D&D 5E Elves subrace?

[variant]

Is there anything in the wording of the Daylight spell that would make it hinder the Drow?

It's named daylight.

 

[Ravenheart87]

Time to buy some sunglasses for your drow.

 

[Wormwood]

Time to buy some sunglasses for your drow.

Or wait for the inevitable feat.

 

[Ravenheart87]

Or wait for the inevitable feat.

I would go with sunglasses even then. People don't see what feats you have when they take a look at you (well, except dragonmarks in Eberron), unlike sunglasses. And sunglasses rock. Especially in a medieval setting.

 

[Lidgar]

Back to OP's question - what are the sub races in the PHB for elves? Is it:

1. High Elf
2. Wood Elf
3. Drow Elf

Any Wild Elf?

A quick list of other sub races (dwarf, halfling, etc.) would also be appreciated. I am sure it is in the huge "Finally" thread somewhere, but I failed my Investigation check...

 

[Dausuul]

It has been long established, since Daylight was Continual Light, that the light created by said spell was the equivalent of "daylight"...which would be, unless you have some kind of magical electric light bulb in the sky of your fantasy world, the light of the sun...or...sunlight. Semantic acrobatic nonsense, notwithstanding.

It has always been clear that shadow creatures and/or undead react to it as if it were sunlight. So why would Drow not react to it as if it were?

It has never been any such thing, in any edition.

BECMI: "It is much brighter than a torch, but not as bright as full daylight."
1E: "...its brightness is very great, being nearly as illuminating as full daylight." (Emphasis added.) No mention of it affecting creatures as sunlight.
2E: "This spell is similar to a light spell, except that it is as bright as full daylight and lasts until negated by magical darkness or by a dispel magic spell. Creatures who suffer penalties in bright light suffer them in this spell's area of effect." This comes closest, but is still careful to avoid saying it has the effect of sunlight. Contrast sunray, introduced in the same edition.
3E: "Despite its name, this spell is not the equivalent of daylight for the purposes of creatures that are damaged or destroyed by bright light."
4E: (no such ability I'm aware of)

It is, in fact, very well established that for a spell to actually produce the effects of sunlight on creatures like vampires, it needs to be way higher than a piddling level 2-3. In 2E, you needed a 7th-level cleric spell, sunray. In 3E, you needed sunburst, an 8th-level druid, wizard, or Sun domain spell. In BECMI and 1E, you couldn't do it at all as far as I know.

If you're going to get self-righteous, you might want to make sure you're right, first.

 

[outsider]

Back to OP's question - what are the sub races in the PHB for elves? Is it:

1. High Elf
2. Wood Elf
3. Drow Elf

Any Wild Elf?

A quick list of other sub races (dwarf, halfling, etc.) would also be appreciated. I am sure it is in the huge "Finally" thread somewhere, but I failed my Investigation check...

High Elf, Wood Elf, Drow Elf are your choices. Wild Elf is noted as an alternate name for Wood Elf that is used in the Forgotten Realms(as is Forest Elf and Green Elf).

 

[outsider]

And a note: The Drow weakness specifically mentions sunlight. It doesn't say "light as bright as sunlight" or anything of the like. It seems to be specifically referring to light from the sun(or, as Dasuul points out, spells that actually create sunlight).

One further note: The weakness applies whether you or your target are in the sunlight. Somehow protecting yourself from the sun isn't enough, if your target is smart enough to stay in the sun.

 

[Agamon]

One further note: The weakness applies whether you or your target are in the sunlight. Somehow protecting yourself from the sun isn't enough, if your target is smart enough to stay in the sun.

For sure. If a drow is in shade and his target in the light, the penalty applies. My idea for the magic item would counter the penalty completely though, which wouldn't be overpowered at all, for a rare, attuned item.

 

[Dausuul]

For sure. If a drow is in shade and his target in the light, the penalty applies. My idea for the magic item would counter the penalty completely though, which wouldn't be overpowered at all, for a rare, attuned item.

Agreed, that would certainly not be overpowered. Power-wise, in fact, I'd say it's pretty weak; the only reason to make it rare is to justify why most drow don't have one.