Also known as dark elves, drow are a depraved and evil subterranean offshoot.
White is the most common hair color among drow, but almost any pale shade is possible. Drow tend to be smaller and thinner than other sorts of elves, and their eyes are often a vivid red.
Drow usually coat their arrows with a potent venom.
Most drow encountered outside their homes are warriors; the information presented here is for one of 1st level.
DROW
Medium Humanoid (Elf )
Drow, 1st-Level Warrior
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 Dex, +4 chain shirt, +1 light shield) touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Rapier +3 melee (1d6+1/18–20) or hand crossbow +2 ranged (1d4/19–20)
Full Attack: Rapier +3 melee (1d6+1/18–20) or hand crossbow +2 ranged (1d4/19–20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Drow traits, spell resistance 12
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will –1*
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +0, Listen +2, Search +4, Spot +3
Feats: Weapon Focus (rapier)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Squad (2–4), patrol (5–8 plus 2 2nd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 3rd–6th level), or band (20–50 plus 10% noncombatants plus 1 2nd-level sergeant per 5 adults, 2d4 6th-level lieutenants, and 1d4 9th-level captains)
Challenge Rating: 1 (see text)
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2
COMBAT
Drow are cautious warriors and take time to analyze their opponents and the location of the fight if at all possible, maximizing their advantage by using ambushes, snipers, and camouflage. They prefer to fire from cover and retreat before they are found, repeating this maneuver until all of their enemies are dead.
They prefer hand crossbows, rapiers, and longswords. In melee, drow are graceful and deadly, using complex maneuvers that are beautiful to observe. Their wizards often use sleep spells during combat because these won’t affect other drow.
Elf Traits (Ex):
All elves possess the following racial traits.
— +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.
—Medium size.
—An elf ’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Immunity to sleep spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects. (Not reflected in the saving throw modifiers given here.)
—Low-light vision.
—Weapon Proficiency: Elves are automatically proficient with the longsword, rapier, longbow, composite longbow, shortbow, and composite shortbow.
— +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
—Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.
—Favored Class: Wizard.
Poison (Ex):
An opponent hit by a drow’s poisoned weapon must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or fall unconscious. After 1 minute, the subject must succeed on another DC 13 Fortitude save or remain unconscious for 2d4 hours. A typical drow carries 1d4–1 doses of drow knockout poison. Drow typically coat arrows and crossbow bolts with this poison, but it can also be applied to a melee weapon. Note that drow have no special ability to apply poison without risking being poisoned themselves. Since this poison is not a magical effect, drow and other elves are susceptible to it.
Drow Traits (Ex):
These traits are in addition to the elf traits above, except where noted.
— +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.
—Darkvision out to 120 feet. This trait replaces the elf ’s low-light vision.
—Spell resistance equal to 11 + class levels.
— +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
—Spell-Like Abilities: Drow can use the following spell-like abilities once per day: dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire. Caster level equals the drow’s class levels.
—Weapon Proficiency: A drow is automatically proficient with the hand crossbow, the rapier, and the short sword. This trait replaces the elf ’s weapon proficiency.
—Automatic Languages: Common, Elven (drow dialect), Undercommon. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Gnome, Goblin, and Kuo-toan. This trait replaces the elf ’s automatic and bonus languages.
—Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
—Favored Class: Wizard (male) or cleric (female). This trait replaces the elf ’s favored class.
—Level adjustment +2.
Challenge Rating:
Drow with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level. Drow with levels in PC classes have a CR equal to their character level +1.
