Building a Drow Character [Archive] - Wizards Community

Building a Drow Character [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheMagentaDragon
02-20-06, 12:45 PM I am in the middle of constructing a Drow character and I dont know where to go with it. Most of my party are magic users of a sort so I would prefer not to play one.

I am considering doing a ranger and another class perhaps even a prestige class. Any recommendations?
Elbethamore
02-20-06, 02:29 PM Ranger is an interesting choice, but not TWF! Nobody on these boards would ever forgive you for playing a TWF drow ranger.

P.S. I've been thinking about a drow rogue myself. With the dex bonus and the spell like abilities... a drow rogue can be a very sneaky and deceptive character.
erc1971
02-20-06, 02:54 PM Warmage all the way! With bonuses to INT and CHA, they are covering the two stats that matter for the Warmage.

After playing a Drow warmage, you will laugh at people who say damage is the worst thing a mage can do. 72 points of damage with level 1 spells. Evard's Black Tentacles that do 20+ damage a round to people stuck in them. Sudden metamagic feats applied to mass damage spells. Then, get yourself some metamagic rods and watch monsters rated a CR 5 above you become your *****.

We were level 10, and the DM had to fudge a level 18 wizard lich's spell selection just so the warmage wouldn't kill him (DM wanted him "alive" for plot purposes) - and this was 1 on 1, the rest of us were busy dying against the whimpy minions of the lich. (Warmage won init, and kept putting the poor Lich in EBT. Grappling check was impossible for lich to escape - I think the DM had the poor lich DD or Teleport 6 times before finally having him teleport out of the room, and cast spell immunity EBT before returning).

Thier key is spontaneous casting. Monster has SR - no problem, start tossing out orbs and Blast of Flame. Monster is immune to just about anything - OK, orbs of force or orbs of sound. You just can't stop em.

Warning: I take no responsibility when the warmage becomes so powerful the rest of the party stands around and watches - this is what happened to our campaign. We stopped at level 13 when the warmage did all the work and the rest of us just watched him crush CR 17 monsters like cockroaches.
Feor
02-20-06, 03:50 PM If you don't want to play a spellcaster, you could take that to the extremes and play an anti-spellcaster fighter. Break into the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior, get reflecting armor and stuff like that. Could be fun. :)
Sikyanakotik
02-20-06, 08:31 PM Most of my party are magic users of a sort so I would prefer not to play one.

Warmage all the way! With bonuses to INT and CHA, they are covering the two stats that matter for the Warmage.
:looloo:

Well, have you considered making a Fighter?
dutorn
02-20-06, 08:56 PM I'd say Fighter/Bard. It sounds like a pretty interesting Drow character to me. Lot more interesting than a Ranger anyways :D
Kresalak
02-20-06, 09:57 PM Why not play a Swashbuckler/Fighter/Dervi- *Get's shot*

Ok, disregarding that, what niche do you have left to fill in your party? Do you need a frontline fighter? A skill monkey? A face? A tactical fighter? A regular monkey?
On_the_wings_of_TPK
02-20-06, 11:22 PM Actually given the drows bonuses to dex and int the swashbuckler might not be that bad. At least the first three levels of the class anyways. Maybe go with rogue, or a couple of levels of fighter, then rogue. Or of course if you want real ultimate power......DROW NINJA!~
Archmage_Vall
02-20-06, 11:25 PM Warning: I take no responsibility when the warmage becomes so powerful the rest of the party stands around and watches - this is what happened to our campaign. We stopped at level 13 when the warmage did all the work and the rest of us just watched him crush CR 17 monsters like cockroaches.

I was DMing a combat-heavy game last year with a Warmage in the party. It was a party of level 12 characters, and nobody else got to do anything, because the Warmage would go first, blast the bad guys to smitherines with a Scorching Ray or something for 200 damage, while the rest of the party twidled their thumbs. So I made it a plot point where Erythnull would take notice of this powerful warmage who excelled at slaughtering things, and decide to make him one of his einjerar (it was a norse-themed game--with DnD pantheon). So Erythnull's avatar shows up, says "I want YOU to join my army." Warmage says, "No." AofE goes *Bonk!* Warmage dies, AofE picks up body, Plane Shifts away. Immediately afterward, Warmages are banned from the game (and all future ones).

On topic, I think a wizard/rogue would be a good fit for a drow PC.
Vacerious
02-20-06, 11:26 PM If you don't want to play a spellcaster, you could take that to the extremes and play an anti-spellcaster fighter. Break into the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior, get reflecting armor and stuff like that. Could be fun. :)

I second this idea. It fits your party's needs for a tank and is an awesome character concept.
JungeonJeff
02-21-06, 02:20 AM If going for an anti-mage, yes, go for Occult Slayer.

