Dorothy Gale, Hero of Oz
At a Glance
- Home
- Kansas prairie; later welcomed into Oz
- People
- Human traveller, with Toto
- Known for
- Ending the Wicked Witch of the West’s reign and returning home
- Trusted allies
- Ozma, Glinda, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion
- Greatest danger
- The Nome King and his bargains
- At the table
- Guide, rescuer, witness, negotiator; not a boss monster
- Equipment
- Ordinary basket and travel gear; first-journey magical relics are historical, not permanent
Dorothy Gale arrived in Oz with her dog Toto and found herself caught between witches, rulers and strangers who needed help. She did not win by being the strongest person in the room. She listened, stood her ground and brought unlikely friends together.
She knows the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion and Princess Ozma personally. To a visiting party, Dorothy is a brave guide who can find allies and ask the right questions. She needs protection from serious danger, but she makes her own choices.
Game Statistics — Choose an Edition
Use one rules edition for the whole adventure. Dorothy’s greatest strengths are courage, practical skill and loyal friends; the CR below measures direct combat, not what Ozma or Glinda might do for her.
Dorothy Gale — 5.5e / 2024
Small Humanoid (Human), Neutral Good · CR 1/2 (100 XP) · PB +2. Support and exploration NPC; combat CR does not reflect her friends’ power.
AC 12 (unarmored); Initiative +2 (12); HP 31 (7d6 + 7); Speed 30 ft.
Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +5; Skills Animal Handling +5, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +5, Survival +5; Senses Passive Perception 15; Languages Common, Sylvan; Gear practical shoes, ordinary basket, travel supplies.
Traits
Brave Heart. Dorothy has Advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the Frightened condition. Her courage does not make her immune to danger.
Toto’s Warning. While Toto is within 30 feet and free to bark or tug her sleeve, Dorothy has Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice approaching creatures by sound or scent. Toto is an ordinary, clever dog, not a spell or familiar.
Actions
Help. Dorothy takes the Help action to assist another character with an attack or ability check when she is close enough and has a plausible way to help. She prefers this to fighting.
Sling (only if cornered). Ranged Attack Roll: +4, range 30/120 ft.; Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) Bludgeoning damage. She avoids lethal fights if retreat or bargaining is possible.
Bonus Actions
Come Along! (Recharge 5–6). Dorothy chooses one willing creature within 30 feet that can hear her. The creature can immediately use its Reaction to move up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks. It cannot move farther than its Speed allows.
Reactions
Don’t Give Up (1/Day). When a creature Dorothy can see within 30 feet fails a saving throw to avoid the Frightened condition, she calls out encouragement. That creature can reroll the save and must use the new result.
Toto (companion). Tiny Beast; AC 12; HP 5; Speed 40 ft.; Perception +3. He stays near Dorothy, Searches for scents, barks warnings, and can take the Help action if the fiction permits. He does not attack unless directly threatened.
Dorothy Gale — D&D 5e / 2014
Small humanoid (human), neutral good. AC 12 (unarmored); HP 31 (7d6 + 7); Speed 30 ft.; Challenge 1/2 (100 XP).
Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +5; Skills Animal Handling +5, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +5, Survival +5; Senses passive Perception 15; Languages Common, Sylvan.
Traits
Brave. Dorothy has advantage on saving throws against being frightened. While Toto can help her notice danger, she has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on hearing or smell.
Actions
Help. Dorothy aids a creature using the normal 2014 Help action, requiring the appropriate position and timing. Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft.; Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Bonus Actions
Lead the Way (1/Short Rest). One ally within 30 feet that hears Dorothy may use its reaction to move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Reactions
Stand Together (1/Day). When an ally within 30 feet fails a saving throw against being frightened, Dorothy encourages it; the ally may reroll the saving throw, keeping the second result.
First-journey option. The original 2014 homebrew material on this page gave Dorothy special shoes, a Golden Cap, exceptional movement and companion-support powers. The original story distinguishes these early relics from her later equipment. Use the First-Journey Relics note below only for an adventure set before she returns to Kansas, not for the everyday version here.
Dorothy Gale — Pathfinder 1e
CR 3 (800 XP); NG Small humanoid (human, child-sized campaign adaptation); expert 4; Init +6; Senses Perception +12.
