In Dungeons & Dragons fantasy, the duergar, or gray dwarves are a cruel and evil subrace of dwarves.

Ecology

Environment

Duergar typically make their homes in the Underdark, a vast web of interconnecting tunnels and caverns.

Typical physical characteristics

The duergar are very similar in appearance to surface dwarves, but have distinct pale gray skin, very fair hair, and bright eyes. Duergar usually dress in drab clothing that matches the color of stone.

Alignment

Duergar are usually hard-hearted lawful evil.

Psionics

The core Expanded Psionics Handbook and the open System Reference Document identify Duergar as naturally psionic, with a racial bonus to power points. Psi-like abilities include invisibility and expansion.

Society

The duergar alternate between working in concert with the drow and being at odds with them, as the drow believe themselves superior even to the duergar. Duergar are stoic and hard-working, toiling under the gaze of Laduguer, their strict and unforgiving deity, in order to create wealth. They have a deep-seated grudge against other dwarven races due to their exile from their midst and legends stating that the rest of dwarvenkind abandoned the duergar to Illithid rule thousands of years ago.

Settings and sources

Duergar have the ability to become invisible in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, where they dwell in the Underdark in cities such as Gracklstugh.

Creative origins

The duergar are named for the dvergar of Norse mythology, who were the builders of Gleipnir. Interestingly the Duergar (folklore) are also Northumbrian dwarves associated with the Simonside Hills.

References

• Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (TSR, 1989).
• Cordell, Bruce. Expanded Psionics Handbook (Wizards of the Coast, 2004).
• Scott, Amber. "Ecology of the Duergar." Dragon #325 (Paizo Publishing, 2004).

February 22 2008 Aaron LaForge made a Duergar Gutbuster, Chaotic evil. Sweeeeet.