224 page book on Drow yet...

[Felon]

Seriously Felon, your assessment is correct. Thanks, Rich

Thanks bact at you. I know I couldn't have been the only one who felt like something needed to be said.

I mean, where would D&D gorups be without the guy who wants to play the hot elf chick?

 

[Enforcer]

Personally, I'll probably pick it up. I like Salvatore's treatment of the drow. I do hope they have some Eberron-usable stuff though, as that's what I'm currently playing.

Oh, and is it too much to hope that:
a) They'll stop with the 1 prestige class takes up 10 pages format, and instead include more prestige classes in the same amount of space?
b) Psionics, ala House Oblodra from Forgotten Realms, will have some treatment (1 prestige class, some powers, anything)?

 

[Nyaricus]

Yuan-ti

Those are some real cool races which should be expanded upon (especially the first two, who haven't received any kind of treatment in 3.5... aside from the MM).

See Serpent Kingdoms (a FR sourcebook on Yuan-ti and their kin which would really be useful in any campaign) - IIRC, it's 3.5 -or- one of those odd hybrid products which were out at the cusp of the 3.0 to 3.5e transition.

cheers,
--N

 

[rgard]

Thanks bact at you. I know I couldn't have been the only one who felt like something needed to be said.

I mean, where would D&D gorups be without the guy who wants to play the hot elf chick?

Hi Felon, you are welcome. Posting under the correct id now. 'dracolich40' is my son's id. Of course it's ok for me to play the hot elf chick too, but not my 14 y/o!

Thanks again,
Rich

 

[Endur]

I played a multi-classed Drow Fighter/Wizard in 1981, long before Salvatore started writing.

I will be happy to buy this book. Although I would prefer lots of flavor and minimal crunch.

Please, no more Drow Dieties, the Drow have plenty. However, extra details on the Dieties they already have are welcome. Specific rituals for priestesses of Lolth are welcome.

No more PRCs either. There are plenty of PRCs for Drow to take.

We need lots of detail on Underground cities, much more detail than the Underdark book had or the Vault of the Drow articles in Dragon had.

The Underdark book was great. As were the articles in Dragon concerning the Vault of the Drow. An all drow version of the Underdark book, centered on Menzoberanzan or the Vault of the Drow (with Eclavdra), would be perfect.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I mean, where would D&D gorups be without the guy who wants to play the hot elf chick?

Most of mine, actually, don't have that guy. Or anyone seriously overweight for that matter.

Obsessive passion for a single archetype is a bit too....psychologically needy for my games. The rogue drow who abandons his corrupt homeland for a life of adventure is a *very* good archetype, one that resonates with a lot of people (stereotypical rebel teenager says: "This world is evil, and I want to abandon it and go on my own adventures!"). But myopic fascination with the archetype is too much of a ritual. People can place this archetype on an altar and worship it as the embodiment of their own hopes and dreams and fears. People submit stories about their childhood as a Drow to me, and tell me how Drow cities usually operate and correct my pronuncuation, and I'm not comfortable with that level of passion for the type.

The guy who plays the hot elf chick can be in the same boat. The beautiful elven princess of the pure forest who pursues her crusade on the flawed and fleshy mortal world (and dabbles in lesbian experiences) isn't a bad archetype (stereotypical lonely hippie says: "Nature are pure and sexy and I want to fight for nature and be sexy! And playing a girl means I'm open-minded!"). But it can become something of an obsession. People describe her provocative dress in salivating terms, show me pictures of girls she "looks kind of like," tell me that "unlike most humans, she loves the forest, and that is why she hates humans, but she is secretly attracted to them because they are new and dangerous".....again, "neediness" is the best word I can think of.

If the guy who liked to play the strong, silent dwarf fighter went on for pages about how his dwarven girlfriend was raped, or demanded that "unlike most dwarves, he enjoys grog instead of ale" in anything other than a joking term, or who will correct my descriptions of mosnters wielding axes based on how axes were really used by French ninnies in some medieval war he studied, I'd have a problem with that, too.

Thankfully, the guy who plays the strong, silent dwarf fighter usually just wants to roll dice around and kill monsters. That, I can do.

The guy who plays the angsty drow wants to rebel against society. I can't always give him an in-game reason to be rebellious (sometimes, you will be working with other good guys, and "I don't trust you" gets annoying.). The guy who plays the hot elf chick wants to be natural-sexy. I can't always give him an in-game reason to be natural-sexy (while you're being torn limb-from-limb by a dire ape is not the time to tell me "She's conflicted because she's never been attacked by a natural beast before, as she has a friendship with the forest").

I'll 100% admit that part of it is my own DMing style, which likes to challenge archetypes in ways that the archetype isn't used to handling ("let's see the crusading paladin who feels forced to make a diplomatic alliance with the devils for the Greater Good"). And I definately like creativity over blandness (dwarven fighters who have an encyclopedic knowledge of beers, for instance. Or hot elf chicks who primp and preen and must be the center of attention or become jealous. Or drow rebels who are secretly cannibals of their own kind, killing and eating other drow rebels out of a misplaced fealty).

Drow bore me now. If you've got something interesting and new to show me, show me. 224 pages of "same shyte, new artwork" isn't something interesting.

Now, since we haven't seen the book yet, it's entirely possible that they'll do something new and innovative with it. They certainly keep the surprises coming with the Complete books, so they're not tapped out. But 224 pages on one elven subrace that isn't even a good fit for PC use or a particularly enduring threat for NPC use doesn't, in and of itself, excite me.

 

[Remathilis]

Obsessive passion for a single archetype is a bit too....psychologically needy for my games. SNIP!

Again KM, I find myself agreeing with you...

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Again KM, I find myself agreeing with you...

Well, I don't really understand the defense of behaviour that at best is creepy and obsessive, and at worst is creepy and offensive. Lots of people have psychological issues that they need to work through. That's fine; nobody's perfect. However, the gaming table is not a good place to unload your hang-ups, obsessions, and fetishes. And I think it's legitimate to complain when someone attempts this. KM makes a pretty good summary of where it's appropriate to draw the line.

 

[GeorgeFields]

I played a multi-classed Drow Fighter/Wizard in 1981, long before Salvatore started writing.

The Underdark book was great. As were the articles in Dragon concerning the Vault of the Drow. An all drow version of the Underdark book, centered on Menzoberanzan or the Vault of the Drow (with Eclavdra), would be perfect.

My first drow was back in the days of 1e, also. A female cleric / magic-user / thief. I made one in the days of 2e for an all-drow campaign.

Which dragon mags had the Vault of the Drow articles. I quit getting the around #300, but I have 3 or 4 recent ones.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Well, I don't really understand the defense of behaviour that at best is creepy and obsessive, and at worst is creepy and offensive.

Sadly, a lot of people will defend these, too. See the Geek Social Fallacies article.

And I think a lot of people who really hate the drow have had exposure to this kind of player. I think a good number of people who really hate elves have had exposure to "hot elf chick guy." :\

I don't hate the drow. I've got bigger issues with the Warforged, for instance, who attract some of their own needy archetype-worshippers, and back it up with worse mechanics. I do, however, understand that not everyone has been as fortunate as me with regards to getting people who don't try to act out their hang-ups in D&D.