Dungeon Settlers races and factions determine the trait baseline that every settler carries, alongside their background and personality. The Steam store page describes the trait trio (race, background, personality) as the core system, and settlers can be recruited from expeditions, villages, or narrative events. Full race roster and balance numbers are not announced as of 2026-09-01, so this reference covers the confirmed pattern rather than guessed totals.
How the races trait system works
The Steam store page lists trait_by_race as a deliberate design choice: each Dungeon Settlers race, background, and personality combination produces a different trait spread. Race contributes the headline identity, background adds the profession or origin story, and personality rounds out the behavior profile. The combination means two settlers of the same race can still feel different because their background and personality inputs vary. The MMOFLARE guide confirms the same trio as the trait inputs and notes that race traits show up most clearly when comparing long-term combat performance between recruits.
Recruit sources for new settlers
Dungeon Settlers races are recruited from three confirmed sources: expeditions into the procedurally generated dungeon floors, villages that the player encounters during play, and narrative events that surface through the colony loop. The Steam store page lists each source as a separate channel, and the Turn-Based Lovers overview frames the colony sim plus dungeon crawler loop as the natural recruitment surface for all three. Specific recruitment tables, encounter rates, and village rosters are not announced as of 2026-09-01.
Why race choice matters for the rest of the game
Race choice sets the trait baseline that every other system reads from. The [character customization](/character-customization/) reference covers how race traits interact with the six abilities and talents system, and the [leveling progression](/leveling/) reference explains how those traits scale over time. Dungeon Settlers races also affect expedition party composition, since some races are better suited to combat, settlement work, or summon-heavy builds. Specific per-race stat blocks and class affinities are not announced as of 2026-09-01.
FAQ
How many races are in Dungeon Settlers?
The Steam store page describes the trait_by_race system but does not list the full race roster. Treat the exact count and any planned future races as not announced as of 2026-09-01.
Where do I recruit new settlers?
From expeditions into procedural dungeon floors, from villages encountered during play, and from narrative events. Each channel surfaces a different mix of races and trait combinations.
Can I change a settler's race after recruitment?
The Steam store page does not announce a race-change mechanic. Treat race reassignment as not announced as of 2026-09-01.
Do race bonuses stack with background and personality?
Yes. The Steam store page describes trait_by_race as a combination of race, background, and personality, so all three inputs feed the final trait spread. Exact stacking rules are not announced as of 2026-09-01.