If you wanted to go for a ranged char, considder HexBlade/Arcane Archer. At the lvl where the BAB requirement is reached, you will meet the minor Spellcasting requirement too. PLus Hexblade tend to be a little more greedy, selfish class than other, so seems fit for a drow. (Other than that, I'm sure your spellcasters wont mind if you curse their target, just so their saves will be worsened.)
Addimarchus
02-21-06, 02:51 AM I am in the middle of constructing a Drow character and I dont know where to go with it. Most of my party are magic users of a sort so I would prefer not to play one.

I am considering doing a ranger and another class perhaps even a prestige class. Any recommendations?

trust me, the Drow/were-rat/rogue rawks!

ever seen a rat levitate? no? well trust me, it's a beautiful sight!

[edited because i forgot the PrC]

oh and also the Warshaper out of Complete warrior combined onto that, and you've got a Drow with an amazing DEX score (base 18/+2 Drow+6/Wererat(hybrid/rat = 20 in Drow from, 26 in hybrid -go pick dem locks), immunity to crits and stunning, all you need then is weapon finesse, choose a weapon like a rapier or scimitar!

(BTW Warshaper gives you +4 STR and CON so you will have a great STR score and CON despit being a Drow!)
AxisOTW
02-23-06, 10:43 AM I was DMing a combat-heavy game last year with a Warmage in the party. It was a party of level 12 characters, and nobody else got to do anything, because the Warmage would go first, blast the bad guys to smitherines with a Scorching Ray or something for 200 damage, while the rest of the party twidled their thumbs. So I made it a plot point where Erythnull would take notice of this powerful warmage who excelled at slaughtering things, and decide to make him one of his einjerar (it was a norse-themed game--with DnD pantheon). So Erythnull's avatar shows up, says "I want YOU to join my army." Warmage says, "No." AofE goes *Bonk!* Warmage dies, AofE picks up body, Plane Shifts away. Immediately afterward, Warmages are banned from the game (and all future ones).

On topic, I think a wizard/rogue would be a good fit for a drow PC.

Being the warmage that Erc1971 partied with, I think you need to rethink how you treat your players. Killing a PC because you wanted remove the warmage is just wrong. Of course, you didn't say if you had talked to the player about it before, but seeing as he said "No", I doubt you did.

That said, I'll admit that warmages can be overpowered. But banning them outright is a bit harsh. Just limit them to races that don't get INT and CHA bonuses. A human with an INT 18 is going to do +4 points of damage a round (not counting Extra Edge), but is completely useles, or nearly so, in non-combat situations where spellcasting is needed. Obviously in a group of 12, that should be covered, but in a smaller group it can be a HUGE detriment.

