This guide is written for all of you who, like me, want to use AD&D hero species in your Alternity. Instead of merely converting AD&D characters into Alternity, which is very easy to do, why not just create those AD&D-like characters directly from the Alternity rules. This guide covers all the official dwarves from AD&D campaign settings, and includes conversions of Dwarven races and of dwarves never officially used as a hero race in AD&D as well.

Attribute Ranges:

STR 7-14
DEX 4-13
CON 9-14
INT 4-14
WIL 4-14
PER 4-13

Free Broad Skills:

STR Athletics
DEX
CON Stamina
INT Knowledge
WIL Awareness, Resolve
PER Interaction

Special Rules:

*Magic and Poison Resistance: Dwarves gain an increase of +2 to their resistance modifiers against Arcane Magic and Faith FX specialty skills. Dwarves also gain a –2 bonus to Constitution feat checks caused by poison and radiation.

*Defensive Skill: Dwarves add +2 to their resistance modifiers against melee attacks or unarmed attacks from humanoids 3 meters or taller in height.

*Infravision: Dwarves ignore any penalties that apply in situations of low illumination or total darkness—provided there are objects producing variant radiant heat in the area.

*Mining Skills: Dwarves posses a special Will-based broad skill that allows them to check for the following phenomena:

Detect grade or slope -2 step bonus

Detect new construction -2 step bonus

Detect sliding/shifting walls or rooms -1 step bonus

Detect stonework traps, pits, and deadfalls No modifier

Detect approximate depth underground No modifier

*Start with a 2 point phobia of water

Hill and Mountain Dwarves, while different are much the same in many regards. Both stand around four to four and a half feet tall, and weigh around 130 to 170 pounds. Hill dwarves tend to have dark black or brown hair, while mountain dwarves have lighter hair and skin colors. They wear their hair long, but keep it pulled back from their eyes, so as not to impair vision. Both races prefer moustaches and beards. A dwarf’s beard is a symbol of pride. The quickest way to get a dwarf to want to kill another is for their foe to disfigure their beard in some manner. Even females can grow beards, though most keep them trimmed back to just slight sideburns. Both races prefer to keep their clothing and beards free of decorations.

Roleplay Notes:

Hill and Mountain dwarves are strong creatures. Strong, that is, in both physical strength and mental resolve as well. They are a proud species that closely guards their homes and way of life. Hill dwarves are more open to outsiders than most, even placing markets at their guardposts on the surface near their cavern homes. Mountain dwarves are much more the isolationist than their hill dwarf cousins, they even regard hill dwarves as outsiders. Both races display a great appreciation of stonecraft and gemcraft. They will talk on and on about the craftsmanship of their homes, or go days of their way to visit another dwarven stronghold just to gaze upon the stonework. They also see the beauty intristic in a simple cave.

Hill and Mountain dwarves have many enemies. If another clan or species makes war on dwarves, they hold them and all their kin as enemies for several generations. With a lifespan of about 300 to 450 years, old dwarves will see more than a human can ever comprehend. They are a gruff and nearly spiteful species that seem to much rather cuss a person than say hello. Underneath that rough exterior, they hold hearts as kind as any other species. If one counts a hill or mountain dwarf as a friend, they know that they have an ally that will gladly lay his life on the line for them. To a hill or mountain dwarf, friends and family are something to cherish and protect with their lives. Dwarven honor is something unbreakable.

Free Broad Skills:

STR Athletics
DEX
CON Stamina
INT Knowledge
WIL Awareness, Resolve
PER Interaction

Special Rules:

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive skill: Same as the Mountain/Hill Dwarf bonus, but they only gain the bonus against underground creatures of 3 meters or height or larger.

*Mining Skills

*Underground Species: Since Duergar live underground and are not accustomed to bright light, they suffer a +1 step penalty all skill rolls while in bright light.

*Enlargement: Duergar have the ability to make themselves shrink or grow at will. They can make themselves as small as a half a foot tall or as big as eight feet. Anything they are wearing changes size along with them. When they change size, they must follow any rules for fighting as a larger or smaller species.

