Lord of the Rings Dwarf Template

[Gavynn]

Given that it had been a little bit since I had posted the elf template, I thought I might go ahead and post the first draft of the dwarf template. I am not sure what to do with size modifiers and I think this template has to many racial quirks, but I have not given much more thought to model what I have as quirks. Anyway, the thread on the elves was amazingly beneficial. I hope this one will be two.

Dwarf
It costs 12 points to play a dwarf

Attribute Modifiers
-1 Dexterity [-20]
+1 Health [10]

Languages
Khuzdul (Native/Fully Literate) [0]
Westron (Native/Fully Literate) [6]

Secondary Characteristics
Fatigue +3 [9] (B.16)
Will +2 [10] (B.16)
Reduced Move -1 [-5] (B.17)

Racial Advantages
Hard to Kill Level 1 [2] (B.58)
Magic Resistance Level 2 [4] (B.67)
Resistant to Disease (occasional) [10] (B.81)
Longevity [2] (B.66)
Extended Lifespan Level One [2] (B.53)
Night Vision Level One [1] (B.71)
Racial Talent (Craftmanship +2) [10]

Racial Disadvantages
Sense of Duty to Dwarf-kind [-15] (B.153)
Racial Incompetence (Animal Aversion -2) [-10]

Traits
+2 to all checks to start fires [1]

Quirks
Never shave or cut beards [-1]
Suspicion of magic [-1]
Honor Bound and Proud [-1]
Distrust of Elves [-1]
Grudge of Dwarves [-1]

Features
Body decays at half the normal rate [0]

[rlbeaver]

I believe Dwarves practice their own magic although it sounds a bit simple, and it seems they all have some ability it it. For instance, in the Hobbit they put spells over the treasure they found from the trolls. Granted that could be just imaginary on their part, but I presumed it was "real." Also, didn't their doors have some magic, or was it all just mechanical?

I seem to remember several references to magic of the Dwarves in the Silmarillion . If I am recalling it correctly, it was minor and more of a hedge magic than full blown magic...

[Kelly Pedersen]

It's probably a good idea to give Dwarves Indomitable, possibly even with Cosmic applied - the Dwarves were apparently impossible to dominate, even by things like the Rings of Power. Alternatively, give them lots of levels of Mind Shield.

[KDLadage]

Wow.

not to quibble too much, but are you saying that the typical human in Middle Earth is build on a 0-point template (no modifiers); the typical drward is built on a 23-point template; and the typical elf is built on a template that is an order of magnitude (or more!) higher in cost?

I guess I need to re-read the series...

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by KDLadage

not to quibble too much, but are you saying that the typical human in Middle Earth is build on a 0-point template (no modifiers); the typical drward is built on a 23-point template; and the typical elf is built on a template that is an order of magnitude (or more!) higher in cost?

Well... prety much. Tolkien elves, even the non-High Elves, are pretty darn impressive. Tolkien wasn't much concerned with "party balance" or anything. Elves in Middle Earth weren't limited by their physical bodies much, just by the fact that they just tended not to actually do anything. Note that, in the First Age, when they actually were going around doing stuff, they created legends that lasted for millennia, and accomplished stuff like
- Besieging and holding at bay for four hundred years a foe more powerful than Sauron.
- Successfully wounding and permanently scarring same enemy, in single combat.
- Creating three jewels so powerful and beautiful that the gods made them holy, and that were tied to the very fate of the Earth.
- Creating innumerable items that were probably pretty minor to them, and ended up as potent magical artifacts later in history.
- Killing multiple Balrogs, again, in single combat a lot of the time.
- Walking across the Grinding Ice, essentially equivalent to crossing the Bering Straights in midwinter by going from ice flow to ice flow.

So, yeah. Not point balanced, really.

[GnomesofZurich]

I see a couple of problems with the template in terms of point costs, if nothing else:
-1 DX should be -20 points; I would question whether this is appropriate for dwarves.

+3 Fatigue should be 9 points, not 6.

Night Vision 1 seems low, I would put them at least at 5, which is roughly equivalent to a cat or similar.

[Hyrneson]

Originally Posted by KDLadage

not to quibble too much, but are you saying that the typical human in Middle Earth is build on a 0-point template (no modifiers)

To be fair, there is really no such thing as 'typical human' when doing campaign applied comparisons. For a ME comparison, are we using a typical man of Dale, an Easterling, a Northerner? Each will have campaign applied mods that should be balanced or canceled out against those of other races, imo.

RH

[Rhino]

I have just started reading the Silmarillion again. In chapter 2 it states "Therefore they are stone-hard, stubborn, fast in friendship and enmity, and they suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more hardily than all the other speaking peoples; and they live long, far beyond the span of Men."

Perhaps 1pt of tough skin DR?

Maybe very rapid healing?

Maybe additional levels of hard to kill?

Maybe additional levels of HT?

[Gavynn]

In chapter 2 it states "Therefore they are stone-hard, stubborn, fast in friendship and enmity, and they suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more hardily than all the other speaking peoples; and they live long, far beyond the span of Men."

Great find. Thanks. Hmmm. Stubbornness could be given to the dwarves as a racial disadvantage. The hunger thing interests me. I think that calls for the reverse of Increased Consumption. Is there not a "Decreased Consumption" somewhere that the dwarves can take a level in. Men and elves don't have that.

Suffering toil and hurt of body better? I don't see that as being an arguement for any kind of regeneration. Maybe a racial high pain threshold though. That would help you suffer hurt of body handily. Increased FP might work with that on the toil part.

The "stone hard" is a bit more ambiguous. "Thick Skin" can be DR 1. I guess it depends on how thick you think dwarf skin really is.

Any thoughts from anyone else?

[Zorian]

"suffer toil and hunger" This could just be seen as showing them having significantly higher HT scores say 12 - 14 instead of other advantages.

"stone-hard, hurt of body" The higher str score gives more HP which represents this to a degree. Though a DR of 1 couldn't hurt. Also High pain threshold could be argued as well.

Stubborn as a racial flaw seems good ,though maybe at a self control of -15.

On magic, from what I remember they weren't mistrustful of magic per say but non-dwarven stuff ,especially what they didn't understand. The dwarven magic shown was that of the Craftsman ,not of the Mage. Just because you don't wiggle your hands and say Words Of Power ,that doesn't mean it's not Magic.

I would add cosmic on the Indomitable , the Rings esp. The One have it on thier powers ,at least certain of them and the books make it very clear that all the Seven do to Dwarves was make them more greedy. They don't even increase thier lifespan.