Duergar are dwarves whose ancestors were transformed by centuries living in the deepest places of the Underdark.
That chthonic realm is saturated with strange magical energy, and over generations, early duergar absorbed traces of it.
They were further altered when mind flayers and other Aberrations invaded and performed horrific experiments on them.
Fueled by Underdark magic, those experiments left early duergar with psionic powers, which have been passed down to their descendants.
In time, they liberated themselves from their aberrant tyrants and forged a new life for themselves in the Underdark and beyond.
Like other dwarves, duergar typically have a life span of 350 years.
Duergar Traits
As a duergar, you have the following racial traits.
Creature Type: You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a dwarf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a dwarf.
Size: You are Medium.
Speed: Your walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Duergar Magic: Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself with this trait, without requiring a material component.
Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the invisibility spell on yourself with this trait, without requiring a material component.
Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest.
You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).
Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the poisoned condition on yourself. You also have resistance to poison damage.
Psionic Fortitude: You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed or stunned condition on yourself.
Frequently Asked Question of Duergar
Duergar is an interesting race, but people usually ask a few questions about it. Here are the answers;
1. Can You Play A Duergar 5e?
These abilities are reflected in the Duergar’s traits as innate spellcasting. The Duergar is the only non-core dwarf subrace in 5th edition, and as of this writing it’s the only dwarf updated to use the post-Tasha’s race design mechanics.
2. What Is Duergar In DND 5e?
The gray dwarves, or duergar, live deep in the Underdark. After delving deeper than any other dwarves, they were enslaved by mind flayers for eons.
Although they eventually won their freedom, these grim, ashen-skinned dwarves now take slaves of their own and are as tyrannical as their former masters.
3. Can Duergar See Invisibility?
The duergar magically turns invisible until it attacks, casts a spell, or uses its Enlarge, or until its concentration is broken, up to 1 hour (as if concentrating on a spell).
Any equipment the duergar wears or carries is invisible with it.
4. Are All Duergar Evil?
They’re generically classified as evil but are never given a reason why. One of their gods, Laduguer, was given a short snippet as well but it wasn’t enough to reason why the duergar are evil.
Delving deeper into their backstory we learn that they were once dwarves who left their mountain homes and dug too deep.
5. Are Duergar Immune To Poison?
The duergar has advantage on saving throws against poison, spells, and illusions, as well as to resist being charmed or paralyzed.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article about Duergar, and I hope it was helpful in clarifying what it was about.
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