The Shadar-kai are NEVER going to be the next drow

[Derro]

He didn't say they were evil. Sylvia Plath isn't evil.

I think.

Well she did commit suicide. I think that counts as a damning sin, doesn't it.

Probably best not to bring up religion, I remind myself.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Gedankenschinder. Betrachter. Yeah.

Also: Stop doing cringeworthy German names. Some designer could pick them up by accident!

My hope is that they look at my names, and think something like "Dang, that sounded so nifty. But not only is it apparently actually cringe worthy, it's also made up by someone else, and Legal will take weeks just to ensure that that guy doesn't hold any rights to the name. I guess I'll have to do it better!"

 

[JoeGKushner]

And part of it may be WoTC dropping adventurers for a while there.

Even with Dungeon, some of these races haven't seen a lot of use. While Ecology of articles are a good place to start, actual use of them as enemies, as well as fiction, can be a great way of exposure.

One of the reasons why I think drow have maintained their popularity is that despite the Drizzt hate, there are several best seller books with him and the race is a failry easy playable one. This doesn't count the other drow characters we've seen either from RA or from others.

Their initial tie to the game is also strong. Dark Elves and elves. War beyond time. Betryal on a godly scale.

While the Gith haven't had the books and I don't think they're quite as useable as PCs in 3.5, they've featured in several adventurers, have their own campaign arc, and have always been "cool" with a rich history, impressive naming conventions for their various classes/echolons, and have a build in tie with another popular critter, the mind flayer.

 

[Schmoe]

It seems to me that Drow are ubiquitous because TSR put out some adventures featuring them which became very successful (not the least because there were very few adventures available at the time). Subsequent articles in Dragon created quite a bit of positive feedback, leading to more products related to drow, which consistently did well. The initial exposure to drow was actually pretty significant, considering how few adventures there were at the top level range of D&D at the time. That exposure then continued to grow as designers received positive feedback. So to begin with, Drow really were one of the designers' pet projects that was "forced" on the gaming community, but it was only through the repeated affirmations of the community that they became what they are today.

As more and more material has been produced, it requires much more dedication to a particular race to equal that shown to Drow long ago. A single module or a handful of adventures won't do it, it requires a prominent place in a flagship product. As far as I know, none, or at least very few, of the new races have received that kind of exposure yet. Increasing the exposure to Shadar-kai in 4e is simply an attempt to give fans the opportunity to use them and like them. If the fans don't like them, designers will move on to something else.

 

[Stoat]

So Shadar-kai are goth and because they are goth they are evil?

No. Indeed, if you re-read my post, you'll see that I specifically like that they are "morally ambiguous." Indeed, the new WotC article states that, "as a people, they aren't evil, but their morals lack a stripe of humanity more decent folk of the world might expect from one another."

IMO, this is superior to the Drow, who are generally portrayed as being so duplicitous and eeevil that only fools would treat with them. Because the Shadar-Kai aren't inherently evil, PC's are more likely to interact with them non-violently.

I'll also admit that I used the term "goth/emo" in the broadest, most stereotypical manner possible. Shadar-Kai are pale and gaunt. They fancy tattoos and piercings. They wear black leather and have a penchant for chains. They're morbid, with a connection to shadow, death and gloom. In my day, those traits were stereotypically "goth." Those kids today, with their hair and their clothes, use the word "emo" the same way, which is weird to me, 'cause that's not what emo meant when I was coming up.

 

[Set]

Living Spells

Awesome concept (and my favorite of those you listed) but not really a humanoid race, a la the Githyanki / Drow / Shadow-cows.

Warforged, on the other hand, pretty darn cool, and also possible contenders for the 'new Gith.'

I like Maug, but they are insane. Someone just decided to see how freaking much stuff they could shove onto a 2 HD critter without getting slapped, I think... Almost as bad as those 3 HD Slyphs that cast spells as 7th level Sorcerers and can summon 8 HD Air Elementals. That cheese is so overwhelming I'm holding my nose just thinking about it!

Ironically, Kobolds and Hobgolins seem to be turning into the 'new Drow,' since both races seem to have a massive resurgence in popularity lately.

 

[Nifft]

IMO, this is superior to the Drow, who are generally portrayed as being so duplicitous and eeevil that only fools would treat with them. Because the Shadar-Kai aren't inherently evil, PC's are more likely to interact with them non-violently.

Yes. The "we are SOOO EEEEEEEVIIIIIL" aspect of Drow society is a serious turn-off for me, and the reason I don't use any of their official society or back-story in my game.

Cheers, -- N

 

[theskyfullofdust]

I like the concept of the Shadar-kai, currently using them in my game. And, they're more punk (or metal) than goth or emo, just to make that point clear.

And I am not a fan of drow. They've been over-used, in my opinion. It'd be nice if there was some new 'drow' but do we really need anything like that? With all the monsters and races out there, why get bogged down just with one race, let's play with all of them!

 

[I'm A Banana]

I like the concept of the Shadar-kai, currently using them in my game. And, they're more punk (or metal) than goth or emo, just to make that point clear.

EH?! Shadar-kai aren't metal. Metal is thumping bass and blood-soaked flesh and giant axes and gratuitous T&A and hyperviolence.

Shadar-kai are "Blah! I suffer! Blarg!" That's incredibly emo, or at least more '90's Nu Metal (which is rage-based emo for suburban kids, right?). Punk? Seriously?

I'm a bit of a fan of Shadar-kai. I like 'em just fine.

But I do think that someone over on the dev team has some kind of an irrational boner for them.

I WANT ME SOME ETHERGAUNTS!

 

[Stoat]

The Ethergaunts are the bee's knees, but at, what, CR 9 and up? They're a little to beefy to see regular use from me.