Drow

Free
Dragonborn	Drow	Dwarf	Elf	Gnome	Halfling	H-elf	H-orc	Human	Tiefling	Warforged ‡Free with unlock	W-Elf
Premium			Iconic
Aasimar	Shifter	Tabaxi	Bladeforged	Deep Gnome	Morninglord	PDK	Razorclaw	Scoundrel	Scourge	S-kai	Trailblazer

Overview

Drow elves are basically similar to all other elves (Aerenal, Valenar, or Khorvaire). DDO has released them as a separate race, although they share several racial traits and enhancements with elves.

Drow originally started as a premium race. It was made free in Update 53.

Note that unlike any other race, the Drow race does not use the standard 32-Point-Build (once you have that unlocked). Moreover, when you choose Drow after a reincarnation, you will only be given 30 Points on the first and 32 Points on every subsequent true reincarnation.

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution
• Immunity to sleep spells and effects
• +2 saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects
• +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
• Weapon Proficiency: Drow are automatically proficient with rapiers, shortswords, and shurikens.
• Racial Spell Resistance: SR 6 (as of U36) - stacks with all other sources

Deities

Further information: Deity feats

• Aureon (Quarterstaff): Follower of AureonYou follow Aureon, member of the Sovereign Host, and use his favored weapon. You are proficient with Quarterstaves and gain +1 to hit with them. → Child of AureonYou follow Aureon. You gain +2 to attack and damage rolls with Quarterstaves. → Aureon's InstructionYou are a devoted follower of Aureon, and your faith has been rewarded. Activate this ability to channel the power of Aureon's wisdom for 24 seconds plus 6 seconds per Religious Lore feat you have.
  
  In this state, you gain +4 Wisdom, +3 to Spell Penetration, +2 to your effective level for Turn Undead, +4 to maximum Hit Dice affected when using Turn Undead, and +4 to the total Hit Dice affected by Turn Undead. → Beloved of AureonUnknown
• Blood of Vol (Dagger): Follower of the Blood of VolYou follow the Blood of Vol. You are proficient with Daggers and gain +1 to hit with them. → Child of the Blood of VolYou follow the Blood of Vol. You gain +2 to attack and damage rolls with Daggers. → The Blood is The LifeYou are a devoted follower of the Blood of Vol, and your zeal has been rewarded. Activate this ability to draw upon the power within your own blood for 24 seconds plus 6 seconds per Religious Lore feat you have.
  
  In this state, you gain +4 Constitution, 100% Fortification, +10 to Fortitude Saves, and PRR and MRR equal to the number of Religious Lore feats you have. While in this state and have a Dagger in your main hand, you also gain Vampirism, stacking with other sources of Vampirism. → Beloved of the Blood of VolYou follow the Blood of Vol. You have +3 to attack and damage rolls with daggers.
• Olladra (Sickle): Follower of Olladra → Child of Olladra → Luck of Olladra → Beloved of Olladra
• Onatar (Warhammer): Follower of Onatar → Child of Onatar → Onatar's Forge → Beloved of Onatar
• Silver Flame (Longbow): Follower of the Silver Flame → Child of the Silver Flame → Silver Flame Exorcism → Beloved of the Silver Flame
• Sovereign Host (Longsword): Follower of the Sovereign Host → Child of the Sovereign Host → Unyielding Sovereignty → Beloved of the Sovereign Host
• Vulkoor (Shortsword): Follower of Vulkoor → Child of Vulkoor → Vulkoor's Avatar → Beloved of Vulkoor

Feats

Racial feats

Icon	Feat	Type	Description	Prerequisites
	Drow Spell Resistance	Passive	Drow are naturally resistant to spells and magical effects. They have Spell Resistance 6.	Drow
	Elven Keen Senses	Passive	Elves have keen senses and gain a +2 bonus to Listen, Search, and Spot checks.	Drow
	Enchantment Save Bonus	Passive	Elves are naturally resistant to enchantments, receiving a +2 bonus on saves against enchantments.	Drow
	Immunity to Sleep	Passive	Elves are naturally immune to magical sleep effects.	Drow
	Spell Save Bonus	Passive	Drow are naturally resistant to spells, receiving a +2 bonus on Will saves against spell effects.	Drow
	Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Shuriken	Passive	You do not suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls when using a shuriken.	Drow
	Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier	Passive	You do not suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls when using a rapier.	Drow
	Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword	Passive	You do not suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls when using a shortsword.	Drow
	Shuriken Expertise	Passive	You are skilled with the use of the shuriken, and have a chance to throw an additional one per throw. (Percent chance to throw an additional shuriken is equal to your Dexterity.)	Drow

