Underdark Beginner Guide (now with map)

[PaulImposteur]

Can we please sticky this, and continue to build upon it? It has helped me a great amount with my new UD character, and I think helped inspire to make the UD my new favorite area to RP on the server.

[Nachti]

At some point in the future I will update it.

If someone else want to update it earlier then contact me and i provide stuff.

[Karond]

If I start as a drow, I make 3000 xp then I do the delivery quests. That helps as xp drops down after 1000 and 3000 xp for drow due to the ECL, and you really want that level 2 ASAP.

As the low levels are mapped out by the OP, I will say that I tend to move towards Underdark, North of Tarpits (north of basilisks) for ooze hunting at level 10-ish, particularly if there is a warlock or other good ranged character in the group. The Oozes have high AC and stun attacks, but they're incredibly slow so you can kite them all day without risk. Oozes are great for soloing for that reason, up until level 15-16. After that, it's duergars all the way. Duergars are doable for level 11+ in a group and it yields more xp than oozes (mostly, due to faster respawn) but watch out for the Illithid stun and Duergar knockdown.

[chad878262]

just to update slightly, I just started playing my first character in the Underdark, at level 1 with 3,500 XP the two delivery quests give a total of about 350 XP, the Skeletons and Zombies give 14 and 18 XP, the bats give 11 and the oozes give 13-18. So just to be clear, those two areas mentioned for level 1 (sewers and tombs) don't give 30-40 XP per kill. Hoping I find some people online at the same time as me to RP and get a bit of tour as to other potential adventuring spots.

[Karond]

If you're a drow, you get X xp while you've gained 0-1000 xp, Y xp when having 1000-3000 xp and Z xp when having 3000-6000 xp.

So yes, you do get 30-40 xp per kill, but only at first. Once you pass 1000 xp, you get less. Once you pass 3000 xp, you get even less xp still. That's because as soon as you reach 1000 xp as a drow the game counts you as a level 2 character, and a level 3 characters once you've 3000 xp.

As I suggested earlier, make full of that and get 3000 xp by grinding while you're richly rewarded, then turn to quests and such when the xp isn't so rewarding after that.

[Stompguts15]

this is awesome. thank you

[DreWalker]

I had no idea that was how the xp penalty worked, thanks!

[Karond]

I had no idea that was how the xp penalty worked, thanks!

ECL works like that. An xp penalty is just some evil deity up there taking a cut out of every xp you earn. Say you get 50 xp for a kill, with a 20% xp penalty you instead get 40 xp. It even applies to quest xp and such I hear.

[maseoo]

I'm finding that the best spot for a level 13 warlock/BG is the Umber hulk area, XP is alright, 29 per kill.
My crowd control invocation is Noxious blast with a DC of 23, and it only works against certain types.
The goblin fire lake area was also easy, but I died twice to the boss, who sneak attacked me to instant death (?). I have 70-something HP and they were gone instantly. I guess you need some spot/listen skills or avoid the boss area?

Anyway I'm considering what to do next: get up my saves with 1 more BG level so I can do basilisks, or maybe getting undead bane blast to fight the undead? I tried the oozes, but at least the big ones shrug off my invocations (the damage) sometimes with their SR.
The duergar near the illithid hive have a Fort save around 18, so its too risky to fight them, are the duergar in the mines any easier?

[Grave_Zero]

Naah, duergars are taugh bastards everywhere. Spare them to your epic lvls. And yeah, if you dont have enough spot at the goblin chief, then you're gond as dead. So without spot avoid would be my suggestion.

[freekender]

I tried the oozes, but at least the big ones shrug off my invocations (the damage) sometimes with their SR

Try with the raw warlock blast, with no modifications. It bypasses SR.

[maseoo]

I tried the oozes, but at least the big ones shrug off my invocations (the damage) sometimes with their SR

Try with the raw warlock blast, with no modifications. It bypasses SR.

I tried this, but it was subject to Spell Resistance as well. Both the Eldritch spear, chain and the unmodified "Eldritch Blast Xd6" made the monsters roll an SR check.

[Nachti]

The goblin fire lake area was also easy, but I died twice to the boss, who sneak attacked me to instant death (?). I have 70-something HP and they were gone instantly. I guess you need some spot/listen skills or avoid the boss area?

Take care there. The boss can spawn twice. Usually high AC works well against him but sometimes he seems to penetrate your AC. So be carefully.

Anyway I'm considering what to do next: get up my saves with 1 more BG level so I can do basilisks, or maybe getting undead bane blast to fight the undead?

Take Vitriolic and Tempest blast. Undead Bane blast is bugged and does not add +2d6 damage vs undead. Vitriolic bypasses SR and thus works nice against duergars.

I tried the oozes, but at least the big ones shrug off my invocations (the damage) sometimes with their SR.
The duergar near the illithid hive have a Fort save around 18, so its too risky to fight them, are the duergar in the mines any easier?

The mines are infested with the same ilithids and duergars. Take Vitriolic Blast, improve your AC, use scrolls: protection from alignment and healpacks. Perhaps scrolls of mirror image, too and you can do mines at 13.
Or consider a group . Works usually best.

[TheKai]

Or consider a group . Works usually best.

If you see my drow on Maseoo, hit me up

[maseoo]

Not sure which thread to put these question in but:
A) Are there leaf holders for sale somewhere in the Underdark?
B) Are there any plants to bind a "mark plant" for teleportation?

(I wanted to bind a plant somewhere in the Darkwoods).