There HAS to be a way to build a drow mage...there has to be.

[WarlockLord]

I am starting a first level campaign (but the DM is letting us use drow, with the LA, so we need mucho xp to level up). I need some way to use a drow sorceror or wizard, and still own, if this is impossible just say so. Thanks in advance.

 

[Simm]

Find a drow variant with LA +0?
Play an elf, bleach you hair and cork you skin?

 

[WarlockLord]

Absolutely no good LA +0 variants...

 

[Kurotowa]

Get your DM to let you use the UA rules for buying off level adjustments?

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

So you want all of the power with none of the penalty?

--fje

 

[pawsplay]

I am starting a first level campaign (but the DM is letting us use drow, with the LA, so we need mucho xp to level up). I need some way to use a drow sorceror or wizard, and still own, if this is impossible just say so. Thanks in advance.

It's just two caster levels, and you get +2 Int out of the package. I don't see a huge issue... and starting in a first level campaign as a drow is a sweet deal if the other players are using standard races at 1st level.

 

[Nadaka]

I am starting a first level campaign (but the DM is letting us use drow, with the LA, so we need mucho xp to level up). I need some way to use a drow sorceror or wizard, and still own, if this is impossible just say so. Thanks in advance.

in my CS, drow are identical to elves with the following trades.
lowlight -> 60ft darkvision
rapier, longsword, bow proficiency -> whip, scimitar, crossbow:all.
Elven stigma as world shattering insane wizards -> Drow stigma as assassins and followers of a death god

 

[marune]

In my last long lasting campaign, a player played a +2 LA Drow Wizard, she was a bit underpowered and I would say her biggest advantage was the 120' darkvision, not the SR.

I'm pretty sure none of those players would try again to do a + x LA spellcaster again.

 

[Felon]

Well, you gotta suck up the LA if you want to be a drow. There's nothing that lets you just blow that off. You could, however, take a look at the drow paragon class in Unearthed Arcana, which provides caster level progression along with other improvements.

Another option is to go with half-elf, and call your elf half drow. That's what they its officially done in FR.

 

[Liquidsabre]

Ask your DM if you can use the Drow Racial Class for handling the level-adjusted Drow race found here on the WotC website under the Savage Progression articles. A great series of articles on how to handle templates and level-adjusted races in a campaign. With the Drow class you start off as a +0 Drow and you then may advance in racial levels if you choose in order to become a full drow with all of their full +2 LA abilities.

So to play an effective +0 LA Drow wizard you'd just have to be alot less...Drowy. Maybe it's all that arcane study coupled with a spurning of general Drow society, who knows. Drow Commoners are suppose to have relatively lesser abilities as opposed to Drow nobility. Makes sense to have the lesser +0 and +1 LA versions of Drow IMHO.