Drow Subraces (2.5e Race)

Aquatic Drow:

Aquatic Drow are sharks in the deeps of the Underdark. They ply the benighted rivers, lakes, and seas beneath the earth, riding turbulent flows like fish and swimming through still waters and stagnant pools without a rivulet to mark their passing. Created by Drow wizards ages ago to combat Kuo-toa, Aboleths, and the other aquatic horrors of the Underdark, the Aquatic Drow have since become a full fledged civilization of their own.

Personality: Much like normal Drow, Aquatic Drow live in a contentious and dangerous society. They have personalities similar to those of their air breathing cousins, but limited as they are to the waters of the Underdark, they tend to be more cautious, always aware of how far they stray from water and the relative safety of home.

Physical Description: Aquatic Drow look like normal Drow, but their hairlessness, webbed hands and feet, and gilled necks give them away as creatures of a different stripe. Even so, their similarity to air breathing dark elves might explain why surface dwellers are largely unaware of their existence. Aquatic Drow rarely wear clothing and they avoid wearing armor unless they are going to be spending a great deal of time out of the water.

Relations: Like their air breathing counterparts, Aquatic Drow seek to rule the creatures they encounter, but Aboleths, Mind Flayers, and Kuo-toa are deadly enemies, often too dangerous to enslave. Aquatic Drow are enemies of all the races air breathing Drow despise, but reserve an incredible hatred for Aquatic Elves, Tritons, Locathahs, Sahuagin, and Merfolk, and they attack and enslave them at every opportunity. This hatred stems not from the same historical reasons, as Aquatic Drow almost certainly developed after the dark elves were driven into the Underdark, but from a jealousy of sentient creatures occupying the same ecosystem. Had they the opportunity, Aquatic Drow would oust sea elves from their deep water kingdoms and begin a campaign of conquest in the darkened ocean depths.

Aquatic Drow believe themselves superior to the other Drow subraces. They see themselves on equal footing with air breathing Drow, but they still suffer somewhat in most interactions with them because it is well known that the Spider Queen holds normal Drow in the highest favor.

Alignment: Aquatic Drow are as evil and grasping as their air breathing progenitors, but their limited living space and the difficulty of travel in the Underdark require them to be more orderly.

Language: Aquatic Drow can speak Drow but rarely do so. Beneath the waves the subtlety of the language is often lost in the strange amplifying and deadening qualities of water. Instead Aquatic Drow speak a clipped and sharp version of Undercommon that emphasizes shrill sounds and hard consonants.

Adventurers: Aquatic Drow adventurers are less common than those of any other Drow subrace. Limited by their need to breathe water and by the maze-like waterways of the Underdark, few choose to take up the adventurers path. Those who do are filled with bravery and the spirit of exploration, often becoming far more bold than their air breathing cousins. These Aquatic Drow are often tasked to find new waterways to use as places to live or as paths to the surface.

Racial Traits: +1 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, -1 Intelligence: A life beneath the depths has made Aquatic Drow strong, but they retain the elven tendency to be of weak health.

Aquatic Drow base movement is 9, and they have a swim speed of 18. They are slow on land but swim with astonishing grace.

At the start, Aquatic Drow are 50% magic resistant, and every level they rise increases the resistance by 2% (to a maximum of 80%) If the Aquatic Drow spends more than two weeks away from the subterranean caverns of the Underdark, the innate spell abilities fade at the rate of one power a day and their innate magic resistance is lost at a rate of 10% per day. This process can be halted and the powers regained if the Aquatic Drow returns to the Underdark and spends one day there for each week spent aboveground.

Immune to sleep spells and effects.

+2 to saving throws vs spells

Cold Resistance: Aquatic Drow are inured to the chill waters of the Underdark and gain a +2 bonus to save against cold effects and are immune to natural cold.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day – dancing lights, esp, and faerie fire. These abilities are as the spells cast by a wizard of the Aquatic Drow's level.

Infravision: Aquatic Drow can see in nonmagical darkness up to a range of 60 feet.

