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Introduction to Irrin includes a lot of interesting information about the world, but since it is intended as a non-ruleset specific campaign setting, there aren’t any rules on how to use it in your game. Here are some guidelines on incorporating the races into a game of Dungeons and Dragons, 4th Edition.

This requires the use of Introduction to Irrin and the Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebooks.

Men, Dwarves, and Halflings

“I think we all know your standard fantasy dwarf, and the entry here isn’t much different…”
These three races are among the many mainstays in fantasy, and they tend to have similar themes wherever they are. Humans have been shown as versitile; Dwarves as durable; and Halflings are small but agile. For these races, you can use the races in the official Player’s Handbook from Wizards of the Coast; no additional materials are needed.

Gnomes

“Hear that explosion? Probably a Gnome.”
The recently released Player’s Handbook 2 features a Gnome race, but it tends towards a trickster Gnome, whereas Irrin has a Gnome more like the 3.5 edition Gnome – an inquisitive, though perhaps sometimes foolish race. If you’re looking for a similar Gnome that will work with 4th edition, then look no further.

Racial Traits
Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence; the Gnomes of Irrin are hungry for knowledge, so an Intelligence bonus suits this attribute; +2 Constitution; as the experiments of Gnomes often go awry, they have evolved a natural resilience.
Languages: Common, Gnomish
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Perception
Fey Origin: Your ancestors were native to the Feywild, so you are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Keen Senses: Gnomes have a +5 to saving throws against illusions.
Ingenious Inventor: You have the ingenious inventor power.

Ingenious Inventor             Gnome Racial Power
Your understanding of the world enables you to hit with greater precision.
Encounter                             Free Action
Effect: On your next roll, replace the appropriate modifiers with your Intelligence modifier.

Ogres

“They are generally a brutish and stupid folk, though not without a degree of cunning in their own way, and individual Ogres can sometimes match human intelligence”
Although the Player’s Handbook 2 doesn’t have an Irrin gnome, it does have a race that can act as an Ogre – the Goliath. A large race of stone, the Goliath can easily be made to match the Ogre with just a few changes to the flavor text.

Minotaurs

“Standing almost 2 feet taller than an average human and weighing upwards of 500 pounds, the Minotaur is a frightening sight.”
Wizards of the Coast released a Minotaur race for 4th edition as part of Dragon Magazine, which is a subscription only service. However, the Minotaur race is also one of the few resources that non-subscribers can access for free on the Compendium. You can access it here or download a .pdf of it here.

Wolfen

“…an angry Wolfen is a fearsome sight indeed, and not a thing to be taken lightly.”
Wolfen are an interesting contrast between their bestial nature and their interest in scholarship. They are little similar to the longtooth shifters that appeared in the PHB2, however there are a number of differences that set them apart. If you are looking for a Wolfen creature more true to the one described in Introduction to Irrin, then you might be interested in the following build.

Racial Traits
Ability Scores: +2 Strength; the Wolfen is a large beast, which gives it an edge when it comes to physical assaults; +2 Intelligence; despite their frightening appearance, the Wolfen are often drawn to scholarship
Languages: Common, Wolfen, choice of one more
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Athletics
Wolfen Rage: You have the wolfen rage power

Wolfen Rage                 Wolfen Racial Power
Your anger allows you to tap into your bestial nature and strike at those who struck you.
Encounter                   Immediate Interrupt
Trigger: An enemy attacks you with a melee attack.
Effect: You block the attack and gain a +2 to your next attack roll (and, if it hits, damage roll) against the enemy.

Goblins

“The civilized goblins are still very few in number, and will often…be treated poorly in every area except their new homeland.”
Goblins are not the typical hero, but in Irrin there are a few who have started living civilly, making them potential player races, if the player is willing to live with the stigma of being a goblin. The Monster Manual (and the Compendium) has a brief write-up on the goblin as a PC, but there are some aspects that don’t mesh with the Irrin goblins. Here are a few changes to the 4th edition goblin.

