Need a Drow [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need a Drow [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Keldrin Moonflower
08-24-05, 02:37 PM So a long time DM of mine approaches me a few days ago and tells me that hes had an underdark campaign in the works for a while now and he wants to start right away and to have a character done soon. While until now I've never played a drow (i have to be a drow) i still know a fair bit about them. the character ideas have been buzzing through my head like mad but im finding it very difficult to settle on something original so I thought i'd get some help.

So if anyones got a good Drow idea (and I know theres plenty of you) could ya make a suggestion. My DM tells me I have to go to the fighter academy, so something mainly combat oriented, and Im the secound son in the 13th house
Fithero
08-24-05, 06:54 PM Its not combat based, but what about a bard? A drow bard would be an interesting character combo, but then again he is a royal drow so it might not be the best choice story wise.

Maybe he is a very large drow and have him take the barbarian class, and then into frenzied berserker. All the women want him for breeding stock for a chance for their children to become more powerfull like him.

Maybe his matron mother sold his soul and he became a hexblade...i think this idea would probably be pretty cool to play...have him hate the mother (not uncommon) and everybody else in the family.

Later
Keldrin Moonflower
08-25-05, 12:20 AM Thanks fithero, i had thought of the bard but when it camedown to placing him in the strict confines of melee-magathre(thats definitly not spelled right)it got kind of complicated. I had also thought about the Large Character and thats what I am currently working with, only with a fighter base. I really like the idea of him being considered breeding stock, thats a nice touch.

By the way i've gotten the OK to start with a template if anyone has any suggestions on that. Provided it doesn't change my general appearance (or allows me use of alter self) and i wouldnt go with anything that has a modifier of +2 or more.
Fithero
08-25-05, 02:12 AM Half-Nymph out of one of the dragon mags.... it gives a bonus to charisma if i remember correctly, and is only a +1

One of the many lycanthrope's maybe? A were bat would be very fitting for a drow, im not sure of the LA though.

Other than that though, i cant really think of anything decent. Remember the drow are big on breeding, so any differance that has a weakness is bound to be looked apon disfavourable.

I was also thinking, what about a samuri or ninja? Both would suit the drow somewhat better than a fighter or a rogue. Also the samuri basically gets TWF so thats always a bonus.

Also the paladin of slaughter and paladin of tyranny are good choices too.

Later
Gingerbread Guy
08-25-05, 10:28 AM The thing that interests me most about Drow is that they have a matriarchal society. Its interesting to see the gender roles reversed, and to take a little advantage of that in your character concepts.

Drow tend to divide themselves into "houses", so thats something to factor into your equation too. If you're hellbent on playing a male character, I suggest making him subservient in nature. Perhaps very dedicated to serving his house (again, samurai concepts abound). He may even have been specifically bred and concieved from warrior stock, and raised in militant tradition. You could play up the idea of him being told at a very young age that he's a living weapon and nothing more, and use the contrast between his duty and his actual feelings and desires for some interesting internal conflict.

I also like the Devoted Defender prestige class (albeit a 3.0 PrC from Sword and Fist, it still translates reasonably well to 3.5e). Perhaps ask another player if they would consider playing a drow cleric or sorcerer (preferably a female character) from the same house, to whom your character can be a sworn and devoted protector.

Just vague ideas for now.. we can get into more specific personality suggestions later.

~Ginger
Creep
08-26-05, 12:17 AM For a melee base drow, I actually think the Reaping Mauler prestige class from Complete Warrior is good fit. You could play a sadistic Drow who likes to get close to the enemy, feel their bones crack underneath his grasp, maybe whisper a few evil farewells in their ear as they die, etc, etc (I like to play Drow evil, none of that CG ranger crap for me). To really make him into the grappling king, slap on that Feral template from savage species and your good to go.
Fithero
08-26-05, 12:38 AM Its not melee orientated, but what about a drow druid who wanders the underdark?....it seems odd that it hasnt been done before.

