Why play a drow at all anymore?

[steppedonad4]

I've always thought that the primary reason why drow were balanced was because they had Sunlight Sensitivity. It's a major drawback that has a profound effect on the character not only mechanically but thematically and for RP at the table. Drow Magic was almost good enough to counter it, but not quite. Tieflings at least had a poor stat bonus to balance out their powerful innate-casting. But now that a half-elf can get Drow Magic by losing a couple of proficiencies, I now see no reason why anyone would ever want to play a drow other than for purely RP/thematic reasons, and even then a half-drow is still probably a more interesting option.

So why play a drow at all anymore?

[Ralanr]

Under dark campaign?

And RP reasons are a decent part of playing tabletop RPGs.

[Yorrin]

Imo you would never play a Drow before either, just play a Lightfoot Halfling...

[eastmabl]

It's bad enough that everyone hates you because you look like a drow, but now you want the drow to hate you because you're a half breed?

[Raphite1]

And RP reasons are a decent part of playing tabletop RPGs.

This is the answer. Imo it's almost 100% of the reason to play anything.

In a tabletop RPG, it doesn't matter how "powerful" your character is if your goal is to have success in the game world; the DM balances the game around the characters that the players have chosen. No matter how you build your character, encounters will be challenging but beatable.

If your goal is to be the most powerful character in the party, that's a bit different, and "powerful" actually means something there. If that's your goal in a tabletop RPG, though, you're probably just making the game less fun for everyone else.

So maybe a particular drow character has a bit less oomph than other options. So what? The game will be just as hard or just as easy regardless of which one you pick.

[Mara]

The penalty only applies in direct sunlight. That isn't as ubiquitous as you might think.

[Ouranos]

Always remember: Fun is more important than the level of "power" and "optimization" you do. Because a good DM can easily counter anything you come up with for cheese. You built an insanely OP caster build? Anti-Magic field (dunno if it's in the books now or not, haven't thought to look) suddenly activates! Crazy high damage fighter with a big sword making everyone else feel inadequate? There's stuff for that too. NOTHING is unbeatable because the DM has final say. A good DM will give everyone a chance to shine, and everyone a time to fail miserably.

[MaxWilson]

I've always thought that the primary reason why drow were balanced was because they had Sunlight Sensitivity. It's a major drawback that has a profound effect on the character not only mechanically but thematically and for RP at the table. Drow Magic was almost good enough to counter it, but not quite. Tieflings at least had a poor stat bonus to balance out their powerful innate-casting. But now that a half-elf can get Drow Magic by losing a couple of proficiencies, I now see no reason why anyone would ever want to play a drow other than for purely RP/thematic reasons, and even then a half-drow is still probably a more interesting option.

So why play a drow at all anymore?

The main benefit of being a Drow isn't the Drow Magic, it's the Dex and the Darkvision. Most monsters and NPCs have only 60' Darkvision, so 120' Darkvision equates to "advantage on everything at ranges between 60' and 120' unless you're facing something else with 120' Darkvision."

Svirfneblings have 120' Darkvision too, and so do PCs with 60' Darkvision and Goggles of Night, but it's still a pretty neat benefit in the Underdark.

[Regitnui]

Why play a drow? Drizzt.

Why play a ranger? Drizzt (or Aragorn).

[krugaan]

Why play a drow? Drizzt.

Why play a ranger? Drizzt (or Aragorn).

That's a gigantic reason NOT to play a drow OR a ranger.

Now everyone is all "oh hey a drow on the surface world, they must be good people."

[rollingForInit]

Now everyone is all "oh hey a drow on the surface world, they must be good people."

That's pretty DM-dependent, though, isn't it? As it should be.

I still have plans for a drow bard, simply because it's a drow, with all the social baggage and background that you get. Doesn't work with a half-elf, even if it is a half-drow.

[Doof]

I thought people played drow to be Drizzt. Drow's greatest racial trait is the free tragic backstory that comes with it.

[M Placeholder]

I thought people played drow to be Drizzt. Drow's greatest racial trait is the free tragic backstory that comes with it.

I was in a group with a female Half Drow, and her character hated all men. So I guess there is also the misandry that can go with being a Drow.

[Sredni Vashtar]

I thought people played drow to be Drizzt. Drow's greatest racial trait is the free tragic backstory that comes with it.


I was in a group with a female Half Drow, and her character hated all men. So I guess there is also the misandry that can go with being a Drow.

And the evil. Can't forget the evil.

[Ralanr]

I thought people played drow to be Drizzt. Drow's greatest racial trait is the free tragic backstory that comes with it.

I was in a group with a female Half Drow, and her character hated all men. So I guess there is also the misandry that can go with being a Drow.

And the evil. Can't forget the evil.

And the excuse to dress up like a bdsm model. Can't forget that.

