Please allow for an extra day for shipping during the holiday.
Please allow for an extra day for shipping during the holiday.
July 12, 2021 7 min read
Author:Rhenn Anthony Taguiam
Meta Description:Fantasy fans often think of Dwarves as miners, armorers, and grumpy drunkards. In this D&D 5e guide, let's look at Dwarves and their many possibilities.
Fantasy stereotypes describe a Dwarf as short and stout with a side of snarky. With these tropes in mind, usual images of Dwarves paint them as short people wielding warhammers, axes, or even pickaxes against their foes. Naturally, first-time Dwarf users in Dungeons & Dragons 5e might imagine their dwarf as a miner, a smith, or an armorer with an attitude. If you're building a Dwarf, it might be better to "break" this stereotype. How, though?
This quick guide will give you everything you need to know when making a Dwarf for your D&D 5e game. Outside your usual miners or smiths, your Dwarf can be a stalwart knight, an angry warlock, or even a Dwarven noble. Remember, Dwarves may be short but, they pack quite the punch.
Players who want to make a Dwarf will benefit greatly from their Constitution, with their long lives in their settlements forging their resilience and proficiency in their craft. They have these racial traits:
Players can choose to be Hill Dwarves, which gives them incredible resilience, keen sense, and a gift of intuition. They gain these additional benefits:
Meanwhile, they can also choose to be Mountain Dwarves, all forged by the harsh life inside the mountains. They have lighter skin tones and are trained in the craft of wielding armor. They enjoy these benefits:
Thanks to their Constitution bonus, Dwarves get a much-needed boost to their health. As such, technicalities-wise, Dwarves can take on the role of classes that fight head-on and still take a bit of punishment. This factor explains the stereotypes of Dwarven Fighters with great-axes or even Dwarven Barbarians that tear the battlefield when enraged.
However, flavor-wise, Dwarves can opt to choose classes that take full advantage of their connection with nature, or even their advanced knowledge of crafting. Dwarven Clerics of the Forge domain or Dwarven Paladin stay true to the armored stereotypes of their race, with a touch of divinity courtesy of Forge gods.
Here are some of the best classes for your Dwarf that combine their technical advantages with a bit of flavor on the side:
Most popular Dwarves in fantasy settings share similar characteristics: angry and gruff, drunk and still drinking, great with the axe and the shield. They’re most often confined inside their mountains and forges, creating some of the best weapons, shields, and armor the world has ever seen.
However, players who want to lean away from this archetype may find interesting and compelling alternatives from various materials. Here are some considerations: