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Nerdarchy > Dungeons & Dragons  > 5E D&D Customized Races — Subraces of the Underdark
5E D&D duergar svirfneblin dark dwarves deep gnomes

5E D&D Customized Races — Subraces of the Underdark

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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.

5E D&D duergar svirfneblin dark dwarves deep gnomes

Duergar — dark dwarves for 5E D&D

DuergarHailing 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 TraitsSvirfneblin

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.

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Ted Adams

The nerd is strong in this one. I received my bachelors degree in communication with a specialization in Radio/TV/Film. I have been a table op role player for about 20 years 17 of which with the current group. I have played several itterations of D&D, Mutants and Masterminds 2nd and 3rd editions, Star wars RPG, Shadowrun and World of Darkness. I am an avid fan of books and follow a few authors reading all they write. Favorite author is Jim Butcher I have been an on/off larper for around 15 years even doing a stretch of running my own for a while. I have played a number of Miniature games including Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, Heroscape, Mage Knight, Dreamblade and D&D Miniatures. I have practiced with the art of the German long sword with an ARMA group for over 7 years studying the German long sword, sword and buckler, dagger, axe and polearm. By no strecth of the imagination am I an expert but good enough to last longer than the average person if the Zombie apocalypse ever happens. I am an avid fan of board games and dice games with my current favorite being Quarrios.

3 Comments

  • Conrad Curtis
    December 30, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    Well done, Ted!

  • Ashton Smyth
    December 30, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    Thanks 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 pm

    I don't how I lost this before!! Great job!!! And I'm sure Nate would like to add the psionic stuff…. HE MUST!!!! XD

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