D&D General better dark elves?

[bedir than]

You could change it so that the problems with the drow are more cultural rather than "inherent" or whatever. Instead of having every drow individually being a dick, have drow society be a mix of good and bad individuals stuck in a bad system. This also seems more realistic.

This is also the current state of Drow in 5e

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

This is also the current state of Drow in 5e

lol that's what I get for not reading any of the 5e monster manual stuff I guess

 

[Zardnaar]

Well I think the default dark elf should probably respect the lolthite D&Dism to some extent. It's over done and boring by now though.

In your home games just make them interesting. Night elves following a moon goddess and using twilight magic, shadow fae or good aligned the evil elves are the surface ones.

 

[TarionzCousin]

It's pronounced "drow."

 

[Amrûnril]

I'm very much unconvinced that the idea of Dark Elves as a distinct race/species is worth saving. Having evil elves as a distinct species from "normal" elves (let alone one distinguishable by skin color) was a horrible choice from the beginning, but as far as I can tell, it's the central reason for having Dark Elves, and any future iteration is going to be perceived in relation to that history. So while the Dark Elf concept certainly can be improved from its historic origins (indeed it would be hard not to improve), I think abandoning this concept and focusing on novel cultures and species would probably be a better use of creative energy.

 

[Scribe]

I'm very much unconvinced that the idea of Dark Elves as a distinct race/species is worth saving. Having evil elves as a distinct species from "normal" elves (let alone one distinguishable by skin color) was a horrible choice from the beginning, but as far as I can tell, it's the central reason for having Dark Elves, and any future iteration is going to be perceived in relation to that history. So while the Dark Elf concept certainly can be improved from its historic origins (indeed it would be hard not to improve), I think abandoning this concept and focusing on novel cultures and species would probably be a better use of creative energy.

Yep exactly. Either you make it a culture, you make it a localized group that is isolated, or just use something else? Unless one wants to have them be what they have always been, just use something else in your game world.

Or at least solve for what they are, that is specific to your own setting/table/game.

 

[Charlaquin]

I'm very much unconvinced that the idea of Dark Elves as a distinct race/species is worth saving. Having evil elves as a distinct species from "normal" elves (let alone one distinguishable by skin color) was a horrible choice from the beginning, but as far as I can tell, it's the central reason for having Dark Elves, and any future iteration is going to be perceived in relation to that history. So while the Dark Elf concept certainly can be improved from its historic origins (indeed it would be hard not to improve), I think abandoning this concept and focusing on novel cultures and species would probably be a better use of creative energy.

You could take “dark elves” back to their mythological roots and just say it’s a misnomer that got mistakenly applied to dwarves by humans.

 

[MGibster]

long term dark elves as you evil elves seem both likely to die and has too many unpleasant implications but what else could they be?

what other role could they take up past evil subversion?
not only about drow more all evil subversion options as well I wonder if there is anything left for them past the dustbin?

In my own heartbreaker setting, I set the drow up with all their classic trappings. They're matriarchal, they love spiders, males are second class citiznes, but I did strip away the slavery. The nearest drow oligarchy are pretty extreme isolationist and it's rare for them to travel outside their territory. There's only one road foreigners can travel and a single city they can visit for trade/diplomatic purposes. Foreigners who do not follow the road are very often not heard from again. Most visitors to the drow oligarch are traders who are interested in the fine silks they produce. Oh, and the drow are sensitive to the light on account of their forested land being so dark. Trees so thick, it's like night down on the ground.

 

[Clint_L]

I don't do alignment. There are various Drow cultures and various Drow individuals. They are often looked at with suspicion by some folks because of historical events, and there are some of them who have ideologies that are very hostile to outsiders. You know...people. So none of the OP's issues apply, at least not to an entire species.

In my home campaign, the party just successfully concluded a complicated bargain with a coven of hags - originally they started as adversaries, but by the end everyone got what they needed out of the situation. It wasn't pre-planned, but it was interesting and fun. Playing creatures as individuals with wants and needs rather than alignments always leads to better stories, IMO.

 

[Corinnguard]

Either you make it a culture,

Level up made them into a culture.