D&D 4E 4e Duergar PC Race (First Cut)

[chronoplasm]

Much improved!

Actually, I think you can power the Duergar weapon proficiency up to be back on par with the Dwarven weapon proficiency, but I would given them different weapon proficiencies that somehow mirror the Dwarves.
How about instead of the Warhammer you give them the Battleaxe and in place of the Throwing Hammer you give them the Handaxe?

 

[Melfast]

Duergar Weapon Proficiency

Chronoplasm,

I'm glad you think this version is better. I appreciate your comments and helping me make it better.

Regarding the racial weapon proficiency, I agree it would make the duergar a little more distinctive from dwarves if they used an axe instead of a hammer.

I bounced this idea back and forth and finally decided not to do it, because of a couple of things.

1) Every duergar write-up has them using hammers, even when they are representing classes that don't have a hammer proficiency. This is not conclusive, but it allows me to parallel the creature write-up just as the dwarf PC race parallels the dwarf entry in the MM.

2) Axes thematically seem wrong for an underground race. Fighting axes developed from a tool to chop down trees, etc. Hammers developed from a tool to pound things. I see an underground race using a hammer to break rock, knock in pitons for climbing, etc. and not developing a bladed chopping tool.

So, it feels more right to have hammers rather than axes. I'll consider adding the thrown hammer back into the mix as a racial benefit if it looks like the race ended up leaning to the weak side. For now, I see them using beard quills in lieu of throwing hammers. The lower range is a disadvantage, but underground the LOS distances tend to be shorter. Of course, since this is an encounter power, I may have to relook this when all is said an done.

Melfast

 

[StAlda]

How about picks then, they would definitely use digging picks (and then maybe military picks?).

 

[Melfast]

Picks and Duergars

StAlda,

Picks are an appealing choice.

I think if I go with a second weapon for duergar weapon proficiency, I will add in the picks.

I'm not sure I want to replace the warhammer entirely, yet. I'll have to look at it. I suppose given the new philosophy that NPC's and PC's don't have to follow the same rules that there is nothing inherently wrong with PC's and NPC's having different racial weapon proficiencies, but it still feels awkward.

Thanks for your comments. If you get a chance, give me a shout on what you think about the racial feats. I'm leaning toward separating the invis/enlarge powers into two feats. I like them together for the original duergar feel, but it may be too powerful to be a single feat. The invisibility is inferior to standard invisibility, and the enlarge power can only be used when you're bloodied, so it may be ok to leave them together since they have inherent limits.

Melfast

 

[ppaladin123]

Expand Duergar Racial Power
Encounter Polymorph
Free Action
Trigger: When first bloodied
Effect: You become Large, occupying 4 squares instead of 1. Any creatures in the squares that you come to occupy are pushed 1 square. You also gain reach 2 and a +5 bonus to its melee damage rolls. You remain Large until the end of the encounter.

If this is one of their standard racial powers, even if it fits the duergar flavor, it is way too powerful. There is only one other way to get expansion in 4e right now....a level 22 daily swordmage utility. In other words, this power is very high epic-level. You should switch it to a daily power and require that players take a feat to get it. They then replace the level 22 utility for whatever class the duergar takes with this power. Warforged and Dragonborn have feats like this. Note that these feats usually have 2-3 other feats as requirements.

Impregnable Mind: +1 racial bonus to Will defense vs. illusions, +2 racial bonus to perception checks vs. illusions

If you are looking to follow the pattern set by other races, this should be "+1 racial bonus to will defense, +2 bonus to saving throws vs. effects with the illusion keyword."

 

[Moonsword]

Fey Origin has a very specific game effect, although it's not well-explained in the PHB at the moment. The MM makes it clear, though: All of the races that have Fey Origin (elves, eladrin, and drow at the moment) are fey humanoids, not natural humanoids like the other races.

Currently, we don't have many powers, if any, that are keyed off of the origin of a creature - fey, elemental, immortal, natural, and shadow are the ones that come to mind - but they may be added, and monsters that have powers like that are easily made, depending on the setting. If a campaign draws on traditional stories of the fey, setting them in opposition to the divine and making them dangerously ambiguous or antagonistic, a fey hunter paragon path or monster (for elven and eladrin PCs) would fit in very well.

 

[Melfast]

Duergar Racial Powers

PPaladin,

Expand is a racial power that they have take a feat to get.

Good catch on the comparison to the Swordmage power. I hadn't noticed it before.

Expand may have to become a daily.

After looking at Giant's Might, the Swordmage power, I think the duergar racial power is not nearly as good as it is though:

-- Expand can only be used the first time you become bloodied in an encounter. If you don't do it then, you can't use it in that encounter. The Swordmage power Giant's Might can be used at any time in or out of combat.
-- Expand gives reach 2 and +5 damage, while the Swordmage power gets this and also gives +5 bonus to Strength ability checks and a +2 to hit

I'm inclined to think it's ok given its lesser capability, use restriction and the need to take a feat to get it (especially if it becomes a daily). I may reduce the damage bonus as a balancing feature since +5 seems high. The old Expansion spell I think granted a +2 to damage, and maybe that would be more appropriate, especially if it stays an encounter power.

I do think, though, that I may need to change the current racial feat (Avernal Bloodline) so that you either have to choose one of the two powers, or split it into two feats so you have to use one on each power. Currently it's designed to follow the pattern of the Lolthtouched drow feat.

Lolthtouched essentially allows the character to get grant every member of the party combat advantage against one target for the whole encounter (and prevent it from becoming invisible or concealed), or create a globe of darkness that blocks line of sight for everyone but you (blinding creatures in the cloud). Both of those seem on par with the duergar abilities, so I'm not 100% ready to make that change.

Thanks for your comments.

Melfast

 

[Melfast]

Feytouched and Duergar

Moonsword,

I'm not sure what you are referring to here with your comments on Feytouched.

Were you looking at the first version of the duergar where I had them being dwarf-blooded, using similar language to feytouched?

The current version (v3) removed that since I have made racial feats for the duergar, and because with their infernal background they are now as like to dwarves as eladrin are to elves.

As such, they no longer have that link to dwarves or the ability to use items keyed to dwarves or dwaren racial feats. This also serves as a further balancing factor that weakens them a little since duergar keyed items will naturally be less common than those keyed to swarves, and future expansions will target dwearves with feats etc.

Melfast

 

[Melfast]

Duergar PC Race Updated to V4

Folks,

Based on feedback, I've updated the duergar PC race writeup in the first post to adjust the racial abilities (now version 4).

I think this is the final draft pending additional playtest comments/results.

Hope you enjoy using it.

Melfast.

 

[LordOgre]

Great work Melfast,

I followed the Duergar race evolution since day one and youve really done something good with it.... going to playtest it during christmas vacation, will tell you about it in january!

nice job again!


btw, its well balanced now but playtest will confirm everything =D