Summary
- Female dwarves are rare but impactful characters in video games, providing unique storylines and role-playing opportunities.
- Games like The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria and Dragon Age series feature memorable female dwarf characters for players to enjoy.
- Moira Thaurissan in World of Warcraft stands out as the most lore-rich and prominent female dwarf in gaming history.
Dwarves are some of the most entertaining, powerful, and impressive races frequently appearing in fantasy worlds. Unfortunately, the famous characters that make it to the narratives players love and the games they've played time and time again are overwhelmingly male dwarves. But that's not to say there aren't any great f emale dwarves out there in various video games; they're just few and far between.
However, due to their rarity, the female dwarves who do grace players' screens are all the more memorable and impactful. From leading figureheads and political powerhouses to powerful sorcerers and impressive blacksmiths, these are the best female dwarves that players can encounter in video games.
7 Playable Female Dwarf (The Lord Of The Rings: Return To Moria)
One Of The Best Examples Of A Playable Female Dwarf
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
- Released
- October 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Use Of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is ultimately what made fantasy worlds the way they are today, and Middle-earth remains the most popular and detailed among them. It might come as a surprise, then, that even Tolkien referenced female dwarves back when he was first creating his iconic fantasy world. These were only vague references in a collection of notes, but the fact they exist at all is a pretty big thing given the era. There's some slight discrepancy in whether female dwarves in Middle-earth are actually any different from male dwarves in terms of appearance, and it's generally referenced that they look almost identical. However, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria takes a more traditional approach with its character customization options.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is a mining survival game set in the vast mines of Moria where the dwarves are trying to reclaim their homeland whilst mining their way through precious ores like quartz and topaz. There aren't any specific female dwarf NPCs that players can encounter in their playthrough, but they can make their own playable character a female dwarf. Ultimately, players can forge their own narrative and leave a place in the history of Middle-earth with their very own female dwarf.
6 Playable Female Dwarf (Pathfinder: Kingmaker)
A Great Character Choice To Enhance The World-Building Of Pathfinder
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
- Released
- September 25, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Due to the lack of actual female dwarf NPCs in gaming, this one is another character creation entry. However, it's from the excellent Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and all the next entries are actual characters (so don't worry). Pathfinder: Kingmaker is one of the best video games out there for fans of traditional tabletop RPG experiences, with its deep and intricate mechanics, dice rolls, and morality system.
It's a game where players can choose how they want to play, and if they so wish, they can do so as a heroic (or perhaps even villainous) female dwarf. There aren't actually many portrait images that players can pick from in this game, but two of them happen to be female dwarves with crossbows. Playing as a female dwarf can be an extremely rewarding experience as players can attune their playthrough to their character's backstory and become fully immersed in the world.
5 Dís (The Lord Of The Rings Online)
A Rare Feature Role For Tolkien's Female Dwarf Creations
The Lord of the Rings Online
- Released
- April 24, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood and Gore, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Dís is one of the rare encounters of a female dwarf in Middle-earth, and players can actually interact with her in The Lord of the Rings Online. As touched on earlier, Tolkien's female dwarves were often indistinguishable from their male counterparts, as they still grow long beards and facial hair. However, most players should be able to tell that Dís is certainly female.
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Dís is the keeper of Ravenhill, which players will find in the Dale Lands area of this iconic fantasy MMO. She's the daughter of King Thráin the 2nd, and the mother of Fíli and Kíli. She's name dropped in two of The Hobbit films, and she remains the only female dwarf that Tolkien ever designated a name for. Dís is involved in a handful of quests around chapter 6 of The Lord of the Rings Online.
4 Dagna (Dragon Age Series)
A Great Character Who Features In Multiple Games
Dragon Age: Origins
- Released
- November 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Dagna is the only female dwarf character in video games who has appeared in multiple entries in a series so far. Originally appearing in Dragon Age: Origins, she later reappeared in 2014's Dragon Age: Inquisition, and has become somewhat of a fan-favorite. She's a rare example of a dwarf who has chosen to neglect her smithing heritage and instead pursues the world of magic and spell-casting.
She only appears in the quest "The Unlikely Scholar" in Dragon Age: Origins, but features in eight quests in Dragon Age: Inquisition. She's not a major character by any means, but she's well-regarded and pretty cool, making her one of the best female dwarven characters in video games and a great character from the Dragon Age universe.
3 Lúnda (God Of War Ragnarok)
The Newest Female Dwarf Addition To Video Games
God of War Ragnarok
- Released
- November 9, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Lúnda is the newest female dwarf to be added to the roster of video game characters after appearing in God of War Ragnarok as a blacksmith and a friend of Brock and Sindri. She's got an obvious defect in one of her eyes and is assumed to be half-blind, but that doesn't take away from her expert blacksmith skills.
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She's an standout character and even dares to flirt with Kratos on several occasions (a very brave effort), and she's never afraid to say what's on her mind. She's entertaining, witty, and a joy to stumble across as players progress through the story. She's also seen flirting with Freya on one occasion, possibly referencing her bisexuality.
2 Lace Harding
The Definitive Dragon Age Female Dwarf
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Released
- October 31, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Look, Dagna's great, but the best female dwarf in the Dragon Age franchise is by far Lace Harding. Originally appearing in a multitude of quests in Dragon Age: Inquisition, she most recently appeared in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, adding yet another great appearance to the small list of female dwarves in video games. She is the Inquisiton's lead scour and becomes a full-time companion to Rook in The Veilguard, and makes for a great addition to the player's party.
Lace is a key character in Dragon Age: Inquisition and she plays a prominent role in the whole campaign. In fact, it's safe to say that the events leading up to the conclusion of the story wouldn't even be possible without her. Pair that with her character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and it's a night and day difference. Her character has unfortunately been severely downgraded in the newest release. However, Lace remains one of the best female dwarves in games, and she's an all-around great character. She was also the first romancable Dwarven companion in the Dragon Age series.
1 Moira Thaurissan (World Of Warcraft)
The Female Dwarf With The Most Lore And Backstory
World of Warcraft
- Released
- November 23, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence (online interactions not rated)
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Moira Thaurissan is one of the few female dwarves in video games to have some extensive lore and backstory behind her character. However, players should expect nothing less from a game as rich in detail as World of Warcraft. There are paragraphs upon paragraphs to read up on everything related to Moira, but some brief details are that she's the daughter of King Magni Bronzebeard of Ironforge and the widow of Emperor Dagran Thaurissan of the Dark Iron clan. All in all, this makes her a pretty powerful and prominent figure, and certainly one of the most highly regarded female dwarf characters in gaming.
She's found in a variety of locations across World of Warcraft and has been involved in a number of quests, stories, and anniversary events. In World of Warcraft Classic, she's found as both a boss and quest-giver in the Imperial Seat of Blackrock Depths, but her most prominent location in standard World of Warcraft is Stormwind City, in either the Stormwind Embassy or Stormwind Keep areas. There's no place Moira Thaurissan belongs other than at the top of this list, as she's certainly the best and the most well-established female dwarf in video game history.
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