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The idea of Dwarves inDungeons & Dragonsoften brings to mind boisterous festive-goers enjoying lively parties. But few know that beneath the surface, a different side to the dwarves thrives in the shadows of the Underdark. The Duergar are a stoic subspecies of dwarves who spend their lives toiling away in the mines and forges, scorning the idea of personal happiness.RELATED:Dungeons & Dragons: How To Build An Echo Knight Fighter
Marked by tragedy, these dwarves gained psionic abilities that set them apart from their surface counterparts. With their Dwarven constitution and innate magic, the Duergar are a compelling option for anyone hoping to put a unique spin on the traditional Dwarf archetype.
History Of The Duergar
If you’re thinking of rolling a Duergar for your next character, it’s important to understand theirdeep and intricate history.
TheDuergar, a unique subspecies of the Dwarf family, hail from the industrial underground city ofGracklstugh, a city defined by the glow of itscountless forgesandpersistent smog. The appearance of these dwarves—stout, stocky,andgray-skinned, with anoticeable lack of hair—reflects their hardy nature andhorrific past.
Once a clan of surface Dwarves, the Duergar were abducted andcruelly experimentedon by theMind Flayers. This ordeal left an indelible mark on their society, transforming them into adistinct subspecies—so distinct that they could no longer identify as Shield Dwarves.
Having never forgotten that no one came to their aid in their time of need, the Duergarrenounced the surfaceand remained in the vast subterranean tunnels of theUnderdark. This has also led todeep tensionsbetween them andtheir surface counterparts.
Theirhistory of abandonmentand survivalhas bred adeep-seated bitternessand resiliencewithin these joyless dwarves and deeply permeates theirworldview,relationships, andmotivations.
Dwarven Resilience
Thanks to theirDwarven blood—and the ever-presentacrid smogof their forges—the Duergar arehighly resistant to poison.
Poison damageis anextremely common damage type, present in all manner ofbeasts,monstrosities,andweaponry.
Because poisonous attacks often require aConstitution saving throwagainst thefull damageof the attack,Dwarven Resiliencecan often grant you a chance toreduce the damageyou take from poison by75 percent.
That’s pretty nifty, especially in theearlier levels, whenbeasts and humanoidsare common foes.
Psionic Fortitude
The Duergars’Psionic Fortitudefunctions similarly to their Dwarven Resilience, though its origins are likely much darker—theMind Flayers, under which the Duergar were once enslaved, are fond of usingpsionic blasts to stuntheir victims.
Still, though the feature isn’t likely to beused quite as muchas Dwarven Resilience, it can come in handy.
Creatures that caninflict stunsincludeaberrations and Underdark creatures, whilstcharmsare common amongspellcasters and the fey.
If you know in advance that your campaign will feature many of those, then Psionic Fortitude could save your life.
Superior Darkvision
Common among denizens of theUnderdark, the Duergars' eyes haveadjusted to the constant darknessafter generations of living beneath the earth.
This feature probably won’t see as much use as the others butcan be especially helpfulin campaigns that feature tons ofdungeon-delvingorunderground travel.
Duergar Magic
Starting atthird level, you can cast theEnlarge/Reducespell on yourself with this trait, without requiring a material component.
Starting atfifth level, you may also cast theInvisibilityspell on yourself with this trait without requiring amaterial component. Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish along rest.
you may also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level.Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting abilityfor these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).
Perhaps the most interesting and useful feature of the Duergar species featuresDuergar Magichelps these stout dwarvescombinemagic and mightin battle.
Both of these spells areexcellent optionsfor any player to have, whether they’remartial fighterslooking to give themselves aboost before the fight, orspellcastersprovidingsupport for their frontliners. More on this in the next section.
Best Duergar Class Options
The Duergar’sunique abilitiesgive them synergy with a handful of classes that greatlycomplement their tenacityandspell-casting abilities:
Monks, Fighters, and Barbarians
Paladins and Bladesinging Wizards
Best Duergar Feats
Feats are great ways toelevate your character flavor, and there are plenty that complements the already-unique dispositions of the Duergar.
Duergar Subspecies: Derro
Thoughnot a playable Species, theDerroare a separate subset ofDuergar, and they look even moreremoved from their surfacer cousinsthan the Duergar do.
Their origins are largely unknown—though it’s widely speculated that they were alsovictims of the Mind Flayers, to a greater extent.
Predisposed to genetic madness, erratic, and hateful of everyone and everything, the Derro live alongside the Duergarin Gracklstugh, though they are treated withgreat uneaseand largely consideredsecond-class citizensin the city—held in lower regard than slaves and confined to hovels in impoverished districts.