I like the idea of a drow grappler...have him wear spiked armor (having the spikes magically enchanted of course) and just rip your foes to shred...that is cruel. :eek:

A monk with a focus on disarming and tripping the others. Same principle as the grappler, he likes to get in close and feel the bones crack and skin tear with his bare hands (feet, elbows, fore head...whatever)

Ah...there are just so many great possibilities for the drow :D
Morka
08-26-05, 09:27 AM Perhaps a Dragon Disciple? You could start as a fighter, ranger or barbarian (perhaps other new Core Class, Hexblade would be technically great but the flavor would be strange). Take ranks in Knowledge: Arcana as a cross-class skill, then take one level of Sorcerer or Bard, and you qualify. Since drows are natural arcane caster, you should pick up spells that aren't use too often by drows.
Fithero
08-26-05, 09:42 AM I dont think a drow hexblade is uncharacteristic, i think it would fit in pretty well. The power of the hexblade seems to be a dark power in itself, and there is plenty of that in a drow society. As i said earlier, perhaps his mother sold his soul(she is a motron mother...they do that sort of thing to their sons...especially those that are the 2nd or 3rd sons). The fact that he has no soul kind of gave him this emptyness that he learned to fuel his hexblades curse, which he often used to help him through the academy.

As the class description says, becomming a hexblade is just the same as becomming a sorcerer, the power has the potential to be laying dormant in anybody.

Later
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe
08-26-05, 10:12 AM I would go Ranger/Sorceror until you can take levels in Bladesinger.

