Svirfneblin

Also called deep gnomes, svirfneblin are said to dwell in great cities deep underground.

A svirfneblin has wiry, rock-colored skin usually medium brown to brownish gray. Only males are bald; females have stringy gray hair. The average svirfneblin lifespan is 250 years.

Svirfneblin speak Gnome, Common, and Undercommon.

Svirfneblin Traits (Ex): These traits are in addition to the rock gnome traits, except where noted.

• –2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma. These adjustments replace the rock gnome’s ability score adjustments.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants deep gnomes a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework. A deep gnome who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as though actively searching, and can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A svirfneblin can also intuit depth, sensing the approximate distance underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
• Darkvision out to 120 feet and low-light vision.
• Spell resistance equal to 11 + class levels.
• +2 racial bonus on all saving throws (figured into the statistics for the character presented here). This trait replaces the rock gnome’s racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by svirfneblin. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects, such as the Spell Focus feat.
• +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids.
• +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all creatures (figured into the statistics for the character presented here). This trait replaces the rock gnome’s dodge bonus against giants.
• Automatic Languages: Undercommon, Gnome, Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, Terran. This trait replaces the rock gnome’s automatic and bonus languages.
• Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—blindness/deafness (typical save DC 13), blur, disguise self. Caster level equals the svirfneblin’s class levels. The save DC is Charisma-based and include a +4 racial modifier. This trait replaces the rock gnome’s spell-like abilities.
• Nondetection (Su): A svirfneblin has a continuous nondetection ability as the spell (caster level equal to class levels).
• +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) and Listen checks.
• +2 racial bonus on Hide checks, which improves to +4 underground.
• Favored Class: Rogue.
• Level adjustment +3.

The svirfneblin warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

Challenge Rating: Svirfneblin with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level. Svirfneblin with levels in PC classes have a CR equal to their character level +1.

This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.