Chaotic Neutral "Punk Rock" Drow Bard? Good Idea?

[DoctorWhatPhD]

I had a character idea that I wanted to get an opinion on. It's a pretty much confirmed character, but I would still like a few opinions since the campaign won't be for another year. I am skirting the edge of "instant Mary Sue just add purple eyes" hear by making a non-evil Drow, but here me out.

Yazfein was originally part of a good-aligned splinter society (Eilistraee's presence has not yet been confirmed) that rebelled against the (in their eyes) self-destructive tendencies of other Drow. However, the good Drow were vastly outnumbered, and so to escape certain death they have capitulated to the ever expanding nation of Alandria(our campaign's setting), which conscripted most of them to fight against their evil brethren in a war against the Underdark.

Yazfein, however, saw this as simply trading one master for another. And since the good Drow society was still heavily matriarchal, Yazfein's options were "be a good little servant for some higher ranked female" or "join the Alandrian army and fight your old master and possibly die for the sake of your new master.

Yazfein took a third option. He became a traveling adventurer bard, hoping to gain fame and glory for himself. He is very "punk rock" and anti-authoritarian, which combined with being a Drow has caused him to be run out of town more often than applauded. Nevertheless, he is extremely charismatic, but he is often more manipulative than friendly. His life has not given him many allies, and the way people treat him has caused him to view them as tools more than anything else.

Nevertheless, his ultimate goal is personal success as a bard and adventurer, and through that success, freedom.

If you actually read this entire thing, you are a champ and deserve a gold star. :smallbiggrin:

[Greenish]

Well, it's still a drow, but I'll give it a thumbs up if you'll throw in a decent rendition of "I fought the law".

Drow bard sub levels aren't worth it, Deepwyrm Drow may be.

[Daer]

well imho drow race would be perfect for bard, if it didn't have that +2 LA :(
But if you can out look loss of those levels then o for it!

[DoctorWhatPhD]

well imho drow race would be perfect for bard, if it didn't have that +2 LA :(
But if you can out look loss of those levels then o for it!

Well, the campaign is around level 7, so I do lose a lot of good things by being a Drow, but the DM let me roll my stats and KEEP a natural 18 for CHA. So with +2 racial mod and +1 at fourth level, that's 21 CHA. :smallamused:

[TheJake]

I think its flavourful as a concept. I'd go Chaotic Good but that's just me.

Feats like Doomspeaker fit quite well with the drow IMHO.

- J.

[Greenish]

Ask your DM if you can use LA buyoff (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm).

[Joshinthemosh]

First-I like this character. Alot. Kudos and nice work.

Second-Please talk to your DM about Exotic Weapon Profiency Bass-http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/00/TheClashLondonCallingalbumcover.jpg I suggest making it 1d10 X3 Blugeoning damage. Maybe replace the tuners with blades to make it a trip weapon to. Even get creative and use the strings as bowstrings :smallbiggrin:

[Greenish]

Even get creative and use the strings as bowstrings :smallbiggrin:That's even statted out for you. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070314a)

[Joshinthemosh]

That's even statted out for you. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070314a)

I think a bass bow would be a bigger damage die than a lute bow but I like it.

[DoctorWhatPhD]

That's even statted out for you. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070314a)

That....is AMAZING. I wasn't going to actually make him punk rock, just do a similar attitude (in terms of character personality, not musical stylr) but with medieval music. But my DM might just be crazy enough to let me get away with punk rock. In another campaign, I played "the Devil Went Down to Georgiashire." That was with the DM's brother.

I am DMing a campaign of my own in the meantime. I was requested to do so by a friend a while back. Why is this relevant? Because my friend's idea was for a party of all evil Drow characters, sent out into the world and led by a priestess of Lolth. I haven't even started the campaign yet, and already the novelty of playing a Drow that ISN'T evil is wearing off. But I love Yazfein's personality, especially because his angry, anti-establishment message is so different from other bards that I've played. I might replace him with a human character with basically the same personality. That way, I can get rid of level adjustment (and gain a feat or two for that exotic weapon proficiency!)

If I did that, he would have to be a downtrodden youth with a hard-knock life. He'd be angry instead of optimistic, and he would have a bone to pick with the Alandrian upper class. That might even be a more interesting character to play in a campaign where Alandria basically rules the world for all intents and purposes.

[Hirax]

I'll put in a plug for dirgesinger from Libra Mortis. It doesn't advance spellcasting, but it's still a pretty cool prestige class.