Drow MOD

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Before, I go into this I was to specify that I AM aware there is a sub-race mod currently being tested. Now, on to the topic.

I've always thought it would be neat to play a drow (I know, typical lack of imagination) and while the above mentioned Mod will allow this, I'm just wondering about the level of depth involved. Exactly how much of the hate will be factored into the Roleplay. To me it almost seems that to get a really good level of accuracy and detail, you'd almost need to have a mod just for Drow. Or do I just know nothing about MODs?

 

I've thought that too. A mod that if you install it, you're assumed to be playing a drow, so much of the dialogs and other interactions would treat you as a drow. There'd have to be a lot of changes, and a fine balance, too. There should be some negativity towards your PC, but not enough that the game is unplayable. So it probably shouldn't be quite as bad as it normally would be, but enough to give you the feel. And as your Reputation goes up, the better things would be. Another thought would be strongholds. Would Nalia give her keep over to a drow, even a good aligned one? I really doubt it. I don't think there'd be any problems with getting the Mage one, or even the Ranger one (the villiage gets it's very own 'Drizzt')! Aerie would probably not join a party led by a drow, either. Maby later, if your reputation is high (16 or more) would she join you. And Aerie romance would be out of the question.

 

In terms of the romance, I'm sure Aerie is into that kinky drow stuff.

As for the mod, I think it wouldn't be out of order to have a reputation loss for starting as a drow, and some commoners will be biased against you. Perhaps the dialogue when you run into viconia in the government district could be a bit different but overall, I don't think it should be that different, with the exception of romances(I bet viconia will like you a lot more, and anomen would avoid you like the plague), pretty much it's what your party goes through when you have viconia, right?

 

I think it would need to be a bit more extreme thanwhen you have Viccy along, simply because this time you're the PC, and particular characters are more personally interested in you. And in places like Trademeet, even if you are the saviour of the town, it's not necessarily going to help.

Edit: *woohoo!* post 150! Niskers+ level up!

 

Perhaps even Irenicus would mention you when he meets up with the Matron Mother? Perhaps your trip to the Underdark could be a visit to old friends?!

 

Seeing the reaction Viconia got when the people realised she was a drow, i think a heavily armed and armoured drow walking down most city streets would cause a major panic!

The drow are seen as monsters by most surface people. i think a few conversation changes and a little rep loss would be too minor an effect. Would Gorion even bother to save a drow bhaalspawn? It would make the first game VERY different if everyone you met treated you as a monster. I doubt you would even reach Athkatla.

A drow mod would have to almost restructure the game to be "realistic". Most people wouldn't come to a drow for aid, so many of the quest starts would have to be changed. Also the universal negative reaction would almost certainly extend to some NPC's - Aerie, Anomen and even Keldorn, who has probably seen Drow cruelty first hand.

 

The Order of the Radiant Heart would probably try and kill a drow PC on the spot. It always surprises me they don't throw a tantrum and go for their swords when they see you with Viconia but I think an actual drow PC would be pushing things a bit much.

 

I think it would be interesting to cut off entire quests and so forth because of the race. the incorporation of a Drow PC would certainly add emphasis to the role playing aspect. Something like the Order could be dealt with only after you've got an incredibly high reputation, and then they'd barely deal with you, and rudely. I'd love to see someone try to put a mod like this into action. The detail might make it a bit of a challenge, but it'd probably be worth the effort. I'd do 'cept, I don't the first thing about MODs.

 

I agree it'd be a nice idea but I don't think cutting off entire quests because of the PC's race would be a popular idea. Maybe those quests could still be available but merely harder to get to reflect the fact that most people don't like having dealings with drow.

 

Well what about all these side quests that are included "just because"? Imagine if you were a Drow, and were good alinged, Keldorn is Paladin sure, but he is not some green fresh recruit, he is wise middle aged, and would probably sense that you are not evil therefore joining your party? it's also common knowledge by the time you escape chapter one of your lineage, and isnt it every Paladins duty to fight evil and/or prevent people from turning to the "dark side"?

Having Keldorn with you might also be enough to convince Anomen to join you, though I'm not so sure about Aerie considering her history.

So refering back to the quests that are there "just because" perhaps the Order would know about the problems in the Umar hills, and would send you over to set things straight, only if Keldorn is with you of course, and this could start to give you a better reputation with Amn, and allow you more freedom.

I'm not sure how probable it is that it could work, but it worked with Drizzt didn't it?

