Gotri
Duergar, or gray dwarves, live deep underground, sometimes below the deep dwarves. They rarely venture above ground, finding it painful, except during heavily overcast days or at night. The light does not cause them damage, but it does affect their ability to see clearly.
A typical duergar is 4 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. Emaciated, they possess pasty skins and white or dull gray beards. Men and women may be bald, and those who are not usually shave their heads.
Most duergar are lawful evil with neutral tendencies. Other dwarves find their ways repulsive. Duergar consider the prophecy of the Return of the King to be a sham and they openly reject it. They have long since given up on humans as well and have actively sided with other races in the Underworld to make war on humans and other dwarves to gain power and wealth, their only vision for success in the world.
They frequently compete with deep dwarves for living space and minerals. Usually the duergar are bested in such struggles. When built, duergar strongholds are exceptionally poor, having been driven into areas rejected by others. In some cases, however, this has been to their advantage and has led them to the discovery of hidden subterranean wealth that they have secretly acquired.
Even though their society is evil, they still retain many of the social structures of hill and mountain dwarves. They are clan based, but their crafts are usually inferior to those of other dwarves.
As a final note, duergar are NOT to be confused with Derro. Derro thought to be a twisted hybrid of deep dwarf and Morwen and are, at heart, vile murderous creations with little rational thought except of their various obsessions and their plans to obtain them.
Special Advantages
Infravision, 120 ft.
Duergar are stealthy. Parties or individuals at least 90 feet ahead of the party gain a surprise bonus. This causes a -2 penalty to the opponent's surprise rolls. If a door or other screen is opened, the bonus is lost. Duergar receive a +2 bonus on their own surprise rolls.
In addition to the standard saving throw bonuses against magical attacks (see Saving Throws), duergar are unaffected by paralysis, illusion and phantasm spells. They are immune to all magical and alchemical poisons. Against natural poisons they gain the standard dwarf saving throw bonus.
In addition they possess the innate magical abilities of Enlarge and Invisibility. They can use each of these powers once per day. A duergar uses the enlarge ability as though he were a wizard twice his own level. A 2nd-level duergar uses enlarge as though he were a 4th-level wizard. He may use it only to affect himself and whatever he is wearing or carrying.
Special Disadvantages
Duergar require 20% additional experience points.
Duergar are adversely affected by bright light such as sunlight or a Continual Light spell. They are not affected by the light of torches, lanterns, magic weapons, light (spell) or faerie fire.
Affected by bright light, his enhanced ability to gain surprise is negated. Dexterity is reduced by -2 and hit rolls are made at a -2 penalty.
In situations where a duergar is in darkness but his opponents are in bright light, his Dexterity and surprise advantages are unaffected, but he suffers a -1 penalty to his attack rolls.
Other dwarves distrust duergar and react to them at -3 penalty. This penalty is cumulative with any incurred when choosing a particular kit.
As a Monster
The duergar, or gray dwarves, are a malevolent breed that dwells in the extreme depths of the ground. Duergar may be fighters, priests, or thieves. Multi-classed duergar may be fighter/priests, fighter/thieves, or priest/thieves. Thief duergar are proficient in the use of poison.
Duergar appear to be emaciated, nasty-looking dwarves. Their complexion and hair range from medium to dark gray. They prefer drab clothing designed to blend into their environment. In their lair, they may wear jewelry, although such pieces are kept dull.
Duergar have infravision with a range of 120 feet. They speak the duergar dialect of the dwarves tongue, “undercommon” (the trading language of subterranean cultures), and the silent speech employed by same subterranean creatures. Intelligent duergar may speak other languages as well.
Combat
For every four normal, 1-HD duergar encountered outside a lair, there is one with 2+4 HD. If a band of nine duergar is encountered outside a lair, a tenth duergar of 3+6 HD or 4+8 HD always leads the group.
