[3.5] Drow and light blindness...

[caith]

Two questions really...the first is are there any spells/items that could conceivably protect a drow from the effects of direct sunlight that would be available to an 8th level character(10th with level adjustment).

The other question is regarding level adjustments themselves...when a character is subject to level adjustment do they lose the LA HP? So for example I have a 10th level Drow Sorceror with an LA of +2...does he have 10 hit die or 8 hit die worth of HP, and is he considered to be a 10 HD character or an 8 HD one. That actually brings me to another question would that same character receive starting treasure(by level) as a level 10 character or a level 8 character?

[Leon]

Sun Lenses 10gp (Sandstorm)
There is also a Feat that can help - Daylight Adaption (Races of Eberron)

A ECL 10 Drow Sorcerer has 8d4 HD

[kamikasei]

The other question is regarding level adjustments themselves...when a character is subject to level adjustment do they lose the LA HP? So for example I have a 10th level Drow Sorceror with an LA of +2...does he have 10 hit die or 8 hit die worth of HP, and is he considered to be a 10 HD character or an 8 HD one. That actually brings me to another question would that same character receive starting treasure(by level) as a level 10 character or a level 8 character?

The quick and dirty guide to LA and ECL:

You have Level Adjustment, Racial Hit Die, Class Levels, and Effective Character Level.

Your ECL is then the sum of your class levels, racial hit die, and LA.

You have a number of hit die equal to your class levels and racial hit die. These are what give you HP, skills, feats, saves, BAB... For all of these purposes your Drow is an 8th-level sorcerer.

The LA is added on to hit die (racial and class) to obtain ECL, which is used to calculate wealth and XP. So your Drow is a 10th-level character, and will require as much XP to take his ninth level of sorcerer as a 10th-level human fighter would need to take his eleventh level. He has the wealth-by-level of a tenth-level character.

[KillianHawkeye]

Sundark Goggles (Races of the Dragon p.123) cost 10 gp.

[Faulty]

There's a feat in The Player's Guide to Faerun called Light Adaptation or something of the sort. It basically removes all penalties from being in sunlight for Drow and similar creatures. It's supposed to be a regional feat chosen only at first level, but your DM might allow you to take it if you can justify it (ex: your character has been actively trying to get used to sunlight, and has spent much time on the surface). You could also houserule a similar feat, something like...

Light Adaptation
Prolonged time on the surface and regular exposure to sunlight has rendered you comfortable under the glaring gaze of the sun.
Prerquesite: Light Blindness or Light Sensitivity
Benefit: You no longer take penalties when exposed to bright light, such as sunlight or a daylight spell.

[caith]

Well in this case I'm the DM writing pre-gens =D so I dont think that will be a problem...so I read two different interpretations...one that only character levels grant HP-bearing hit die, but the total hit die is equal to ecl, and one that you add the racial hit die, to the class hit die, as well as saves and feats?...which is it? Also for a sorceror whose race grants spell like abilities, are they able to use that spell in their spells known list?

[tyckspoon]

Well in this case I'm the DM writing pre-gens =D so I dont think that will be a problem...so I read two different interpretations...one that only character levels grant HP-bearing hit die, but the total hit die is equal to ecl, and one that you add the racial hit die, to the class hit die, as well as saves and feats?...which is it? Also for a sorceror whose race grants spell like abilities, are they able to use that spell in their spells known list?

Racial hit dice work exactly like class levels as regards feats, ability score bonuses. That includes HP and skill points. They just suck because they don't include any actual class features- they only grant what is listed in the appropriate Type. For the second question, the answer is an unqualified no. There is no mechanic or rule for doing that.

[kamikasei]

Well in this case I'm the DM writing pre-gens =D so I dont think that will be a problem...so I read two different interpretations...one that only character levels grant HP-bearing hit die, but the total hit die is equal to ecl, and one that you add the racial hit die, to the class hit die, as well as saves and feats?...which is it? Also for a sorceror whose race grants spell like abilities, are they able to use that spell in their spells known list?

Your hit die are what give you hit points, saves, feats, and BAB. This is true for your racial hit die and for your class hit die. In effect, your racial hit die are a sucky class.

There is no such thing as "HP-bearing hit die" as opposed to any other sort - all HD grant HP (along with the other things). LA is not HD. LA + HD = ECL. If your ECL is higher than the sum of your hit die, the difference (LA) is not any kind of HD. It's literally made up of non-levels there to deprive you of all the things HD give you to balance out some benefit of the race or template.

