Drow
( Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, p. 13)Attributes
| Size: | Medium |
|---|---|
| Base speed: | Land 30 |
| Strength: | +0 |
| Intelligence: | +2 |
| Dexterity: | +2 |
| Wisdom: | +0 |
| Constitution: | −2 |
| Charisma: | +2 |
| Level adjustment: | +2 |
| Space: | 5 feet |
| Reach: | 5 feet |
| Automatic languages: | Elven , Home Region , Undercommon |
| Bonus Languages: | Abyssal , Common , Draconic , Drow Sign Language , Goblin , Illuskan |
Description
Faerûn is home to six major subraces of elves, which some sages believe were brought to this plane long ago by their gods. The moon elves, sun elves, and wood elves are joined in loose allegiance to the traditions and authority represented by the Elven Court, now located on the island of Evermeet, and in the person of Queen Amlaruil. Most drow elves treat other elves as despised enemies, and the wild elves usually ignore the decrees of the civilized elves of Evermeet. The sea elves are an aquatic people who rarely interact with their surface kindred.
Descended from the original dark-skinned elven subrace called the Illythiiri, the drow were cursed into their present appearance by the good elven deities (the Seldarine) for following the goddess Lloth down the path to evil and corruption. Also called dark elves, the drow have black skin that resembles polished obsidian and stark white or pale yellow hair. They commonly have very pale eyes in shades of lilac, silver, pink, and blue. They also tend to be smaller and thinner than most elves. Most drow on the surface are evil and worship Vhaeraun, but some outcasts and renegades have a more neutral attitude.
Drow have a unique sign language, Drow Sign Language, that allows them to communicate silently with hand gestures at distances of up to 120 ft. as long as they can see each other. Drow Sign Language is a bonus language for drow; others have spend skill points to learn it. It has no alphabet or written form.
Regions
Menzoberranzan, home city of the famed exile Drizzt Do'Urden, is the most famous drow realm. The drow elf entry on Table 1-4: Character Regions (FRCS, p. 30) describes any character from Menzoberranzan or a similar Underdark city. Drow hailing from Cormanthor or the High Forest may instead choose the wood elf region and its associated feats and equipment.
Religion
Unlike statet in the Player's Handbook, characters in the Forgotten Realms almost always have a patron deity. See FRCS p. 39 for more details.
Combat
Racial Traits
Drow have all the elven racial traits given in Chapter 2 of the Player's Handbook (pp. 15) except as follows:
- +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma. The drow have ruthlessly selected for agility, intelligence, and force of personality over generations.
- Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day – dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire. These abilities are as the spells cast by a sorcerer of the drow's character level.
- Darkvision up to 120 feet. This replaces elven low-light vision.
- Proficient with either rapier or shortsword; proficient with hand crossbow and light crossbow. This replaces the standard elven weapon proficiencies.
- Light Blindness (Ex): Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds a drow for 1 round. In addition, drow suffer a -1 circumstance bonus penalty on all attack rolls, saves, and checks while operating in bright light.
- Spell resistance of 11+ character level.
- +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
- Favored Class: Wizard (male) or cleric (female).
- Level Adjustment +2: Drow are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most of the other common races of Faerûn. See the Powerful Races sidebar (FRCS, p. 21) for more information.
