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Drustan Dwnhaedan
Learned Scribe
USA
324 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Jun 2014 : 00:45:42
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| Unfortunately, I'll have to agree with this as well, especially considering drow were a PC race in 4e, even though every 4e book that mentioned them explicitly stated they were irredeemably evil. That's also true for tieflings. (Actually, if you read any of the descriptions of the PC races in 4e, you discover that there are no good-aligned races. At best, all PC races are unaligned with tendencies toward being 'good'.) |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3805 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2014 : 00:56:08
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People may want to play a drow who isn't a brainwashed Lolth worshipper, a Drizzt-like renegade (which would be far different from being an Eilistraeen) or some dude from Bregan d'Aerthe. One note races (like the drow are now) aren't well suited for core* PHB PCs. Sure you could make a drow who doesn't belong to any of those and worship a standard deity (or none at all), but -once they are allowed as core PC race- why deprive them of specific, flavourful options that are unique to them, just to replace those with standardized ones?
Eilistraee and Vhaeraun are not just names to put in the 'deity' blank of a character sheet, the variety and depth that they bring is a huge part of what makes the realmsian drow what they are, the two of them are iconic to their race. They have value for characters as something more than distant gods, because they have very specific stories, personalities and goals/quests that are all about their people. Eilistraee and Vhaeraun stand for the drow who want to fight to achieve and create a future for their race, a concept of dark elven** character way different from the 'powah and ebil' cliché or the renegade who abandons his/her people and goes his/her own way. It is a meaningful and inspiring idea, which definitely deserves its own place in the setting, especially considering that -again- it is one of the main traits that defines and distinguishes the realmsian drow from other worlds.
*This is a huge difference. AFAIK in 4e drow were optional, core races usually offer wide roleplaying options.
**and with this I mean drow. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 09 Jun 2014 01:47:00 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4436 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2014 : 02:25:15
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| I'd just like to make a point that just because it's in the core books (by Core, I mean the Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, DMG) doesn't mean it's an automatic or even assumed option for players. They are just the most common options that the designers think most players will pick. It's why we're also going to see the Tiefling and Dragonborn as well in the PHB. But I never make the assumption of going to a game that I'll automatically be allowed to play a Tiefling Warlock or a Drow Assassin or, heck, even a Human Paladin. Every option is just that.....an option. |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3805 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2014 : 02:43:10
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True, but if it's in the PHB, then it is probably meant as a basic option for the player, as advanced rules are usually included in books like DMG or various supplements. The fact that -as you pointed out- devs think that a considerable number of player may want to play a drow is on its own a huge difference from the 'lolthite, evil only' approach that led to the removal of E and V from canon.
Granted, as you said, the rarity of races depends on the campaign -even humans could be exotic/unplayable in some cases- but drow being among PHB core races means that WotC might be considering changing their take on them and giving them wider RP possibilities and therefore the variety and depth that they lost at the end of 3e. If this was the case, then it would most likely involve getting Eilistraee and Vhaeraun back, given that FR is going to be the main setting.
Also -being core- Drow will almost surely be available as PCs in their organized play events/global campaign stuff, and Eilistraeens/Vhaerunites would perfectly fit in the faction/alliances system that Mike Mearls described, besides providing options for players.
In short, these news definitely leave the doors open for the siblings' return to the published setting (as I said, they were removed purely out of design choices for the drow -only Lolth, evil and yada yada, which tbh don't fit what that race is in the FR-, but now -with this decision- they seem to be gone/softened, so...). |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 09 Jun 2014 03:52:44 |
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Mike Mearls interview.
