Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DeciusNero 08-26-06, 11:05 PM	Which book is better for drow (though I would like to learn about duergar a well): Underdark or The Drow of the Underdark?
Agent_of_the_Crown 08-26-06, 11:40 PM	In my personal opinion the Drow of the Underdark (2nd edition sourcebook) does wonders for detailing the Drow as they have come to be known in the Forgotten Realms setting. It is heavily based on R.A. Savaltore's novels so if that bothers you, then you may want to look elsewhere. It is also out of date and much of what is in there (game mechanics-wise) is unusable. 3rd edition (and by default 3.5) have greatly reduced the power and magical ability of the Drow (and Elves in general for that matter) and so reading this book may make you look at the 3rd edition Drow and say "How are they able to do the stuff mentioned in Drow of the Underdark?". As a 3rd/3.5 edition source, Underdark is OK, but it doesn't go into any real detail about any of the races presented in it. It does do a decent job of giving an overview of the Underdark in general, including a rough region map and sites of interest. It is obviously far more game mechanically compatible, but it really doesn't capture the flavor of the Drow, and predictably so since it isn't just about them. It does provide some decent rules for travelling around in the Underdark though. Hope this helps.
Faraer 08-26-06, 11:48 PM	FOR2 The Drow of the Underdark is the main source on Realms drow. (Its content is pretty evenly split between the ideas of Gary Gygax, Bob Salvatore and Ed Greenwood.) Menzoberranzan is also a rich source of lore (and not just on Menzoberranzan). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark (so named as a marketing ploy) has the best and fullest descriptions of Underdark settlements (drow ones represented about evenly). Underdark tries to cover races, monsters, rules toys, and an array of places, and inevitably doesn't do it thoroughly. If you haven't read D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth and D3 Vault of the Drow, where the drow originated, you're missing a vital perspective. (Also where the kuo-toa originated, which I like better.)
Lord Karsus 08-26-06, 11:58 PM	-My suggestion is to: Get your hands on Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark (2e), Drow of the Underdark (2e) and Underdark (3). The two 2e sourcebooks will provide pleanty of lore, and the 3e book will translate pleanty of that lore into 3e, and it will introduce some new, updated stuff.
DeciusNero 08-27-06, 12:13 AM	Thanks, though it seems that Menzoberranzan is the more expensive according to Amazon, followed by Drizzt's Guide (maybe I can find it cheaper somewhere non-internet). The Drow of the Underdark sounds well enough if I cant get a copy of the former two.
Lord Karsus 08-27-06, 12:22 AM	Thanks, though it seems that Menzoberranzan is the more expensive according to Amazon, followed by Drizzt's Guide (maybe I can find it cheaper somewhere non-internet). The Drow of the Underdark sounds well enough if I cant get a copy of the former two. -At Paizo.com and RPGnow.com (I think), you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader files (.PDFs) for most 2e sourcebooks for anywhere between $4.00-$6.00.
Old Sage 08-27-06, 12:31 AM	FOR2 The Drow of the Underdark is the main source on Realms drow. (Its content is pretty evenly split between the ideas of Gary Gygax, Bob Salvatore and Ed Greenwood.) Menzoberranzan is also a rich source of lore (and not just on Menzoberranzan). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark (so named as a marketing ploy) has the best and fullest descriptions of Underdark settlements (drow ones represented about evenly). Underdark tries to cover races, monsters, rules toys, and an array of places, and inevitably doesn't do it thoroughly. If you haven't read D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth and D3 Vault of the Drow, where the drow originated, you're missing a vital perspective. (Also where the kuo-toa originated, which I like better.) And for the sake of completeness, I'll add (winks at GD) Demihumans of the Realms.
GothicDan 08-27-06, 02:00 AM	I'll add (winks at GD) Demihumans of the Realms. Gah! ;) To the OP - what exactly kind of information are you most interested in concerning the Drow? If you want stats, 3E might be better; if you want culture, religion, society, etc., all of the 2E choices are better.
DeciusNero 08-27-06, 11:55 PM	To the OP - what exactly kind of information are you most interested in concerning the Drow? If you want stats, 3E might be better; if you want culture, religion, society, etc., all of the 2E choices are better. A little of both would do nicely. I'd also like to know if there were any duergar/svirfneblin themed books out there as well.
Lord Karsus 08-28-06, 12:12 AM	A little of both would do nicely. I'd also like to know if there were any duergar/svirfneblin themed books out there as well. -Dwarves Deepmight have a little something on Duergar, though I admittedly don't know exactly. Anyway, both Duergar and Svirfneblin are talked about in Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark and Underdark.
Old Sage 08-28-06, 01:08 AM	-Dwarves Deepmight have a little something on Duergar, though I admittedly don't know exactly. Anyway, both Duergar and Svirfneblin are talked about in Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark and Underdark.There is some lore on the duergar in Ed's Dwarves Deep, yes. In addition to the sources LK mentions above, see also Races of Faerun and, again, Demihumans of the Realms.
Old Sage 08-28-06, 01:10 AM	A little of both would do nicely. I'd also like to know if there were any duergar/svirfneblin themed books out there as well.As well as the sources LK and I have mentioned for the deep gnomes... you can find svirfneblin lore in the two sources -- RoF and DotR -- I referenced above, also.
Lord Karsus 08-28-06, 01:13 AM	-Ah, Sage, I just realized that Ki-Adi-Mundi seems to have risen from the dead, eh? ;)
Old Sage 08-28-06, 04:36 AM	Aye. To me, he never died.;)