Defense
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size); hp 22 (4d8 + 4); Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +7; Defensive Ability brave resolve (+2 circumstance bonus on saves against fear when defending a companion).
Offense
Speed 20 ft.; Melee dagger +3 (1d3−1, 19–20); Ranged sling +6 (1d3−1; range increment 50 ft.). She usually aids a companion instead of attacking.
Statistics
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 16; Base Atk +3; CMB +1; CMD 13.
Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Diplomacy).
Skills Diplomacy +13, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Survival +10, Handle Animal +10, Heal +10, Knowledge (local) +8, Craft (sewing) +8; Languages Common, Sylvan; Gear basket, everyday clothes, sling, sewing kit and food.
Helpful Companion (Ex). When Dorothy uses aid another for a nearby ally’s skill check, she grants the usual +2 circumstance bonus on a successful DC 10 check. If Toto could realistically help with tracking, the GM may allow him to aid another too. Neither can do so from across the room.
Brave Resolve (Ex). Dorothy gains a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws against fear when she can see an ally who is in danger. This is not immunity to fear or a spell effect.
Adventure use. Dorothy is an experienced expert, guide and negotiator, not a spellcaster. The expert class has a d8 Hit Die in Pathfinder 1e.
Dorothy Gale — D&D 3.5e
| Size/Type | Small Humanoid (Human), Neutral Good; Expert 4 (child-sized campaign adaptation) |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 4d6 + 4 (18 hp) |
| Initiative | +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares) |
| Armor Class | 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 11 |
| BAB/Grapple | +3 / −2 |
| Attack | Thrown stone +6 ranged (1d2−1) or dagger +3 melee (1d3−1, 19–20) |
| Full Attack | Thrown stone +6 ranged or dagger +3 melee |
| Saves | Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +7 |
| Abilities | Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 16 |
| Skills | Diplomacy +13, Sense Motive +12, Listen +12, Spot +12, Survival +10, Handle Animal +10, Knowledge (local) +8 |
| Feats | Alertness, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Diplomacy) |
| CR / Gear | CR 3; basket, ordinary clothing, walking shoes, dagger kept for emergencies |
Brave Resolve (Ex). Dorothy gains a +2 circumstance bonus on saves against fear when she can see a friend in danger. She can use the normal aid another action when physically positioned to help an ally.
Rules note. This uses the 3.5e Expert’s d6 Hit Dice and its level-4 BAB +3 / Will base +4 rather than copying Pathfinder’s d8 Hit Die. Size is a deliberate youthful story adjustment; don’t import Pathfinder’s CMB/CMD into this panel.
What Is Dorothy Doing Now?
Dorothy moves between the prairie she grew up on and her friends in Oz. A missing traveller or an appeal from someone frightened matters more to her than a promise of treasure. Toto usually notices trouble before she does: he barks at strangers carrying an unfamiliar scent and will not leave her side if someone is missing.
When Ruggedo, the Nome King threatens a settlement, she asks for witnesses, counts who is missing and tries to move the vulnerable to safety. She does not believe his offers are fair simply because he makes them sound polite. She can bring news to Glinda or Ozma, but neither will make every difficult choice for the party.
Meeting Dorothy
On a frontier road. She is travelling with Toto and a basket, looking for the owner of a deserted cart. She knows which tracks lead into the fields but needs help if the trail runs toward the Nome King’s tunnels. If the players provide shelter or food, she shares what she knows without bargaining for payment.
At Ozma’s court. Dorothy is less formal than the courtiers. She introduces the adventurers to the right person, then stays to hear their story rather than presenting herself as their leader. Players who demand that Ozma solve everything may get an honest account of why other people still have to act.
In danger. Dorothy seeks cover, helps a frightened companion, and calls a retreat when needed. She will not stand in a duel for appearances; neither will she abandon Toto or a child in immediate peril. If the group plans a clever nonviolent rescue, let it work.
Personality, Strengths and Limits
Dorothy is plain-spoken and curious. She asks people where they came from, notices when a neighbour has been left out, and gets cross with bullies. She can admit she is afraid without letting that stop her from helping. She is sometimes too quick to trust someone who sounds lonely; she learns from what happens next.
