Drow as PC

[trentonjoe]

I played fighter/bard/cleric drow for awhile. I did lag behind, and wasn't particularly powerful but it was fun.

The darkvision thing made me a great scout.

It was difficult not being able to talk in towns and have people generally not like me.

 

[Stalker0]

My first post

Welcome to the boards, and now we own your soul!!!!

 

[LGodamus]

dont forget even though you lose elven racial weapon prof....you gain drow racial weapon prof....which includes an exotic weapon ,hand crossbow

 

[Sirx]

Kingdoms of Kalamar has a sort of Shadow Elves, iirc, who are ECL0. They could probably be used to play an ECL0-Drow.

Kalamar does indeed have Dark Elves that don't have don't have a level adjustment but they are significantly weaker that the WotC version.

 

[Li Shenron]

dont forget even though you lose elven racial weapon prof....you gain drow racial weapon prof....which includes an exotic weapon ,hand crossbow

I couldn't find it in the MM, is this in Savage Species?

BTW, is there a feat somewhere that grants SR? Probably not, but if there was one, I wouldn't say the Drow ECL could be +2.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

The FR Dark Elves get alot more than spell resistance, alot of attribute bonuses, some spell-abilty, the SR, long range darvision, and bonus Will saves vs spells. But this is why they are ECL +2. I've played a fighter wizard drow and difficult to play if you are low-level and multi-classed. I recommend sticking to just one class. Though dark elves provide many interesting RP moments especially if you are a *good* dark elf (as any normally evil race or monster would be). They are lots of fun to play though, and if you play them as sly and devious they will survive a bit longer what with the lower HPs.

Though the stigma is there, sure, but it depends upon your world and where you live. In one of the lands in the FR half-drow represent the nobility and rule the land, after the drow conquerers went back below, but that's just one land of many and most haven't even heard of the land...

My game group has also tried an all drow party that they tell me was alot of fun! The ECL 2 is not so bad and the perks make for a nifty character, expecially if you go for the whole good/bad dark elf hero angle. Daylight Adaption is the name of the FR feat and it decreases the light blindness to manageable minuses.

Best of luck, I remember when my Dark Elf first met the rest of the *good* party. They tied me to the ground with rope and stakes and then poked me with a stick until I woke up. The Elf warned that they should slay me immediately and was too dangerous to be allowed to live, though only after I was questioned conerning the impending drow invasion. They then proceeded to ask me some questions and the party cleric zone of truthed me. As I proceeded to "resist" the spell with my incessant pleas for mercy and denying the invasion, the party cleric sighed and decided to detect alignment and found that I was *good*.

Ahhh, those were the days LOL. Have fun with it!

 

[Black Omega]

Having played a drow cleric/wizard, I'd have to agree. Definately go single class. With the ECL adjustment, the hit from multiclassing on your spells is even worse than usual.

I'm not a big fan of Drow as +2 ECL. Partially because while they have cool benefits, it's all passive. Most benefits will only apply when the DM decides they will. Unlike a Fay'ri (sp) from Monsters of Faerun that is a +2 ECL but getes powers like Change Self at will, D-Door, etc. All active powers that the Player decides when to use I'd really class a drow as +1 ECL, but that's IMHO.

Though I'll admit, that 120 ft. Darkvision is pretty swank.

 

[Li Shenron]

I just noticed another thread about Half Drow. In the MM there is only the standard Half Elf (Half High Elf), but I think it mentions something about being Half Elf of a subrace, and eventually it seems that in Forgotten Realms they are common.

Well, I suppose I should get myself FRCS or Races of Faerun, but if anyone is willing to give me a spoiler, I would be very grateful.

It would be even better if someone knows of a general rule about what should a Half Elf get from his original subrace. I guess the Search, Spot and Listen bonuses are halved, extra proficiencies and ability modifiers (at least the physical ones) gone while ST bonuses/immunities and vision are mantained. But what about the SR? I am sure that it is exactly SR which alone raises the ECL by at least 1. I wouldn't mind to lose the spell-like abilities (I'm going to be more than half Wizard anyway), and without them and SR as well, would you rate it ECL +0? I think I would rate it ECL -1!

 

[Andion Isurand]

Mechanically speaking, the half-elves in 'Races of Faerûn' work the same... except for the half-drow who get darkvision 60 ft instead of low-light vision.

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And by the way...

(in FR 3rd edition) all drow get +2 charisma...

the " +2 cha / -2 cha " based on gender was removed for 3rd edtition

Take a look at the 3rd Edition, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book... that's the drow mechanic I use.

 

[hammymchamham]

the " +2 cha / -2 cha " based on gender was removed for 3rd edtition

Not according to the 3rd edition Monster manuel or the SRD.

From the SRD

Typical ability scores for males are Str 10, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 9. Typical scores for females are Str 10, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 13.

Note that males typical ability score os 9 would mean a -2 to that ability, and the females typical ability score is 13, a +2. This is all from a 3rd edition book.