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mhamza
Seeker
United Kingdom
73 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Jun 2014 : 23:54:18
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I'm curious as to what are the full extent of the duergar's psionic abilites, can they read minds like their former slavemasters, the mindflayers?
Help would be appreciated.
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Edited by - mhamza on 28 Jun 2014 00:55:31
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2014 : 03:36:26
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It depends on the edition, but the general answer is yes, but not all of them. Duergar are one of the few naturally psionic races. Psionics is really rare in the 2e realms and only-slightly-less-rare in the 3e Realms. The vast, vast majority of the base PC races have no psionic talent whatsoever.
But many duergar do have talent. In 2e, that manifested as a lot of wild talents, with a smaller, though still scarily-large number of psionicists. In 3e, duergar are called out as one of the "psionic races."
Which means that in both editions duergar have the ability of actually becoming psionicists/psions, which most PC races usually don't. And those that do become psionicists gain access to all the usual powers in the usual manner.
Which means that some duergar can read and dominate minds. But they do it because they have the appropriate class, not due to innate abilities. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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mhamza
Seeker
United Kingdom
73 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2014 : 12:19:12
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| What about their resistance to psionic attacks, are those innate or another feature of the psionist class? |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2014 : 14:14:48
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| What resistance to psionic attacks? Neither 2e nor 3e versions of the race have that, unless, yes, they are psionicists and have defenses from the class. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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mhamza
Seeker
United Kingdom
73 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2014 : 15:06:43
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| The wiki mentioned them as having resistance to the ancient techniques the Mind Flayers used on them so I thought that included psionic attacks. |
Edited by - mhamza on 28 Jun 2014 16:44:18 |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7970 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2014 : 22:05:11
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Those duergar who possess psionic talents (many, if not most of them) will often have at least one of the psionic defense modes. Classed psionicists of any race always initially have access to one or a few psionic defenses and possess the complete list after reaching middly levels.
The duergar wiki might be drawing from largely obsolete Eldritch Wizardry, Dragon, and AD&D 1E Monster Manual II materials, in which duergar possess several psionic attack and defense modes ("B,C,D/F,G,H") as well as a smattering of other psionic powers ("71-90 PSPs, 2 Psionic Abilities/level" or "Psionic Class V").
AD&D 2E originally removed psionics from the game entirely and simply substituted magical abilities in their place where necessary (for creatures like illithids and duergar). Later 2E reintroduced psionics - actually integrated it fully within some settings - and subsequent 2E monster entries were often an arbitrary mix of magical and psionic abilities which overlapped or complemented each other. D&D 3E initially cleaned things up a bit, but again evolved into a bizarrely entangled mess after sufficient (official and d20) psionic-dedicated sourcebooks became available.
Psionics have always been something of an optional add-on to (pre-4E) D&D, and have probably been revised (in major, fundamental ways) far more often than any other rule component. Therefore the information you seek will vary greatly across and within each game edition. The short answer is that duergar are known to use psionic powers, psionic combat, and telepathic communication as a race - and have held their own against mind flayers - so it's reasonable to expect individual duergar to develop respectable psionic powers. Psionic characters were (supposedly) incredibly rare and extraordinary in early game editions, and mind flayers were basically able to eat non-psionic characters for lunch with little opposition. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 29 Jun 2014 00:35:47 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2014 : 02:56:09
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| just to note, does it seem that psionics are more common in underdark races? Just noting that in a place of unnatural quiet, being able to quietly create effects kind of fits. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1150 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2014 : 17:45:39
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| It certainly does seem like psionics is a little more prevalent in the Underdark than anywhere else but I think a lot of that is to do with aboleths, mind flayers and their experiments on the 'lesser races'. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
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Razz
Senior Scribe
USA
749 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2014 : 15:21:45
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This is the extent of their psionic abilities as per 3rd Edition. As you can see, they are naturally psionic but the average duergar by no means is something on the level of an average mind flayer. Duergar more powerful than their natural psionic ability obviously took a profession and trained in it (e.g. gaining levels in Psion, Psychic Warrior, etc.)
3E Duergar Psionic Abilities |
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Duergar Psionic Abilites
