The Dark Dragon Mark

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Dylos: Thanks for your interpretation of the Necropolis series. Either I've missed lore, or it's not in game (I know they used to post a lot on the website pre-update) that explains more of what's going on though, although I get enough of the gist to enjoy it.

OP: I'm not anti-drow, I'm just anti-horrible ideas. Not trying to be mean here, but going around suggesting ideas you know won't be accepted isn't the way to get anyone to agree with you. Half-dragon drow? That'd get them killed as fast or faster than if they had the Mark of Death.

[Veriok]

And this is ignoring the insane power which the Mark of Death processes. Espre from the Lost Mark Trilogy bore the Mark of Death, that or she had the most powerful Aberrant Mark known to all of Eberron, when it first manifested, she almost slew a dragon by touch alone - and she's not even a level 1 character, she is simply a plot device! The Mark of Death only remains as a plot device, it is not intended for player characters, ever.

Correct me if im wrong, but doesnt 'true dragonmarks' usually carry a non-offensive ability?

Plus mentioning the Lost Mark Trilogy - my opinion of this series (and others of the same author) is thats they are rather a fun-fiction then actual 'reliable' source of lore.

[Entelech]

(1) According to the lore, DROW DO NOT HAVE DRAGONMARKS.

(2) The Dragonmark of Death appeared on ELVES, NOT DROW. Yes, that's right, there were no dragonmarks until AFTER the Elves arrived on Aerenal.

(3) Basing game mechanics on some WotC novel is a bad idea. If you don't believe me, look at how Spellfire arrived in the Forgotten realms.

(4) If you have the Dragonmark of Death and are able to use it, you die. Period. Swarms of Dragons fly down out of the sky and kill you, anyone related to you, anyone near you, and anyone who looks even vaguely like you. Then they kill the witnesses. Then the witnesses friends and relatives. This happens about 5 minutes after you are born. Maybe six if there is a lot of traffic.

(5) According to the lore, DROW DO NOT HAVE DRAGONMARKS. Yes, I realize I said this already, but it's kinda important because WARFORGED DO NOT HAVE THEM EITHER. And as long as you're using "fairness" as an argument...

(6) If you have the poor judgement to be born as a Half-Dragon, you get the same swarm of Dragons coming to kill you, only they take eight minutes to arrive, and they have Undying Councilors riding on their backs.

[Entelech]

BTW, not to give the wrong impression.

I am not disagreeing with your premise that Drow are a bit anemic compared to the overwhelming twinkishness that is the Warforged, and the speculations surrounding the impending Half Orc Barbarians with 7000 Str.

And that IS their competition as the Pay-to-Play races.

I'm just saying PLEASE GOD NOT DRAGONMARKS.

Some racial feats and/or enhancements dealing with ancient skills and techniques learned from the Giants before that civilization fell makes a lot of sense. They should be able to get some fairly serious spellcasting perks from that, given how legendary the magic of the Giants was in their heydey.

That would be brilliantly lore-appropriate. In fact, it probably at least partially explains their racial SR.

Dragonmarks are not lore-appropriate.

[Heronous]

No

He really said it al.

[Entelech]

Actually, upon a bit more reflection, I know what I would like to see for Drow.

Right now, each race can use Enhancements to get +2 to a stat. Or (in the case of Humans) a +1 to 2 different stats.

Drow can take a +2 to Dex.

Change it so they can choose a +2 to Dex, +2 to Charisma, or +2 to Intelligence.

The first tier works like the Human stats: pick one to bump. Then the second tier adds to the same stat instead of to any different one like Humans.

[Doganpc]

Actually, upon a bit more reflection, I know what I would like to see for Drow.

Right now, each race can use Enhancements to get +2 to a stat. Or (in the case of Humans) a +1 to 2 different stats.

Drow can take a +2 to Dex.

Change it so they can choose a +2 to Dex, +2 to Charisma, or +2 to Intelligence.

The first tier works like the Human stats: pick one to bump. Then the second tier adds to the same stat instead of to any different one like Humans.

The more I think about the less I think needs to be done. While it would be nice to drop a +2 into any of those 3 stats (can see the flood of Drow Sorcerors now) I think all they really need is for spell resistance to be relevant. I don't expect Drow to be as good as warforged ($) I don't epect them to be as good as any new race we get ($), but I would like for the one thing that really makes them stand out to be meaningful and worth playing. It might mean we see a mild shift from Drow Sorcerors to Paladins or Rogues as their ability to outright resist spells backed up by saving against them (or is it the other way around?) would be appealing despite the smaller HP bar.

Stacking Spell Resistance. Drow get a new base of 13 and enhancements to bump that up to 20. The catch is that the enhancements, enhance the effect, +2, +3, +5, +7 racial bonus to spell resistance. Which could combine with an Item or the cleric spell (those and the drows base of 13 would be the same type and not stack). So a level 20 cleric casting spell resistance on a Drow grants, 32+(2,3,5,7) however when the party gets dispelled (or die) the Drow gets a base of 13+(2,3,5,7). It won't be great, but it sure as kibbles be better than the other races and hopefully useful on all but epic.

Dogan
Just a misinformed idea... thanks for reading.

[Entelech]

In PnP, Spell Resistance normally scales with Hit Dice.

If Drow got 8 + Character level SR, with enhancements to bring it to 10+Level and 12+Level, that would be helpful.