Drow overpowered?

[AbdulAlhazred]

I believe it was covered in the FAQ.

PHB2 actually. A save made at any time except EoT cannot make an effect worse.

Don't get all caught up in perfect stat synergy guys. A Drow can make a perfectly fine Wizard, just like any other race can. There are also certain class features that will benefit a high DEX Wizard (wand of accuracy). Admittedly CHA isn't super useful to wizards, but oh well. Being able to stand at the back of the party and cast spells out of a nice cloud of darkness though? Quite nice.

I'm not really sure where the whole trope that Drow are high powered wizards comes from anyway. It might have existed in 3e but it certainly wasn't particularly true in any other edition. They had serious level limitations, like all elf sub-races and thus were actually kind of gimped when it came to being spell casters. In fact most of their deadliness as monsters was based on special equipment and race features, not any kind of base mechanical superiority. Strip a 2e drow of its special armor, poison, etc and its nothing impressive.

 

[renau1g]

It's all Salvatore's fault. I blame him. Thanks for the reference.

 

[Jack99]

Almost goes without saying that area attacks from the wizard are a good option against the drow in their little clouds. There aren't many situations where a firebox is the best 5th-level daily spell a wizard can have, but this is one of them.

I see what you did there, pretty funny! Still not the best 5th wizard daily, even in those circumstances, though.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I see what you did there, pretty funny! Still not the best 5th wizard daily, even in those circumstances, though.

Yeah, Big Stinky would work better. Flush them right out of that cloud. Oh, you want to stay in your darkness? Well, take this nice auto-damage every turn then! Coming out? Fine, we'll just see how long you can last against our swords.

Personally I'd say given the stealthiness potential of the Drow that the DM doesn't really get it if he's letting the party face them in a fairly small room where they can't hit and run. No wonder he's got to crank up their powers.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I'm not really sure where the whole trope that Drow are high powered wizards comes from anyway. It might have existed in 3e but it certainly wasn't particularly true in any other edition. They had serious level limitations, like all elf sub-races and thus were actually kind of gimped when it came to being spell casters. In fact most of their deadliness as monsters was based on special equipment and race features, not any kind of base mechanical superiority. Strip a 2e drow of its special armor, poison, etc and its nothing impressive.

And if you're not completely enamored of the name "wizard" for their class, a drow makes a fine darkspiral/feylock/semistarlock or chaos/stormcerer.

Brad