I am still reading it myself... 11 pages of Drowness is a little hard to take in one sitting ;).
i liked
Redeemed epic destiny? Very interesting.
Where is everyone?
A little while later.........Some specific comments:
- I love the artwork on pg. 71.
- The epic destiny kind of made me miss Eilistraee
, but it's got some nice abilities. On the "Second Chance" part, I get it thematically but how does it fit sequentially into the e.d. write-up? - I was looking for a specific mention of “redeemed dark elf as in green elf post-Eilistraee” in the epic destiny or somewhere in the article, but nothing direct and no racial feat. But I guess this is for drow who are still drow.
- A lot of new feat options. Was looking for levitation, but some cool stuff in its stead.
- I like the prestige path and the scurrying spiders fluff.
- Interesting items.
- Woah! Just noticed the piwafwi!
- Some interesting reading on character archetype, psychology, etc.
- The customs and behavior reading really brought me back to the novels. I like the touch on how life isn't necessarily easier for female drow.
- I think some people will especially appreciate the "drow by the numbers" breakdown. I like the note about hoping to be around the inexperienced or unschooled who simply don't know what to make of a drow.
Anyway, I'd like to play a drow now.
Only wondering because of the buildings in the background. They seemed so "surface-like".dont know if that image went with it or the one above it.
They seemed so "surface-like".
Indeed, they do. And the source of light in the background suggests that this is some surface settlement/town/city.
Btw, the art was better in previous articles.
Ok read a bit further and maybe the pic belongs to the info on the next page, this things about a way for drow on the surface, Horizon Syndicate. Well makes sense, if you would print this and make a booklet of it, than it would possibly be that both pages are together.Btw, the art was better in previous articles.
Jup, they remind me on some of this comic-like arts in several of my Star Wars Guides, never liked them.
Official discussion of all Dragon and Dungeon articles is here.
Indeed, so all hail unofficial discussion?
Having now read it, I can say that I enjoyed it. I still have no desire to actually play a Drow character yet now I can see why someone else would.
I like the coverage of the cultural aspects of being a Drow in the Realms although I was mildly confused by some of the stuff pertaining to how the common people of the Realms view the Drow.
All in all it was a good article! More like this please... um... on other subjects apart from Drow and Genasi maybe?
Indeed, so all hail unofficial discussion?
me considers appropriate response to complete lack of respect for my VCL-ness
I know that for a bunch of the articles, the writiers are in the threads interacting. Keith Baker is interacting on the gnoll one, and the author of the Artificer playtest article has given updates to changes to the articles.
There is nothing wrong with the discussion of the article here, I just wanted to point out a place where additional discussion is taking place. Don't worry, I won't close this thread or move it or anything like that. No need.
me considers appropriate response to complete lack of respect for my VCL-ness
Hey, I respect your VCLness... and Ol' Albert. But there seems to be a different focus on the D&D Article Discussion section than there is here, as there should be. Different people too.
Since I had seen good things come out of previous article discussions here I thought I would prod this one and continue the tradition.
From this, a drow player character is likely to move easier through the world than many DMs might otherwise allow. When dealing with common folk, shopkeepers, bartenders, artisans, the average individual might think the character’s appearance strange, maybe even unsettling, but treat that character the same way they would any individual possessed of an unusual appearance.
While the text goes on telling us that other might be more resentful of drow running about, the above is virtually turning old lore on its head.
For those who don't know ...
Drow. The Dark Elves. Those Who Have Turned to Evil. In elven tongues, they are referred to by several names: ...
The elegant, dark and deadly drow are a hated and feared race.
In the dangerous caverns of the Underdark dwell many horrible monsters, including the drow. Obsidian-skinned kin to elves, this fell race has won mastery of magic - and a cruel reputation. Small children of Faerun hear whispered tales even before they are officially warned of Those Below.
(The Drow of the Underdark, p. 3)
What hath become of thee, ye olde Faerûn?
and
"Also, drow prey on elves and eladrin more than they do other surface races, making drow a looming threat to these people."
From these quotes it also shows that many people still tell those stories about drow. In most novels they are really only seen raiding or attacking elves. Their rites of passage are going to the surface world and slaying elves usually. From the above quotes it is said that not everyone knows what a drow is but I am sure the ones that do know of them do not have nice things to say. ;)
BTW, I was quite surprised by the drow entry - as well as this latest article - when it comes to tell people how to play them. For all you get is vague info about the drow in general and lots of info about what a drow can do and what you have and all that. But nigh to no word about how the environment takes to a drow chap walking about (I kindly disregard the few lines about "knowledgable adventurers and sages", as they hardly fit the bill of previous ages of the FR). This is more like "let the players have fun at nigh all costs rather than curb their experience with some heavy handed old lore and all".
