Pathfinder 2e Remaster: Dwarf Heritages, Ranked

Summary

• Pathfinder Second Edition's remaster consolidates features into single books for easier reference.
• The Dwarven Ancestry has many of the same heritages from the original, tweaking language and expanding certain aspects like the Rock Dwarf.
• Some Heritages, like Ancient-Blooded Dwarf and Death Warden Dwarf, are very situational depending on playstyle and campaign.

Arguably one of the most recognizable species in fantasy games, the dwarves of Pathfinder Second Edition have gotten a bit of a cleanup. After years of edits, the remaster for the Player Core looks to ensure that everyone new to the game can clearly understand how to build their favorite dwarven companion for an upcoming game.

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With any attempt to return to core mechanics, there are chances to update certain aspects to rebalance them while cleaning up the language. Did dwarves get a major glow up, or have they remained the steady and unchanging entities that we know?

5 Rock Dwarf

Rock Dwarves may sound somewhat redundant, but this heritage gives you some options while receiving some tweaks. Originally, it gave a +2 circumstance bonus to your save on only Trip or Shove actions taken against you, along with spells and effects that made you prone. The remaster fleshes this out a bit to include anything that may reposition you, including effects that force movement.

While dwarves only have 20 feet of base movement, this sturdiness won't be felt as often as you would like, thanks to the sparse existence of forced movement spells and effects. You might find enemies that will actively throw you, but you'll be able to tank a throw or two by then.

Pathfinder Definitions:

• Forced Movement: Effects that cause your character to move in ways not intended by you as the player. This can be done by Athletics abilities such as Reposition and Shove or effects such as weapons, spells, or features.

4 Ancient-Blooded Dwarf

The only heritage that gives you an action thanks to invoking your ancestors, your blood is so old that it comes with the ability to resist magic effects through Call on Ancient Blood.

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Unfortunately, this looks better on paper. Since reactions are one of the more scarce actions in the action economy, there are many better spells and features as you level up – even in the Dwarven Ancestry list – that you’ll want to prioritize. Don't be mistaken; a +1 bonus is still effective thanks to Pathfinder's mechanics, but without any level-based scaling, this reaction will eventually fall by the wayside.

Pathfinder Definitions:

• Reaction: An action you can take when it is not your turn if the specific trigger condition is met. Only one reaction ‘action’ between your turns.
• Call on Ancient Blood: A reaction that triggers before you attempt a saving throw against a magical effect. Gives a +1 circumstantial bonus to the triggering effect and any magical effects that may target you until your next turn.

3 Death Warden Dwarf

A death warden dwarf knows all about the balance of life and death and uses that knowledge to ward off spirits and death. Unlike the original that only worked on anything with the ‘necromancy trait,’ you now gain automatic critical success if you save against any effect that has the void trait or if it was created by an undead creature.

This flexibility makes you the ultimate undead destroyer, for the void trait can leave lingering effects even if you succeed in a saving throw. If you find your party delving into unholy territory or constantly fighting divine spellcasters, your affinity for the dead can make sure at least one of you stays standing.

Pathfinder Definitions:

• Void Trait: Previously known as necromancy, a trait many undead and adjacent creatures have, along with spells.
• Saving Throw: Specified between Fortitude, Reflex, or Willpower, these are rolls you make to save against specific effects and spells. Critical Success usually requires succeeding the saving throw DC by ten or more.

2 Forge

A Forge Dwarf knows about heat thanks to growing up in the hottest of environments, such as deserts and volcanoes. One could even say they were forged in flames to gain fire resistance, which is a fantastic boon with how prevalent fire damage can be. Thanks to it scaling with your level, you’ll be able to push through any heat your party might put you in.

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That’s not all though, since you also gain resistance to environmental heat effects. These may not come in as handy if your party doesn’t go spelunking through a volcano, but the added insurance could be a lifesaver.

Pathfinder Definitions:

• Fire Resistance: Giving you advantage against fire, you take less damage against this effect by the amount specified for each attack.
• Environmental Heat Effects: Can increase the cause of fatigue during travel and possibly cause injury if it is too hot.

1 Strong-Blooded

While no different from the original version, Strong-Blooded Dwarves still come out on top. Thanks to the prevalence and lethality of poisons in Pathfinder 2nd Edition, gaining a free resistance is a godsend in both combat encounters and surviving DM-concocted traps.

The scaling is the icing on the cake to ensure that no matter how far into your campaign you get, you’ll always have the ability to shrug off both the effects of poison and the damage itself. It may cause a shakeup in the campaign planning, but you can be confident you’ll be able to survive even the strongest of food poisonings.

Pathfinder Definitions:

• Poison Resistance: Giving you advantage against poison, you take less damage against this effect by the amount specified for each attack.
• Poison Affliction: When afflicted by a poison, you enter stages of the poison outlined in the effect. Failing to save against the stage you are currently in will progress it to the next stage, while succeeding will reduce the stage downwards until it no longer affects you.

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