Drow, Variant (4e Race)

Author: Sam Kay (talk) Date Created: 23rd January 2009 Status: Incomplete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Drow

The chosen people of Lolth and the rulers of the Underdark.

Racial Traits

Average Height:	5' 4"-6' 0"
Average Weight:	130-170 lb.
Ability Scores:	+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
Size:	Medium
Speed:	6 squares
Vision:	Darkvision
Languages:	Common, Elven, Deep Speech
Skill Bonuses:	+2 Intimidate, +2 Stealth
Drow Weapon Proficiency:	You gain proficiency with the rapier and the hand crossbow.
Fey Origin:	Your ancestors were native to the Feywild, so you are considered a fey creature for the purposes of effects that relate to creature origin, in addition to being considered a spiderkind creature.
Spydric Origin:	Your ancestors were tainted by the arachania, so you are considered a spiderkind creature for the purposes of effects that relate to creature origin in addition to being considered a fey creature.
Lolthtouched:	You gain Cloud of darkness and Darkfire as Lolthtouched racial power. Once per encounter, you can use a single Lolthtouched racial power.

Darkfire Drow, Variant Racial Power
A flickering halo of purple light surrounds your target, making it easier to hit.
Encounter ✦ Arachane
Minor Action	Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma +2 vs. Reflex Increase to +4 bonus at 11th level and +6 bonus at 21st level.
Hit: Until the end of your next turn, all attacks against the target have combat advantage, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.
Special: This power is a Lolthtouched racial power.

Cloud of Darkness Drow, Variant Racial Power
A cloud of darkness obscures you, but your vision pierces it.
Encounter ✦ Arachane
Minor Action	Close burst 1
Effect: This power creates a cloud of darkness that remains in place until the end of your next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except you. Any creature except you entirely within the cloud is blinded.
Special: This power is a Lolthtouched racial power.

The chosen people of Lolth, the drow inhabit dark underground metropolises steeped in evil. The drow where one elves, but they were deceived by Lolth and tainted with the arachania.

Play a drow if you want...

• to be a master of deception.
• to be feared by those on the surface.
• to be a member of a race that favors the spider rider, arachnomancer, and rogue classes.

Physical Qualities

Drow look almost identical to elves with several major differences. Drow skin color is obsidian, midnight black or dark grey. Their hair has a little more variance than skin color, and can be white, light grey, silver, platinum blonde, and even the rare faint golden blonde. Drow eye color is usually red, though can be white, purple, green and gold. Drow have no body hair, although roughly one in ten male drow is capable of growing facial hair.
Drow mature faster than elves and age at the same rate as elves once mature. They have a noticeably more fertile than elves, with a shorter gestation period.

Playing a Drow

The drow are feared and reviled throughout the Underdark and on the surface above, and for good reason. Drow are the most evil race in existence; they are cruel, devious and treacherous. The drow would do almost anything to gain more power.
The eternal game of advancement which the vast majority of the drow are embroiled in has transformed them into schemers and knifing backstabbers. This attitude is encouraged by the spider queen Lolth who enjoys the dark elves’ plotting.
The drow are born into a world of darkness. From an early age, drow children must be effective schemers with the strength to survive in the hostile drow world, for the consequences of weakness, even at a young age, are cruel and terrible.
This harsh upbringing is intended to turn innocent young drow into vicious, scheming adults. Rarely, however, the harsh childhood may have the opposite effect, turning the child into a Lolth-hating hero. Such drow are forced to flee from their homes in order to survive the hostilities of drow life.
The drow believe themselves to be superior to all others; that their strength grants them the right of superiority against the weak, a kind of “might makes right” philosophy. Even drow who flee from the harsh existence in the Underdark suffer a harsh life; they must first escape from the darkness of the Underdark. Even on the surface a drow’s life is hard, as few people are willing to accept a drow among them.

Drow Characteristics: Wild, agile, arrogant, hateful, quick, pious, plotting, lurking.

Male Names: Phaedan, Rylnas, Kalis, Pharlan, Kelisn, Faerloth, Malan, Tritha, Tsarral, Drislael, Kalan, Madren, Vierlan, Xulan.

Female Names: Lualeth, Lualith, Laelith, Nymlath, Lilael, Xuluel, Myrloth, Amlos, Myrleth, Shrilaen, Malith, Nymrath, Eldaer, Nymloth.

Drow Adventurers

Three sample drow adventurers are described below.
Lilael is a spider rider of Arachne. Thankfully she never experienced the terrors of Lolth’s twisted society, as she was born outside drow society. She showed great skill and devotion to Arachne as she grew up, so naturally she was granted the honor of being a spider rider. Now she fights alongside the followers of Arachne, crusading against the evil followers of Lolth.
Rylnas is a twisted drow arachnomancer. He has always had a strange bond to spiders, and his powers came almost naturally. He had an aptitude for inflicting pain, so naturally he became a hired enforcer. Now he stalks the alleys of drow cities, looking for his “targets”, and generally dealing out pain and misery.
Lualith is a drow rogue who grew up on the streets. Unable to learn the powers of a cleric of Lolth, Lualeth was forced to teach herself how to fight lest she be slain in the harsh world of the drow. Disillusioned by the harshness of the world she lived in, Lualith fled to the surface. Now she is a protector of those who, unlike herself, cannot protect themselves.

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