| Name | Type | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Damage Reduction | Ability | A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. A certain kind of weapon can sometimes damage the creature normally, as noted below. The entry indicates the amount of damage ignored (usually 5 to 15 points) and the type of weapon that negates the ability. Some monsters are vulnerable to piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage. Others are vulnerable to certain materials, such as adamantine, alchemical silver, or cold-forged iron. Attacks from weapons that are not of the correct type or made of the correct material have their damage reduced, although a high enhancement bonus can overcome some forms of damage reduction. Some monsters are vulnerable to magic weapons. Any weapon with at least a +1 magical enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls overcomes the damage reduction of these monsters. Such creatures' natural weapons (but not their attacks with weapons) are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A few very powerful monsters are vulnerable only to epic weapons—that is, magic weapons with at least a +6 enhancement bonus. Such creatures' natural weapons are also treated as epic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Some monsters are vulnerable to good-, evil-, chaotic-, or lawful-aligned weapons, such as from an align weapon spell or the holy magical weapon property. A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature. When a damage reduction entry has a dash (-) after the slash, no weapon negates the damage reduction. A few creatures are harmed by more than one kind of weapon, such as “cold iron or magic.” A weapon that inflicts damage of either of these types overcomes this damage reduction. A few other creatures require combinations of different types of attacks to overcome their damage reduction (such as “magic and silver”), and a weapon must be both types to overcome this type of damage reduction. A weapon that is only one type is still subject to damage reduction. Format: DR 5/silver; Location: Defensive Abilities. |
| Dark Creature | Template | |
| Darkvision | Ability | Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black-and-white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision. |
| Defensive Training | Ability | Get a dodge bonus to AC against monsters of a subtype |
| Draconic Creature Template | Template | A draconic creature is descended from a dragon ancestor, though that ancestor could be many generations removed. Draconic creatures often bear hints of their heritage, such as subtle coloration, slitted pupils, or scaly skin. Those with strong draconic features are sometimes mistaken for half-dragons. It isn’t necessary to determine the source of a draconic creature’s heritage, since the creature doesn’t gain any abilities directly related to its dragon ancestor. CREATING A DRACONIC CREATURE “Draconic” is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) except a dragon. (The dragon devotee prestige class in Chapter 5 also allows a character to gain this template.) A draconic creature uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: Animals with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the base creature’s type is unchanged. All creatures gain the dragonblood subtype. Size is unchanged. Armor Class: Natural armor improves by 1. Attack: A draconic creature retains all the attacks of the base creature and gains two claw attacks if it doesn’t already have them. If the base creature can use weapons, the draconic creature retains this ability. If the base creature has natural weapons, it retains those weapons. A draconic creature fi ghting without weapons uses either its claw attacks or its primary natural weapon (if it has one). A draconic creature armed with a weapon uses its claw attacks or a weapon, as it desires. Full Attack: A draconic creature fighting without weapons uses either its claw attacks or its natural weapons. If armed with a weapon, it uses the weapon as its primary attack and claws or some other natural weapon as a secondary attack. Damage: Draconic creatures have two claw attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the following table, according to the draconic creature’s size. Creatures that have claw attacks retain their old damage values, or use the appropriate value from the table, whichever is higher. Size Claw Damage Up to Tiny 1 Small 1d2 Medium 1d3 Large 1d4 Huge 1d6 Gargantuan 1d8 Colossal 1d10 Special Qualities: A draconic creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature, and it gains darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. Saves: Draconic creatures have a +4 racial bonus on saves against magic sleep effects and paralysis. Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Con +2, Cha +2. Skills: Draconic creatures have a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks and Spot checks. Organization: Solitary or as base creature. Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +1. Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +1. |
| Dragonborn | Template | Stuff |
| Dwarf | Race | Dwarves are a stoic but stern race, ensconced in cities carved from the hearts of mountains and fiercely determined to repel the depredations of savage races like orcs and goblins. More than any other race, the dwarves have acquired a reputation as dour and humorless craftsmen of the earth. It could be said that dwarven history shapes the dark disposition of many dwarves, for they reside in high mountains and dangerous realms below the earth, constantly at war with giants, goblins, and other such horrors. Physical Description: Dwarves are a short and stocky race, and stand about a foot shorter than most humans, with wide, compact bodies that account for their burly appearance. Male and female dwarves pride themselves on the length of their hair, and men often decorate their beards with a variety of clasps and intricate braids. A clean-shaven male dwarf is a sure sign of madness, or worse—no one familiar with their race trusts a beardless dwarf. Society: The great distances between their mountain citadels account for many of the cultural differences that exist within dwarven society. Despite these schisms, dwarves throughout the world are characterized by their love of stonework, their passion for stone- and metal-based craftsmanship and architecture, and a fierce hatred of giants, orcs, and goblinoids. Relations: Dwarves and orcs have long dwelt in proximity, theirs a history of violence as old as both their races. Dwarves generally distrust and shun half-orcs. They find halflings, elves, and gnomes to be too frail, flighty, or “pretty” to be worthy of proper respect. It is with humans that dwarves share the strongest link, for humans' industrious nature and hearty appetites come closest to matching those of the dwarven ideal. Alignment and Religion: Dwarves are driven by honor and tradition, and while they are often satirized as standoffish, they have a strong sense of friendship and justice, and those who win their trust understand that, while they work hard, they play even harder—especially when good ale is involved. Most dwarves are lawful good. Adventurers: Although dwarven adventurers are rare compared to humans, they can be found in most regions of the world. Dwarves often leave the confines of their redoubts to seek glory for their clans, to find wealth with which to enrich the fortress-homes of their birth, or to reclaim fallen dwarven citadels from racial enemies. Dwarven warfare is often characterized by tunnel fighting and melee combat, and as such most dwarves tend toward classes such as fighters and barbarians. Male Names: Dolgrin, Grunyar, Harsk, Kazmuk, Morgrym, Rogar. Female Names: Agna, Bodill, Ingra, Kotri, Rusilka, Yangrit. +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma: Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit gruff. Medium: Dwarves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance. Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. (see darkvision). Defensive Training: Dwarves get a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype. Greed: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise skill checks made to determine the price of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones. Hatred: Dwarves receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the orc and goblinoid subtypes due to special training against these hated foes. Hardy: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities. Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground. Stonecunning: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking. Weapon Familiarity: 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: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven. Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon. |