Cavemen were a staple of D&D from the very beginning, appearing in the Monsters and Treasures booklet of the original three volume rules. Cavemen were also described in the first edition AD&D Monster Manual and evolved into the Neanderthals of later versions of Basic D&D. Evidently cavemen were a popular choice as a variant PC race among many early groups of players. D&D cavemen are strictly a fantasy creation drawn from the hulking, dimwitted brutes of Hollywood B-movies, and bear little resemblance to anything known to paleoanthropology.

Cavefolk CR 1

Often N Medium humanoid (cavefolk)

Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Listen +3, Spot +3

Languages Cavefolk

AC 13, touch 10, flat-footed 13
(+3 hide armor)

hp 11 (2 HD)

Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +0

Spd 30 ft. (6 squares)

Melee club +2 (1d6+1)

Ranged shortspear +1 (1d6+1)

Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft

Base Atk +1; Grp +2

Abilities Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 9

Feats Alertness

Skills Listen +3, Spot +3, Survival +3

Environment any caves

Organization band (3-10) or clan (11-40)

Treasure goods only

Advancement by character class; Favored Class Barbarian

Level Adjustment +0

Cavefolk are a species of primitive humanoids closely related to humans. Cavefolk have squat bodies with large bones and powerful muscles. They resemble a hulking, bowlegged and beetle-browed human with a receding forehead.

Cavefolk live in family groups in caves and caverns. Cavefolk clans usually contain one or more clerics, who provide spiritual guidance. Cavefolk often hunt cave bears and keep albino apes as pets. They are friendly toward dwarves and gnomes, but hate goblins and kobolds, and will attack ogres on sight. Cavefolk are shy and will avoid humans, but are not usually hostile unless they are attacked.

Cavefolk speak speak their own language, a crude collection of grunts, clicks, and growls.

COMBAT

Cavefolk usually attack with thrown spears and use stone handaxes, clubs, or stone hammers in melee.

CAVEFOLK AS CHARACTERS

Cavefolk characters possess the following racial traits.

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Medium size.
A cavefolk's base land speed is 30 feet.
Low-light vision.
Racial Hit Dice: A cavefolk begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +0.
Racial Skills: A cavefolk's humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Listen, Spot, and Survival.
Racial Feats: A cavefolk's humanoid levels give it one feat.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A cavefolk is automatically proficient with simple weapons.
Automatic Languages: Cavefolk.
Favored Class: Barbarian.
Level adjustment +0.