By Tyler Machado
D&D fans looking to play a character who is curious and fearless will find what they're looking for in the Dragonlance setting's Kender.
The Dragonlance setting in has been around since the game's first edition. Set in the world of Krynn, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen adds a new campaign setting and adventure path to Fifth EditionD&D. It offers players new backgrounds to choose from in addition to the rebooted Kender race.
In Dragonlance lore, the small-statured Kender are historically known as overly curious and mischievous with an abstract concept of personal property, which earned them a reputation as thieves. Shadow of the Dragon Queen has brought an update to the controversial attributes of the Kender, changing them to be overtly curious and courageous, perhaps to the point of folly. Kender characters are versatile and have several unique abilities that players can adapt to any class to make memorable moments at the table.
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Kender Origins in Dungeons & Dragons
, but Shadow of the Dragon Queen brings back a longtime presence in the Dragonlance setting, the Kender. Kender, often referred to as the halflings of Krynn, are more closely related to gnomes. Touched by powerful magic, the Kender became unnaturally fearless and inquisitive, serving them as both boon and blunder. It is not uncommon for Kender to have a penchant for collecting curios and knick-knacks they find interesting as they travel, reinforcing the stereotype that they are kleptomaniacs by nature.
Kender resemble short humans, rarely standing over four feet tall, have pointed ears, and possess a childlike inquisitiveness. This curiosity and lack of fear make them natural adventurers. However, though Kender can live for roughly a century, many meet their fate before succumbing to old age due to their relentless investigative nature, as they often get in over their heads.
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Kender Abilities and Traits
Kender are versatile by nature and easily adopt any role or class, even Dragonlance's Lunar Sorceror. They receive a +2 to one ability score and +1 to another or can instead choose to have +1 to three ability scores. This diversity means they can choose any class and not perform in a suboptimal fashion. Additionally, Kender characters initially know common and one additional language. They are considered humanoid, small, and their movement speed is 30 feet.
All Kender have the fearless trait, which allows them to have advantage on all saving throws against the frightened condition and once per long rest can choose to succeed on a rolled failure against fear. In addition, Kender Aptitude grants Kender proficiency in Insight, Investigation, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or Survivability. Finally, the Taunt ability can verbally accost a creature within 60 feet, forcing them to succeed on a wisdom throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than the Kender who taunted them. The DC of taunt is 8 + the character's proficiency bonus + and either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, as initially chosen by the player.
Kender Naming Conventions
While the Dragonlance setting introduces many new items and player options, it does not list any naming conventions for Kender. However, in previous additions to the setting, Kender were given a birth name and later could take on a chosen name. Typically, Kender would be named after objects, creatures, or events relevant to the time and place they were born or significant experiences later in life.
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Why Kender Are Great Player Characters
The Kender's traits and versatile ability scores allow them to subvert tropes typically taken by small-sized player characters. For example, the taunt ability makes them perfect to fit into a tank or frontline fighter role, allowing them to draw attacks away from healers and casters. Who wouldn't want to play as a four-foot-tall Kender Battlerager Barbarian?
While the Fifth Edition version of Kender grants players a bit more freedom of behavior, they still possess an uncanny sense of childlike wonder that can be fun and interesting to role-play. Players who want to comb through every nook and cranny of a dungeon without searching for traps will find a natural fit with Kender, and those who want to outright defy standard fantasy conceptions are free to get as creative as they like.
The potential for character growth offers many opportunities for Kender characters. For example, while Kender can start a campaign in line with typical Kender personality traits, the companionship of a diverse party and the harrowing experiences throughout their adventures have possibly made them more cautious and severe than they were at the outset. Or, inversely, they have maintained and doubled down on their happy-go-lucky way of life to compensate for their trauma or boost the morale of their friends. Regardless, the open opportunities available to Kender characters can add an exciting flavor to any campaign and fit into any particular role the party may need.