Racial Traits
Ability Scores: +2 Strength; the goblins of Irrin are a strong race, after years of savagery and slavery prior to their civilized life; +2 Constitution; the years of slavery have also taught the goblins to be tough and resilient
Languages: Common, Low Speech
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Thievery
Goblin Resilience (replaces Goblin Reflexes): +1 to Fortitude, +1 to Reflex

Lizardmen

“Now as much a novelty as anything, they are often grudgingly accepted into human communities”
The Lizardmen actually have an almost perfect match for their race in the Player’s Handbook: the Dragonborn. As they are both resilient races with far-reaching histories, they match each other almost perfectly, with the exception of the racial power Dragon Breath. Try replacing it with the new power, K’thak’tar.

K’thak’tar                 Lizardmen Racial Power
You abandon your weapon and attack with your bare claws, striking the weapon with a lethal blow that plagues him throughout the battle.
Encounter                   Standard
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC         Melee unarmed
Hit: 1d8 +  Dexterity modifier, plus the next attack against the enemy yields 1d4 extra damage.
Increase damage to 2d8 and 2d4 extra damage at the 11th level, and 3d8 and 3d6 extra damage at the 21st level.

Elves

“There are considered to be 4 different subspecies of Elf. Humans would consider these merely different cultures, but Elves think differently than humans in this aspect.”

High Elves

“Ugh. These guys are arrogant jerks…”
Don’t let the name fool you; the Eladrin in the Player’s Handbook is just a High Elf with a different coat of paint. Roll yourself one of these, add a touch of pompousness, and you’ve got yourself a High Elf.

Wood and Sea Elves

“Considered traitors by the High Elves, the Wood Elves sided with mankind during the Great Elven War… [and] a strange branch of elves that broke from the High Elves long ago (to follow their Prince of The Waters).”
The Wood and Sea Elves can both be found in the Player’s Handbook as well – under the label of Elf. Though they are in fact different races, the differences can be shown instead through roleplaying versus changes in the mechanics.

Night Elves

“…their very name in Elven translates to ‘outsider’.”
The name of these elves might suggest that Drow would be the best substitute for the Night Elves, but in fact the mysterious nature suggests a better possible race – the 4th edition gnome. Here is a Night Elf, combining elements of the 4th edition Gnome with other attributes.

Racial Traits
Average Height: 5’4” – 6’1”
Average Weight: 120 – 170 lbs

Ability Score: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Darkvision

Languages: Common, Elvish
Skill Bonuses: +2 Stealth, +2 Nature
Fey Origin: Your ancestors were native to the Feywild, so you are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Trance: Rather than sleep, night elves enter a meditative state known as trance. See the Player’s Handbook for more information on trances.
In the Shadows: You have the in the shadows ability.

In the Shadows            Night Elf Racial Power
You blend into the shadows that surround you, confusing your enemy.
Encounter                   Immediate Reaction
Trigger: An enemy attacks you with an attack and misses.
Effect: You are invisible until you attack or until the end of your next turn.

Spiney

“‘Curious’ would be the best way to describe a Spiney. ‘Unrepentant kleptomaniac’ might be a little closer to the truth.”
Of all the races, the Spiney is the one with no substitute in any already written material. These short, humanoid hedgehogs are unique to Irrin, and as such they need an all new race to match their attributes. Here is the new 4th edition Spiney race.

Racial Traits
Average Height: 3’1” – 4’0”
Average Weight: 60 – 80 lbs

Ability Score: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence
Size: Small
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Normal

Languages: Common
Skill Bonuses: +2 Thievery, +2 Streetwise
Spine Enhancements: Your spines give you a natural +1 bonus to Armor Class, and +1 to attack and damage rolls against unarmored enemies.
Quillback: You have the quillback ability.

Quillback                                        Spiney Racial Power
Rolling into a ball, you attack your enemies with your natural spines.
At-Will                                             Standard
Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex           Melee one creature
Hit: 2d4 + Dexterity modifier damage
Increase damage to 3d4 + Dexterity modifier at 11th level.

These are just guidelines on how you can adapt the races for your Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Be sure to purchase Introduction to Irrin for more ideas of how to run a game set in the Irrin setting!

Download a .pdf of this article here!

Special thanks to Zachary Houghton of RPG Blog 2 for making this week possible and being an overall helpful guy when I inundated him with questions about Irrin!

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