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For the analogous unit in Dungeon Keeper 2, see Dwarf.
Note also that 'Tunneller' is the in-game and old British spelling of this word.

The Tunneller is a hero encountered in Dungeon Keeper. They are the goodly counterparts to Imps; they excavate tunnels to your dungeon so heroes can invade. If converted to your side, they work alongside Imps.

General Information[]

Dungeon Keeper Tunneller portrait

The Tunneller's Portrait

Dungeon Keeper Tunneller movement animation

Ingame animation of the Tunneller

Tunnellers are visually distinguished from the combat-oriented Mountain Dwarf by their blond hair and dual-wielding axes; Mountain Dwarves are red-haired and carry one weapon.

Tunnellers are weak fighters, but are the only creatures besides Imps able to dig, so their purpose is in fact to breach an unwary Keeper's dungeon. They are always designated as party leaders by the game when added to a party. This causes the heroes to follow them around as they blaze a trail through the unclaimed earth. And once they excavate a direct path leading to your dungeon, other heroes will follow that path.

To prevent incursion by Tunnellers, order the Imps to go about fortifying your dungeon by dropping them along claimed-but-not-fortified dirt wall sections.

Tunnellers are stronger in combat than Beetles and inferior to Demon Spawn. However, in the earliest levels of the campaign, their stats are reduced to the point that even Flies are a match for them.

Converted Tunnellers join in the tasks assigned to the Imps, helping out with quotidian dungeon work such as digging, reinforcing, carrying unconscious enemies etc., but their comparative indolence is a problem. When they do work, they do so slower than an Imp would, and rather apathetically. Tunnellers cannot perform digging while possessed (this is changed in KeeperFX, making them more useful). Unlike Imps, they need Lair space, food, and pay, count towards its owner's creature limit, and spend long periods just idling around, making them way more of a hassle than Imps. If captured, it makes more sense to let them rot away in the Prison or Graveyard.

Tables[]

Combat Statistics
Query Speed icon Dungeon Keeper Speed: 48
Heal Icon Small Base Health: 350
Strength Base Strength: 40
Defence Defence: 30
Skill Base Skill: 40
Dexterity Base Dexterity: 40
Luck Luck: 0
Tasks & Management
Tunneler-icon Primary Job Do Nothing
Library Icon Small Base Research Skill none
Workshop Icon Small Base Manufacturing Skill 1
Training Room Icon Small Training Skill 1
Wage Training Cost /64t 10
ScavengerRoom Icon Small Base Scavenging Skill 1
Wage Scavenging Cost /64t 10
Temple Icon Small Praying Anger -50
Lair Icon Small Sleeping Anger -3
Heal Icon Small Sleep Recovery 4
Hatchery Icon Small Hunger 2Chicken icon tiny / 5000t
Wage Base Wage 50

Trivia[]

  • Tunnellers do not appear in Dungeon Keeper 2; they are replaced with the Dwarf.
  • Confusingly, in the Japanese version, this dwarf is called the Mountain Dwarf, and what in English is the Mountain Dwarf is simply a Dwarf.[1][2][3]
  • On some versions, Tunneller dots on the fullscreen map seem to flash the colour of the player whom he's heading for.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ダンジョンキーパープレミアム勇者撃退ガイド. (Japanese). pp. 42,43. Tokyo: NTT Publishing. (1998). ISBN 978-4-87188-897-4.
  2. Dungeon Keeper Level Editor Manual. (Japanese). section 5.2.1.6.
  3. Dungeon Keeperレベルエディタ クイックリファレンス. (Japanese).
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