• 
  
  
  
  • 
    
  
  
  
  

DERRO

Small humanoid (derro), chaotic evil

Armor Class 13 (leather a rmor)

Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

10 (+O)

DEX

14 (+2)

Skills Stealth +4

CON

12 (+l)

INT

11 (+O)

WIS

5 (-3)

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 7

Languages Dwarvish, Undercommon

Challenge 1/ 4 (SO XP)

• 
  
  
  

CHA

9 (-1)

Magic Resistance. The derro has advantage on saving throws

against spells and other magical effects.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the derro has

disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom

(Perception) checks that rely on s ight.

ACTIONS

Hooked Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft.,

one target. Hit: 3 (ld6) piercing damage. If the target is Me-

dium or smaller, the derro can choose to deal no damage and

knock it prone.

..

Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320

ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage.

C H A PTER 6 I BESTl.<\RY

•.

,

• • •
  . , ___ ....

DER.Ro··

1 •. •

,,

,

.,.. ,

• 
  
  
  
  • 
    

    •

    
    
  
  
  
  

..

Derro slink through the subterranean realms, seeking

places that are safe from the perils of the Underdark.

Equal parts fearful and vicious, bands of these dwarf-

kin prey on those weaker than themselves, while giving

simpering obeisance to any creatures they deem more

powerful. Wild-haired, haggard, shuddering, and shab-

bily dressed, a lone derro seems a pitiable creature, but

when a cackling, spitting, growling, howling horde of

them attacks, the sight inspires both fear and revulsion.

Madness and Sorcery. Fractious in groups and

individually weak, derro would have been driven to

extinction long ago but for two elements of their char-

acter. They have an inborn tendency toward paranoia,

a peculiarity that serves them well as they navigate the

dangers of the Underdark and its societies. They also

have a stronger-than-normal tendency to develop sorcer-

ous power. Individuals who do so become their leaders,

known as savants. The derro consider these sorcerers

to be specially blessed by their deity, Diirinka.

Forgotten Duergar. Grandiose fantasies and rampant

fanaticism have obscured the true origin of the derro,

even among themselves. Most dwarves don't recognize

derro as kin, but the legends that the derro tell about

their race and the story that the duergar believe share a

grain of truth.

According to the duergar, the derro are descended

from dwarves of a clan that was left behind when the

others escaped the mind flayers' rule. They eventually

also got away, but not before becoming demented and

contorted.

The derro tell their own story of flight and survival

in the Underdark, and the mind flayers aren't always

the enemy. Laduguer and Deep Duerra don't feature in

their mythic history. Instead they tell of two brothers,

Diirinka and Diinkarazan, and of how Diirinka cleverly

betrayed his sibling so that he could steal magical power

from the evil they escaped. The danger the brothers are

said to face in this legend varies, depending on whatever

foe the savants want to lead their people against, yet the

essence of the story remains the same: a lesson of sur-

vival at any price and an example of how deceitfulness

and cruelty can be virtues.