| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 18:45:09
In Neverwinter MMO there are two Drow races. Regular Drow and Menzoberranzan Drow. Menzoberranzan Drow get access to special tattoos.
Is there any symbolic significance of those tattoos? |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Barastir |
Posted - 19 Feb 2019 : 13:12:29
quote:
Originally posted by Alexander Clark
quote:
Isn't that an Orc thing?
Maybe, but if it is not crude I can see drow having it, too.
[quote]Is stealth really that important for Drow? There are Clerics and Wizards and other people who don't rely much on stealth I think.
As sleyvas mentioned, all of them used stealth to some level. of course, spellcasters could conceal themselves using magic, but all of them are potential backstabbers. Considering the traditional (villainous) dark elves, of course. Even their armor - including pieces like helmets - is somehow darkened, IIRC. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 19 Feb 2019 : 03:13:06
quote:
Originally posted by Alexander Clark
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
The usual Drow fighting/traveling garb
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
these garments are very difficult to tailor
I think those imply that not every Drow wears those. To me it even sounds like only a minority does. It's like reading about what an average US Marine wears in combat and thinking that most Americans have similar clothes, isn't it?
Nope, every drow had them. Its difficult to tailor (read MODIFY)... for non-drow... basically it was written back in 1e so that players couldn't kill a low level flunkie drow and get this cool cloak and boots. They then threw in these rules that if they left the underdark or were hit by sunlight they were destroyed. It was entirely geared so that every drow had these. |
| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 23:30:34
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
The usual Drow fighting/traveling garb
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
these garments are very difficult to tailor
I think those imply that not every Drow wears those. To me it even sounds like only a minority does. It's like reading about what an average US Marine wears in combat and thinking that most Americans have similar clothes, isn't it? |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 22:37:23
stealth is very important for all drow. The "traditional" drow wore cloaks and boots that were meant to make them silent and unseen. The earliest entries for them made them 75% undetectable unless they moved within 20' in direct view of a person. Thus why I mentioned the idea of the tattoos working like short term solar lights. They may absorb the light of faerie fire... or even be activated by it, etc... Given that in settlements faerie fire is a common implementation, that would mean that while in their settlements, the tattoos would glow most of the time, but when they leave their settlements they wouldn't.
From Descent into the Depths of the Earth
The usual Drow fighting/traveling garb includes a pair of black boots and a hooded black cloak which comes to the ankles of the wearer. The boots are simply black boots of elvenkind manufactured by a different sort of material. The cloaks are woven of spider silk and some unknown fiber which combined with the silk makes them very strong, slippery, supple, and nearly impossible to detect in dungeon-like surroundings. Thus, in boots and cloaks the Drow are 75% undetectable unless they are moving/attacking within 20', the former in direct view of an observer. Drow cloaks are usually not harmed by blows from weapons, as they slide aside and do not tear easily, nor are they easily burned (+6 on saving throws versus all fire attacks). However, these garments are very difficult to tailor, and to be effective, the cloaks must neither be above the ankles nor dragging on the ground. Any alteration of a Drow cloak requires a saving throw of 76% or better. Less than this score indicates the material frays and will ravel away when worn, so the cloak is useless. |
| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 14:46:33
quote:
Originally posted by Barastir
I see them using scarification.
Isn't that an Orc thing?
quote:
Originally posted by Barastir
You know, maybe it would spoil stealth... 
Is stealth really that important for Drow? There are Clerics and Wizards and other people who don't rely much on stealth I think.
I think being stealthy would be important for guys like Rogues and mercenaries and soldiers. Also wouldn't armor conceal tattoos of an average soldier anyway? I think wearing a helmet is a good idea even for a Drow. |
| Barastir |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 13:27:34
I see them using scarification. As for the glowing tattoos, I think at least some of them would avoid them - or put them in concealable parts of their bodies... You know, maybe it would spoil stealth... |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 04:15:12
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
the symbols in those pictures don't look like anything more than someone adding something to make those drow look more interesting to the general population. I do like the idea of dark elves using inks though that might only be visible to someone with darkvision. However, I'd take it a step further and say that they're only visible for a short while after being in an area with light and then put into darkness (i.e. they absorb light and give it off for a short bit... kind of like solar lights). Which then that brings up mechanics, so the game probably wouldn't like it. But, I can't see drow getting something that makes them glow to everyone in the underdark all the time... I can see them getting something that might work as a hidden symbol though that they can make appear for a few minutes.
Keep in mind that most drow are going to be spending most of their time in a city, where it's not going to matter if they've got glowing tattoos. That's why I think that could be a thing.