Racial past life feats

• 1st - +1 Search
• 2nd - +1 Intelligence

Enhancements

Core abilities

	Spell Resistance: Your Spell Resistance increases by (stacking) +2.
	AP Cost: 1	Level: 1	Progression: 0	No requirements
	Drow Dexterity / Intelligence / Charisma: Choose one: +1 Dexterity +1 Intelligence +1 Charisma
	AP Cost: 2	Level: 4	Progression: 1	Requires: Spell Resistance (Rank 1)
	Spell Resistance: Your Spell Resistance increases by +2.
	AP Cost: 1	Level: 7	Progression: 3	Requires: Drow Dexterity / Intelligence / Charisma (Rank 1)
	Drow Dexterity / Intelligence / Charisma: Choose one: +1 Dexterity +1 Intelligence +1 Charisma
	AP Cost: 2	Level: 11	Progression: 4	Requires: Spell Resistance (Rank 2)
	Spell Resistance: Your Spell Resistance increases by +2.
	AP Cost: 1	Level: 16	Progression: 6	Requires: Drow Dexterity / Intelligence / Charisma (Rank 2)

Tier One

Requires Spell Resistance

	Faerie Fire: Activation Cost: 2 Spell Points. Spell like Ability: Faerie Fire. No charge limit.
	AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 1	No requirements
	Vermin Lore: You gain a +3/+6/+9 bonus to hit, damage, and to saving throws when fighting Vermin and vermin-like creatures, including Arachnids, Driders, Scorpions, Scorrows, and Spiders.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 1	No requirements
	Keen Senses: +1/+2/+3 Listen, Search, and Spot
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 1	No requirements
	Xen'drik Weapon Training: +1 to hit and damage with Rapiers, Shortswords, and Shuriken.
	AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 1	No requirements
	Arcane Fluidity: Your Arcane Spell Failure chance while wearing armor is decreased by 5%/10%/15%. Note: This has no effect on arcane spell failure from shields.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 1	No requirements

Tier Two

Requires 5 APs spent in tree

	Enchantment Lore: +2/+4/+6 saves vs. Enchantments. Rank 3: You also gain +1 Enchantment spell DC
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 5	No requirements
	Venom Lore: +1/+2/+3 Heal and Saves against Poison. +2/+4/+6 Poison Resistance against hit point damaging poisons.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 5	No requirements
	Nothing is Hidden: Your senses are so acute that you no longer need to spend time searching for the obvious. You will automatically perform a Search check to locate traps and secret doors when you are in range to Spot them, although this Search check occurs at a -12/-8/-4 penalty.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 5	Requires: Keen Senses
	Xen'drik Weapon Training: +1 to hit and damage with Rapiers, Shortswords, and Shuriken.
	AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 5	Requires: Xen'drik Weapon Training (Tier 1)
	Ambidexterity: You gain +1 to hit when dual-wielding or fighting unarmed. Tier 2: Also gains +1% Dodge. Tier 3: Also gains +1 damage.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 5	Requires: Two Weapon Fighting

Tier Three

Requires 10 APs spent in tree

	Darkfire: Activation Cost: 4 Spell Points. Cooldown: 6 seconds. Metamagic: Empower, Maximize, Quicken, Enlarge, Intensify. Spell Resistance: No Spell-like Ability: Fires a bolt of darkness that deals 1d8 damage per character level, which scales with 100% Spell Power. Reflex DC (10 + Character Level + Charisma Modifier + Evocation Bonuses) Half Damage. Darkfire deals evil damage.
	AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	No requirements
	Improved Dodge: +1%/+2%/+3% Dodge when wearing light or no armor.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 10	Requires: Dodge
	Xen'drik Weapon Training: +1 to hit and damage with Rapiers, Shortswords, and Shuriken.
	AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	Requires: Xen'drik Weapon Training (Tier 2)
	Venomous Imbue: +1 bonus Imbue dice.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	No requirements

Tier Four

Requires 15 APs spent in tree

	Venomed Blades: Poison Stance: On Hit: Adds a +1d4/1d6/1d8 Poison damage Imbue with weapon attacks that scales with 200% melee or ranged power.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 15	Requires: Venom Lore
	Xen'drik Weapon Training: +1 to hit and damage with Rapiers, Shortswords, and Shuriken.
	AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 15	Requires: Xen'drik Weapon Training (Tier 3)
	Venomous Imbue: +1 bonus Imbue dice.
	AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 15	Requires: Venemous Imbue (Rank 1)

Additional Background

History of the Drow Elves

Approximately 39,000 years ago Elves were slaves to the Giants of the Xen'Drik continent. After a war with invaders from the Plane of Dal Quor nearly ruined the Giant's civilization and wrecked the continent, the elves rose up in rebellion against the giants. Many fled Xen'Drik, landing on an island continent they named Aerenal.