 

I can imagine Keldorn joining your party if you had a high enough reputation but I think there should be regular checks along the way to determine if you're staying good or not. He'd be keeping an eye on you because while you might be good yourself, your race is considered evil and he'd probably expect you to revert to your old ways at a moment's notice.

 

I wonder what Drizzt would have to say when you meet up with him...

 

There's also the whole thing that commoners know almost nothing about monsters, except that they look different, and they're affraid of the unknown. Nobles might know if they study such things. The Order would definately have a problem with you unless you proved yourself before they killed you.

You would need to start with the Low rep
You'd be blind most of the time on the surface, (drow have light blindness -1 to attacks saves and defense I believe).
There's also the ability to diguise yourself as Viconia did, which you will need!
It will be impossible for you to reach above 18 reputation
Your character due to racial qualities cannot be Lawful, (the Drow are naturally chaotic).

 

Well as discussed in the "Ideal roleplay character" thread, as well as the Elven age problem, how would you know for sure how been on the surface could affect you? if you have lived on the surface your entire life surely you should be used to it shouldent you?

I can actually relate to this, because every single ancester on both Mum and Dads side of the family were born and raised in Ireland, this would be going back several dozen generations at least, and it used to be colder there 100 years ago then it is now, and now I'm living in one of the hottest parts of the world where it is 30-40 degrees about 9-10 months a year. I'm actually more adapted to heat then cold, seeing as I could hardly stand how cold it was in my recent visit to Ireland (and it was only quite warm by Ireland standards at the time), and if an average adult age for a drow is at least 75+ then it gives a lot more time to become acustomed to the different climate Though I think most people who have previous generations growing up in this type of climate might find it slightly more bearable than myself but I cannot be certain of that.

David W: I cannot imagine Keldorn been any more watchful of a drow Bhaalspawn than any other of the same alingment, but thats just me.
I think he would see falling to the temptation of your essence as been more probably than a NG drow reverting to his old ways, and why would your race have a big impact on alingment, if you grew up in candlekeep with people like Gorion and Imoen, I think alingment could be anything regardless of race.

But just out of interest David why do you think that about Keldorn?

EDIT: also who is to say that been the PC would automatically make you in charge of the party? most of the NPC's would probably have at least as much expirence as you have and over half of them with more, and probably with more practical expirence with leading than you so wouldent it be more logical from a RP point of view that Jaheira Keldorn or someone else would be a better and more expirenced person to lead a party, even more so if you play a drow?

[ April 07, 2004, 14:06: Message edited by: casey ]

 

I thought it just stood to reason that Keldorn would be naturally suspicious of a Drow PC. After all, aside from Drizzt, how many Drow are there on Toril who aren't evil? For the most part, the Drow are the worst of the worst and I thought it quite reasonable that someone like Keldorn - a paladin who no doubt has decent knowledge of the Drow as an evil race - would be suspicious of a Drow as a party member.

 

Well Imoen would know if you were evil or not and Jaheira would have found out a lot about your childhood from Gorion I'd think, and seeing as you are a hero of Baldurs Gate, Naskel, and basically all of Amn, and the company a good character would likely travel Keldorn might be fairly at ease as far as the been a drow goes, or he might be suspicious of whether or not your motives for your actions were good or not, but wouldent he know as a veteran Inquisitor?

 

With regards to adjusting to sunlight and such, I doubt that will work. I've just recently dived into the Icewind Dale books and abrely 150 pages in it's already been mentioned two or three times that despite all his time on the surface, Drizzt is still having sun issues.

I think Keldorn would probably keep an eye on you for the first little while. Regardless of reputation we're still talking Drow here. I'd think most people would want to confirm it for themselves, though having Keldorn in the party would go a long way to convincing others.

 

Niskers I'm not sure if it's the same.

I'm not sure what book you are reading but if it is the one that I am thinking of then it says he has been on the surface for 5 years, but your character in Candlekeep has been living on the surface for at least 20 years, and also how old is Drizzt? and how long has he lived in the underdark?

 

Come to think of it since the PC probably wouldn't have spent any time in the underdark, sun adaptation wouldn't be such a stretch, would it? This is under the assumption it hasn't become imbedded in their genetics.

 

Well I suppose it depends on what its like climate wise in the underdark, and how many gerations back Drow go. Like I said I'm the first person in the family to be raised outside the cold of Ireland in who knows how many generations but I can handle the practically polar opposites of climate just fine.

But when it comes to Drow I woulden't have a clue, all I can do is relate to myself and other people in the same boat as myself