Evil Drow Statblocks to Return in Forgotten Realms Rulebooks Later This Year

Drow-specific NPC statblocks will be included in the upcoming Forgotten Realms Adventurer's Guide set for release later this year. Over the past several weeks, much hullabaloo has been made over the Monster Manual, specifically that the D&D design team replaced specific drow and orc statblocks with generic NPC statblocks that can be used for any kind of humanoids. In a video released today, D&D lead designer Jeremy Crawford confirmed that more specific statblocks tied to specific humanoid sects or characters would return in future rulebooks, with evil drow given as an example.

"Also for anyone who's eager to see more species-tailored humanoid statblocks, people are going to see more of that in our setting books," Crawford said. "You're going to see that in our Forgotten Realms products, for example. The malevolent drow of Menzoberranzan are an important part of that setting and so they get their own statblocks. This is really true of all the creatures in the Monster Manual. This is your massive starting toy box of monsters that are usable anywhere in the multiverse. The bestiaries in our setting products, that's where we can provide you versions of things tailored to the cultures and histories of our different worlds."

 

[npick03]

It used to be quite common for people to bring characters from one DM's campaign world to another's. I guess I don't have an issue with it, I've had one PC that bounced multiple times and eventually became an NPC in my own home campaign.

That I am totally in support of, but it isn't quite what I mean. What I don't like is the idea of a corporation trying to imply any kind of ownership of other people's creative work. I don't want my worlds folded into their multiverse umbrella. I don't even want Eberron under there, quite frankly.

I admit this could just be a very uncharitable reading on my part, but their use of the term makes me feel some type of way.

 

[Yaarel]

A setting book is the right place to do faction stuff, and faction can have alignments, depending on the "charter".

 

[Scribe]

There is only one kind of drow, so they can't put in one specific "type" of drow. There aren't drow subtypes, just different drow cultures.

And I'd love if they put in elves, gnomes, dwarves and halflings, and included those other versions in the section.

Interesting point. Culture as of this moment is irrelevant in 5.5.

Will this FR book change that?

 

[Oofta]

That I am totally in support of, but it isn't quite what I mean. What I don't like is the idea of a corporation trying to imply any kind of ownership of other people's creative work. I don't want my worlds folded into their multiverse umbrella. I don't even want Eberron under there, quite frankly.

I admit this could just be a very uncharitable reading on my part, but their use of the term makes me feel some type of way.

I guess I don't see any implications of ownership, just implications that if you want to take PCs from FR to Eberron to someone's home brew campaign world and it's not a big deal.

 

[wizard71]

I guess those of us who weren't going to buy a FR book are just out of luck - especially since we can't buy things al la carte anymore...

Guess so Stormonu

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Interesting point. Culture as of this moment is irrelevant in 5.5.

Will this FR book change that?

So far we only have the core books, which admittedly have been deculturfied, but it seems clear that is because cultures are have been completely shifted to setting books, so I expect none setting splat books, which I think are coming, but will be rarer, to be completely culture neutral like the core is now.

 

[Scribe]

So far we only have the core books, which admittedly have been deculturfied, but it seems clear that is because cultures are have been completely shifted to setting books, so I expect none setting splat books, which I think are coming, but will be rarer, to be completely culture neutral like the core is now.

Its not clear that Culture has moved to Setting books at all, until either Wizards says thats what they are doing, and shows an example, or we get the book and its there.

Will they have them as Backgrounds?
Will they have them as an additional rules container?
Will they be tied to classes/subclasses?

 

[Selas]

Its not clear that Culture has moved to Setting books at all, until either Wizards says thats what they are doing, and shows an example, or we get the book and its there.

Will they have them as Backgrounds?
Will they have them as an additional rules container?
Will they be tied to classes/subclasses?

Well, the FRAG UA was for setting specific subclasses, and FRAG is split into a player guide and DM guide, so there will definitely be Backgrounds in the player book. How distinct they are from the core books is debatable. Also, by having two setting books there is a higher chance of including more of that lore in them

 

[Scribe]

Well, the FRAG UA was for setting specific subclasses, and FRAG is split into a player guide and DM guide, so there will definitely be Backgrounds in the player book. How distinct they are from the core books is debatable. Also, by having two setting books there is a higher chance of including more of that lore in them

Sure, but if its just Subclasses, and Backgrounds, then its not like Culture went anywhere, those are just what we already have.

 

[Yaarel]

Its not clear that Culture has moved to Setting books at all, until either Wizards says thats what they are doing, and shows an example, or we get the book and its there.

Will they have them as Backgrounds?
Will they have them as an additional rules container?
Will they be tied to classes/subclasses?

I expect to see "Evil faction" Drow Backgrounds, and from there various unaligned cultural options generally.

I prefer classes and subclasses to represent "fighting styles". But this can imply organizations, such as a Druid "circle" defending something, or a Paladin order giving an oath to champion some cause.

Level 1 characters are bursting at the seams. I am unsure how to add even more design space to a character.

On the other hand, the Bastion is probably an excellent design area to think about culture, as it depends on the nature of it and its relationship to the communities around it.