Drow-Half dragon possible? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Drow-Half dragon possible? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ChaosVirus
04-18-06, 02:24 PM I am new to D&D.....only played once, and now my DM went to cornwall.

So I am going to have to learn more of the rules this time.

Anyway I like the idea of a drow charecter. I want to be a necromancer, with maybe a Prc chronomancer (when I manage to make the class).

Anyway I like the idea of half dragon and was wondering if this is fesible, and also......actually worth it.

I mean I dont want to make a char then find out....it sucks....
Shaggy_Shaggs
04-18-06, 02:32 PM Possible? Yes.
Worth it? Absolutely not. 5 levels lost to LA will kill just about any spellcaster's effectiveness.
Lincoln Hills
04-18-06, 03:29 PM I concur. However wonderful your character concept, and even though you'll have tons of special abilities, you'll be 1st level in a group of 6th-level characters, facing 6th-level threats. That basically translates to "squish" followed by, "Hey, wasn't there some kind of freaky elf with wings in our group before we fought those landsharks?"

Actual character level affects too many important things: HD (and thus hit points), number of feats, maximum skill ranks, and caster level spring to mind. You'd be crippled.

You might consider either 1) A drow necromancer/sorceror who aims at the Dragon Disciple prestige class, or 2) A human/drow hybrid (your campaign might use regular half-elf rules, or the Forgotten Realms half-drow template) with the draconic template (Draconomicon). Either of those, I believe, would be a 1st level character in a group of 3rd-level characters - not good, but potentially survivable.

Lastly, note that many DMs - I'm one of them - have campaign-related or personal taste reasons to say "no" to an exotic race (or, in this case, combination of two exotic races.) Your DM might have to say you nay.
kelvinaw273
04-18-06, 05:02 PM Possible, with a Deep Dragon as the dragon type, but not wise. As mentioned the LA will be murder.
yaara
04-18-06, 05:14 PM While some may think the level ajustment will kill your character, Drow dragon combo will murder a lot of anything you run accross. Yes, you will be lower class level, but your ECL is just as high. Keep in mind that level ajustments are there for a reason, you trade class levels for race levels. Some DM's will aloow you to be a level 6 class as well, I do because I do not understand why a character should be punished with low HP, feats skills and ability bonus's because they were born a powerful race. in that case your ECL will be that of a 11th level character. You would have to gain experiance normal as soon as play starts, but for character creation why?

A powerful race will overbalance a lot of groups, and if you have just started playing D&D then you should stick with a "normal" race for a while... maybe if the campaign lasts a while and your "normal" character dies then you could make the exotic race. Choose carefully, Dragons are not something to be taken lightley.... and if you are just looking for some special ability... look into bloodlines.... Drow are hard to play as well, they have a SR and are dazed in bright light.... consider the flaws as well as the strengths.
StruckingFuggle
04-18-06, 05:27 PM While some may think the level ajustment will kill your character, Drow dragon combo will murder a lot of anything you run accross. Yes, you will be lower class level, but your ECL is just as high. Keep in mind that level ajustments are there for a reason, you trade class levels for race levels.

Yeah, but just because it's technically accurate doesn't make that functionally true.
Dochenor
04-18-06, 11:37 PM LA is easy to handle, ECL just sucks though. If your GM allows reverse XP for Level Adjustment, then a half-Dragon Drow rocks. We had one in my last game. Nasty Wizard, absolutley terrifying.
Vaelan
04-18-06, 11:40 PM Drow dragon combo will murder a lot of anything you run accross.
Not so much.

A Half-Dragon Drow Wizard 1 can do exactly two things to contribute to a CR 6 encounter: Breathe on them and cast Color Spray on the occasional encounter that consists of creatures with few hitdice.

Even if they try either of these, anything with a ranged attack will drop them in one hit, and probably flat-out kill them with that hit as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ChaosVirus 04-18-06, 02:24 PM	I am new to D&D.....only played once, and now my DM went to cornwall. So I am going to have to learn more of the rules this time. Anyway I like the idea of a drow charecter. I want to be a necromancer, with maybe a Prc chronomancer (when I manage to make the class). Anyway I like the idea of half dragon and was wondering if this is fesible, and also......actually worth it. I mean I dont want to make a char then find out....it sucks....
Shaggy_Shaggs 04-18-06, 02:32 PM	Possible? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely not. 5 levels lost to LA will kill just about any spellcaster's effectiveness.
Lincoln Hills 04-18-06, 03:29 PM	I concur. However wonderful your character concept, and even though you'll have tons of special abilities, you'll be 1st level in a group of 6th-level characters, facing 6th-level threats. That basically translates to "squish" followed by, "Hey, wasn't there some kind of freaky elf with wings in our group before we fought those landsharks?" Actual character level affects too many important things: HD (and thus hit points), number of feats, maximum skill ranks, and caster level spring to mind. You'd be crippled. You might consider either 1) A drow necromancer/sorceror who aims at the Dragon Disciple prestige class, or 2) A human/drow hybrid (your campaign might use regular half-elf rules, or the Forgotten Realms half-drow template) with the draconic template (Draconomicon). Either of those, I believe, would be a 1st level character in a group of 3rd-level characters - not good, but potentially survivable. Lastly, note that many DMs - I'm one of them - have campaign-related or personal taste reasons to say "no" to an exotic race (or, in this case, combination of two exotic races.) Your DM might have to say you nay.
kelvinaw273 04-18-06, 05:02 PM	Possible, with a Deep Dragon as the dragon type, but not wise. As mentioned the LA will be murder.
yaara 04-18-06, 05:14 PM	While some may think the level ajustment will kill your character, Drow dragon combo will murder a lot of anything you run accross. Yes, you will be lower class level, but your ECL is just as high. Keep in mind that level ajustments are there for a reason, you trade class levels for race levels. Some DM's will aloow you to be a level 6 class as well, I do because I do not understand why a character should be punished with low HP, feats skills and ability bonus's because they were born a powerful race. in that case your ECL will be that of a 11th level character. You would have to gain experiance normal as soon as play starts, but for character creation why? A powerful race will overbalance a lot of groups, and if you have just started playing D&D then you should stick with a "normal" race for a while... maybe if the campaign lasts a while and your "normal" character dies then you could make the exotic race. Choose carefully, Dragons are not something to be taken lightley.... and if you are just looking for some special ability... look into bloodlines.... Drow are hard to play as well, they have a SR and are dazed in bright light.... consider the flaws as well as the strengths.
StruckingFuggle 04-18-06, 05:27 PM	While some may think the level ajustment will kill your character, Drow dragon combo will murder a lot of anything you run accross. Yes, you will be lower class level, but your ECL is just as high. Keep in mind that level ajustments are there for a reason, you trade class levels for race levels. Yeah, but just because it's technically accurate doesn't make that functionally true.
Dochenor 04-18-06, 11:37 PM	LA is easy to handle, ECL just sucks though. If your GM allows reverse XP for Level Adjustment, then a half-Dragon Drow rocks. We had one in my last game. Nasty Wizard, absolutley terrifying.
Vaelan 04-18-06, 11:40 PM	Drow dragon combo will murder a lot of anything you run accross. Not so much. A Half-Dragon Drow Wizard 1 can do exactly two things to contribute to a CR 6 encounter: Breathe on them and cast Color Spray on the occasional encounter that consists of creatures with few hitdice. Even if they try either of these, anything with a ranged attack will drop them in one hit, and probably flat-out kill them with that hit as well.