PCing a Drow - Ability Scores?!?!? [Archive] - Wizards Community

PCing a Drow - Ability Scores?!?!? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
k1mus4b1
04-14-07, 01:20 AM My friends and I are about to begin a campaign in two weeks with me as the DM. One player has decided that he wants to be a Drow and I have OKed it because I thought it would be fun. Looking up all the information about PCing it seemed quite easy, except on page 172 of the Dungeon Master's Guide it says that creatures from the Monster Manual (and in its list it includes the Drow) have different Ability Scores. From what he and I read we have concluded on the following rules:
1) Look up the Drow in the Monster Manual
2) Find its ability score
3) If (ability score > 10) Then take the ability score and subtract 10 OR if (ability score < 10), keep that number
4) Roll out the ability scores
5) use the table on page 173 DMG, with your rolled score as the row and the number from rule#3 as the column to find the number on the table
6) add that number to your rolled modifier, and that is your new modifier

This is how we interpereted the rules and when we did it he got insane numbers, such as a 28 for DEX. Another party member said that that is 'retarded' and he understood the rules completely different as in, the number looked up on the table is YOUR NEW MODIFIER. That would give the Drow modifierers like 9, or 12.

What is the correct way to get Ability Modifiers if a player wants to play a drow? By the way, I am using these rules: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a to create the drow, but it really doesn't say anything about rolling the stats...Also he is starting at level 1 using a variant found on wizards.com (link not remembered)...

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-14-07, 01:26 AM Well...
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elf.htm#drow

Drow already have racial traits listed. Just use those.

You're using the wrong rules. To find racial ability modifiers, subtract 10 or 11 (whatever it takes to get an even number) from all its ability scores. However, many sentient monsters with class levels use nonelite or elite arrays (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#abilityScoreArrays ), and will say so if they do.

Overall,
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm
Kouk
04-14-07, 03:37 AM On page 173, you mean the rules for making new races? That is uneccessary, the drow race already exists.

Using the link provided by the OP, that allows you to make a level 1 Drow character. Normally (as seen in the Monster Manual and the link at the SRD) drow start with a +2 Level Adjustment, which basically means that with all of a drow's special abilities, a first level drow is about equivalent in power to a 3rd level core race/class combo. The article shows you how to make a drow that would be equivalent to a level 1 core character by basically being a watered down drow that "matures" into a full grown drow before he can start taking character levels. This would mean if all players start at level 1, the drow would not be a level 1 wizard or fighter, just a level 1 "drow".

To create a drow character, you roll or otherwise determine ability scores as you would for any other race, and then apply the Ability Modifiers (in your Savage Species article, they list them as +2 Dex, -2 Con, and +2 Int as a "first level" drow. Just apply those as you would for any other race in the PHB. When the character reaches level 2 in the "drow class" he gains the rest of the racial ability adjustment of +2 Cha.

After the drow character has reached level 2 in "drow", gaining the abilities on that chart, his third level can start the normal character class progressions. When your party is level 3, the drow would be a level 2 drow, level 1 fighter (cleric, wizard whatever).

For drow, to determine that character's ECL (effective character level) you add all his his dice and his class levels. This means even when the drow is a level 1 fighter, he is equivalent to a level 3 character, and needs the same xp as any other level 3 character to advance. The section "Starting Level of a Monster PC" on page 172 is applicable, but the other sections are mostly for turning monsters that are not appropriate for PCs into playable races. Drow are acceptable so they already have the required changes spelled out in the MM.

What level are you starting the characters at?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
k1mus4b1 04-14-07, 01:20 AM	My friends and I are about to begin a campaign in two weeks with me as the DM. One player has decided that he wants to be a Drow and I have OKed it because I thought it would be fun. Looking up all the information about PCing it seemed quite easy, except on page 172 of the Dungeon Master's Guide it says that creatures from the Monster Manual (and in its list it includes the Drow) have different Ability Scores. From what he and I read we have concluded on the following rules: 1) Look up the Drow in the Monster Manual 2) Find its ability score 3) If (ability score > 10) Then take the ability score and subtract 10 OR if (ability score < 10), keep that number 4) Roll out the ability scores 5) use the table on page 173 DMG, with your rolled score as the row and the number from rule#3 as the column to find the number on the table 6) add that number to your rolled modifier, and that is your new modifier This is how we interpereted the rules and when we did it he got insane numbers, such as a 28 for DEX. Another party member said that that is 'retarded' and he understood the rules completely different as in, the number looked up on the table is YOUR NEW MODIFIER. That would give the Drow modifierers like 9, or 12. What is the correct way to get Ability Modifiers if a player wants to play a drow? By the way, I am using these rules: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a to create the drow, but it really doesn't say anything about rolling the stats...Also he is starting at level 1 using a variant found on wizards.com (link not remembered)... PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-14-07, 01:26 AM	Well... http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elf.htm#drow Drow already have racial traits listed. Just use those. You're using the wrong rules. To find racial ability modifiers, subtract 10 or 11 (whatever it takes to get an even number) from all its ability scores. However, many sentient monsters with class levels use nonelite or elite arrays (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#abilityScoreArrays ), and will say so if they do. Overall, http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm
Kouk 04-14-07, 03:37 AM	On page 173, you mean the rules for making new races? That is uneccessary, the drow race already exists. Using the link provided by the OP, that allows you to make a level 1 Drow character. Normally (as seen in the Monster Manual and the link at the SRD) drow start with a +2 Level Adjustment, which basically means that with all of a drow's special abilities, a first level drow is about equivalent in power to a 3rd level core race/class combo. The article shows you how to make a drow that would be equivalent to a level 1 core character by basically being a watered down drow that "matures" into a full grown drow before he can start taking character levels. This would mean if all players start at level 1, the drow would not be a level 1 wizard or fighter, just a level 1 "drow". To create a drow character, you roll or otherwise determine ability scores as you would for any other race, and then apply the Ability Modifiers (in your Savage Species article, they list them as +2 Dex, -2 Con, and +2 Int as a "first level" drow. Just apply those as you would for any other race in the PHB. When the character reaches level 2 in the "drow class" he gains the rest of the racial ability adjustment of +2 Cha. After the drow character has reached level 2 in "drow", gaining the abilities on that chart, his third level can start the normal character class progressions. When your party is level 3, the drow would be a level 2 drow, level 1 fighter (cleric, wizard whatever). For drow, to determine that character's ECL (effective character level) you add all his his dice and his class levels. This means even when the drow is a level 1 fighter, he is equivalent to a level 3 character, and needs the same xp as any other level 3 character to advance. The section "Starting Level of a Monster PC" on page 172 is applicable, but the other sections are mostly for turning monsters that are not appropriate for PCs into playable races. Drow are acceptable so they already have the required changes spelled out in the MM. What level are you starting the characters at?