Of course, much could have happened during the last hundred years and the FR people are not that squeamish about somesuch any longer.
But since Lolth is now the only one controlling the Drow, I don't think that they would have changed for the better. It seemed not drowish to me, that they are now adventuring around and treat others fair for some coins. I mean, the ones who had some more ties to the surface were the guys of the Masked Lord and he is gone, and the Eilis are all light-Drow now. There should mostly be only the ones worshipping Lolth or being under the whim of her priestesses. I don't think they even want to move easier through the world. Wasn't there something that Lolth wanted them in the Underdark and not walking upwards where they might get strange ideas?
Thought with all good gods of the Drow gone now, that they were driven the old way, that Drow should only be the bad guys, monsters to kill and fear, but this seems that they are more than ever the "oh so cool" alternative to playing an elf or human character.
I figure in some regions where drow raided more frequently they would be feared more than in areas where they never showed their faces. Plus hearsay and sterotypes are just that until they are proven true. Someone from Calimsham can hear about how Gold Elves are all haughty elitist jerks from a few old time adventurers but they may take it with a grain of salt until they actually meet a member of that race and it is proven true/untrue.
Places near Shadowdale may believe that hype about drow while people from Cormyr believe it is just bubbameister.;)
Just because Loth is the only evil/drow god does not mean PC drow cannot worship another god. Drow have always been an "oh so cool" alternative, this edition change did not alter that.
... apart from erasing the 25% XP penalty or +2 LA respectively? As well as SR, of course. Other than flair and background (nothing tangible in the rules), nothing makes drow different from an elf, eladrin, gnome or tiefling these days.
A) Like the Genasi article (but not that bad!), most of this article seems fairly generic. The part about Drow from X is obviously tied to Realmslore, but I was hoping that that kind of thing was going to be the focus of the article.
B) Again, I still don't like the concept of the designers suggesting specific archetypes and such for characters. People can do that themselves, and takes away a good .75-1 page, that could be used for other information.
C) The Horizon Syndicate. I don't find it realistic.
D) The Redeemed Drow PP. Seems very unnecessary, and high-powered. It seems to me that 4e is doing what 3e did with PrCs (making one for everything, twice), but to an even greater extent. It also isn't too clear: Do you have to die in order to get it? It makes it seem like you do.
Yes, that picture of what appears to be a surface city threw me for a loop, as it's right underneath the description of Menzoberranzan.
-I read it, finally. A couple of points:
B) Again, I still don't like the concept of the designers suggesting specific archetypes and such for characters. People can do that themselves, and takes away a good .75-1 page, that could be used for other information.
Well I think it's there for beginners to the game (or for us DMs with beginners to the game) who aren't yet used to coming up with backgrounds for their characters. My fiancee, for example, is still learning how this whole D&D thing works. It seems like a waste of space, but 4th Edition does seem targeted towards newer players as well.
Well I think it's there for beginners to the game (or for us DMs with beginners to the game) who aren't yet used to coming up with backgrounds for their characters. My fiancee, for example, is still learning how this whole D&D thing works. It seems like a waste of space, but 4th Edition does seem targeted towards newer players as well.
-Yes, but such stuff isn't part of "the rules". It's independent, with the whole "3e/4e does/doesn't encourage roleplay" and all of that stuff being nonsense. In other words, like I said, people can do that on their own. Knowing or not knowing the rules is no impediment on creating a character. Making characters transcends rules. Once you start turning those characters into stats, then you need some knowledge of rules.
-Yes, but such stuff isn't part of "the rules". It's independent, with the whole "3e/4e does/doesn't encourage roleplay" and all of that stuff being nonsense. In other words, like I said, people can do that on their own. Knowing or not knowing the rules is no impediment on creating a character. Making characters transcends rules. Once you start turning those characters into stats, then you need some knowledge of rules.
To be fair, the lore involved in the article is also not part of the rules. That being said, it's still there.
-Ah, but you know what I mean. :: Waggles finger ::
Hehe yes, I know. I'm just playing devil's advocate.