Don't make your entire campaign combat based, and the warmage loses it's "edge".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheMagentaDragon 02-20-06, 12:45 PM	I am in the middle of constructing a Drow character and I dont know where to go with it. Most of my party are magic users of a sort so I would prefer not to play one. I am considering doing a ranger and another class perhaps even a prestige class. Any recommendations?
Elbethamore 02-20-06, 02:29 PM	Ranger is an interesting choice, but not TWF! Nobody on these boards would ever forgive you for playing a TWF drow ranger. P.S. I've been thinking about a drow rogue myself. With the dex bonus and the spell like abilities... a drow rogue can be a very sneaky and deceptive character.
erc1971 02-20-06, 02:54 PM	Warmage all the way! With bonuses to INT and CHA, they are covering the two stats that matter for the Warmage. After playing a Drow warmage, you will laugh at people who say damage is the worst thing a mage can do. 72 points of damage with level 1 spells. Evard's Black Tentacles that do 20+ damage a round to people stuck in them. Sudden metamagic feats applied to mass damage spells. Then, get yourself some metamagic rods and watch monsters rated a CR 5 above you become your *****. We were level 10, and the DM had to fudge a level 18 wizard lich's spell selection just so the warmage wouldn't kill him (DM wanted him "alive" for plot purposes) - and this was 1 on 1, the rest of us were busy dying against the whimpy minions of the lich. (Warmage won init, and kept putting the poor Lich in EBT. Grappling check was impossible for lich to escape - I think the DM had the poor lich DD or Teleport 6 times before finally having him teleport out of the room, and cast spell immunity EBT before returning). Thier key is spontaneous casting. Monster has SR - no problem, start tossing out orbs and Blast of Flame. Monster is immune to just about anything - OK, orbs of force or orbs of sound. You just can't stop em. Warning: I take no responsibility when the warmage becomes so powerful the rest of the party stands around and watches - this is what happened to our campaign. We stopped at level 13 when the warmage did all the work and the rest of us just watched him crush CR 17 monsters like cockroaches.
Feor 02-20-06, 03:50 PM	If you don't want to play a spellcaster, you could take that to the extremes and play an anti-spellcaster fighter. Break into the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior, get reflecting armor and stuff like that. Could be fun. :)
Sikyanakotik 02-20-06, 08:31 PM	Most of my party are magic users of a sort so I would prefer not to play one. Warmage all the way! With bonuses to INT and CHA, they are covering the two stats that matter for the Warmage. :looloo: Well, have you considered making a Fighter?
dutorn 02-20-06, 08:56 PM	I'd say Fighter/Bard. It sounds like a pretty interesting Drow character to me. Lot more interesting than a Ranger anyways :D
Kresalak 02-20-06, 09:57 PM	Why not play a Swashbuckler/Fighter/Dervi- Get's shot Ok, disregarding that, what niche do you have left to fill in your party? Do you need a frontline fighter? A skill monkey? A face? A tactical fighter? A regular monkey?
On_the_wings_of_TPK 02-20-06, 11:22 PM	Actually given the drows bonuses to dex and int the swashbuckler might not be that bad. At least the first three levels of the class anyways. Maybe go with rogue, or a couple of levels of fighter, then rogue. Or of course if you want real ultimate power......DROW NINJA!~
Archmage_Vall 02-20-06, 11:25 PM	Warning: I take no responsibility when the warmage becomes so powerful the rest of the party stands around and watches - this is what happened to our campaign. We stopped at level 13 when the warmage did all the work and the rest of us just watched him crush CR 17 monsters like cockroaches. I was DMing a combat-heavy game last year with a Warmage in the party. It was a party of level 12 characters, and nobody else got to do anything, because the Warmage would go first, blast the bad guys to smitherines with a Scorching Ray or something for 200 damage, while the rest of the party twidled their thumbs. So I made it a plot point where Erythnull would take notice of this powerful warmage who excelled at slaughtering things, and decide to make him one of his einjerar (it was a norse-themed game--with DnD pantheon). So Erythnull's avatar shows up, says "I want YOU to join my army." Warmage says, "No." AofE goes Bonk! Warmage dies, AofE picks up body, Plane Shifts away. Immediately afterward, Warmages are banned from the game (and all future ones). On topic, I think a wizard/rogue would be a good fit for a drow PC.
Vacerious 02-20-06, 11:26 PM	If you don't want to play a spellcaster, you could take that to the extremes and play an anti-spellcaster fighter. Break into the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior, get reflecting armor and stuff like that. Could be fun. :) I second this idea. It fits your party's needs for a tank and is an awesome character concept.
JungeonJeff 02-21-06, 02:20 AM	If going for an anti-mage, yes, go for Occult Slayer. If you wanted to go for a ranged char, considder HexBlade/Arcane Archer. At the lvl where the BAB requirement is reached, you will meet the minor Spellcasting requirement too. PLus Hexblade tend to be a little more greedy, selfish class than other, so seems fit for a drow. (Other than that, I'm sure your spellcasters wont mind if you curse their target, just so their saves will be worsened.)
Addimarchus 02-21-06, 02:51 AM	I am in the middle of constructing a Drow character and I dont know where to go with it. Most of my party are magic users of a sort so I would prefer not to play one. I am considering doing a ranger and another class perhaps even a prestige class. Any recommendations? trust me, the Drow/were-rat/rogue rawks! ever seen a rat levitate? no? well trust me, it's a beautiful sight! [edited because i forgot the PrC] oh and also the Warshaper out of Complete warrior combined onto that, and you've got a Drow with an amazing DEX score (base 18/+2 Drow+6/Wererat(hybrid/rat = 20 in Drow from, 26 in hybrid -go pick dem locks), immunity to crits and stunning, all you need then is weapon finesse, choose a weapon like a rapier or scimitar! (BTW Warshaper gives you +4 STR and CON so you will have a great STR score and CON despit being a Drow!)
AxisOTW 02-23-06, 10:43 AM	I was DMing a combat-heavy game last year with a Warmage in the party. It was a party of level 12 characters, and nobody else got to do anything, because the Warmage would go first, blast the bad guys to smitherines with a Scorching Ray or something for 200 damage, while the rest of the party twidled their thumbs. So I made it a plot point where Erythnull would take notice of this powerful warmage who excelled at slaughtering things, and decide to make him one of his einjerar (it was a norse-themed game--with DnD pantheon). So Erythnull's avatar shows up, says "I want YOU to join my army." Warmage says, "No." AofE goes Bonk! Warmage dies, AofE picks up body, Plane Shifts away. Immediately afterward, Warmages are banned from the game (and all future ones). On topic, I think a wizard/rogue would be a good fit for a drow PC. Being the warmage that Erc1971 partied with, I think you need to rethink how you treat your players. Killing a PC because you wanted remove the warmage is just wrong. Of course, you didn't say if you had talked to the player about it before, but seeing as he said "No", I doubt you did. That said, I'll admit that warmages can be overpowered. But banning them outright is a bit harsh. Just limit them to races that don't get INT and CHA bonuses. A human with an INT 18 is going to do +4 points of damage a round (not counting Extra Edge), but is completely useles, or nearly so, in non-combat situations where spellcasting is needed. Obviously in a group of 12, that should be covered, but in a smaller group it can be a HUGE detriment. Don't make your entire campaign combat based, and the warmage loses it's "edge".