Svirfneblin

Deep gnomes, called svirfneblin in their own language, are a gnome subrace that lives in the Underdark. While their surface cousins are known for their boundless optimism and cheerful mischief, the svirfneblin are serious and suspicious creatures. They survive in the Underdark by maintaining wariness of others and working hard to keep their underground society secret.

Description

Deep gnomes are wiry and lean with a body as hard as a slab of rock, ranging from 3 to 3.5 feet in height and weighing between 40 and 45 pounds. Males are completely bald and beardless, while the females have stringy gray hair. Deep gnome complexions are sometimes described as \"gnarled\" and, like drow and duergar, are commonly dark in hue, with most deep gnomes demonstrating brown or gray skin with dark gray eyes.

Racial Traits

Ability Adjustment: –2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, and –4 Charisma. Svirfneblin are fast and observant but relatively weak and emotionally distant.
Size: Small. Small creatures gain the following Size Modifiers: +1 to AC and attack rolls, -2 to Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and +4 to Stealth checks.
Speed: Svirfneblin base land speed is 20 feet.
Type: Humanoid (Gnome).
Age: Svirfneblin age at the same rate as Gnomes, reachin adulthood at 40 years and often living hundred years.
Vision: Darkvision 120 feet and Low-Light Vision. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and svirfneblin can fuction just fine with no light at all. Low-Light Vision allows them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Special Qualities

Defensive Training: Svirfneblin gain a +1 Dodge Bonus to Armor Class.
Fortunate: Svirfneblin gain a +1 Racial bonus on all Saving Throws.
Spell Resistance: Svirfneblin have Spell Resistance equal to 5 + their class levels.
Skilled: Svirfneblin gain a +2 Racial bonus on Stealth checks; this improves to a +4 bonus underground. They gain a +2 Racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks and Perception checks.
Stonecunning: Svirfneblin gain a +2 Racial bonus on Perception checks to 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.
Svirfneblin Magic: Svirfneblin add +1 to the DC of any Illusion spells they cast. Svirfneblin also gain the following spell-like abilities: Constant—Nondetection; 1/day—Blindness/Deafness (DC 12 + Charisma modifier), Blur, Disguise Self; Caster Level equals the svirfneblin’s class levels.
Hatred: Svirfneblin receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the reptilian and dwarf Subtypes due to training against these hated foes.

Languages

Automatic Languages: Gnome and Undercommon.
Bonus Languages: Aklo, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Terran.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above.
Healthy: Svirfneblin gain a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves against disease and poison, including magical diseases. This racial trait replaces fortunate.
Stalwart Watcher: Some svirfneblin seek to thwart the schemes of evil Fey. Those who still keep to this mission gain a +1 Racial bonus on attack rolls against Fey creatures and a +2 Racial bonus on Saving Throws against mind-affecting effects. This racial trait replaces hatred and skilled.
Stoneseer: Svirfneblin add +1 to the Caster Level of any spells with the earth descriptor they cast. Svirfneblin also gain the following spell-like abilities: Constant—Nondetection; 1/day—Magic Stone, Stone Shape, Stone Tell; Caster Level equals the svirfneblin’s class levels. This racial trait replaces Svirfneblin magic.