[Belac93]

If you actually look close at Half-Elves and Drow, you see that they are actually quite similar. Lets look:
They both get: Elven, fey ancestry, and drow magic.

Drow: Weapon training, trance, superior darkvision, keen senses (gives best skill in the game), and increased dex (best ability score in the game)

Half elves: 1 extra point of ability score increase (no +2 dex), 1 extra language, and no sunlight sensitivity

and drow live longer. Half elves don't get as much racism.

[Shining Wrath]

One of my players is running a Drow bard, which is interesting because the party face is a member of a "evil" race. And she's having fun with it.

So that's why; because it's fun.

[AbyssStalker]

I thought it would be entertaining to play a drow who uses a lance primarily, and it is, fun times.

Although i'm not sure which stereotype is more prevalent, the standard evil drow, or the Drizzt clones.

[KorvinStarmast]

I thought it would be entertaining to play a drow who uses a lance primarily, and it is, fun times.

Although i'm not sure which stereotype is more prevalent, the standard evil drow, or the Drizzt clones. The Drow began as an evil culture from the underworld/Underdark of evil alignment. This was at a time when being evil meant something negative in the game.

I'd prefer that any "drow" PC was a half drow (human/drow) to parallel the old 1e restrictions on hybrids.

RA Salvatore wrote some successful mind candy books that were very popular. In taking all of this artistic license (I read the firsts series, and enjoyed it) he IMO did major damage to a high concept.

[Shining Wrath]

The drow in my campaign is neutral aligned, having done terrible things as an Acolyte who eventually snapped and fled her life of stabbing innocent people in the heart. She's no Drizzt, nor is she an evil marauder roaming the surface killing puppies.

Really, just ignore the books and give me a back story on how it is your character got to be an adventurer - because all adventurers, at least in my world, are weird. You have to be.

[deathbymanga]

why play a Drow? Because I must destroy the cult of lolth from within using the might of the Black Dancer

[Alikat]

We've got two drow in my campaign, but it's also currently in the underdark. One is a pyromaniac sorcerer, unsure of alignment(His non combat social interaction choices pretty much always involve fire). One is a bard, pure evil, but speaks in this super sweet voice that reminds me of Brightwing from warcraft. I've never heard "Hello, friends!" sound so creepy.

[VoxRationis]

If you actually look close at Half-Elves and Drow, you see that they are actually quite similar. Lets look:
They both get: Elven, fey ancestry, and drow magic.

Drow: Weapon training, trance, superior darkvision, keen senses (gives best skill in the game), and increased dex (best ability score in the game)

Half elves: 1 extra point of ability score increase (no +2 dex), 1 extra language, and no sunlight sensitivity

and drow live longer. Half elves don't get as much racism.

I'm sorry; I'm clearly missing something. Why do half-elves get drow magic suddenly?

[CoggieRagabash]

I'm sorry; I'm clearly missing something. Why do half-elves get drow magic suddenly?

It's an option provided in SCAG, from what I gather. You can substitute out some half-elf traits for some of the ones of your elven parentage.

[DracoKnight]

I'm sorry; I'm clearly missing something. Why do half-elves get drow magic suddenly?

The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide has a Half-Elf Variant that allows you to drop Skill Versatility in exchange for picking one of the Elf traits. This is so that the player can feel like their character is more on the elf side of the Half-Elf.

[The Shadowdove]

Screw Drizzt, Be Jarlaxle!

Now You're neither of the stereotypes!!

[Corran]

Screw Drizzt, Be Jarlaxle!

Now You're neither of the stereotypes!!
+1!!!!!!!!!!!

[steppedonad4]

I love that I used the optimisation tag on the post and yet everyone is replying, "Because RP!"

[DracoKnight]

I love that I used the optimisation tag on the post and yet everyone is replying, "Because RP!"

For optimization, there was never really a reason to play Drow. Unless you were playing a Dex-based Paladin in the Underdark :)

[Belac93]

Screw Drizzt, Be Jarlaxle!

Now You're neither of the stereotypes!!
This. Perfect.

[steppedonad4]

For optimization, there was never really a reason to play Drow. Unless you were playing a Dex-based Paladin in the Underdark :)

Or a sorcerer or a warlock or a bard or a rogue or a fighter or...

[Ouranos]

I love that I used the optimisation tag on the post and yet everyone is replying, "Because RP!"

Because even with non-RP reasoning, a good Dm can still make it to that if that's what you want to play, you'll be effective. 5th is VERY DM-flexible. DM's can even outright choose to not allow feats, which eliminates a lot of the outlier builds. Sheer numbers from the books AREN'T the ultimate form of optimization, DM discretion is, which means that if you WANT that Darkvision and such, a DM will make it worth it at times and punishing at others, to EVERYONE.

