''Races of Stone'' (sometimes abbreviated to RoS) is an optional sourcebook for the 3.5 edition of the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...

''Races of Stone'' focuses on

gnomes A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its character ...

, dwarves, and a new race, called goliaths, providing

cultural Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.T ...

information for these races as well as subraces.

Publication history

''Races of Stone'' was written by David Noonan,

Jesse Decker Jesse Decker is an author, designer, and editor of roleplaying game material. Biography Decker began playing '' Dungeons & Dragons'' in 1983 during recess at his elementary school. During the summer of 1996, he began doing "temp work" for Wizar ...

, and

Michelle Lyons Michelle Lyons ( "lions"; born 1975 or 1976) is an American crime reporter, author, and former Public Director of Information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, best known for witnessing approximately 280 executions in Texas. Early ...

, and published in August 2004. Cover art was by

Adam Rex Adam Michael Rex (born May 16, 1973) is an American illustrator and author of children's books from Tucson, Arizona. Career Adam Rex received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona. He has contributed illustrations to '' Magic: ...

, with interior art by

Thomas Baxa Thomas M. Baxa is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Biography Tom Baxa grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He enrolled at Northern Illinois University, where he studied under comic and fantasy artist Mark Nelson. Works To ...

, Steve Belledin,

Wayne England Wayne England (d. 9 February 2016) was an English artist whose work regularly appeared in role-playing games, wargaming rulebooks and magazines and was used on cards for collectible card games such as '' Magic: The Gathering''. He died on 9 F ...

Jeremy Jarvis Jeremy Jarvis is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Early life and education Jeremy Jarvis grew up in a small town in Alabama, and moved to New York City right after high school just before his eighteenth birthday. There, he ...

, Doug Kovacs,

Chuck Lukacs Chuck Lukacs is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Career His first published '' Dungeons & Dragons'' work was in '' Dragon'' magazine while Paizo was its publisher. His ''Dungeons & Dragons'' work includes interior art fo ...

, Dennis Crabapple-McClain, Jim Nelson, Wiliam O'Connor,

Scott Roller Scott Roller is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Career His '' Dungeons & Dragons'' work includes interior art for '' Monster Manual II'' (2002), ''Savage Species'' (2003), '' Arms and Equipment Guide'' (2003), '' Ghostwal ...

Ron Spencer Ron Spencer is an American illustrator whose most famous work has been for the collectible card game '' Magic: The Gathering''.Felt, Kevin (December 17, 2007). "Painter of 'Magic' cards inspiring random acts of kindness", ''San Gabriel Valley Tri ...

, Joel Thomas,

Franz Vohwinkel Franz Vohwinkel (born 1964 in Munich, West Germany) is a German artist and illustrator whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Works Vohwinkel drew the cover art for the book ''Dataware'' (1998) for TSR's '' Alternity'' game, and illust ...

, and Brad Williams. A web enhancement for the book was published in 2004 by

Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games. It is currently a subsidia ...

. David Noonan explains the origins of the concept for the goliath race: "It all started with a piece of concept art that looks very similar to the ''Races of Stone'' cover. My job was to write the chapter for 'the big guy.' It's one of the most satisfying design assignments I've received."

Reprints and revisions

''Races of Stone'' was later included, along with ''

Races of Destiny ''Races of Destiny'' is a supplement for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. Contents This book deals with races that live primarily in urban settings, specifically humans, half-orcs, and a new race called the Illum ...

'' and ''

Races of the Wild ''Races of the Wild'' is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. Contents ''Races of the Wild'' contains background information on the elves and halflings, introduces a race of w ...

'' in the ''Dungeons & Dragons Races Gift Set'', released in 2005.

Reception

The racial substitution levels in the book have been praised because " hemechanic lets you play more than just another dwarven fighter or gnome

bard In Celtic cultures, a bard is a professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's ancestors and to praise ...

." MetaReview's MetaRating for the book is 6.8.

Awards and nominations

''Races of Stone'' was nominated for the 2005

Chesley Awards The Chesley Awards were established in 1985 by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists to recognize individual artistic works and achievements during a given year. The Chesleys were initially called the ASFA Awards, but were later re ...

award for Best Gaming-Related Illustration for William O'Connor's artwork, "Training a Dire Badger", although it lost to the artwork of the ''

Magic: The Gathering ''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a Tabletop game, tabletop and Digital collectible card game, digital Collectible card game, collectable card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards ...

'' card Blazing Archon.

References

{{D&D topics, pubs Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks Role-playing game supplements introduced in 2004

Contents

Publication history

Reprints and revisions

Reception

Awards and nominations

See also

References