Drow 5e - Race Guide for Dungeons and Dragons

I know this a really silly critique, but it was something I found out recently. Drow are actually... not tall.

If you look at the random height modifier (which to be fair almost nobody does), humans start at 4'8 and add 2d10, most elves stand at 4'6 and add 2d10 or 2d8, topping out around mid 5 feet to 6 foot. Drow... start 1 inch shorter at 4'5... and only get 2d6, meaning most drow are under 5'5.

Its weird if you go rules as written... but almost nobody does.

Drow Horizon Walker in a homebrew setting, but I only used the fact that they lived underground. She was an alien (I intentionally never explained where her native world was; it's most likely just another planet, but I half-implied that she was from the future), and the sun of her world was dying. It caused all living things on the planet to move underground; eventually, elves became one of the few animals (biologically speaking) to survive (in our setting, they don't age for any reason short of dark magic and are supposedly immune to long-term consequences of radiation exposure). They aren't evil, really, but are rather harsh; something like dwarfs, but less traditionalism and more militarism.
She ended up being accidentally teleported to the game world and through a chain of events took part in a civil war of high elves; things went poorly and she eventually died. Was resurrected by another group, but it was out of the game.
Not actually drow, but I also had a concept of high elves experiencing congenital melanosis, who traditionally dedicate themselves to worshiping the sun, as they believe that their condition is a gift from the sun (elves normally don't tann much). It just sounded fun to reverse the whole concept.

You are so awesome, thank you for sharing!

I totally agree with you in the video, i think the fact they remove the forced alignements and "purely evil" race is good, because none are just purely evils, its a bad thing to sazy "you evil because you are born like this" to me any can have their chances and show that even a horned ugly demon can have some sorts of good will.

Original Underlunar Moon Elf: Amphibious, No Sun Sensitivity, Moonlight Bonus, Standard Elf Bonuses, Cantrip, Proficiency w/Silver Wpns and Use Magic Items.

There, now you won't have to simp yer poor Fey heart away for Lolth's sister and make your DM mad with Loophole-'Splainin'.

Drows are short not tall

Im trying think about how play a drow

What if you played a drow shadow sorcerer and He blade multiclass

Hi this is my first time playing a drow elf Warlock. I been playing hem Toolman is his Common name. He left the underdark at a young age of 30 when his family was removed from Benz R Barnes . On the order of lofty spider queen. He wondered the underdark until the age of a 150 win a demon Lord approached him offered him the ability to become a warlock if he. Chose to fight for him against Laugh the spider queen

I'm playing a Drow who escaped from his abusive sisters, learned songs from the slaves, and despises spider b. Tends to drop the mic with shatter on unexpected villagers.

There's a few good Drow, example Drizzt.

Ever consider doing a video on the Drow Variant from SCAG?

Yessir

I have a character, that's not a drow but is actually a changeling that is living in a drow society as a drow.

Im going drow bard /swashbuckler

Just a little reminder. Sunlight sensitivity is only in DIRECT sunlight. Overcast days have no effect because no direct sunlight.

I have 2 Drow characters, one is a Ranger Gloomstalker. The other is multi class Fighter-Monk Kensei. I'm in an Underdark campaign and we characters are considered to be the most unusual Drow encountered. I modeled the Ranger off the Ainu. I'm using the personality of Gintoki from Gintama for the Fighter Kensei role play.

In order to help me with the sunlight sensitivity aspect I asked my dm if I could have a cloak but he gave me an umbrella instead so I convinced him to make the umbrella be able to conceal a sword.

A race that deals in magic items that hasn’t invented counter measures against bright light is unrealistic. They have garments for encountering the harshest calamities the under dark has to offer so, why not introduce a pair of enchanted spectacles crafted with an intricate but durable mithril frame with dark lenses that don’t fall off without the wearer removing them like those brooches from the lotr movies/books. I deem this affordable, slightly enchanted item, dark lens spectacles. Now your drow characters can maximize their edge with a pair of dark age Oakleys… why is this still an issue. Or a simple cloak, when the hood is drawn, sunlight sensitivity is no issue. The standard drow starts with a few magic items anyways, why not let those that start on the surface have access to these things instead of +1 armor, short swords, and poison. Also, chaotic neutrals have no problem maneuvering in an evil society.. stay in character and keep those assholish qualities without deviating from character. Religion is different in dnd, the gods play a very active role in the characters lives but not every drow is a monstrous religious zealot and shouldn’t have to be some surface roaming Drizzt. Keep an open mind… especially with all those monstrous gnomes running around unchecked, with those racial abilities there’s no way all of them are not evil

Anyone wanting to better understand the Drow, there's a six part novel series called, "War of the Spider Queen". An amazing read.

