Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 13 (3d8)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +2 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 11 (+0) | 11 (+0) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +4
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Elvish, Undercommon
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the drow to sleep.
Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: dancing lights
- 1/day each: darkness, faerie fire
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
ACTIONS
- Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
- Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The target wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
Drow are a subrace of elves that live in the Underdark, a vast network of caverns and tunnels beneath the surface of the world. They have dark skin, ranging from black to gray or blue, and white hair. Their eyes are usually red, purple, blue, or amber. They are shorter and thinner than other elves, but still possess their grace and agility. Drow are known for their beauty and sophistication, but also for their cruelty and malice. They worship Lolth, the Spider Queen, a chaotic evil goddess who demands blood and sacrifice from her followers. Drow society is based on power, ambition, and treachery, with noble houses constantly scheming and warring against each other. Drow have a deep hatred for other races, especially surface elves, whom they consider weak and inferior.
COMBAT
Drow are skilled fighters, favoring stealth and ambush over direct confrontation. They use a variety of weapons, such as shortswords, daggers, hand crossbows, and whips. They often coat their blades and bolts with a potent poison that can incapacitate or kill their enemies. Drow also have innate magical abilities, such as creating darkness, faerie fire, and dancing lights. They use these spells to confuse and distract their foes, or to enhance their own vision in the dark. Drow are vulnerable to sunlight, which impairs their sight and hampers their combat effectiveness. They avoid fighting in bright light whenever possible.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
Drow live in the Underdark, a harsh and dangerous environment full of monstrous creatures and hostile factions. They carve out cities and fortresses in the depths of the earth, where they plot and scheme against each other and their enemies. Drow society is matriarchal, with females holding all positions of power and authority. The highest rank is that of the matron mother, the leader of a noble house and a high priestess of Lolth. The noble houses are the backbone of drow civilization, each with its own history, traditions, and allies. The houses compete for resources, influence, and favor from Lolth, often resorting to assassination, sabotage, and war. The lower classes of drow society consist of commoners, slaves, and outcasts. Commoners are mostly merchants, artisans, soldiers, and servants who serve the nobility. Slaves are captured from other races or drow who have fallen from grace. They are treated as property and subjected to torture and abuse. Outcasts are drow who have rejected Lolth’s teachings or have been exiled from their houses. They live in the fringes of drow society or flee to the surface world.
ECOLOGY
Drow are omnivorous, eating a variety of foods found in the Underdark, such as fungi, mosses, insects, rodents, fish, and meat. They also trade with other Underdark races for exotic delicacies or surface goods. Drow have a long lifespan, up to 750 years or more. They mature at the same rate as other elves until they reach adulthood around 100 years old. Then they age more slowly than other races. Drow reproduce sexually like other elves, but they have a low fertility rate due to Lolth’s curse. Only one in ten drow births results in a female child. This creates a gender imbalance that fuels the competition among noble houses for suitable mates.