Harsh, cruel and all-around mean, duergar believe that only through unceasing toil is life worthwhile. They do not enjoy much, except the satisfaction of a profit from a job well done. Duergar paragons seek to find more ways to increase their profit and their power in their clan. They are isolationist by nature, so outgoing adventurers are often outcasts or unusually forward-thinking examples of their kind. Duergar paragons are more likely to be located in their own settlements for this reason.
Adventures:
Duergar paragons seek ever increasing rewards and riches. They strive to use the abilities of their race to their maximum potential and turn that potential into profit. Duergar paragons frequently seek adventure as a way to expand their personal profit margins, although a gregarious few seek to actually improve their quality of life.
Characteristics:
Duergar paragons tend to be more commanding than normal duergar. They know they are examples to others of their brethren in what it means to be one of their race, and expect their neighbors to respect them for it. Regardless of their individual methods, duergar paragons are determined and patient. A frequent belief is that that stinting in work or giving up are weak and not to be tolerated, although whether those who are not industrious are punished or rallied is up to the individual.
Alignment:
Lawful almost to a fault, nearly all duergar paragons are evil or at best a sullen neutral, caring not for their brother or others, only for their own profit. The few good duergar paragons found are more likely to adventure, as the skills they learn help them more readily survive life away from their society.
Religion:
Those deities who embody wealth and prosperity tend to garner duergar paragon worshippers, as do those deities who represent the martial aspect of war. Most duergar paragons have little tolerance for the benevolent deities, feeling that they are too easy on their followers, which leads to decreased productivity and efficiency. Many duergar paragons feel that gods devoted strictly to suffering are useless, as suffering should be for something: profit.
Background:
Duergar paragons learn their skills as other duergar: through unceasing toil and not shirking their duties. Duergar paragons build their abilities fighting their brethren for profit or, in many cases, to stay alive before the greed of another eliminates a possible rival. Those duergar paragons who survive and are crafty enough tend to become powerful guild masters in their society.
Other Races:
Other races are only good to duergar paragons for two things: to buy their wares and to be slaves. Good aligned duergar paragons, however, understand that the other races have strengths and weakness and are more likely to cooperate. The outgoing and communal dromites in particular strike the sullen, individualist duergar as odd, although a few visionary thinkers amongst the duergar have observed the great productivity that the dromites exhibit, and are pressing for change. Suffice it to say, they are a distinct minority and are meeting with a staunch resistance at every turn.
Other Classes:
Duergar paragons see other classes as means to an end. If an associate’s abilities can aid the duergar paragon to more profit, he is likely to seek him as a companion. Because of their natural militaristic background, duergar paragons typically seek those of a martial bent to assist them in battle. While they generally dislike teamwork-oriented classes or socialites (such as the bard or society mind), duergar paragons will work with any who they can use to increase their wealth or profit.
Abilities:
Due to their typically aggressive nature, a duergar paragon relies on a high Strength score for melee attacks. To increase their chance of survival, they also benefit from a high Constitution.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills:
Appraise, Autohypnosis, Climb, Craft (any), Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Move Silently, Profession (any), Sense Motive, Spot, Survival. Skill Points at each level: 2 + Int modifier. Skill Points at 1st level: (2 + Int modifier) x4
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor proficiency: Duergar paragons are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light, medium and heavy armor, and with shields (but not with tower shields).
Bonus Feat (Ex): Due to their martial bent, a 1st level duergar paragon gains a bonus feat. This feat may be any psionic feat or fighter bonus feat.
Improved Stonecunning (Ex): At 1st level, a duergar paragon's racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework increases to +4. The range at which he receives an automatic Search check for coming near an example of unusual stonework increases to 20 feet. He is also able to determine which direction is true north in relation to himself as if he had 5 ranks in Survival when underground.
Psionic Nature (Ps): Duergar paragons are more in tune with their psionic nature. As such, at 2nd level, the first use per day of each of their racial psi-like abilities does not count toward their daily limit.
Hardened Spirit (Su): A duergar learns to harden himself against detrimental effects. At 2nd level, a duergar paragon’s racial bonus on saving throws increases to +3.
Ability Boost (Ex): At 3rd level, a duergar paragon gains a +2 bonus to Constitution.
