face horrible creatures for the amusement of a cruel king for most of his life he was at last able to secure his freedom when he helped over throw the corrupt monarch and slavery was outlawed. Now, Rikus uses his sword to lead mighty legions against slave owning nations in a bloody crusade to end slavery across the land. Negotiations, after all, are for more civilized races.
Ezekiel was abandoned at birth on the doorstep of a church dedicated to Moradin. He was raised as a ward of the church and trained in the holy texts of the creation god. Now a grown man, Ezekiel has begun a pilgrimage to preach the word of Moradin and do good deeds in his name. He ultimately hopes to create a great cathedral to his patron god and fill it with his converted followers. They will be his children and he their father.
Tulg was raised by the cruel world that rejected him. The streets were his home and from them he learned self-reliance, pride in himself and that the strong must do whatever it takes to survive; even take from the weak. Tulg resents his life and wonders what it would be like to live the charmed life of a noble. Perhaps when he accumulates enough wealth he will find out.
 


Half-Elves, yes? Why not Half-Dwarves?
My guess would be elves are considered attractive, dwarves aren't. Thus the idea of half-elves is acceptable (even "romantic"), whereas the idea of humans procreating with dwarves makes us go "yuck".

A guess only, mind you.
 

Its been a long time since I've really read my Dark Sun stuff. Did you reference that at all when working on this or is the name a coincidence? Just curious.
 

Here's another tweak

Mül (Half-Dwarf)

Tough as a dwarf, and as stubborn as a human

RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 5'6"-6"2"
Average Weight: 160 – 230 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares. (even when encumbered by armor or a heavy load)
Vision: Normal

Languages: Common, Dwarven
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Athletics
Dual Heritage: You can take feats that have either dwarf or human as a prerequisite (as well as those specifically for müls,) as long as you meet any other requirements.
Indomitable Defense: When using your second wind, you gain an additional +2 bonus to all defenses until the start of your next turn, for a total of +4.
Sterner Stuff You gain a +5 racial bonus on saving throws against ongoing damage
Defiant Even Unto Death:You can use the Defiant Unto Death Encounter Power.

Defiant Even Unto Death Mül Racial Power
Your mixed heritage makes you tougher than either of your parents.
Encounter
Immediate Interrupt Personal

Effect: When you fail a death save, reroll that save. You are forced to take the second roll, even if it's lower.

Racial Feats:

ARENA BRED
Heroic Tier
Prerequisite:
Mül
Benefit: You gain proficiency with the Whip, the Bola, and the Net, and gain a +2 feat bonus to damage with all superior weapons.

STUBBORN AS A MÜL
Heroic Tier
Prerequisite:
Mül, Defiant Even Unto Death racial power
Benefit: When you use your Defiant Even Unto Death power, you gain a +2 racial bonus to the reroll. In addition, any time you spend a healing surge because you rolled 20 or higher on a death saving throw, you gain a number of additional hp equal to your constitution score.


In Dark Sun, the Mül was all about hybrid strength--That the crossbreed of a human and a dwarf was bigger and tougher than either of its parent races. I changed the second ability increase to Constitution--Müls were more hardy than wise, in my opinion. I also ditched the low-light vision in exchange for a cooler dwarven trait--the ability to wear heavier armor without a speed penalty.

I also tweaked the second wind thing to make it more distinct from the dwarven one, and turned sterner stuff into a saving throw bonus--between the plusses to str and con, he's getting that fortitude boost elsewhere.
 
Last edited:

Its been a long time since I've really read my Dark Sun stuff. Did you reference that at all when working on this or is the name a coincidence? Just curious.
For the name and inspiration. I long lost my DS books so I had to go off of my memory of the TSR material and Troy Denning's Prism Pentad books.

That's neat, arscott! Yeah the Mul was a brick in the DS setting (almost as tough as a Half-Giant, IIRC). I didn't feel it would be right to make two physical bonus stats as I think it's a bit munchkin. I do see where you're coming form though and must admit I labored over the idea myself.

I also tweaked the second wind thing to make it more distinct from the dwarven one, and turned sterner stuff into a saving throw bonus--between the plusses to str and con, he's getting that fortitude boost elsewhere.
I liked that a bit, I must say. These are some good ideas.

Anyone have an idea why WotC has neglected this obvious miss like CapnZapp?
 
Last edited:

Remove ads

Top