*Invisibility: This ability allows a duergar to become invisible to both normal sight and infravision. The effect only lasts 2d4 rounds, and they must wait 1d4 hours before they can use the ability again. Anyone using motion sensors or magical/psionic means of detection can detect an invisible duergar.

Duergar dwarves look like emaciated mountain dwarves. Their skin ranges from medium to dark gray, with hair that ranges from white to dark gray. They wear clothing that will help them blend in with their surroundings, usually black or gray in color. They can live up to 400 years, though few ever reach that mark.

Roleplay Notes:

Duergar dwarves are a harsh and unforgiving breed of dwarf. They live much deeper underground than other dwarves, this puts them in a live or die lifestyle that makes a person almost cruel. Duergar are cold and unfeeling creatures. They believe that the strongest prevail and the weak shall die. Duergar heroes tend to be a bit more dour and harsh with their bickering and moaning than other dwarves, but if they call a person friend they stand beside them just the same.

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics
DEX Stealth
CON
INT Knowledge
WIS Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules:

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skill

*Underground Species: Since Derro live underground and are not accustomed to bright light, they suffer a +1 step penalty all skill rolls while in bright light. Derro will die if exposed to direct sunlight with no protection for several days.

*Start play with the 2 point Infamy flaw when dealing with other Dwarves.

Derro dwarves are a degenerate race of dwarves. Their skin is bluish-white, with sickly yellow or tan hair that is always straight. Their eyes are completely white with no pupils at all. They cannot grow effective beards, so they usually shave them off to sport only coarse moustaches. They have a look about them that reminds other dwarf races of humans, and vice versa.

Roleplay Notes:

Derro dwarves love only two things. The first is to watch the slow, humiliating deaths of their foes, usually humans and other surface-dwelling species; and the second is to pervert all knowledge to suit their evil needs. Derro are cruel and wicked creatures. They winnow out the weak of their race through wars waged on other species. They look upon all other species with contempt and as a source of more slaves. While not all derro are evil in the extreme, all are cold and calculating. No one has ever met a truly friendly derro, even the friendly derro will leave an ally behind if it suits his needs.

Attribute Ranges (The first column is for common AD&D stats, and the second column is for Dark Sun specific stats.)

STR 8-14 8-16
DEX 5-13 5-15
CON 10-14 10-16
INT 5-14 5-16
WIL 5-14 5-16
PER 5-14 5-14

Free Broad Skills:

STR Athletics
DEX
CON Stamina
INT Knowledge
WIL Awareness, Resolve
PER Interaction

Special Rules:

*Infravision

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Focus: Dwarves that commit themselves to a goal that is difficult to attain and takes at least 2 weeks to complete gain a extra +1 to all resistance rolls, and they gain a –2 step bonus to all skill rolls. An Athasian Dwarf that dies before completing his focus rises from the dead as a Dwarven Banshee (see the Creature Section on my site).

Athasian dwarves have the same statue and size as other dwarves, but they tend to be much more muscular and therefore, much heavier. They shave all their hair off to help keep cool in the hot sun of their homeworld, Athas. The most hair athasian dwarves have is a topknot.

Roleplay Notes:

Athasian dwarves are diligent workers. There is little that brings a smile to an athasian dwarves’ face other than a hard day’s work. Their focus (see above) is the driving force in their lives. They do all that they can to fulfill their focus and be able to die with the knowledge that they will rest in peace. Athasian dwarves are much like other dwarves in the regard that they are dour and hard to get along with, but they also hold the same high regard for honor and friendship as their cousins from other worlds.

Attribute Ranges:

STR 8-14

DEX 4-13

CON 9-15

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-10

Free Broad Skills:

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules:

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

Daergar dwarves have light brown skin and smooth cheeks. Their hair is black or gray, and their eyes are deep brown or violet. They a bit stockier than other dwarves, averaging around 150 to 180 pounds. They typically wear furs, dark dyed leather, and dull gray chainmail.

Roleplay Notes:

Daergar dwarves have won the distinction of being the most violent of the dwarven races. They love combat and war. Daergar unwind watching gladiatorial combats between slaves and prisoners. They care little for what others think of them. Daergar believe that the make of a dwarf is whether or not he can be beaten. Those that are beaten are worthless, until they can overcome the foe that defeated them. They have a harsh code of honor that demands blood regularly for even minor social mistakes.

