Introduction au races

of cultures and societies populate the world of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, some made up of humans but others made up of fantastic races such as elves, dwarves, and tieflings. Adventurers and heroes can arise from these various peoples. Your choice of character race provides you with a basic set of dvantages and special abilities. If you’re a fighter, are you a stubborn dwarf monster-slayer, a graceful elf blademaster, or a fierce dragonborn gladiator? If you’re a wizard, are you a brave human spell-for-hire or a devious tiefling conjurer? Your character race not only affects your ability scores and powers but also provides the first cues for building your character’s story.

Each character race offers the following types of benefits.

Your character race gives you a bonus to a particular ability score or two. Keep these bonuses in mind when you assign your ability scores

Your speed is the number of squares you can normally move when you walk

Most races, including humans, have normal vision. Some races have low-light vision; they see better in darkness than humans do

You start off knowing how to speak, read, and write a few languages. All races speak Common, the language passed on by the last human empire, and some races let you choose a language

Other traits include bonuses to your skills, weapon training, and a handful of other traits that give you capabilities or bonuses that members of other races don’t have.

Several races give you access to a racial power, which is an extra power you gain at 1st level in addition to the powers your class gives you. See page 54 of the book for an explanation of how to read a power description.