Drow Campaign: SR or no SR?

[churd]

I would take it OUT, no question.

Some assumptions: first, classes are fairly well balanced, and that balance assumes SR is the exception, rather than the rule. Second, each class has an area where it excels, and other areas where it's abilities overlap with other classes.

For arcane casters the area of specalization is offensive spells that directly harm their foes. Check the spell selection of virtually any arcane caster and you will see that at least half of their spells are offensive. Sleep and Fireball are the bread and butter of arcane casters. IF the majority of enemies have SR, then that offensive power is significantly reduced.

Sure, an arcane caster has other spells available, but they share most of these spells with divine casters. If you are going to have a similar spell sellection the benefits of playing a cleric become overwhelming. I would expect arcane magic to be a big part of any drow campaign, but if you leave SR in then either players will not want to be arcanists, or those that do will be forced into the support role of clerics.

You can argue that SR is what makes Drow, Drow. I think there is a stronger argument that offensive spells are what make wizards, wizards. If you are going to be reduced to casting magic weapon, bull's strength, and summon monster your not a wizard - you're a cleric with crappy hit points, no healing, and an AC 10.

Moreover, I think Drow having SR is more of a historical accident than an intrinsic part of their character. Drow first appeared in a high level 1st ed. adventure. SR (Magic resistance in that edition) was necessary to keep them from being pushovers for fireballs and similar spells. Likewise faire fire (a ridiciouls power if ever there was one) was to prevent invisible characters from walking all over them. While later editions have make wholesale changes in many areas of the rules, many iconic monsters are stuck with powers that seemed like a good idea in 1979, but should have been taken out long ago (don't get me started on demons teleporting without error at will and summoning other demons).

In short, I think you need to decide which is more important for a drow campaing, SR or arcane spellcasters.

 

[comareddin]

I do not know if this is stated as a rule somewhere but I am pretty sure in some of the FR novels on drow, drow SR does not apply if the caster is a cleric worshipping Lolth and the target of the spell is a Lolth believer as well. That is why in a society full of arcane and divine magic the divine magic users are so powerful and the wizards are in a secondary place compared to them. Thinking about it, even Gromph Baenre, the archwizard of Menzoberranzan is a diviner... Not someone who has direct application for all the spells in his repertoire (did I spell that correctly).

Com

 

[Mistwell]

For Wizards, it's just a matter of proper planning. Arcane Mastery (Complete Arcane - Lets you take ten on caster level checks) plus Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration means you will get through almost all spell resistance without a roll. Fortify Spell (Complete Arcane) will help a lot. Shadow Adepts (Player's Guide to Faerun) with Arcane Mastery (and without the need for the spell penetration feats) will do the same. Elemental Savants can as well. There are other combinations that are just as effective at piercing spell resistance (or even more effective).

The orb spells (Complete Arcane) or Melf's Acid Arrow or Cloudkill or similar spells will avoid spell resistance.

Various spells will lower a targets spell resistance or increase your caster level check as well.

Given Drow become wizards in this environment, they would prepare for facing spell resistance by taking these feats or prestige classes or spells. Why worry about it, when in all likelyhood they will be plenty powerful?

 

[Endur]

In the R.A. Salvatore novels about Menzoberanzan, he makes a point that Priestesses in Lolth's favor can penetrate drow SR. Now whether this means that Drow SR does not affect them or they have a luck bonus on SR checks or Spell penetration for free is up to you.

In my game, a Drow Priestess of Lolth in Lolth's favor can penetrate the SR of a non-favored Drow as if their SR didn't exist.

It gives an extra benefit for being a Priestess in the Favor of Lolth. It also helps explain why all the priestesses do not want to be out of Lolth's favor (a deadly circumstance in Menzoberanzan).

 

[Jarrod]

It depends on how limited you want your player's options to be.

If I'm playing a wizard in a known-SR campaign then I have limited effective options; either spend multiple feats on Spell Penetration or the like, or toss Evocations in favor of the (nearly equivalent) Conjurations. I'm still effective, but I'm limited in what I can do.

Also, the non-spellcasters (AKA "targets") get a boost. Even if the enemy can punch through SR almost all the time, there's those few times they can't.

Finally, dice slowdown. This may not matter to you, but rolling that extra d20 and doing math will have an effect on the speed of combat. Some groups it matters, some it doesn't.


You're the GM, so you get to make the call. But my suggestion would be to envision what kind of campaign you want to run, then make the rules fit it.

 

[werk]

I vote Yes - SR

You want to play drow, because they are different...but if you play them without their (most effective) special qualities, they become less special, or more normal. At that point, why not just play humans living in the underdark?

I know, I'm over-simplifying, but there you have it.

If the associated slow-down and mechanical issues are expected to be a problem, maybe playing drow characters in a drow environment isn't the best idea. Like if you want to play aquatic elves living on the ocean floor, but don't want any of those pesky underwater environment issues...

 

[Zaryus]

It's ultimatly up to you, you are running this game after all. But if you want an opinion, keep it in, it makes the game interesting and a bit challeging. Or you can use special rules were spells casted by other drow are cut in half or certain spells associated with "poisons" or "spiders" or "darkness" ignore SR. That's just a a suggestion.

 

[Shellman]

I say leave it as is. I'm not a big fan of changing things unless the mechanics really just don't work right to begin with.

It should not be an issue for any of the spellcasters since they should all know about SR to begin with. If they fail to plan or prepare the appropriate spells, then they will deal with the consequences. I would as DM, emphasize spells with no SR or spells like Assay Resistance to raise the caster level.

 

[axp_dave]

I would take it OUT, no question.

Some assumptions: first, classes are fairly well balanced, and that balance assumes SR is the exception, rather than the rule. Second, each class has an area where it excels, and other areas where it's abilities overlap with other classes.

For arcane casters the area of specalization is offensive spells that directly harm their foes. Check the spell selection of virtually any arcane caster and you will see that at least half of their spells are offensive. Sleep and Fireball are the bread and butter of arcane casters. IF the majority of enemies have SR, then that offensive power is significantly reduced.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and ideas. I believe Churd's post above spoke best about keeping it balanced for casters who will be fighting many other Drow. I've decided to take it out as I don't want to make it to hard to be a caster. Thank you again for all your posts.

David