Attribute Ranges

STR 5-14

DEX 5-14

CON 4-9

INT 4-8

WIL 4-8

PER 4-8

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX Stealth
CON
INT
WIL Awareness, Street Smart
PER Deception, Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

*Start with the 4 point Spineless flaw

*+2 step penalty to all Personality skill rolls when dealing with NPC’s

*Start play with the Primitive flaw

Gully dwarves are short and squat. They stand about four feet tall and weigh only about 100 pounds. Their skin color ranges from dark olive to tan. Males have long, scruffy beards, while females only have cheek hair. Hair color ranges from dirty blonde to dull black. Eye colors are either watery blue, dull green, or hazel. They are much thinner in their fingers and limbs than other dwarves. Their skin is usually covered in scars, boils, sores, and filth. Both sexes tend to sport pot bellies.

Roleplay Notes:

Gully dwarves are the most pathetic race of dwarf. They live in filth, eat refuse, and are dumber than a box of rocks. They can’t count higher than two on average, but yet they have an inflated sense of self-worth. They take themselves rather seriously and become angry to the point of rage when not at least humored as being important. They actually revere cowardice. When first encountered, gully dwarves usually faint, cry or beg for mercy even when those encountered are acting in a non-threatening manner. Their magic items are usually nothing more than trash, but to gully dwarves they hold powerful magics that rival that of any elven mage. Gully dwarves are the epitome of pathetic, but not in their own eyes.

Attribute Ranges

STR 8-14

DEX 4-13

CON 10-15

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-12

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skill

*Start with a 2 point phobia of water

Niedar dwarves and hill dwarves (noted above) look the same.

Roleplay Notes:

Niedar dwarves act the same as hill dwarves noted above. The reason for the separate entry is the difference in attribute limits. Neidar dwarves are commonly found on the planet of Krynn.

Attribute Ranges

STR 7-14

DEX 4-13

CON 9-15

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-12

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

Hylar dwarves look like mountain dwarves (noted above).

Roleplay Notes:

Hylar dwarves are much like normal mountain dwarves, but they tend to be kinder and therefore, more respected. They treat their prisoners with dignity and grace, much unlike many of their cousins. They still have the typical mountain dwarf distrust of other species, but they aren’t as gruff about their dislike.

Attribute Ranges

STR 7-14

DEX 4-14

CON 9-14

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-9

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Arcane Magic

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skill

*+1 step penalty to all skill rolls while in bright light

*Start with the 2 point Infamy flaw when dealing with other dwarves except Daergar.

Theiwar dwarves are the same as the derro dwarves (noted above).

Roleplay Notes:

Theiwar dwarves are the same as derro dwarves (note above). The reason for the different entry is for the difference in attribute ranges. Theiwar are commonly found on the planet of Krynn.

Attribute Ranges

STR 7-15

DEX 4-12

CON 9-12

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-12

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

*Bonus Spells: Any Zakhar Dwarf that purchases the Arcance Magic FX broad skill gain the Blindness and Deafness spells for free.

Zakhar dwarves have white skin and eyes that look like clear marbles. Their hair is either white of gray. Zakhar are shorter than other dwarves, standing only three feet in height. Their limbs are thin. Zakhar tend to dress in clothing that conceals their features, while wearing skin-tight gloves and boots. Their voices are thin and whispery.

Roleplay Notes:

Zakhar dwarves are mysterious. They are even-tempered to the point of being cold. They care not for any life beyond that of other Zakhar. They are very private. Zakhar do not stand for people nosing around in their personal affairs. They do not go out looking for trouble, but they are quick to act when trouble comes looking for them. They are ruthless and uncaring. To a zakhar dwarf, all that matters is personal survival.

Attribute Ranges

STR 7-14

DEX 4-13

CON 6-14

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-12

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge, Security

WIL Awareness

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance: Due to Wild Dwarves’ use of poisons, they get an additional +1 bonus to their resistance.

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

*Receive –1 damage from insect swarms and heat-based attacks

*Start play with the Primitive flaw

Wild dwarves are dark-skinned, short and stout. Their bodies are covered in tattoos and grease which serves to keep away insects and to make them hard to hold. They wear nothing but their long, woven hair, which serves as adequate clothing. This, they plaster with mud into crude armor when going to war.

