Underkeep Races: Six Traits and Who Wants Them
All six Underkeep races and their traits: Human XP, Dwarf resistance, Stoneborn armor, Raven mutations, Elk beast armor, and Slugman crit immunity.
Underkeep has six races: Human, Dwarf, Stoneborn, Raven, Elk, and Slugman. Each gives one racial trait, and two of them change how you build a hero: Stoneborn cannot wear body armor, and Slugman takes double fire damage.
What does each race do?
| Race | Trait | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human | Fast Learner: +10% XP | Any class, especially a first run | No combat bonus |
| Dwarf | Deep Sight: +3% elemental resistance, infravision | Frontline tanks | Small percentage |
| Stoneborn | Stonebound: no body armor, +1 armor at levels 1, 5, 9, 13 | Bruiser Warrior | Cannot use body armor |
| Raven | Twisted Blood: one good and one bad mutation | Gamblers, second runs | Random bad mutation |
| Elk | Beastwarden: +1 armor vs Animals | Early animal-heavy areas | Narrow condition |
| Slugman | Eye Stalks: immune to crits, double Fire damage | Mage or healer | Fire is common |
The trait table is the whole racial system. There are no racial skill trees and no class restrictions, so a Dwarf Wizard and a Human Wizard differ only by the trait.
Is Human the best race?
For a first run, yes. A flat 10% XP bonus applies to every fight and every quest turn-in, and it never becomes irrelevant. It is also the only racial trait with no downside.
The bonus is small per fight but compounds. Over a full run it can mean an extra level before a boss, which matters more than 3% elemental resistance in most fights.
Is Stoneborn a trap?
Stoneborn is not a trap, but it is a commitment. The race cannot wear body armor, so it loses the largest armor slot in the game. In exchange it gets +1 armor at levels 1, 5, 9, and 13, and it can still wear helmets, gloves, and boots.
That trade is good for a Warrior who wants a high-HP bruiser and bad for a Paladin who planned to stack body armor. Check your build before you pick it. If you want a tank with normal gear, Dwarf is the safer choice.
Helmets, gloves, and boots remain available. Do not leave those slots empty just because body armor is locked.
Why is Raven a gamble?
Raven rolls one good mutation and one bad mutation from a pool that includes strong effects like Redundant Organs and brutal ones like Molting Season. Redundant Organs gives a 40% chance to survive a lethal hit at 1 HP; Molting Season doubles fire damage taken.
You can reroll by deleting and recreating the hero in the party creator. Do that before the run starts, because a bad mutation follows the hero for the whole save. Raven is the most interesting race for a second run and the least predictable for a first.
Which classes want Elk and Slugman?
Elk is a niche pick. The +1 armor against Animals helps in the early dungeon, where rats, wolves, and spiders are common, but it does nothing against undead, orcs, or demons. Put it on a frontliner if you know the area ahead is animal-heavy.
Slugman is the opposite: a strong caster trait with a dangerous weakness. Crit immunity protects a low-armor backliner from spike damage, which is exactly what kills Wizards and Voidcallers. Double fire damage is the price, so carry Frostvein Draft and build fire resistance before fire-heavy rooms.
Which race should you pick for each class?
| Class | Safe pick | Interesting pick |
|---|---|---|
| Warrior | Human or Dwarf | Stoneborn |
| Paladin | Human or Dwarf | Elk |
| Thief | Human | Raven |
| Ranger | Human | Raven |
| Wizard | Human | Slugman |
| Voidcaller | Human | Slugman |
| Blood Mage | Human | Raven |
If you do not want to think about traits, take Human on all four heroes. The party will be slightly weaker in specific fights and slightly ahead on levels, which is a good trade for a blind run.
The classes page→ explains the kits these races support, and the best party page→ shows complete compositions. If you are still deciding who to bring, start there.
FAQ
What is the best race in Underkeep?
Human is the best default because the 10% XP bonus has no downside. Dwarf is the best defensive pick, and Slugman is the best caster pick if you cover fire resistance.
Can you change race later?
No race change system has been announced. Race is chosen in the party creator and stays with the hero.
Does race restrict class?
No. Any race can play any class. The trait is the only difference.
Official source: Underkeep on Steam ↗
Community source: Steam community player guide ↗
Official source: Rake in Grass Underkeep page ↗
More Underkeep Guides
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How Underkeep combat works: one action per hero, free actions, damage and armor math, crit and evasion formulas, status effects, and turn order.
What is confirmed about Underkeep endings: multiple outcomes, the quests that matter, why special dialogue is not always best, and how to save for branches.
Underkeep equipment explained: weapon types per class, armor slots, how armor and sharpness change damage, which tools share the budget, and when to upgrade.
How Underkeep exploration works: which tools open which obstacles, how to search walls and graves, food and resting, and Waystone fast travel.
The Underkeep first party for a blind run: four heroes, race picks, early skills, gear priorities, and the first purchases that keep the run alive.
How Underkeep front row and back row positioning works: who can melee, when Reach bypasses the rule, what swapping costs, and the safest four-hero layout.
What to do when the four gargoyles get stuck in Underkeep Gravewood Crypt, why there is no reset lever yet, and how to recover without losing the run.