Gaming Rules-design note One Hero Engine

One Hero Engine: Ancestries

All ancestry options from the current One Hero Engine draft, preserving the published race text and trait lists.

Archived version: One Hero Engine v0.12 is an archived development draft. It is preserved for design history and is no longer the current rules version.

Return to the current One Hero Engine rules.

The current draft uses the term Race in the rules text below. This page preserves that wording while collecting the ancestry options in one place.

Some published race traits below rely on rules that are not fully defined elsewhere in the current v0.12 draft, especially Morale, initiative, and exact healing procedures.

Rules review required: The current source material does not define this procedure consistently.

Each race provides:

  • +1 to any stat
  • 1 saving throw specialization
  • Choose 1 Trait from 5 options

Dwarf

Save Specialization: CON

  • Stubborn Resilience: Soak +1 vs. physical damage.
  • Stonecunning: Ability to sense structural weaknesses.
  • Ale-Born Fortitude: Heal 1 HP (once per day).
  • Iron Grip: Gain Advantage to resist disarm attempts.
  • Cave Whisperer: Effectively detect tunnels or communicate with stone.

Dragonborn

Save Specialization: CHA

  • Breath Weapon: Execute a 1d6 cone attack (usable once per session).
  • Scaleblessed: Benefit from a natural AC of 13.
  • Commanding Roar: Force enemies to test their Morale.
  • Elemental Resistance: Gain Soak +1 vs. a chosen element.
  • Draconic Tongue: Communicate with draconic creatures and gain cultural insights.

Elf

Dark Elf (Drow)

Save Specialization: INT or CHA

  • Shadow Meld: Advantage on stealth checks in darkness or dim light.
  • Night’s Edge: Bonus to illusion and mind-affecting spells (usable once per scene).
  • Twilight Veil: Enhanced perception in low-light conditions.
  • Umbral Insight: Detect hidden details by gaining insights from the shadows.
  • Night Stalker: Increased speed and agility when moving through darkness.

Gold Elf

Save Specialization: DEX or INT

  • Sunlit Grace: Advantage on skill checks in bright light conditions.
  • Radiant Memory: Once per session, recall ancient lore for a bonus on Arcane rolls.
  • Golden Resolve: Bonus on Will saves during daylight.
  • Dawn’s Favor: Increase initiative by +1 in outdoor, sunlit environments.
  • Luminous Step: Temporary movement bonus in bright conditions (usable once per scene).

Wood Elf

Save Specialization: DEX or WIS

  • Forest’s Whisper: Advantage on stealth and perception checks in natural terrain.
  • Rapid Step: Move silently and quickly through wooded areas (usable once per scene).
  • Leafbound Reflexes: Bonus to DEX saves in forested settings.
  • Natural Camouflage: Improved ability to hide in natural surroundings.
  • Sylvan Empathy: Communicate with woodland creatures for situational advantages.

Halfling

Save Specialization: DEX

  • Lucky Dodge: Convert a hit into a miss (usable once per session).
  • Quiet Step: Gain Advantage on stealth checks in natural terrain.
  • Comfort Seeker: Meals restore +1 HP.
  • Hearthborn Heart: Immune to magical fear effects.
  • Quick Fixer: Instantly repair small items or disable traps.

Human

Save Specialization: Any

  • Versatile Soul: +1 to any stat (applied again).
  • Resilient Lineage: Advantage on 1 save per session.
  • Adaptable Mind: Advantage on 1 Oracle roll per session.
  • Quick Study: Learn a Tag mid-session (1/session).
  • Skilled: Start with 1 extra Tag.

Tiefling

Save Specialization: CHA or INT

  • Hellfire Touch: Deal an extra +1 fire damage in melee combat.
  • Eyes of the Abyss: Detect lies or magical effects (usable once per session).
  • Shadowmeld: Gain Advantage on stealth checks in darkness.
  • Sin Whisper: Learn an enemy’s secret desire (usable once per session).
  • Infernal Will: When using Oracle rolls with dark forces, gain Advantage.

End of article

Part of: One Hero Engine

View the complete series

Continue reading

Series

One Hero Engine

Tags

Solo RPG One Hero Engine Homebrew Rules