Roleplay Notes:

Wild dwarves are wary of other species. They are reclusive and standoffish at times. They revere the idea of family above everything else. A person who claims a wild dwarf as a friend can also claim the dwarf’s entire tribe as allies as well. To wild dwarves, a person that betrays his family is as evil a being as can exist.

Attribute Ranges

STR 7-14

DEX 4-13

CON 8-15

INT 4-14

WIL 4-14

PER 4-13

Free Broad Skills

STR Athletics

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

*Immune to all Cold-based attacks

Arctic dwarves look like normal dwarves who have been squashed. They stand around three feet tall, and are nearly as broad as they are tall. Their eyes are bright blue and their cheeks are a ruddy hue. Normally their skin is white, almost bluish, but many artis dwarves are sunburned from head to toe, a condition that causes them no discomfort. Their fingers and toes are thick and blunt, their feet are flat and wide, which allows them to walk in the snow with ease. White hair covers their heads and tumbles down their backs nearly to their waists. Males wear short beards and twisting moustaches. They dress in simple furs, but they are always barefoot.

Roleplay Notes:

Arctic dwarves are very peaceful, but they engage in recreational combat regularly. They rarely engage in war and never go off to battle to gain treasure or uphold a priniciple, they feel that kind of action is the height of stupidity. They are excellent hunters and fishermen. Arctic dwarves are gifted storytellers and singers, they also enjoy contact sports. They have a love of weapons. An arctic dwarf that discovers a weapon he’s never seen before will spend hours studying it and figuring out the best way to use it in certain situations. They are probably the most sociable of all the dwarven species. They are curious and outgoing, even if they seem a bit distant at first.

Attribute Ranges

STR 8-14

DEX 4-12

CON 7-15

INT 4-14

WIL 5-14

PER 4-13

Free Broad Skills

STR Unarmed Attack

DEX

CON Stamina

INT Knowledge

WIL Awareness, Resolve

PER Interaction

Special Rules

*Magic and Poison Resistance

*Infravision

*Defensive Skill

*Mining Skills

*Stone Walk: This innate ability allows the dwarf to pass through 15 yards of stone per level. They make take up to twice their own body weight with them. This ability may be used at will. For Urdunnir to use this ability offensively, the Urdunnir must make a successful Unarmed Attack roll to grab the target, who is allowed a Strength Feat check to break the dwarf’s grip. A victim released by an Urdunnir inside stone is instantly slain. Only a Wish spell will bring the deceased back to life. A Phase Door spell cast on a stone walking Urdunnir will instantly kill him.

*Stone Shape: This innate ability allows the dwarf to shape up to eight cubic feet of stone into whatever the dwarf wishes. This ability may be used once per round at no limit.

*Shape Metal: An Urdunnir who concentrates for one round can Shape Metal in the next round. Up to five cubic feet may be affected per use. If an Urdunnir uses this power to on metal carried or worn by another individual, an attack roll is required. An Urdunnir prepared for an attack by a metal weapon can shape it as it hits, taking only half damage and rendering the weapon useless (works only against melee weapons). Magical weapons and armor apply a resistance penalty equal to the weapon or armor’s level of enchantment.

*Urdunnir Dwarves do not use weapons.

*Start play with the 4 point Obession flaw when they are in the presence of Xorn (see the Creature section on my web site)

Urdinnir dwarves look much like mountain dwarves (detailed above). Their skin tends to be light gray in color, while their beards range from light gray to dark gray. Their eyes are silver. Urdinnir take extremely good care of their facial hair, but otherwise spend very little energy on grooming. Urdinnir wear garments made of stone and metal, using their innate abilities to make the materials flexible.

Roleplay Notes:

Urdunnir dwarves are said to be the chosen race of the chief dwarven god. They are not widely known to exist even among dwarves. They are highly secretive and protective of their homes, belongings, and above all, their privacy. They do not attack unless provoked since they see mindless violence as vulgar. They spend most of their time mining for metal and gems, the latter they eat instead of normal food. Different clans specialize in the shaping of a different material. One clan may shape stone, while another may shape gold or silver.