I am about to start a male drow fighter in waterdeep and he uses the thrown weapon style for daggers and sharpshooter feat for when he gets firearms. This is my second attempt at this character and finally feel like I will do him and drow justice.

Just discovered your channel — Really great videos!! 😁⚔️

Building a Drow character, leaning to rogue swashbuckler (+dex+cha) and take a few levels in fighter EK for some out of combat spells. Tips welcome

Can Drow be given 'more humanity'....is it not a case of 'more elfmanity' 😆😆

great video. I think the Drows are an excellent example of how to do evil race right- by adding Eilistraee into the mix. not only is her church probably the best church in D&D (with the Bladedancer being the best cleric subclass if wotc WOULD JUST LET THEM INTO 5E, COME ON GUYS WE HAVE THE WIZARD'S BLADESINGER WE KNOW THIS COULD WORK) but her struggle to redeem one of the evilest races and freeing them from one of the evilest goddesses in the D&D canon just make for just an interesting story and her one of the most compelling gods. I think wotc should keep the majority of the Drows evil, as this is their society, and write more stories with Eilistraee, showing that evil is learned, not inherited by blood, and can be unlearned.

edit: just wanted to add next week I'm coming back to playing D&D after almost 2 years of no playing and being a DM (not to mention I barely played D&D before that). I'm going to be a male drow who was born as a slave and managed to get free in the slave rebellion of Menzoberranzan. he was later found and adopted by a few clerics of Eilistraee, who took him to the material plane. he is now a cleric of Eilistraee (and my DM allow me to take the blade dancer homebrew sub class) and the campaign starts with him going off on "the run", a ritual followers of Eilistraee perform where you have to paint your hair silver (and if you are not a drow darken your skin), go into the world and just help people, as part of Eilistraee's will to help Drows be accepted and integrated with other races

I wanna make a Drow female. Her name is Striga. She is basically Female Guts

👍🏻

My husband and I are playing twin drow sisters who are warlocks, but very different warlocks. Our BG puts us a graduates of Arach-Teneloth and members of House Baenre. We were sent to investigate the Temple of Elemental Evil. Our characters have joined a small group of adventurers that has been exploring the Temple (these are replacement PCs after our old chars were badly damaged and retired) and the cleric and us simply don’t get along. If he casts daylight one more time after we cast darkness, we will likely cast eldritch blast on him.

Wait wait wait...drow don't get undercommon as a language?

great video, got a lot of cool bakcstory components for my next character, thanks a lot!

I'm Just starting D&D and I wanna make a rogue Soulknife character. any tips would be awesome or if there is a different rogue class I should lean to??

I always saw Drow society as an evil culture as opposed to the individual Drow being evil by nature. That just makes more sense with how they've been described individually, culturally, and in their history. Recently I've been working on a Drow paladin with that in mind. She was born male soldier, and never felt comfortable with either her role in society or how society functioned. She saw the selfish and ambitious structure of Drow society as inherently flawed and ultimately self-destructive, crippling their potential and limiting their ability to truly affect the world outside their own societies. During the fall of Ched Nasad, she escaped into the tunnels, discovered she had the gift of Correlon to change her sex, and knew she would never have a place in Drow society. She moved to the surface and made her way to Neverwinter to see if she could prove herself to other elves, other races, and prove worthy of redemption to Correlon and the rest of the Seldarine.

Drow are my favourite race

My drow assassin rogue and my friends drow necromancer wizard are followers of Elistrae.
The theme of my rogue is his inside fighting forces of the way of life he was raised in and his wish to be free and just do the right thing. He is currently lvl 11 rogue and 2 ranger and he chose to follow Elistrae (if the dark side got him he'd be an oath of conquest paladin of Lolth).
He is neutral in alignment and his biggest value is his freedom and he makes sure that every person meets is free to do what they want.
Extremely good RP with the inner struggle he had to get this far can't wait for more