[caith]

Haha this is almost worse than Calculus, just when I think I understand it I read something else and get confused. So correct me here but I want to make sure I get this right...

I have a Drow Sorceror in a party of 10th level characters, so I would want to shoot for ECL 10. With a Drow's +2 LA he would end up with 8 Sorceror levels and 2 Drow "levels"? That would place his HP at 8d4 + 2d8, 4 feats, and 2 attribute bonuses. For his skills I am not sure but it would seem he would get skills for the 2 drow levels but not sure how many skill points he would get and then 8 x (2 + Int) skills for sorceror. He would have an 8th level sorceror's saves of 2 2 6, and then receive the save bonus for the Drow levels? He would receive wealth as a 10th level character, so 62,000. Is any of this right? I really need to get this down thanks for all the help so far =))

[Faulty]

Drow don't have racial HD, so the Drow Sorcerer would have 8d4 hp, 3 feats, 8 Sorcerer levels worth of skill points (including the x4 at first level), will have been able to increase a stat by 1 twice, and so on. Basically, exactly the same as a level 8 Human Sorcerer, but obviously with different racial traits. The Sorcerer's LA effects his or her advancement though, in so far as (s)he will be, for all intents and purposes, level 10 for the sake of how much experience it will take to hit the next level.

The Drow's slower advancement is not because of extra hit dice, but because of the better stats (two +s and no -s to attributes, Darkvision, SR, spell-like abilities, etc.).

[caith]

Alright that makes perfect sense! Thanks Ames...so basically the +2 LA for a Drow are 2 dead levels as far as character advancement is concerned...Drow don't have racial hit die, so they only advance by character class? What's an example of a character that would have racial hit die?

[Lapak]

With a Drow's +2 LA he would end up with 8 Sorceror levels and 2 Drow "levels"?

This right here is where you're going wrong. The +2 LA is not 'Drow levels'; you don't change the character in any way for those. They're to balance out all the Drow special abilities you get, so you get no skill points, no caster advancement, no BAB, no feats, and no hit points for them.

So the character is a straight-up 8th level Sorceror who also gets the drow special abilities, and who counts as 10th level for purposes of experience gain and starting money.

EDIT: I am slow.

RE-edit: An example of a creature with racial hit dice is one that, simply enough, starts with more than one hit die - not through classes, like a drow might be a Sorcerer, but just for being themselves, like an Ogre. Racial hit dice covers the BAB advancement and hit points and feats and saves that you get from leveling up; LA covers any powers they have beyond what leveling-up gives you, like flight or Spell Resistance or insanely high Strength.

[Faulty]

Alright that makes perfect sense! Thanks Ames...so basically the +2 LA for a Drow are 2 dead levels as far as character advancement is concerned...Drow don't have racial hit die, so they only advance by character class? What's an example of a character that would have racial hit die?

An example of a race with racial hit die is a Gnoll. Check the Gnoll's entry in the MM, and you'll see next to "Hit DIce" that they have 2d8+2, so they have two racial hit dice. If you like under the "Gnolls As Characters" heading on the same page, it lists the fact that they have racial HD ("A gnoll begins with two levels of humanoid, which provides 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, etc, etc"). Look at the Elf, Drow entry, and you'll find that a level 1 Drow Warrior has only 1 HD.

To sum it up:

Drow don't have racial hit die, so they only advance by character class?

Yes.

What's an example of a character that would have racial hit die?

All Gnolls, and many other higher DC humonoids and monsterous humanoids.


Hope that helps. If you want your PC to advance normally, you could always house rule Drow so they're less powerful. Maybe give them a -2 to CON and take away their SR.

[Ravens_cry]

Light Adaptation
Prolonged time on the surface and regular exposure to sunlight has rendered you comfortable under the glaring gaze of the sun.
Prerquesite: Light Blindness or Light Sensitivity
Benefit: You no longer take penalties when exposed to bright light, such as sunlight or a daylight spell.

Would a vampire be able to take that feat?

[Myrmex]

Would a vampire be able to take that feat?

If it was a drow vampire or some vampire with Light Sensitivity or Light Blindness. Otherwise, no.

[Faulty]

If it was a drow vampire or some vampire with Light Sensitivity or Light Blindness. Otherwise, no.

This. Light Sensitivity is a Duergar trait, and Light Blindness a Drow one, I made it with allowing them to travel on the surface in mind. It prevents being dazzled due to being unused to looking at bright light, not having the sun sear your unliving flesh off.

Vampires being able to walk around in the sunlight would greatly boost their power beyond what a feat should, IMO.