Lanefan said:
In many ways I consider myself a fan of FR as a setting...except I've no use at all for Drizz't. That character is the worst thing to ever happen to the Ranger class (2-weapon fighting I've always thought of as something high-dex. Thieves should be doing, not clumsy Rangers), and as others have noted there's a scary number of players who for some inexplicable reason want to replicate him as their PC. And for the record, I've had good Drow show up in my games now and then...but not as Rangers. (besides, what does a dark-dwelling Drow know about woodscraft anyway?)
For an FR setting-book cover, I'd prefer to see some nameless-for-now heroes in pitched battle with some high-end enemy...a dragon, maybe, or a beholder...with a suitably iconic scene e.g. Shadowdale village or Waterdeep harbour as the background.
Lanefan
Why do you consider Ranger's clumsy? Considering the fact that they live in the wild, and hunt for food, I would think that they would be skilled in moving quietly and camoflauge. Both skills are dependant on Dex in 3E, so the Ranger should have a mid- to high Dex score to be successful in using these skills.
As to 'what does a dark-dwelling Drow know about woodscraft anyway?', keep in mind that Drizzt was trained first as a fighter, then as the lead scout for patrols in the Underdark. He completed his training as a Ranger when he reached the surface and encountered and old Ranger named Mooshie.
I'm a fan of the Dark Elf books, but there is one thing that I disliked about Drizzt: His influence on the design of the 3E Ranger. Seriously, why only give the Ranger only two combat options (Archery and Two-Weapon Fighting)? There are older examples of Rangers in fantasy, like Aragorn from LotR. Considering the popularity of the first two movies, and the fact that they were in theaters by the time the Revised Edition was released, I'm surprised that WotC hadn't included a single-weapon style for the Ranger. Hell, Ren O' the Blade from Pools of Radiance was a Ranger, and he used a two-handed sword.
I've got no big problems with the artwork on the books, though I think the DM Screen has the best.