Gills: Aquatic Drow have gills that allow them to breathe water. An Aquatic Drow can breathe normally outside of water for a total number of hours equal to twice their Constitution. After that time the Aquatic Drow must hold their breath or begin to “drown” (see the DMG for information on suffocation and drowning). Aquatic Drow can renew an hour's worth of air breathing time by spending 10 minutes completely submerged in breathable water.

Blindsight: Aquatic Drow have very keen hearing and can “see” with sound like a bat up to 10'. Lighting conditions do not affect this sight however a silence/deafness spell disables any use of this ability.

Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as a lightning bolt in a dark room), blinds Aquatic Drow for 1 round. When operating in an area of continuous bright light (such as bright sunlight), Aquatic Drow suffer a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, saves and checks. Aquatic Drow are proficient with spears, tridents and nets.

Drow Blood: Aquatic Drow are considered both Drow and elves for the purpose of racially specific abilities and effects. Aquatic Drow require1.5x the amount of experience required to advance class levels.

Rogue skill adjustments: +20% detect noise

Spiderlings:

In the narrow tunnels of the wild Underdark, whose tight confines are rarely traveled by sentient creatures, the Spiderlings thrive. They are a strange and secretive race of creatures who look like miniature Driders. Created by magical experimentation on deep halflings long ago, the Spiderlings have since developed into a full fledged race of their own, crafting a culture from the ground up.

Personality: Spiderlings often seem shy and skittish, but they can be as brave as anyone. Their natural inclination is to be cautious, and they react quickly to any sign of danger. Their dangerous environment makes alertness and awareness of danger a necessity. Spiderlings rarely relax, even in the safest of settings. They have a fierce sense of independence, and are forever on guard against alliances or treaties that would make them more beholden to the Drow.

Physical Description: Spiderlings look like dog sized spiders with little Drow torsos protruding from where the head of the spider would be. Similar in proportions to halflings, they have the coldly beautiful features of dark elves.

Relations: Spiderlings know that the larger races are more physically powerful, so they avoid contact with other sentient beings except to trade. Spiderlings are sometimes enslaved by the Drow and have a cold hatred for them. They have had little contact with surface races other than the dwarves, but they know of the existence of halflings and deep halflings, and they view their progenitors with a mix of disgust and longing.

Alignment: Spiderlings are free spirits. They appreciate the need for order in times of trouble but would just as soon leave each to his own until then. Although not inherently cruel, Spiderlings tend to think of both good and evil as impractical philosophical ideals. To them, anything that keeps you alive and free is good; everything else is evil.

Language: Spiderlings speak Undercommon, using the Drow alphabet for written communication. They write down very little besides what is necessary for magical scrolls or wizard's spellbooks. Spiderlings live in the moment, and histories or epics live only as long as they are told and remembered. Adventurers: Spiderlings rarely set out on their own deliberately. Most often one or two escape a raid on their home and take up a life of adventure out of necessity. Although not inclined to become adventurers for the sake of exploration or personal gain, Spiderlings make excellent party members. Their aptitude for rogue skills make them fine scouts and companions in the Underdark.

Racial Traits: -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, +1 Intelligence

+1 to surprise and +1 to attacks against surprised opponents

Base Movement rate of 8 and can climb walls as per the spider climb spell with a movement rate of 8.

Multiple legs: Spiderlings gain a +2 bonus to all Dexterity checks

Infravision: Spiderlings can see in nonmagical darkness up to a range of 60'

Drow/Halfling Blood: Spiderlings are considered to be Drow, elves, and halflings for the purpose of racially specific abilities and effects.

Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as a lightning bolt in a dark room), blinds Spiderlings for 1 round. When operating in an area of continuous bright light (such as bright sunlight), Spiderlings suffer a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, saves and checks.