A drow bladesinger would be awesome. Like the Jedi and the Sith.
Keldrin Moonflower
09-02-05, 10:14 PM Well just to update. I've decided on a large male (Uthengental type) I've started with the Kensai (the specialized fighter from a dragon mag) using a bastard sword. This corresponds with the death of my house weapon master so i didn't have the oppertunity to learn the use of various weapons. i picked power attack for my first feat. I also took a couple flaws and chose improved unarmed strike and improved natural attack(though technicly a monster feat i've gotten the ok from my dm) just to show those that would assume im useless without my sword. I've yet to decide on a template, although i would like it to be something that even my character is not aware of (something subtle). My stats are str 18, dex 16, con 16, int 14, wis16, cha 16. Anyway thats what i've got for now any other suggestions would be cool. Oh, and keep in mind he has delusions on grandure (even for a drow).
DarkDragoonX22
09-05-05, 08:24 PM You could take the Half Dragon Template or even the Half Vampire Template( from the Libris Mortis). These two templates would work great with a melee oreinted characters. I'm making a campaign in where my character is a Drow Half Amethyst Dragon Ninja who has a Dracotaur Ranger and that is all I have at this moment.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Keldrin Moonflower 08-24-05, 02:37 PM	So a long time DM of mine approaches me a few days ago and tells me that hes had an underdark campaign in the works for a while now and he wants to start right away and to have a character done soon. While until now I've never played a drow (i have to be a drow) i still know a fair bit about them. the character ideas have been buzzing through my head like mad but im finding it very difficult to settle on something original so I thought i'd get some help. So if anyones got a good Drow idea (and I know theres plenty of you) could ya make a suggestion. My DM tells me I have to go to the fighter academy, so something mainly combat oriented, and Im the secound son in the 13th house
Fithero 08-24-05, 06:54 PM	Its not combat based, but what about a bard? A drow bard would be an interesting character combo, but then again he is a royal drow so it might not be the best choice story wise. Maybe he is a very large drow and have him take the barbarian class, and then into frenzied berserker. All the women want him for breeding stock for a chance for their children to become more powerfull like him. Maybe his matron mother sold his soul and he became a hexblade...i think this idea would probably be pretty cool to play...have him hate the mother (not uncommon) and everybody else in the family. Later
Keldrin Moonflower 08-25-05, 12:20 AM	Thanks fithero, i had thought of the bard but when it camedown to placing him in the strict confines of melee-magathre(thats definitly not spelled right)it got kind of complicated. I had also thought about the Large Character and thats what I am currently working with, only with a fighter base. I really like the idea of him being considered breeding stock, thats a nice touch. By the way i've gotten the OK to start with a template if anyone has any suggestions on that. Provided it doesn't change my general appearance (or allows me use of alter self) and i wouldnt go with anything that has a modifier of +2 or more.
Fithero 08-25-05, 02:12 AM	Half-Nymph out of one of the dragon mags.... it gives a bonus to charisma if i remember correctly, and is only a +1 One of the many lycanthrope's maybe? A were bat would be very fitting for a drow, im not sure of the LA though. Other than that though, i cant really think of anything decent. Remember the drow are big on breeding, so any differance that has a weakness is bound to be looked apon disfavourable. I was also thinking, what about a samuri or ninja? Both would suit the drow somewhat better than a fighter or a rogue. Also the samuri basically gets TWF so thats always a bonus. Also the paladin of slaughter and paladin of tyranny are good choices too. Later
Gingerbread Guy 08-25-05, 10:28 AM	The thing that interests me most about Drow is that they have a matriarchal society. Its interesting to see the gender roles reversed, and to take a little advantage of that in your character concepts. Drow tend to divide themselves into "houses", so thats something to factor into your equation too. If you're hellbent on playing a male character, I suggest making him subservient in nature. Perhaps very dedicated to serving his house (again, samurai concepts abound). He may even have been specifically bred and concieved from warrior stock, and raised in militant tradition. You could play up the idea of him being told at a very young age that he's a living weapon and nothing more, and use the contrast between his duty and his actual feelings and desires for some interesting internal conflict. I also like the Devoted Defender prestige class (albeit a 3.0 PrC from Sword and Fist, it still translates reasonably well to 3.5e). Perhaps ask another player if they would consider playing a drow cleric or sorcerer (preferably a female character) from the same house, to whom your character can be a sworn and devoted protector. Just vague ideas for now.. we can get into more specific personality suggestions later. ~Ginger
Creep 08-26-05, 12:17 AM	For a melee base drow, I actually think the Reaping Mauler prestige class from Complete Warrior is good fit. You could play a sadistic Drow who likes to get close to the enemy, feel their bones crack underneath his grasp, maybe whisper a few evil farewells in their ear as they die, etc, etc (I like to play Drow evil, none of that CG ranger crap for me). To really make him into the grappling king, slap on that Feral template from savage species and your good to go.
Fithero 08-26-05, 12:38 AM	Its not melee orientated, but what about a drow druid who wanders the underdark?....it seems odd that it hasnt been done before. I like the idea of a drow grappler...have him wear spiked armor (having the spikes magically enchanted of course) and just rip your foes to shred...that is cruel. :eek: A monk with a focus on disarming and tripping the others. Same principle as the grappler, he likes to get in close and feel the bones crack and skin tear with his bare hands (feet, elbows, fore head...whatever) Ah...there are just so many great possibilities for the drow :D
Morka 08-26-05, 09:27 AM	Perhaps a Dragon Disciple? You could start as a fighter, ranger or barbarian (perhaps other new Core Class, Hexblade would be technically great but the flavor would be strange). Take ranks in Knowledge: Arcana as a cross-class skill, then take one level of Sorcerer or Bard, and you qualify. Since drows are natural arcane caster, you should pick up spells that aren't use too often by drows.
Fithero 08-26-05, 09:42 AM	I dont think a drow hexblade is uncharacteristic, i think it would fit in pretty well. The power of the hexblade seems to be a dark power in itself, and there is plenty of that in a drow society. As i said earlier, perhaps his mother sold his soul(she is a motron mother...they do that sort of thing to their sons...especially those that are the 2nd or 3rd sons). The fact that he has no soul kind of gave him this emptyness that he learned to fuel his hexblades curse, which he often used to help him through the academy. As the class description says, becomming a hexblade is just the same as becomming a sorcerer, the power has the potential to be laying dormant in anybody. Later
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe 08-26-05, 10:12 AM	I would go Ranger/Sorceror until you can take levels in Bladesinger. A drow bladesinger would be awesome. Like the Jedi and the Sith.
Keldrin Moonflower 09-02-05, 10:14 PM	Well just to update. I've decided on a large male (Uthengental type) I've started with the Kensai (the specialized fighter from a dragon mag) using a bastard sword. This corresponds with the death of my house weapon master so i didn't have the oppertunity to learn the use of various weapons. i picked power attack for my first feat. I also took a couple flaws and chose improved unarmed strike and improved natural attack(though technicly a monster feat i've gotten the ok from my dm) just to show those that would assume im useless without my sword. I've yet to decide on a template, although i would like it to be something that even my character is not aware of (something subtle). My stats are str 18, dex 16, con 16, int 14, wis16, cha 16. Anyway thats what i've got for now any other suggestions would be cool. Oh, and keep in mind he has delusions on grandure (even for a drow).
DarkDragoonX22 09-05-05, 08:24 PM	You could take the Half Dragon Template or even the Half Vampire Template( from the Libris Mortis). These two templates would work great with a melee oreinted characters. I'm making a campaign in where my character is a Drow Half Amethyst Dragon Ninja who has a Dracotaur Ranger and that is all I have at this moment.