She has no formal military command, great spellbook or claim to rule Oz. Her friends are unusually powerful, but that does not make Dorothy an invulnerable fighter. The most interesting choice she can face is whether a tempting offer for her own safe journey is worth a stranger’s lost home.
Friends and Rivals
Scarecrow trusts her judgement; Tin Woodman shares her concern for people in trouble; the Lion acts bravely when friends need him. Glinda understands the workings of Oz’s older magic. Ozma is Dorothy’s close friend, not her adoptive mother. The Wizard can make an impressive spectacle, but Dorothy knows his earlier tricks. The Nome King remembers being beaten by a girl who refused his cruel game.
Adventure Hooks
The Road That Stole Kansas
A yellow brick road begins to pull Kansas homesteads below ground. Dorothy has helped two people escape, but more have been turned into ornaments. The party must decide whether to carry the captives out, shut down the machinery, bargain with the king, or do both. The storm is coming, and every rescued neighbour can tell the adventurers something different about the road below.
The Monkey King’s Promise
A winged monkey arrives in Kansas demanding Dorothy’s Golden Cap. Dorothy knows that Glinda gave the cap to the Monkey King and freed his band. Someone has made a second cap and is claiming the right to issue commands. The party can question the messenger, find the forger or help the monkeys reject the false bargain.
The Lion Will Not Cross
Talking animals gather on the edge of a new road from Oz but none will step onto it. One fox tried and lost her voice. Dorothy asks the party to trace the road before the Cowardly Lion follows a missing cub across it. The heroes can test the boundary, lead the animals around it or find what has been laid beneath the stones.
Equipment and the First Oz Journey
Dorothy’s basket, plain clothes and sturdy shoes matter because she uses them. Her original story also gave her the Silver Shoes and, for a time, the Golden Cap. Those are artefacts of her first journey, not permanent equipment in later adventures.
Silver Shoes. In Baum’s novel, they carried Dorothy back to Kansas when she struck the heels together three times. They fell away during the journey and were lost in the desert. If a GM sets a pre-return scenario, treat such travel as a rare plot ability rather than a repeatable short-range combat teleport.
Golden Cap. The cap commanded the Winged Monkeys for a limited number of wishes. Dorothy surrendered it to Glinda, who used its remaining commands and gave it to the Monkey King so the band could be free. In later-period scenarios Dorothy does not carry it by default.
Book and screen versions. Dorothy’s shoes are silver in Baum’s original novel, whereas later screen adaptations made them ruby-coloured. The game statistics above follow the book’s continuity; her everyday strengths are bravery, observation, friendship and helping others rather than powerful attack magic.
Her Story in Oz
A cyclone carried Dorothy’s Kansas farmhouse into Munchkin Country, where it fell on the Wicked Witch of the East. She travelled the Yellow Brick Road with the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion because each hoped the Wizard could give them something they lacked. Together they crossed hostile country and endured imprisonment by the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy defeated that witch with water while trying to protect herself.
The Wizard turned out to be a man from Omaha using theatrical tricks. He could not take Dorothy back on his balloon when Toto escaped at the wrong moment. Glinda later told Dorothy how to use the Silver Shoes to return to Kansas. She left her friends behind and lost the shoes during the journey.
Dorothy is absent from the second Oz book, The Marvelous Land of Oz. In Ozma of Oz she returns, helps rescue the royal family of Ev from the Nome King, and becomes close friends with Ozma. Later, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry also settle in Oz. The series gives Dorothy homes and loyalties in two different places; that is why a threatening road between Kansas and Oz matters to her.
Sources and Rules Notes
L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) — Dorothy’s first journey, companions, Silver Shoes and Golden Cap. Later series: Ozma of Oz and The Emerald City of Oz. The books are the lore reference; the four rules conversions and specific adventure hooks are original tabletop adaptations, not quotations from the novels.
D&D 2024 monster statistics · Pathfinder 1e Expert · D&D 3.5e Expert.
Illustration credits. Original uploaded Dorothy paintings are preserved with their existing Midjourney-origin captions. Artwork remains credited to the originating upload; the pictures are illustrative interpretations of Dorothy. Earlier tabletop adaptation credit retained: DM Dave, Stat Anything — Dorothy Gale (5e). The rules panels here are separate original campaign interpretations.
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