I play several in Adventures League, but my favorite character is my 20th level Necromancer Drow Tath’myr Xorlarrin. He was born and raised in Menzoberranzan and is the cousin to Matron Mother Zeerith and younger half brother to Jaemas Xorlarrin. He is evil but works with others to further his goals and interests as he Acquires vile Magic and forbidden lore hence his moniker “The Sage of Darkness.” He also has two familiars one a chaos loving demon blooded homunculus named Xul’brak and a mischievous, and deviant imp spy named Div’fein🕸🕷💯

why did you list elvish and common as the two languages they know? is that just what 5E says because if you go by the lore the drow speak there own unique language

Im a Drow using the Dark Knight homebrew formally being a protection paladin. He was orphaned and was lucky enough that his own mother didnt kill him for being born male. Having been raised by priest in an elvin forrest he grew up with normal elvin morals but was very humbled by all the bullying and blatant racism he faced, he used that to boost his goals since he wanted to prove to everyone he wasn't evil so he became a paladin but one day he messed up and broke his oath making him be casted out. He was later found by a halfling who with their ungodly luck found a kind drow. They took care of him and nurtured him to be more confident in himself and then stabbed him in the back just to spite him, leading him down the path of Dark Knight. Hes not evil nor is he a good guy anymore, hes kind enough to help those who deserve to be helped and merciless enough to rip and tear everything in his path for his goal

I’m going to play a drow soon. They are going to be a wild magic sorcerer. I plan on causing chaos.

Awesome video!☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️

Favorite drow character was an arcane trickster. She, a drow commoner, a finds out her grandfather was a human slave and sets out learn about them. Her curiosity mixing with the natural elven wanderlust. I had fun with the culture shock aspect of this character.

I toyed with a idea having a Drow Female as a Refugee from Maerymdra as a former slave Hledh Hellspawn. Part of the reason she wore priestly raiments were one was the Hellspawn had playing a role of being initiate in order to mock Lolth. That the Hledh had killed most of the actors in reenactments at the destruction Lolth Priestesses sacking of Maerimdra. Let's just say being troupe that primarily purpose to entertain Hledh Hellspawn messed her up. With Entertainment background and I am toying to start her off as Bard. As for the Alignment. I don't think she's vicious to be an evil alignment. Being her sole purpose is just to survive and as Drow she has no sense of their culture. Because I need her alignment to Chaotic and I can't honestly justify it being evil. I am going to have probably put this Character as Chaotic Neutral borderline Good. The Borderline Good is due to psychological issues.

I wish my dm would let this be useful to know :(

I love the conclusion to this video. I really related to this video as I am a black woman, and it made me feel rather safe :). Thank you guys.

I have created a female Drow surface infiltrator bard, that has no sensitivity to light, but has no advantage in darkness other than dancing light and a luna charm that gives me 2 lots of 1hour darkvision at 60 ft... I'm working closely with my DM as I wanted it to be so unusual without overpowering

Current character is a Drow Paladin of Conquest and is a faction agent of Bregan D'arethe in my BGDtA campaign

My Drow Monk ended up being the main character in my fantasy novels I've written.

Introducing Spir'imar Ken'Eilistraee (Spire to his friends), drow artillerist, dropped off at a temple of Gond by a temple sponsored party after they thought they received a sign to not kill or leave the foundling drow child, he grew up fascinated by the endless inventions he saw around him in the temple workshops, and between his innate magic and his environment it was almost inevitable his curiosity would get the better of him and he started to experiment, in secret at first, taking many years to show any results but once he did, his apprenticeship in the workshop was guaranteed. He venerates Gond but follows the Dark Maiden, as he knows non-evil drow are all too few and should stick together if possible. Magic Initiate and Drow High magic feats, add repeating shot infusion for his hand crossbow and the Homunculus servant as a second infusion, along with his Eldritch Cannon and that's him at level 4. A basically good guy who's really really fond of making things go boom-boom

I am brand new to D&D And I chose to to be a male Drow rogue as my very first character And I’m planning to make my sub class swashbuckler. Do you have any tips?

Want to make any race playable and any alignment? AND want to stop having pure evil races? Really now? Still waiting for illithid's to become an official playable race for... 19 years now. Still hasn't happened yet. I'm still forced to play as a Simic Hybrid and convince the DM to let me have a squid face and get the feat telekinetic just to "pretend" to be an illithid.

My Drow is a Vengeance Paladin/Warlock. I am the instrument of shadow and darkness wielded by justice. I am the Arbiter of pain suffering and destruction. Bane of the wicked by any means necessary