The elves that remained on Xen'Drik became known as the drow elves. Delving deep underground or wandering the lush jungles of the continent, the drow became more powerful than their blood brethren, and yet more distanced from and distrustful of from the cultures of friendly races.

Physical Description

Male and Female Drow

Drow elves stand between 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 feet tall, and typically weigh between 95 and 135 pounds, with only marginal differences between men and women. Their skin tends to be so black in color it may appear to have a bluish or purplish sheen; in contrast, their hair is almost always a brilliant, shining white. The colors of drow elf eyes range generally from maroon to bright red, though some drow elves have been noted to have an extremely light pink close to the color grey or even completely white eyes; if this is a sign of power, or some strange trait carried through the bloodlines of drow families, none can tell the answer. Neither males nor females grow any facial or body hair, apart from that on their heads and scalp. An elf is considered an adult about 110 years old, and can often live to be well over 700 years old.

Elves do not sleep as other races do. Instead they meditate, descending into a trance-like state that lasts for about four hours each day, which is equal to around 8 hours of sleep for the other races. This lack of sleep gives all drow and elves a natural immunity to sleep and clouding of the mind due to weariness cause by lack of sleep, whether the urge to rest be brought on by magical or more mundane forces.

Lands

Drow elves can be found in virtually any part of Xen'Drik. They are semi-nomadic, traveling through the jungles of Xen'drik and searching old ruins for anything that can help them survive; this often gets the drow wanderers into scuffles with the leading religious powers, especially The Undying Court, which is purely elvish by heritage, apart from the fact that elves already hate drow and vice versa. When not living in the ruins of ancient giant cities, they are often living underground in the various cave systems.

Politics

Drow elves that have escaped to the surface are typically semi-nomadic and secretive, distancing themselves from common society. Thus, they have not really established any lasting "realms", and have created no government or ruling power as of yet. However, the realms below the ground are as dark as their pitch-black surroundings, consisting of frequent fighting, assassinations, and betrayal to gain power.

Dragonmarks

Drow elves are not known to carry any dragonmarks. As dragonmarks are usually signs that the possessors play a part in the Prophecy, this does not bode well for the future and importance of the drow in later times. Whether this is due to the Gods' lack of attention to the drow, or the fact that the drow have not yet found and harnessed the powers of hidden dragonmarks, none can say.

However, there have been drow elves who have been looked kindly upon by those from Above; these "favored souls", as they are often known as, are living proof that the drow are not entirely excluded from the designs of the powerful deities, and so the drow may yet prove to gain one of their own dragonmarks.

Society

Surface-dwelling drow elves live and travel in small family tribes or bands. They have little interaction with other bands of drow elves, and even less with outsiders. They consider themselves to be the true preservers of elven dignity and valor and consider the elves that fled to Aerenal to be cowards.

Drow elves dwelling beneath the ground in the lack-light caverns generally live in small realms, almost like kingdoms; however, drow must always watch their backs at all times, as the underground drow society is a brutal, bloody system of constant struggles for power. The children, from the moment they can defend themselves, are expected to do so, receiving little help from their parents or from other drow. While this forces the drow to become more cunning and smooth-tongued in order to survive, this also grants them a general distrust of all other sentient beings, even those who are not drow.

Drow often worship a scorpion god called Vulkoor, often depicted with the lower body of a scorpion and the upper body of a drow. The drow of Menechtarun are believed to especially do so, to the point that they are sometimes addressed to as the Vulkoorim. They revere all types of scorpions and consider other arachnids to be lesser servants of Vulkoor. Many researchers believe that Vulkoor is an incarnation of the Mockery. Many religious drow scar themselves using scorpion venom to leave white scars on their black skin.

However, drow are not limited to this dark divine ruler; plenty of drow have been able to serve as pious clerics or noble paladins in the name of the Silver Flame or the Sovereign Host, among other, much lighter deities than Vulkoor.

Other Drow Elf Traits

Drow elves are generally more cunning and charismatic than other "typical" elves, able to think faster on their toes and intimidate or sweet-talk other beings in a more fashioned manner than the other elves; this does not indicate that they are any wiser. They most likely gained their heightened physical prowess from their conflicted and blood-filled history serving time as giantese slaves or waging war against their captors. However, they are not as skilled as their kin in the use of ranged weapons such as the longbow and shortbow, preferring the use of light melee and throwing weapons including the short-sword, rapier and shuriken (in pencil & paper, the Drow use a three-pronged boomerang instead of shuriken). Drow elves are equally dexterous and frail as their blood brethren.

References

• DnD Sourcebook - Players guide to Eberron
• DnD Sourcebook - Races of Eberron