[MaxWilson]

I love that I used the optimisation tag on the post and yet everyone is replying, "Because RP!"

I thought "free advantage on ranged attacks" was a pretty non-RP-related rationale.

[djreynolds]

I've always thought that the primary reason why drow were balanced was because they had Sunlight Sensitivity. It's a major drawback that has a profound effect on the character not only mechanically but thematically and for RP at the table. Drow Magic was almost good enough to counter it, but not quite. Tieflings at least had a poor stat bonus to balance out their powerful innate-casting. But now that a half-elf can get Drow Magic by losing a couple of proficiencies, I now see no reason why anyone would ever want to play a drow other than for purely RP/thematic reasons, and even then a half-drow is still probably a more interesting option.

So why play a drow at all anymore?

A lot of the game is played underground or in dungeons.

But you're right, Half-elves getting Drow Magic sucks. I mean who would play a vampire if they could be Blade. So don't allow it.

[Joe the Rat]

I think it's less "Why play a Drow" and more "Why not play a half-elf." You're effectively a variant human that takes the feat "+2Cha, darkvision, charm resistance, an extra skill proficiency (or elf trait of choice), and double lifespan." I forget the name of it.

It can be tricky to try and use ribbons as part of your balance, particularly when the thematic drawback (born of two worlds, doesn't fit in either; vitriolically so for half-drow) is overrun by their benefits (innately more likable than everyone other than tieflings. Wait, what?).

I was burned by drow PCs early on (as in the original Unearthed Arcana - and don't start me on Cavaliers), so I always take pause when they come up. But that is more on the players it attracted than the race. If you could replace it with another race in a build with little impact, and the best argument for playing one is setting-related or roleplay-related, I consider that a positive development.

[djreynolds]

Why not just leave them as monsters and be done with them? Or give them ECL +1? Harsh. Drow are supposed to strike terror. Perhaps this done to discourage people from picking one. Yes darkvision 120' is nice but deep gnome gets more, perhaps SCAG will have new feats

[Coidzor]

I thought it would be entertaining to play a drow who uses a lance primarily, and it is, fun times.

Although i'm not sure which stereotype is more prevalent, the standard evil drow, or the Drizzt clones.

Hmm? Why a lance in particular? :smallconfused:

Or Evil Drow using the Drizzt clones as cover? :smallamused:

[rlc]

Why not just leave them as monsters and be done with them? Or give them ECL +1? Harsh. Drow are supposed to strike terror. Perhaps this done to discourage people from picking one. Yes darkvision 120' is nice but deep gnome gets more, perhaps SCAG will have new feats
because 5e doesn't use level adjustments.

[eastmabl]

People don't read tags.

[CNagy]

Screw Drizzt, Be Jarlaxle!

Now You're neither of the stereotypes!!

Heck yeah! Drizzt clones are so 20 years ago. Jarlaxle clones are where it's at. :smallbiggrin:

[Princess]

Who wouldn't want to be raised among violent subterranean misandrists with magical powers and mandatory fencing classes in school?

But from a purely mechanical perspective, Drow in 5e are a great choice for certain Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks, and a decent choice for some Rogues and Fighters, so long as that whole 'keep out of direct sunlight' thing can be accommodated. Paladin, Ranger, and Monk are also very doable. Drow Cleric is still a horrible mechanical decision despite how much we're supposed to fear them (Maybe a small percentage of drow are mysteriously born with a bonus to wisdom and we just haven't been informed), but apart from Cleric, Druid, and Barbarian, Drow are at the very least not one of the worst choices out there for a wide array of tasks and vocations.

That means a Drow can be most of the classes in the PHB with a 3 out of 5 or better, easily making them one of the more flexible options around (They're certainly more versatile than some of the other choices in the "Uncommon Races" section). A better question is "Who in their right mind wants to be a single-class non-variant human, without a very good RP reason for it?"

[Maxilian]

Why not just play around the sunlight sensitivity, i mean... your party could move at night and sleep all day (excluding those days that you want to buy something in the market :P )

[PoeticDwarf]

I've always thought that the primary reason why drow were balanced was because they had Sunlight Sensitivity. It's a major drawback that has a profound effect on the character not only mechanically but thematically and for RP at the table. Drow Magic was almost good enough to counter it, but not quite. Tieflings at least had a poor stat bonus to balance out their powerful innate-casting. But now that a half-elf can get Drow Magic by losing a couple of proficiencies, I now see no reason why anyone would ever want to play a drow other than for purely RP/thematic reasons, and even then a half-drow is still probably a more interesting option.

So why play a drow at all anymore?

For Out of the Abs a drow is a good choice because you know undercommon and you have no drawback of sunlight sensitivity.

In other settings, it is like the tiefling but even worse, not a really good reason to play it except if you really want the spells or a spell (for example darkness).