Evil Drow Statblocks to Return in Forgotten Realms Rulebooks Later This Year

Drow-specific NPC statblocks will be included in the upcoming Forgotten Realms Adventurer's Guide set for release later this year. Over the past several weeks, much hullabaloo has been made over the Monster Manual, specifically that the D&D design team replaced specific drow and orc statblocks with generic NPC statblocks that can be used for any kind of humanoids. In a video released today, D&D lead designer Jeremy Crawford confirmed that more specific statblocks tied to specific humanoid sects or characters would return in future rulebooks, with evil drow given as an example.

"Also for anyone who's eager to see more species-tailored humanoid statblocks, people are going to see more of that in our setting books," Crawford said. "You're going to see that in our Forgotten Realms products, for example. The malevolent drow of Menzoberranzan are an important part of that setting and so they get their own statblocks. This is really true of all the creatures in the Monster Manual. This is your massive starting toy box of monsters that are usable anywhere in the multiverse. The bestiaries in our setting products, that's where we can provide you versions of things tailored to the cultures and histories of our different worlds."

 

[MerricB]

Don't sound so glum, drow who rejected Lolth and with a differing habitat sound like a great addition to the game. Lots to work with here and Toril is so vast. Plus its cool to surprise players with new variants.

I thought they were called... elves?

Honestly, I don't mind the idea that after the drow went to the underground caverns where they were... changed... by the eldritch magic down there, they became riven by discord again and some ended up elsewhere.

But honestly, the modern take on drow just makes them elves with a different outlook on life, so I'm not quite sure why subdividing them more is useful. (What game mechanical traits do these new drow have that are in common with the Lolth drow and not with elves in general?)

 

[Doctor Futurity]

Somehow, I think your game will survive without the drow statblocks in the upcoming FR book.

The newest toolbox isn't missing any tools. You just don't like some of the tools in the box. Which is okay, if you prefer the older tools.

You don't need the supplemental Realms toolbox and the new tools in it to run an effective and fun game of D&D featuring drow. They are just more tools to provide more options.

I've been comparing the old species specific stat blocks to the new generic substitutes. There is a difference and it's meaningful to me. I think it's fair to point out that the new methodology for generic npcs sucks a lot, actually, if you want things to mean something and have distinctive flavor. I don't get why so many people are okay with a less flavorful, more generic approach here.

 

[Doctor Futurity]

I've given up reading ... well a lot of threads.

But on topic I do think it will be interesting to see what they come up with, especially if they start branching into other worlds and attempt to make them truly unique. We've had cannibal halfling dino riders, maybe it's time for authoritarian dwarves that rule with an iron fist or a world where people are terrified of gnomes because of their beady little eyes and how they chitter in the darkness.

Wait, you say that like all worlds don't have terrifying, chittering gnomes....

 

[Doctor Futurity]

It's four statblocks with more than adequate replacements in the 2025 MM.

Their official npc replacements are terrible substitutions. Cross check the originals with the replacements....yikes.

 

[Zardnaar]

Don't sound so glum, drow who rejected Lolth and with a differing habitat sound like a great addition to the game. Lots to work with here and Toril is so vast. Plus its cool to surprise players with new variants.

I just remember all the other elf variants that got printed in a book and rapidly forgotten.

Star elf, Rocksteer elf, alvariel, Probably astral elf from 5E.

No one really cares to much about elf variants. Assuming the developers actually include them and they're mechanically distinct.

My theory is new terrain grab the nearest elf plant them head first in the dirt. Add water and see if they grow a new elf sub race.

 

[BMaC]

There's a good chance this is a recent decision based on the reaction to the MM. I get the sense listening to him that Crawford has recently received several thousand dollars worth of media training. He's starting to sound like a corporate shill more and more.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I thought they were called... elves?

Honestly, I don't mind the idea that after the drow went to the underground caverns where they were... changed... by the eldritch magic down there, they became riven by discord again and some ended up elsewhere.

But honestly, the modern take on drow just makes them elves with a different outlook on life, so I'm not quite sure why subdividing them more is useful. (What game mechanical traits do these new drow have that are in common with the Lolth drow and not with elves in general?)

That is a fair point!
Will have to wait and see how the lore plays out. Those who wish to use them, may have to change it for their own sensibilities and their table's lore (which is par for the course).

 

[QuentinGeorge]

I guess its not problematic to stat out drow in monster manuals after all. Huh.

 

[pukunui]

I've been comparing the old species specific stat blocks to the new generic substitutes. There is a difference and it's meaningful to me. I think it's fair to point out that the new methodology for generic npcs sucks a lot, actually, if you want things to mean something and have distinctive flavor. I don't get why so many people are okay with a less flavorful, more generic approach here.

This is not a new thing, though. We had an appendix full of generic NPCs in the back of the 2014 MM too, and there were no dwarves, elves, halflings, or Dragonborn in that MM either. The only difference here is that drow are now on the “use the generic NPC” list too.

I’m struggling to see why that is such a big deal.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I've been comparing the old species specific stat blocks to the new generic substitutes. There is a difference and it's meaningful to me. I think it's fair to point out that the new methodology for generic npcs sucks a lot, actually, if you want things to mean something and have distinctive flavor. I don't get why so many people are okay with a less flavorful, more generic approach here.

I think the idea was to expand the NPC roles AND save space within the MM and that one uses these PC roles to create Guard of x race or Berserker of y race etc which is fine, it allows people to produce sellable content on the DMsGuild. @Nixlord's (aka Dragonix) Expanded Monster Manual (2024) here we come.

Now unique roles for x and y race should be statted IMO.
We now know why they were not included in the MM for Drow (and likely Orcs).
Is that a fair thing for the consumer? Well that I feel that is up for debate.

The argument could be FR is not the core D&D setting or that the MM is setting agnostic, so we are including unique Drow stat blocks in the FR setting book instead. That is not a debate I'm personally interested in.
I haven't bought the MM - do not know yet if I will.