Easy enough to cover them up if you have to venture into the Underdark... Just use whatever methodology drow normally use to mask their body heat. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 03:01:23
-The one time I played a campaign that went into the Underdark, I used infravision and it just didn't work. Part of it was my fault, since it was 3e and the rules did say plain ol' darkvision and I thought describing it as infravision would spice things up, but even when that confusion went away, it was a pain to have to deal with heat levels and heat signatures and all of that in-game. As a background thing in books and lore, I definitely thing it's an upgrade from darkvision. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 18 Feb 2019 : 02:05:09
the symbols in those pictures don't look like anything more than someone adding something to make those drow look more interesting to the general population. I do like the idea of dark elves using inks though that might only be visible to someone with darkvision. However, I'd take it a step further and say that they're only visible for a short while after being in an area with light and then put into darkness (i.e. they absorb light and give it off for a short bit... kind of like solar lights). Which then that brings up mechanics, so the game probably wouldn't like it. But, I can't see drow getting something that makes them glow to everyone in the underdark all the time... I can see them getting something that might work as a hidden symbol though that they can make appear for a few minutes.
Another option might be some kind of ink that is enhanced by a use of faerie fire to provide the ability to "read" without giving off a lot of light. |
| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 17:36:17
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Thinking about drow tattoos, though... I'm wondering if some of them might be made with some sort of luminescent ink, so they can glow. And/or with a special ink that makes them show up clearly in infravision.
I like the idea and I will probably include it in my RP. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 16:16:42
Back on the subject of tattoos, though... Anyone else have any thoughts on what I suggested here?
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Thinking about drow tattoos, though... I'm wondering if some of them might be made with some sort of luminescent ink, so they can glow. And/or with a special ink that makes them show up clearly in infravision.
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 16:08:20
quote:
Originally posted by Alexander Clark
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And that's what made them nixing it so problematic. It was well-grounded in the lore that it existed, and then suddenly, it didn't.
BTW I found an article by Sean K. Reynolds explaining why he thinks Infravision is bad for game rules. Maybe it's common knowledge here, though.
Yeah, I remember that one. I normally really like SKR's stuff, but I disagree with him here for two reason:
1) Even if the way the rules handle it isn't as good as it could be, you don't break prior canon just because it's the easier option.
2) If we're going to sweat the physics of it, why stop there? This is a game that has giant flying lizards that breathe fire or lightning or acid, dead people that remain mobile and aware of their surroundings without any organs, muscles, or sensory apparatus, and people who can wiggle their fingers and say "Faboo kazam!" and create objects or energy out of thin air. If all of that is acceptable, are we really going to sweat something like seeing radiated heat?
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| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 14:55:48
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And that's what made them nixing it so problematic. It was well-grounded in the lore that it existed, and then suddenly, it didn't.
BTW I found an article by Sean K. Reynolds explaining why he thinks Infravision is bad for game rules. Maybe it's common knowledge here, though. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 15:07:11
quote:
Originally posted by Alexander Clark
Thank you, now your post makes much more sense. I never played a Drow in 3e so I just assumed they had infravision cause novels and other sources of lore mention it.
And that's what made them nixing it so problematic. It was well-grounded in the lore that it existed, and then suddenly, it didn't. |
| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 15:00:09
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
While I appreciate the vote of confidence, I must say that I am far from an expert on all things drow. I know the basics
Well, Neverwinter is an MMO made for general population so I doubt they'd have something very obscure.
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
As I recall, they nixed infravision for 3.x.
Thank you, now your post makes much more sense. I never played a Drow in 3e so I just assumed they had infravision cause novels and other sources of lore mention it. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 03:40:13
quote:
Originally posted by Alexander Clark
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The first one looks like it could be a House sigil... But it also could be just some random nifty design.
Thanks, I thought maybe it's a symbol of some Drow deity or something, but if even you don't recognize it it's probably just a random tattoo.
While I appreciate the vote of confidence, I must say that I am far from an expert on all things drow. I know the basics, of course, but my interest in drow is limited mostly to NPCs I've come up with, as well as canon drow such as Liriel Baenre and the still-mysterious Susprina Arkenneld.
quote:
Originally posted by Alexander Clark
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
infravision. (Did that ever get back into the game?)
What game are you talking about? I think 5e has stuff like Darkvision, but I don't have stats for Drow.
D&D 5E. As I recall, they nixed infravision for 3.x. I don't know if it was in 4E or not, and while I'm not avoiding 5E, I'm also not interested enough in it to pick up a book and see what changes they wrought this time around. |
| Alexander Clark |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 01:42:40
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The first one looks like it could be a House sigil... But it also could be just some random nifty design.
Thanks, I thought maybe it's a symbol of some Drow deity or something, but if even you don't recognize it it's probably just a random tattoo.
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
infravision. (Did that ever get back into the game?)
What game are you talking about? I think 5e has stuff like Darkvision, but I don't have stats for Drow.
The only MMOs to emulate infravision are Everquests I think. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 00:15:46
The first one looks like it could be a House sigil... But it also could be just some random nifty design.
Thinking about drow tattoos, though... I'm wondering if some of them might be made with some sort of luminescent ink, so they can glow. And/or with a special ink that makes them show up clearly in infravision. (Did that ever get back into the game?) |
