Backer Exclusive Preview: Half-Dwarf Race

I was initially concerned with emphasizing their usefulness as a slave race since most of the history of half-dwarves in D&D is as muls in Dark Sun but I think I do agree with you that it would be better if their ability score increases were more symmetric with half-elves. Because half-elves get stuck with the situationally useful Charisma bonus I think it makes sense to give them only one additional ability score increase rather than the two that half-elves get.

Benjamin Huffman

Tool proficiency doesn't really impact balance too much. I'm looking closely at what needs to shift to include poison resistance since people are concerned about that. I think the ability score increase suggestion you and Ross are making seems sensible too.

Benjamin Huffman

Personally, I think I would replace the Str +1 and Wis +1 with +1 to an ability score of your choice other than Con (to make it feel more human-esque) and the previously mentioned poison resistance (to feel even more dwarf-like). I also feel like Tireless should only restore hit points equal to twice your level in addition to removing a level of exhaustion, since removing exhaustion AND regaining half hit point maximum is SO extremely powerful that it's taking a massive chunk out of your power budget, and it also feels far too strong for a racial benefit in its current form. A relatively small HP restore with exhaustion removal just feels much more balanced and in line with other similar racial benefits, like Aasimar's Healing Hands or Goblin's Fury of the Small. Both of those only apply your level, so I think Tireless can afford twice level since it only works over a short rest.

definitely remove the wisdom for poison resistance, or maybe remove the tool proficiency? i'd say changing the +1 str and wis to +1 to a score other than con of your choice, due to humans being versatile

Lee Robins

I was considering that but Tireless is so good I think that might be too much. After the majority of the work was done I had to decide if I wanted to give Half-Dwarf it's last shot of power in it's ability score increase trait (which I did), add in the poison resistance from dwarf, or come up with another original trait. I quickly decided another original trait isn't the direction I wanted to go and then, the more I thought about it, Tireless was so good (but so relevant to half-dwarves as they have been in previous editions of D&D) that posion resistance too might be a bit much. But I don't know - what do you think? Would you remove the Wisdom increase and add in poison resistance?

Benjamin Huffman

No poison resistance?

Lee Robins