Choose a Race by Its Benefit and Trade-off
Underkeep's playable races are Human, Dwarf, Stoneborn, Raven, Elk and Slugman, distinguished by experience gain, resistance, natural armor, mutations, animal defense and critical-hit immunity. The biggest restrictions to weigh are Stoneborn's inability to equip body armor and Slugman's double fire damage.
Compare Every Playable Race
| Race | Racial Traits and Restrictions | Party Fit and Selection Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Fast Learner grants extra experience. | A flexible choice for either row. Choose Human when the experience bonus fits your plans for the character. |
| Dwarf | Elemental resistance and infravision distinguish Dwarves. | Consider Dwarf for a physical front line, with elemental resistance contributing to its defensive appeal. |
| Stoneborn | Natural armor improves with levels, but Stoneborn cannot equip body armor. | Useful for a physical front line. Accept the body-armor restriction before choosing its growing natural defense. |
| Raven | Randomized positive and negative mutations shape the character, with possible rolls depending partly on the selected class. | Inspect the Character panel immediately after creation and judge the actual mutation combination against the intended role. |
| Elk | Added armor against animals is especially relevant to early forest wolves, rats and spiders. | Consider Elk for a back-row Ranger or caster, while keeping its animal-specific protection in mind during early forest encounters. |
| Slugman | Immune to critical hits, but vulnerable to double fire damage. | Choose its critical-hit immunity with a plan for managing the severe fire weakness that accompanies it. |
Start with the job you want the character to perform, then compare the racial benefit with that job. Give an equipment restriction or damage vulnerability as much attention as an attractive bonus. This keeps the choice tied to the party you want to play.
Check a Raven Immediately After Creation
- Create the Raven in the class you intend to use, because the possible mutation rolls depend partly on that class.
- Open the Character panel immediately after creation to inspect the Raven's one stable beneficial mutation and one unstable detrimental mutation.
- Read the beneficial and detrimental effects together so you can judge the starting combination against the character's intended role.
- Recreate the hero if the starting combination is unacceptable, then inspect the replacement before committing to it.
A Raven needs an individual check after creation because its starting effects are randomized. Assess the combination with the selected class in mind. If you already dislike how the detrimental mutation fits your intended role, make that decision before investing further in the hero.
Raven Mutations Worth Reading First
| Mutation | Effect or Selection Check |
|---|---|
| Rubbery Body | A beneficial mutation that grants stun immunity. Check whether that protection fits the role you want the Raven to fill. |
| Gravemind Link | A beneficial mutation associated with resource recovery. Read it alongside the detrimental mutation before keeping the character. |
| Photosensitive Eyes | A harmful mutation worth checking early on a ranged character. Consider its fit before committing to that combat role. |
| Backseat Parasite | A detrimental mutation to inspect immediately. Judge the starting combination with this drawback included in your decision. |
Match Racial Defense to the Front Line and Back Row
Dwarf and Stoneborn are useful candidates for a physical front line. Dwarf brings elemental resistance, while Stoneborn brings natural armor that improves with levels. Before choosing Stoneborn, account for the body armor it cannot equip as part of your equipment plans.
For a back-row Ranger or caster, consider Elk's agile or magical tendencies. Its added armor against animals is relevant to the early forest's wolves, rats and spiders. Human offers a flexible alternative in either row through its experience bonus.
Slugman's critical-hit immunity offers a clear defensive benefit, but its double fire damage deserves equal attention. Choose it only after considering how you will manage that fire weakness. Keep both effects in view when deciding whether it suits the character you want.