Playable Cultures

The elven woods are home to the elves and their allies. Not many dwarves or half-orcs live there. In turn, elves, humans, halflings, and half-orcs are hard to find in underground dwarven cities. And while nonhumans may travel through the human countryside, most country folk are humans. In the big cities, however, the promise of power and profit brings together people of all the common cultures: humans, dwarves, elves, half-elves, and halflings.

Once you choose your character's culture and calling, you should think about what class you should take. You can play a character of any culture and class combination, but certain cultures do better pursuing certain careers. Halflings, for example, can be fighters, but their small size and special features make them better as rogues. Your character’s culture gives you plenty of cues as to what sort of person he or she is, how he or she feels about characters of other cultures, and what his or her motivations might be. Remember, however, that these descriptions apply only to the majority of each race’s members. In each culture, some individuals diverge from the norm, and your character could be one of these. Don’t let a description of a race keep you from detailing your character as you like.