Halfdrow surface life.

[Storm Munin]

Is there a reason behind why halfdrow cannot elect a surface life?
Tieflings and orcs seem to do fine after all.

There, I finally asked.

[Israe]

*BUuuuUuump*

[Selande]

I'd wager a guess that it'd take away from the draw of the UD. Why play drow when you can be a half-drow on the surface? Doesn't seem beneficial to the health of the UD...

For that matter, Tiefling and Orc should be UD only as well in my opinion. It would draw more characters to the UD and solve a lot of the weirdness with those races on the surface. We'd have less carebearness towards Tiefling and Orcs and more of that awkward standoffishness where you're trying to decide whether the creature is an enemy or not.

And just remove Deep gnome entirely. It's already super-nerfed and slavery is against the server rules.
And because I hate gnomes.

[maseoo]

Deep gnomes aren't necessarily slaves in Sshamath, they just can't become citizens iirc. The same goes for duergar.

[Israe]

They need to revisit this slavery ban thing. Utterly destroys a lot of the drow rp. And I think you said a pretty good reason Selande, though half-drow are also KoS too.

[Lag]

Off topic but in line with current conversation: they should allow willing participation in the favorable bond of extended indentured servitude. Calling it slavery is wrong. They prefer house associates in this modern underdark.

[Storm Munin]

Indeed, someone who in general have the appearance like a dusky halfelf is KoS.

Meanwhile demon and devilspawn with horns, fangs and forked tongues romance the lands together with the cuddle friendly sabletoothed green tuskers of a naturally evil race.


I think thanarukh should become a surface race, it would fit right in?
At least there is nothing about dark elves about them.*sarcasm warning*


I thought extended indentured servitude refered to serving in life and unlife, oh well.


Still awaiting a reply from the powers that be.

[DM Golem]

We discussed Drow recently in our UD/Surface rules review. We did not discuss half-drow. Our understanding of the lore is that they are rarer than they will be in future generations, but that is not to say they do not exist.

The short answer is "because that is where the line was drawn" and its quite a historic line.

Points about not wanting to undermine Underdark RP are valid; as are fears that the race would turn out like Tieflings and (a lesser extent) orcs, and widely accepted amongst the player base. Which might be more valid for half drow who were cagey about their origins, but less so if they then start bringing mother's family up to visit.

Perhaps its best we have a discussion staff side about this. And by all means continue a discussion on pros and cons here as it will help inform staff discussion.

[Storm Munin]

I actually miss the Tolerance is treason campaign on the surface.


Why bring halfdrow up?

Pro:
1. Freedom to nerfbuild.
Allows for another rather normal stat race on the surface with a challenging past.
Halfdrow are NOT drow, just like halfelves are not elves, nor arguably halforcs orcs.
2. Playability
Remove a restriction to server playability that is just there because of OOC reasons that have scant foundation in lore or mechanics but largely exists because of what I percieve as misplaced racial bias.
A restriction that narrows down how you can feasably even roleplay a member of a race that is supposed to be versatile.
As is you more or less have to play a stigmatized, shunned and usually hated denizen in Sshamath, thanks.
3. Versatility.
A race that unlike pure drow supposedly are more free when it come to life choices in the terms of mannerism, religion and alignments.
4. Rarity.
Rarity has no impact on any other race selection, why halfdrow? See 2.
The rarity in itself is questionable at best since beyond the scattered fringe civilization unluckily born halfdrow there is an entire realm on the surface run by them called Dambrath.
5. Origin.
Dambrathan origin allows for language selection but currently are heavily restricted from existing in the surface realm most were born in.
We have Thayans, Rashemi and whatnot roaming the sword coast at large and freely but no, not Dambrathan. Point 2?
6. Surface and UD interaction roleplay.
This race if any can be used to link up roleplay between various factions, traders and people in general just because of what and who they are.
Someone has to bring information and merchandise to Sshamath after all (and the other way around).
Given that this is the path elected for the individual halfbreed.
7. Promote UD.
Opens up a venue to promote actual roleplaying IN Sshamath by offering a path of to more of information and merchant roleplaying.
8. Less surface drow.
Halfdrow can do it, and do it better for everyone's interests.

CON:
1. Poor surface roleplaying?
That will always occur, race has nothing to do with it.
2. UD population.
Exactly how many players play halfdrow toons as is?
Seriously, is this really an issue?
Maybe I am in the wrong but I do not see a sudden surge among the UD player base to suddenly elect to play a mechanically quaint race on the surface instead of far better options for anything but roleplaying reasons.
Id say 95-99 times in a 100 if an UD player opt to slum on the surface (yes, I do it) halfdrow will NOT be the selected race.
So exactly how have we helped the UD environment by limiting halfdrow life?
3. Limit Surface and UD interaction?
Sorry, that boat sailed a very long time ago.
Drow, duergar, deep gnomes and imaskari have and do roam the surface with impunity. Less drow than the others but it still happens on, dare I say, daily basis.
Wont matter if we add the chance to play naughty halfdrow with connections to the UD.


As for the mostly lame KoS and the supposed super ability of elves to instantly tell if someone is drow or halfdrow, I wont even go there in this thread.

YMMV

[GholaMan]

*casts epic level thread necromancy*

Soooo, whats going on with this? Well there is a lot i could put in here, but basically i'll sum it up. Its more logical to allow half-drow on the surface, there is vastly more lore supporting half-drow on the surface than the underdark. In fact the underdark 3.5 faerun lorebook pretty much doesnt mention half-drow at all. In the UD half-drow are so insignificant in the scheme of FR UD that the only time they are mentioned in the underdark FR book is that they qualify to be priestess of Lloth once. They dont even have a racial entry, where as drow, duergar, and deep gnomes have entries in races of faerun and in The Underdark, where as half-drow only have an entry in races of faerun.

[Jepop]

*casts epic level thread necromancy*

Soooo, whats going on with this? Well there is a lot i could put in here, but basically i'll sum it up. Its more logical to allow half-drow on the surface, there is vastly more lore supporting half-drow on the surface than the underdark. In fact the underdark 3.5 faerun lorebook pretty much doesnt mention half-drow at all. In the UD half-drow are so insignificant in the scheme of FR UD that the only time they are mentioned in the underdark FR book is that they qualify to be priestess of Lloth once. They dont even have a racial entry, where as drow, duergar, and deep gnomes have entries in races of faerun and in The Underdark, where as half-drow only have an entry in races of faerun.

Vellak can give you a ride to the surface if you'd like.