Dwarves have been a stapleof fantasy worlds for a long time. Details can vary between different media, but certain aspects remain consistent. Usually, they are about half the size of a human, often sporting very long and thick beards. Many stories show them living in a culture of industry or craftsmanship, working as miners or blacksmiths. When fighting, they are often associated with heavy weapons like battleaxes and hammers.
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One of the biggest appeals ofDungeons & Dragonsis the ability to customize a character to explore a fictional world. Players can select from a variety of classes, and can also choose from several different races, including dwarves. Whether a player their character to resemble theDwarves of Norse Mythology, the Dwarves who helped Snow White, or the Dwarves of Middle Earth, these small but mighty characters can be excellent additions to any party.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Dwarves are well-suited to combat. Even at first level, a dwarf automatically receivestwo extra constitution pointsand getsproficiency in heavy weaponslike battleaxes and warhammers. This makes them a very good fit for thebarbarian and fighterclasses, as it allows them totake damage while also inflicting it on their enemies.
A dwarf also has access toproficiencies in smith tools, mason’s tools, or brewer’s tools,due to their culture of craftsmanship. A dwarf can be an excellent blacksmith or stonecutter if the need arises, or they can use brewer’s tools to make drinks for the party to enjoy in their downtime.
The main disadvantage with dwarves is, while they are sturdy and great at fighting, they areslower than other races. This can affect their ability to engage with enemies. They lack the agility of elves, and this slowness can be restrictive during combat.
Subraces
Mountain Dwarf
Mountain dwarves are typically portrayed as hardened survivors. They prefer to live in tight-knit but isolated communities in rough environments, where they are less likely to encounter other races. Barbarians and fighters are common roles for them, although they can fit into any class. Independence and self-reliance are core values of mountain dwarves, and they are reluctant to ask others for help.
Mountain dwarves gettwo extra points for strength, which is especially great for combat-oriented classes like fighter, barbarian, or paladin. They also get access tolight and medium armor, plusan extra hit point.
The Dwarves of Middle Earth would be good examples of Mountain Dwarves, especially as depicted inThe Hobbit. Aside from literally living in and under mountains, distrust of other races is common among them. Thorin Oakenshield was ready to go to war over being asked to share his treasure. InFellowship Of The Ring,evenGimli had to warm up to the ideaof fighting alongside an elf.
Hill Dwarf
Hill dwarves are usually depicted as being a more sociable race. They are more inclined to interact with others and develop working relationships with neighboring communities, though their lifestyles are often otherwise very similar to mountain dwarves.
Like mountain dwarves, hill dwarves are proficient fighters who can take damage. They get the “dwarven toughness” feat which addsone extra hit point,andcontinues to add one each time the player levels up. This is great for combat, since the increased health makes them good for tank positions.
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Hill dwarves are also more versatile than mountain dwarves. They getone extra point to wisdom, allowing for a more tactical approach. While a mountain dwarf focuses on physical strength, hill dwarves are more aware of their surroundings. Improved wisdom scores mean better chances of successfulperception and survival rolls. The wisdom ability alsolends itself to some spellcasting classes, particularlydruidsandclerics. This makes hill dwarves a good fit for players interested in subverting the depictions of barbarian and fighter dwarves.
The title characters inSnow White and the Seven Dwarveswould be good examples of hill dwarves in popular culture. They are much more outgoing, and happy to help a human in need.
Creating a Dwarf
While there is no right or wrong way to build a dwarf, it is useful to consider their key advantages. Dwarves arenaturally strong and sturdy,making them great for combat, but this is not necessarily a requirement. Dwarvesdo nothave to be fighters or barbarians. SinceDungeons & Dragonsis not exclusively combat, a non-fighter dwarf could use their strength in other ways. For instance, they may volunteer to carry a heavy load for the party, move heavy obstacles, or pull up a teammate who is hanging from a cliff.
Additionally, dwarves have other abilities besides strength. Some players may be more interested in working with stonecutting or poison resistance. The stonecutting ability could easily allow a dwarf to be a goodarchaeologist or geologist, being able to discern information about stone artifacts from their own experience working with rocks. Such a character would be a great fit for theArtificer class.Alternatively, a dwarf could try to win favor from a king by volunteering as a taster, using their poison resistance ability to identify the weapon of a potential assassin.
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