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."

 

[Micah Sweet]

Didn't old books use that term? I can't remember not thinking of D&D as a multiverse, and the term dates back to Moorcock, I think.

I would need to see an example.

 

[Oofta]

Thats not confusing at all, thats D&D 101.

So using the word planes which is a well defined word in D&D to describe a specific universe's structure to describe multiple universes is not confusing, but abbreviating D&D exists in multiple universes into D&D multiverse is terrible.

If you say so.

Do you think the multiverse concept in D&D marketing is more about the game at individual tables, or more about all the different setting products WotC wants to sell us? I believe that second one is their priority, and it does have a financial motive, and there's nothing wrong with admitting that.

No, and this is the only time I've heard anyone ever have an issue. It's a well established term that has little to do with Marvel. A quick search tells me it was first used in 1873[1]. Marvel does not own the term, neither does DC, WotC or quantum physicists.

 

[dave2008]

What are folks more familiar with: string theory or comics?

Neither, it is movies.

IMO, comics are as obscure as string theory. In my close friend group I am one of 2-3 people that know anything about comics (and I don't know much); while at least 10-12 have some knowledge of string theory.

 

[Weiley31]

Man, imagine they have both Drow AND Orc stat blocks in the same book.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Neither, it is movies.

IMO, comics are as obscure as string theory. In my close friend group I am one of 2-3 people that know anything about comics (and I don't know much); while at least 10-12 have some knowledge of string theory.

Movies meet my definition better than yours I think.

 

[dave2008]

A multiverse has multiple universes, each with their own history that differ in some ways but are otherwise quite familiar.

So the comic book version, not the science version (multiple unrelated universes), nor the D&D version (multiple planes of existing beyond the Prime. aka universe). Though, to be fair, D&D has dabbled in the other two versions as well.

 

[Oofta]

I would need to see an example.

Like this one from Dungeons and Dragons Fandom?

"However, such as with our actual world, the expanses of the game multiverse will always have frontiers and unexplored territories. This fact, indeed, is what makes the AD&D game system so wonderful and appealing."— Gary Gygax, Unearthed Arcana, May 1985​

 

[npick03]

I don't like the term multiverse because at this point it feels like a marketing buzzword, like open world, live service, or cozy. It reminds me that I'm being marketed to as a consumer, and that feels kind of gross.

They way they use it also gives off the vibe that they see all homebrew worlds as part of their multiverse. Which also feels kind of gross.

It may be an accurate term to describe aspects of the D&D universe, and it has been used before, but in this moment it just rankles.

 

[Oofta]

I don't like the term multiverse because at this point it feels like a marketing buzzword, like open world, live service, or cozy. It reminds me that I'm being marketed to as a consumer, and that feels kind of gross.

They way they use it also gives off the vibe that they see all homebrew worlds as part of their multiverse. Which also feels kind of gross.

It may be an accurate term to describe aspects of the D&D universe, and it has been used before, but in this moment it just rankles.

It used to be quite common for people to bring characters from one DM's campaign world to another's. I guess I don't have an issue with it, I've had one PC that bounced multiple times and eventually became an NPC in my own home campaign.

 

[Maxperson]

Context is key.

Drow elves aren't being given statblocks. Mezzobarrazan Drow NPCs are being given unique stat blocks to show a specific expression of Drow. They can do that because they are going to devote a good deal of space to detailing Mezzobarrazan culture and how that is different than other Drow cultures. That is lore unique to one specific culture on one specific world and isn't appropriate for generic lore in the Monster Manual.

Imagine the 5.5 MM had stat blocks for elves, gnomes, dwarves, and halflings. But they put stat blocks for Areniel and Vanar elves, tinker gnomes, gold dwarves and Athasian halflings in to represent them. You would probably be upset since those stats aren't useful except to a specific word and useless to everyone else. And you'd be correct. Now, extend that to them putting one specific type of Drow in the MM and you see the logic in their move.

There is only one kind of drow, so they can't put in one specific "type" of drow. There aren't drow subtypes, just different drow cultures.

And I'd love if they put in elves, gnomes, dwarves and halflings, and included those other versions in the section.