Duergar are armed as follows:
- 1st level: pick, hammer, spear, chain mail, and shield
- 2nd level: pick, light crossbow, chain mail, and shield
- 3rd-6th levels hammer, short sword, plate mail, and shield
- 7th-9th level: hammer*, short sword*, plate mail*, and shield*
- 3rd-6th/3rd-6th level priest/thief: any usable*/any usable*
- 7th-9th/7th-9th level priest/thief: any usable*/any usable*
*5% chance/level for magical item; for multi-class, add one-half of lower level (round upward) to the higher level in order to find the appropriate multiplier.
There are noncombatant duergar children equal to 10% of the total number of duergar fighters encountered, The duergar’s stealth imposes a -2 penalty to opponents’ surprise rolls; the duergar are surprised only on a 1 on 1d10. Their saving throws vs. magical attacks gain a +4 bonus. They are immune to paralysis and illusion/phantasm spells. They are unaffected by poisons.
All duergar possess innate magical abilities of enlargement and invisibility. They can use these spells as wizards of level equal to the duergar’s hit points. Duergar can use the enlargement power to either grow or shrink themselves and anything they are wearing or carrying.
Daylight affects the duergar as follows: their enhanced ability to gain surprise is negated, Dexterity is reduced by 2, attacks are made with a -2 penalty to the attack roll, and opponents’ saving throws are made with a +2 bonus. If the encounter occurs when the duergar are in darkness but their opponents are brightly illuminated, the duergar’s surprise ability and Dexterity are normal. but the duergar suffer a -1 penalty to their attack rolls and opponents gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against duergar attacks. Duergar are not adversely affected by the light given off by torches, lanterns, magical weapons, or light and faerie fire spells.
There is a 10% chance that encountered duergar are accompanied by 2d4 giant spiders (steeders) used as mounts.
Habitat/Society
The duergar are similar to other dwarves cultures, although the life is much harsher due to their hostile environment deep under the ground. They do not venture into the surface except at night or on the gloomiest days. Duergar live longer than their surface-dwelling kin. Life spans can reach 400 years or more.
Duergar lairs are always deep underground. These are elaborate collection of chambers, passages, rooms, and secret areas. There is a 25% chance a monster is kept as a guardian for the lair complex. Such a creature is probably kept at an entrance to the duergar complex or kept within the treasure cave.
There is a 75% chance that a lair holds 1d4×10 slaves. Roll 1d20 to determine the type of slave.
Duergar raise giant spiders called Steeders for mounts. A large chamber serves as “corral” for the herd of 20d10 Steeders of various sizes (see following).
The duergar are not as affluent as other dwarven races. Individuals may have a few gold or platinum coins stashed away. Normal, usable items like weapons or armor are immediately distributed. Magical items and the bulk of the acquired treasure is stored in a well-protected chamber deep in the duergar complex.
Duergar possess the normal dwarven abilities to detect slope, new construction, sliding walls, traps, and depth underground. They have the dwarven combat advantages when fighting such creatures as ogres, trolls, ogre magi, giants, and titans. They do not gain the dwarves advantage when fighting orcs, half-orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins, since duergar are not inherently hostile toward such races.
The duergar diet is an omnivorous mix of fungi, insects, and subterranean animals. Duergar complexes include caverns used as fungus farms that are filled with giant, edible mushrooms. They brew a potent ale from such mushrooms.
Ecology
Duergar detest the other dwarves races, whom they consider pampered. weak, and self-indulgent. They may ally and even share living space with evil dwarves, but the duergar’s hostile nature snakes such alliances extremely rare.
Duergar tend to see intruders as invaders. Even if trespassers can convince the duergar of their peaceful intentions, the duergar may demand a stiff toll to permit safe passage. Even then, duergar may discreetly follow the travelers to see what they are up to and, if treasure is involved, to steal such riches for themselves.
Duergar rarely bother surface-dwellers due to their disadvantages on the surface. When encountered on the surface, such dwarves are usually on a mission or part of a raiding party.
