Kender

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Jeremy Forbing

The physical basics for this race come from the halfling race as described in the Player's Handbook, but kender are not to be confused with halflings. They are a unique and irrepressible race native to no only to Krynn.

Kender resemble children, in both appearance and behavior, and so many think of them that way. But that error can lead to dramatic consequences, for while kender are childlike, they are also swift, cunning, and often deadly opponents, born with an aptitude for stealth unequalled even by elves or bugbears. Many see them as nuisances, even vermin, but no other people on Krynn have foiled attempts at conquest and subjugation as often as the kender.

Kender hair generally falls somewhere between sandy blonde and dark brown, with coppery red or even reddish orange also being common. No kender have facial hair of any kind. Their appearance changes with the season; they pale in the fall, yet tan the quickest of Krynn's races, and all are nutbrown by midummer. As they age, kender temples begin to gray and their faces quickly wizen. They have pointed ears like elves and light brown, hazel, olive, pale blue or sea green eyes. They rival humans as the most widespread race on Krynn, due to the wanderlust that overcomes all kender around age 20 and continues for decades. They are utterly relentless in combat.

These small folk are also relentlessly curious, and they want to know everything, explore everything, see everything, and most importantly handle everything. No item not secured down is safe in a kender's presence, and any thing or person that is dark and mysterious will earn a kender's instant (and likely unwanted) attention. Some human scholars believe that, when they first appeared, kender were not so agile and fleet of foot as they are today; they were merely curious. However, the consequences of their curiosity forced them to become quick. Had they not, the scholars argue, the kender would not have survived.

Kender Racial Traits

• Kender determine their ability scores as halflings, receiving a +2 to Dexterity and -2 to Strength. They are identical to halflings except where noted here.
• Kender receive a +3 racial bonus with any sling or bow weapon.
• Direction Sense (Ex): If a kender is a member of any group that becomes hopelessly lost, the kender has 50% possibility of knowing the right way.
• Cunning: Kender receive a +4 racial bonus to Pick Pocket and Open Lock rolls.
• Resistances (Ex): Kender are +4 on all saves against spells or poisons.
• Surprise (Ex): Kender receive a +4 racial bonus to initiative.
• Taunt (Ex): On an opposed Bluff check versus the target's Sense Motive roll, the kender can taunt any intelligent creature into attacking him. In its rage, the creature is -2 to attack and armor class. The enraged creature remains so, making a Will save (DC 20) each round to regain composure, and each failure amounts to another round enraged.
• Immune to Fear (Ex): Neither magical nor natural affects kender in any way.
• Kender Pockets (Ex): Kender are so curious that they constantly handle all items of any interest in their vicinity. Many end up in the kender's pockets or elsewhere on his person, such as a pouch, bag, or backpack. When a kender searches for a specific item on his person that is not immediately visible to him, he must roll a Spot check (DC 15) to find it. Failure means the kender finds an item, randomly determined by the DM, that he didn't know he had. A d20 roll (the higher the better) will determine the items relative usefulness. A kender can also grab a random item on purpose, hoping that it will be useful, and roll randomly, as above.
• Borrowing (Ex): In a party which includes one or more kender, any time another character goes to find an item he had earlier placed on his person, there is a cumulative chance of 5% per kender in the party (to a maximum of 40%) that the kender borrowed the item. When asked, the kender will recall borrowing the item, and attempt to find it in his Kender Pockets (see above), as well as offering an excuse along the lines of the following: "I must've found it somewhere"; "You must have dropped it"; "I forgot I had it"; "I was keeping it safe for you"; "You said you didn't want it anymore"; "Looks just like yours, doesn't it?"; "I guess it just fell in my pocket." Any use of appropriate divination spells will prove that, yes, the kender does truly believe what he says.

This item has been published here with permission from the author(s) and may not be reproduced without permission. This is a fan submission and its contents are completely unofficial. Some characters, places, likenesses and other names may be copyright Wizards of the Coast.