Rogue skill adjustments: +40% climb walls, +10% hide in shadows, +10% detect noise, +10% move silently, +10% find/remove traps,

Vupdrax:

Deep in the great caves of the Underdark, black wings carry dark bodies through the dead air. In these benighted abysses roost Vupdrax by the thousands. There the winged Drow congregate and rest, ready to take to the hunt at the smallest sound. Vupdrax are predators, feeding on other sentient races and beasts of the Underdark. Magical alteration of Drow and polymorphed interbreeding with dire bats eventually produced fertile hybrids: the Vupdrax. Unfortunately for their creators, they were a failed experiment; They lack the Drow intellect and have an insatiable appetite for flesh. Some daring Drow keep Vupdrax as slaves, but most prefer to avoid them.

Personality: Vupdrax are Feral creatures, more similar in demeanor to bats than Drow. They view any creature other than a Vupdrax as a potential food source. This hunger comes across in all their dealings with other races; their eyes betray their bloodthirsty natures, and they often lick their lips and smell the air near other creatures.

Among themselves, Vupdrax are very community minded. Personal items and personal space are strange ideas to them. When a Vupdrax requires an item from its fellow, the other surrenders the item because it doesn't need it at the moment, or the two fight. Such conflicts are rarely to the death.

Physical Description: Vupdrax are taller and more heavily built than Drow. Their ears are large and batlike, and they have huge bat wings that span 15 feet. These wings fold up tightly on their backs when they're not flying, and ignorant surface dwellers have mistaken Vupdrax at a distance for Drow wearing bulky cloaks. Vupdrax have the facial features of Drow but are often bald. They have long fingers tipped with sharp claws, and well formed lips hide fanglike incisors. Although intelligent, Vupdrax tend to display animalistic behavior, such as moving their heads in a quaking fashion like bats to better localize the source of sounds. Vupdrax wear only light clothing and armor, and they tend to carry as little equipment as possible, since too much weight can prevent them from flying.

Relations: Vupdrax generally view all other races as potential prey. Sometimes, though, one will form a close relationship similar to what Vupdrax have within a colony. This can be nearly as troublesome as fighting the creature. Vupdrax share space, items, and clothing with little regard to the idea of ownership and expect the same from others. Individuals in such a relationship should make certain the Vupdrax is well fed.

Alignment: Vupdrax care little for laws and are poorly organized. Although not particularly cruel, they have no concern for other creatures' feelings or fates.

Language: Vupdrax speak Drow and Undercommon in a chittering, shrill fashion. They rarely write anything down; the rare vupdrax wizards steal spellbooks and writing materials.

Adventurers: Vupdrax adventurers are common. Some Vupdrax desire more personal gain than their colony allows, while others simply wander off to explore the grandeur of the Underdark. They are powerful allies in a fight but can prove difficult in social situations for obvious reasons.

Racial Traits: +1 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -1 Intelligence, -2 Charisma

Base movement rate of 12 and can Fly at the same rate

Natural Attacks: Claw/Claw/Bite (1d4, 1d4, 1d2)

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day – darkness as the spell cast by a wizard of a level equal to the Vupdrax

Immune to sleep spells and effects

+2 to saving throws vs spells

Drow Blood: Vupdrax are considered to be both Drow and Elves for the purposes of racially specific abilities and effects.

Infravison: Vupdrax can see in nonmagical darkness up to a range of 10'.

Blindsight: Vupdrax rely on sound to “see” and have Blindsight to a range of 60'. Lighting conditions do not effect their Blindsight however a Silence/deafness spell will disable this ability and force them to rely on their Infravison.

Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as a lightning bolt in a dark room), blinds Vupdrax for 1 round. When operating in an area of continuous bright light (such as bright sunlight), Vupdrax suffer a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, saves and checks.

Sound Sensitivity: Any abrupt exposure to a very loud sound that originates from within range of the Vupdrax's Blindsight (e.g. Fireball, Shout, etc) deafens and suppresses the Vupdrax's Blindsight for 1 round. When the source of a continuous very loud sound (a roaring waterfall, dwarven foundry, tornado and the like) is within range of the Vupdrax's Blindsight, it suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls, saves, and checks.

Bonus proficiencies: Animal Handling(Bats/Dire Bats), Animal Training(Bats/Dire Bats), and Riding Airborne(Bats/Dire Bats)

Rogue skill adjustments: +40% detect noise

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