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Dwarves

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Dwarves are hardy mountain kin which live in the earth and rugged placed of the land. They value strength and hard work. Their minds are slow to the subtle ways of diplomacy, preferring to strike the enemy with the force of their blows over spending inordinate amounts of energy in lengthy, sleep-inducing talk. They love to create things, and find great satisfaction in creating vast structures adorned with the treasures discovered deep within the earth. Dwarves are strong fighters, some preferring to forego armor and shield to wield two axes and pure rage. Their surefooted strides carry them over the high slopes they revere.
DwarfIcon








--The Tome of Wonders

Summary[]

Dwarves are a straightforward race, eschewing fancy maneuvers in favour of a good, honest fight. As a result, their higher-end units have less mobility than those of other races, but are capable of inflicting and receiving considerable punishment, while some of their melee-based class units have developed greater resistance to enemy projectiles to assist in surviving a headlong charge towards enemy lines. Their archers represent an exception to this rule, often acting more as irregulars with their heavy crossbows than conventional archers. Forge Priests can provide them with healing and the blessing of fire, and share an Fire Protection 100%Fire Damage Protection with the most powerful dwarven units, the Firstborn. While dwarves generally lack flyers, their Mountaineering mountaineering and caving skills allow them to quickly traverse terrain that can pose problems for other races. Dwarves are at home in arctic terrain as well as underground, although their cities are most productive nestled among mountain peaks on the surface than beneath the ground.

Class Synergies[]

Their near-universal Armored Armored quality, including their Forge Priests, makes dwarves synergize particularly well with dreadnoughts – especially since Firstborn that have no fear of flames can make an excellent screening force for Flame Tanks. Dwarven toughness also makes them a good combination with Warlords, and warlord class units can cover for some of the gaps in the dwarven lineup, such as flyers and conventional archers. Surprisingly, dwarves also synergize well with sorcerers, through strong racial Support Supports and an army that can keep up with Floating Floating sorcerer summons both over and beneath the mountains. Another less obvious class is Rogues, with Projectile Resistant Assassins and Succubi and Heavy Crossbow-equipped Bards. Dwarves also appreciate the ability to boost city happiness with Iron Grip, since they can't use terraforming to create more of their preferred terrain like other races.

Tactics[]

The toughest race in the game with the most expensive troops, this reflects their racial bonuses that means that they are adept at a large number of strategies but benefit most from an underground focused empire that grows slowly due to their lack of strong cavalry, reliance on infantry and high cost units.

While dwarven units are strong they are also easy to outmaneuver, and a smart move is to deny them important treasure sites and territory as this leads to a much more devastating effect on their economy and growth than other races.

Dwarven Inherent Traits[]

Units[]

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Dwarf Prospector

'In the underground city, I saw plenty of prospectors. They seemed to have an affinity with stone, knowing just where to strike with their pickaxes, and when they struck a vein of ore, the precious cargo seemed to leap into the ore carts. At first I thought this skill with pick and flying stones to be lucky--a trick of the machinery, perhaps, until a bat creature swooped into the cavern an mauled a hapless dwarf. The other prospectors rushed to him swinging their pickaxes, pelting the creature with a barrage of stones. Not once did they hit their compatriot as they drove the winged nightmare back into the shadows.'

--Chronicles of Deepmir, by Ham the Wanderer
Dwarf Prospector
  

Unit: Dwarf ProspectorRecruitOrigin: Dwarves
Tier I: 33 Hit Points 28 Movement 9 Defense 9 Resistance Cost: 44 Gold Upkeep: 4 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:

Dwarf Axeman

'The wall of dwarf soldier advanced, undaunted by the cacophony of battle. Standing as wide as they were tall with their gleaming heavy axes, they felled their enemies like lumberjacks in a virgin wood. At first I thought they would buckle under the barrage of goblin darts, but the thick dwarven plate mail kept most of the venomous stingers from reaching their targets, and before the sun stretched shadows across the battlefield, even the massive trolls retreated before the relentless advance.'

--The Goblin Wars, by Duren Dirkhammer, Historian
Dwarf Axeman
  

Unit: Dwarf AxemanRecruitOrigin: Dwarves Requires: Barracks
Tier I: Hit Points 28 Movement Defense Resistance Cost: 55 Gold Upkeep: 4 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:

Dwarf Crossbowman

"What honor can a crossbowman hold, with his tiny dagger and stick springer?' asked the Axeman, his beard aglitter with medals proclaiming his battle skills. The warrior's compatriots surrounded the dwarf cripple who wore a crossbow accross his back. The gray dwarf limped forward, straightening before the mob and said in a tired voice: 'Axeman. Did it thirty years. Had to bury a hunderd friends, all for Honor. Pinned in a canyon, surrounded by archers. Honor didn't save them. Left for dead, I was.' The crowd hushed. Together our eyes all seemed to notice the crossbowman's wooden leg. 'Lost it to an arrow. Your gravestone, that's your honor. I keep mine on my back.' He patted his crossbow, passing through the stilled ruffians unmolested.'

