Balanced Drow

[Hunterofthedusk]

Does anyone know what the racial adjustments would be for LA +0 drow? I know I saw it somewhere, but I can't recall what they were. I thank you in advance for your help.

[ghettowedge]

I'm pretty certain they are in the back pages of the Player's Guide to Faerun.

[Seldriss]

In theory you can't post them here, as they are not OGL.
Let's just say that you could play a drow as a normal elf, who sees better in the dark, is resilient to all magic and not just charms, handles a few magic tricks, drops the bow for a smaller range weapon and of course doesn't like bright lights...
;)

[Hunterofthedusk]

Okay, since that drow variant is all locked up unless I want to buy the book, I'm making my own.

Spoiler:

(I'm making this for my Pathfinder Campaign, btw)
Dark Elves

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution (just like normal elves)

Medium Size

30ft base land speed

Darkvision 120ft

Shadowbond: Dark Elves have a link to the plane of shadow, which manifests itself as the ability to blend into shadows. Whenever Dark Elves are in shadowy lighting enough to give them concealment (20% miss chance), they instead gain total concealment (50% miss chance and opponent must guess where they are). Against foes with darkvision or other forms of seeing clearly in the dark, Dark Elves gain normal concealment rather than no concealment

Light Sensitivity: Dark Elves are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell

Weapon Proficiencies: Dark Elves are proficient with the rapier, hand crossbow, and the shortsword.

+2 to sight- and sound- based perception checks. Additionally, whenever a Dark Elf passes within 10ft of a hidden door they can make a perception check to see it as if they were actively searching for it.

Languages: Dark Elves begin play Speaking Common and Elven. Dark elves with high intelligence scores can choose from the following as bonus languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Undercommon.

Favored Class: either Rogue or Wizard, chosen at character creation. Once this choice has been made, it cannot be changed

[SmiloDan]

I have a player who wanted to play a half-drow, and this is what I came up with:

Medium Sized
Speed 30
Darkvision 60 feet
+1 to Hide and Move Silently
+2 to Bluff and Intimidate
Immune to magical sleep effects
Drow blood
Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus: Any
Favored Class: Any.

[LMPjr007]

If you really want to play a "balanced" drow or any race, you might want to check out Racial Creation Cookbook. A complete point based racial creation system for OGL fantast settings.

[Lilith]

The half-drow template in "Races of Renown: Plot and Poison" is Open Game Content. :)

[Hunterofthedusk]

LMPjr007 wrote:

If you really want to play a "balanced" drow or any race, you might want to check out Racial Creation Cookbook. A complete point based racial creation system for OGL fantast settings.

Actually, I did skim that over. I have a few qualms about the point system, but the ideas for abilities was worth buying the book. I've made about 4 other races using the point system, but it seems like it still needs some refining.

[LMPjr007]

Hunterofthedusk wrote:

LMPjr007 wrote:

If you really want to play a "balanced" drow or any race, you might want to check out Racial Creation Cookbook. A complete point based racial creation system for OGL fantast settings.

Actually, I did skim that over. I have a few qualms about the point system, but the ideas for abilities was worth buying the book. I've made about 4 other races using the point system, but it seems like it still needs some refining.

Well I can tell you this, the D&D races are not ANYWEHRE near balanced. All you have to do is compare Half-Orcs to Elves and that is apparent.

[Hunterofthedusk]

Oh yeah, I'm with you on that one. I toyed around with giving half-orcs the powerful build ability, but I think that Pathfinder came closer to balancing the races out. I'm making Lizardmen and Tauren races now, some other brute force choices.

[Majuba]

LMPjr007 wrote:

Well I can tell you this, the D&D races are not ANYWEHRE near balanced. All you have to do is compare Half-Orcs to Elves and that is apparent.

Quite true, Half-Orcs are incredibly stronger.

[SmiloDan]

Majuba wrote:

LMPjr007 wrote:

Well I can tell you this, the D&D races are not ANYWEHRE near balanced. All you have to do is compare Half-Orcs to Elves and that is apparent.

Quite true, Half-Orcs are incredibly stronger.

Yeah, +2 Stronger! ;-)

I think half-orcs are just kind of boring. +2 Str, -2 Int & Cha, Darkvision 60 feet, and orcblood (which is pretty much useless--are there any OGL orc-blooded magical items?).

Compared to the dwarf, the orc is super-boring. Maybe give them a bonus on Intimidate checks, Bullrush and Sunder attempts, saves vs fear, something!!!!

[Cato Novus]

SmiloDan wrote:

Majuba wrote:

LMPjr007 wrote:

Well I can tell you this, the D&D races are not ANYWEHRE near balanced. All you have to do is compare Half-Orcs to Elves and that is apparent.

Quite true, Half-Orcs are incredibly stronger.

Yeah, +2 Stronger! ;-)

I think half-orcs are just kind of boring. +2 Str, -2 Int & Cha, Darkvision 60 feet, and orcblood (which is pretty much useless--are there any OGL orc-blooded magical items?).

Compared to the dwarf, the orc is super-boring. Maybe give them a bonus on Intimidate checks, Bullrush and Sunder attempts, saves vs fear, something!!!!

*clears throat*

Because of their low intelligence scores(as compared to other races), half-orcs forget their own wounds; therefore, they have an innate ability to ignore pain, granting them a natural Damage Reduction 3/-. This ability is called "Too Stupid to Die".

[Bellona]

Hunterofthedusk wrote:

Does anyone know what the racial adjustments would be for LA +0 drow? I know I saw it somewhere, but I can't recall what they were. I thank you in advance for your help.

The Drow racial class is at the back of Drow of the Underdark (the 3.5 version, not the 2e one), along with some information on half-Drow (human/Drow hybrid) characters. The half-Drow stuff nerfs the previous information on them in Races of Faerûn.