Drow overpowered again? (and some other racial discussion)

[Sitara]

The reason drow don't have racial feats is because, like all playable pc's in the MM they just didn't have room to write up propoer racial progressions for all of them. And they are not missing that much IMO, from what I gather racial feats are cool but not game breaking. So drow will get racial feats, probably in the FR book.

Also, you could custom make at least one racial feat, which allows drow to gain both their encounter powers instead of choosing one.

Lastly, while I don't have my books yet and while DV is quite an advantage, IMO its very circumstantial. The eladrin teleportation appears to me to be more useful. (I mean, it would be nearly impossibel to capture/bind/imprison the eladrin.

 

[Nikodemus]

-can- be used at range is not the same as "must be". See also: Minor Action to activate power.

Ranged is a keyword. Yes, Darkfire can be used on adjacent squares, but it will provoke attacks of opportunity.

Would you rather play a drow or a teifling rogue?
Would you rather play a drow or a teifling <other class>?

I would prefer a teifling warlock over a drow warlock any day of the week. I get far better stat bonuses with the tiefling and I gain access to hellfire blood (which, for those built to take advantage of it, provides far better combat bonuses than any other heroic tier feat). The fire resist and infernal wrath aren't great, but they are still serviceable abilities.

 

[Graf]

From Wizard Presents Races and Classes pages 30-31:

Thank you! (I've not read that book).
Personally, I think infinite range darkvision is also really powerful.

Ranged is a keyword. Yes, Darkfire can be used on adjacent squares, but it will provoke attacks of opportunity.

A fair point.
Of course, if they're adjacent, you'd be a moron to use darkfire. Cloud of Darkness does the same thing for you, but also affects everyone else adjacent and DOESN'T trigger AoO.

My, admittedly tricky to follow, point was just that you can easily use darkfire on someone (as a minor) and then take advantage of that for you can pound on them for two actions with combat advantage.
(and your team mates will get one action with CA too).

Once an encounter? Pretty sweet.

Anyway, the post who was insisting that you couldn't take advantage of your own darkfire power was the person I was responding too.

I would prefer a teifling warlock over a drow warlock any day of the week. I get far better stat bonuses with the tiefling and I gain access to hellfire blood (which, for those built to take advantage of it, provides far better combat bonuses than any other heroic tier feat). The fire resist and infernal wrath aren't great, but they are still serviceable abilities.

I haven't looked at teifling+warlock.

Tend to think that fire resist is better than people think.

Infernal wrath seems silly to me, but, situationally maybe it has some sort of merit that I'm missing...

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Darkvision as a PC ability isn't that much use.

It's powerful for a band of drows tracking you in the underdark. They need no source of light and you do. Major edge. For a drow PC in a party... Even the trance ability is likely to be a better asset than the darkvision (by making the party harder to ambush during extended rest).

First of all, most adventurer will insist on travelling during the day.

Drow : ''*whine* But I got darkvision.''
Human wizard : ''I don't care!''

Even night mission doesn't really allow darkvision to shine. Low light does the same thing. You need to go in cave. Without light.

Drow : ''I will so rock!''
whole party : ''Not happening.''
Smart PC : ''Beside, the denizen of this underworld all have darkvision too.''

What are you gonna do? Go ahead alone in a cave in an area where most creatures see you as good as you see them? Even if the DM bend itself in two to try to allow you to shine, he'll have a hard time doing so without irritating everyone else.

 

[Graf]

I think you're vastly underestimating it's utility.

A -lot- of adventures are structured in the lightless dungeon. Lots of times monsters are lurking outside the range of vision in the shadows.
Infinite range darkvision changes that.

Do the humans want to stay in the light? Of course.
But it's dungeons and dragons. The game isn't about hanging out in the sunlight and sipping boat drinks.

If you have the chance to play through KotS with darkvision and then come back and tell me what you think.