--Honor's Price, by Duren Dirkhammer, Historian
Dwarf Crossbowman
  

Unit: Dwarf CrossbowmanRecruitOrigin: Dwarves Requires: Barracks
Tier I: 35 Hit Points 28 Movement 9 Defense 9 Resistance Cost: 72 Gold Upkeep: 4 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:
  • Trooper +1 Physical Damage Ranged +2 Hit Points
  • Veteran +1 Physical Damage Ranged +2 Hit Points +1 Defense
  • Expert +1 Physical Damage Ranged +2 Hit Points +1 Resistance
  • Elite +1 Physical Damage Ranged +4 Hit Points +1 Defense, Armor Piercing Armor Piercing

Dwarf Deepguard

'I only caught a glimpse of the Deep Guards before being escorted to the Dining Hall of the center of Deepmir Fortress. They were practicing a sequence of training exercises with the long pike atop the city's curtain wall. I didn't think much of it at the time, because every race has some form of pikeman, but the way they moved in their formidable dwarven plate armor and through the cramped caves with those extra long shafts, well, I suppose the dwarves have good reason to hold them in such high esteem.'

--Chronicles of Deepmir, by Ham the Wanderer
Dwarf Deepguard
  

Unit: Dwarf DeepguardRecruitOrigin: Dwarves Requires: War Hall
Tier I: 46 Hit Points 28 Movement 11 Defense 9 Resistance Cost: 55 Gold Upkeep: 4 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:
  • Trooper +1 Physical Damage Melee +2 Hit Points
  • Veteran +1 Physical Damage Melee +2 Hit Points +1 Defense
  • Expert +1 Physical Damage Melee +2 Hit Points +1 Resistance
  • Elite +1 Physical Damage Melee +4 Hit Points +1 Defense, Armor Piercing Armor Piercing

Dwarf Forge Priest

I am Forge and Furnace, Hammer and Anvil.
I will walk through fire, wielding my hammer for Justice.
By Virtue's glow, I cleanse all wounds and bind broken bones.
I kindle the dying coals of my people's souls and blaze in Honor's kiln.
In candlelight, I will cast away the shadows of the mind.
I am the Forge Priest, keeper of the Guardian Flame.

--Oath of the Forge Priest
Dwarf Forge Priest
  

Unit: Dwarf Forge PriestRecruitOrigin: Dwarves Requires: Temple
Tier II: 36 Hit Points 28 Movement 11 Defense 12 Resistance Cost: 83 Gold 22 Mana Upkeep: 8 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:

Dwarf Boar Rider

'Dwarves trace the first boar rider to a wild dwarf girl named Ahnnha who had an unnatural love of boars. She survived in the mountain caves, raiding lowland villages then retreating on the back of her nimble-footed boar up the slopes so quickly that none could catch her. No animal traverses rugged terrain with such speed. Though legends vary, most agree she was captured by a clever and nameless Axeman who demanded she marry him. Together they started a family and formed a clan. Later rival clans started to include boar riders as well. Nowadays boar riders are common from many origins, and still they revere the nameless Axeman by wielding a poleaxe, and they spare no expense on the finest dwarven armor in honor of the love the wild dwarf woman had for her boar.'

--Dwarf Society Made Simple, by Lord Milligan
Dwarf Boar Rider
  

Unit: Dwarf Boar RiderRecruitOrigin: Dwarves Requires: War Hall
Tier II: 57 Hit Points 32 Movement 13 Defense 10 Resistance Cost: 99 Gold Upkeep: 8 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:

Dwarf Firstborn

'We fled to the deep vaults, where the dwarves of Deepmir vowed never to return. Too many terrible things dwelled deep in the earth. I assured them that with sufficient courage, allies might be found to protect us from the invading enemy. Believing, they broke down the sealed walls. The screaming of the enemy hordes pursued us. I led them to a realm where rocks melted. We found allies bathing in a molten river. For centuries, the First Born where known in legend only. They recognized the dwarves with me with eyes reflecting fatherly compassion. They turned on the pursuing hordes. Each strike a blast of lava from which even giant and dragon fled.

--Chronicles of Deepmir, by Ham the Wanderer
Dwarf Firstborn
  

Unit: Dwarf FirstbornRecruitOrigin: Dwarves Requires: Pool of the Firstborn
Tier III: 70 Hit Points 28 Movement 14 Defense 12 Resistance Cost: 165 Gold 22 Mana Upkeep: 16 Gold/Turn
Abilities:
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
  • The most in-elegant way to force a line break.
Experience Ranks:

Racial Governance[]

Racial Governance is part of the Eternal Lords expansion.
Note that only DwarfIcon Dwarf units are affected

Switch to Living Classes
Switch to Necromancer
Racial Governance Military Economic
Patron Dwarf Crossbowman gets +2 Physical Damage Physical ranged damage. Stone Walls give +75 HappinessHappiness. Stone Walls give +10 Production Production.
Protector Dwarf Axeman and Dwarf Deepguard gain +2 Physical Damage Physical melee damage. Dwarves cities gain +3 Gold Gold income for each Gold Mine.
Champion Dwarf Firstborn gain Ancient Ancestor Ancient Ancestor and +2 Fire Damage Fire damage. Pool of the Firstborn generates +20 Production Production.
Prophet Dwarves gain Improved Mountaineering Improved Mountaineering Items build in Item Forges are 35% cheaper.
Deity DwarfIcon Dwarf Armored Armored units gain Meteoric Armor Meteoric Armor Hurry Production cost is reduced by 50% and does not reduce city Happiness Happiness. Hurry Production cost is reduced by 50%.

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