5E D&D Customized Races — Subraces of the Underdark
Hey Nerdarchists out there, it is time for yet another installment of customized 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons races. We have a request from Nerdarchist Ashton Smyth who is running an Underdark campaign and wanted my take on the duergar. Thanks for the great suggestion I hope you like it and agree with my take on it. And since I am doing the dark dwarves why not add the deep gnomes as well? I have included the full race write up so you can use this as an easy reference for creating your own duergar or svirfneblin character. Some changes needed to be made to the base races for thematic or mechanical purposes.
Duergar — dark dwarves for 5E D&D
Hailing from the dark tunnels beneath even those of the mountain dwarves, dark dwarves are dour and unhappy. They posses the same legendary crafting skills of their cousins on the surface but take no pride in their work.
Dark dwarves or gray dwarves have ashen skin and are almost always bald, even the females. Thick beards of white cover much of their grim demeanor. Short and stout like their cousins they are fierce warriors who add inherent magic abilities to their potent fighting style.
[NERDITOR’S NOTE: I don’t care how Matt Mercer pronounces it for the D&D Beyond pronunciation guide, I’m sticking with the Dr. Jackson Crawford version.]
Duergar Traits
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score by 1.
Age
Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they are considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average they live about 350 years.
Alignment
Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well ordered society. They tend towards evil because of their harsh upbringing in the vast caverns of the Underdark.
Size
Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average around 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25. Your speed is not reduced when wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision
Accustomed to to life in the harsh Underdark, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 can’t discern color in darkness only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. At 3rd level you gain advantage on saving throws against spells and illusions.
Dwarven Combat Training
You have proficiency with the war pick, war hammer and throwing hammer.
Tool Proficiency
You are proficient in smith’s tools.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the history skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Inherent Magic
At 2nd level you can cast enlarge (self only) once a day. You regain this feature when you finish a long rest. At 4th level you can cast invisibility (self only) once a day. You regain this feature when you finish a long rest.
Sunlight Sensitivity
While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Undercommon and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.
Svirfneblin – deep gnomes for 5E D&D
Svirfneblin Traits
Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score by 1.
Age
Gnomes mature at the same rate as humans, and most are expected to settle down down into adulthood by age 40. They can live 500 years.
Alignment
Gnomes are often good. Fighting for life in the savage Underdark deep gnomes rarely take sides in law or chaos.
Size
Deep gnomes stand between 3 and 4 feet tall. Your size is small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25.
Darkvision
Accustomed to to life in the harsh Underdark, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 can’t discern color in darkness only shades of gray.
Gnome Cunning
You have advantage on on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Stone Camouflage
At 3rd level you gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made it hide in rocky terrain.
Innate Spellcasting
You can cast disguise self once a day. At 2nd level you can cast blindness/deafness once a day. At 3rd level you can cast blur once a day. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You can cast them again after you finish a long rest.
Sunlight Sensitivity
While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Languages
You can speak, read and write Gnomish and Undercommon. The gnomish language, which uses the Dwarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises and its catalogs of knowledge about the natural world.
Enjoying the series? Feel free to drop your suggestions for fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons custom races in the comments below.
Conrad Curtis
December 30, 2014 at 7:09 pmWell done, Ted!
Ashton Smyth
December 30, 2014 at 4:52 pmThanks Ted! Looks great to me…The guys well have fun with the Duergar, alliance or enemy? xD
Thanks for the bonus of Svirfneblin.
Keep on doing a great job as usual with all things nerdy!!
Andrés Ruiz
March 7, 2015 at 5:49 pmI don't how I lost this before!! Great job!!! And I'm sure Nate would like to add the psionic stuff…. HE MUST!!!! XD