Why has this races SR been altered from what it should be?
yes, normally (via the SRD) its Spell resistance is 11 + class levels. I am suprised no one noticed, albeit we have only had a few people play the race.
"Ya can hoot, ya can holla-make any noise ya like! But if ya cant chant, oh if ya cant chant, well…ya no cult o' mine!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7movKfyTBII
~Ishkokum Mes Mosof She'res~
"Congratulations, you can link to TV Tropes. This does not mean you have special insight into the storytelling process, much less the author's mind. Stories don't need to fit into neat boxes, you know.
Pathfinder drow. For someone who was arguing with me about planetouched and race balancing, I'm surprised you didn't catch that.
Well, when you consider that say for example a 10th lvl caster makes a caster lvl check on average of 20, for a drow being targeted 21 SR at 10th lvl as a PC is respectable. The enemy caster fails about half the time if his spell allows SR. A cleric using Spell Resistance can get a SR of 12+Caster lvl if for a short time and burning a 5th lvl slot. Contrast this with SR 16 the caster only fails when he rolls less than 6 (about 25% of the time, so its half as good).
Of course, thats if the caster is the same CR as the PC- in which case they're probably going up against the group by themselves if it were a very average encounter (of course a party could face CR's up to 4 higher than average). If the caster is just mixed into a group of enemies, like an enemy party and the CR were very average, or equal to the party lvl then the casters lvl would be lower and so the lower SR is hypothetically still affective.
I'm not certain whether its more 'balanced' one way or the other, but as I understand it that was one of the mechanical reasons to play a drow over a normal elf other than the darkvision. Is it worth 15REP? There are various ways to get SR but it usually doesnt improve with lvl and isnt worth what you have to do to get it.
"Ya can hoot, ya can holla-make any noise ya like! But if ya cant chant, oh if ya cant chant, well…ya no cult o' mine!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7movKfyTBII
~Ishkokum Mes Mosof She'res~
"Congratulations, you can link to TV Tropes. This does not mean you have special insight into the storytelling process, much less the author's mind. Stories don't need to fit into neat boxes, you know.
Re: Tammuz - Indeed, there are better ways to get SR and it isn't worth 15REP, but then is Warforged worth it either?
Re: Kara - I think you misunderstood what we did to races here to begin with. We didn't just cut and paste from Pathfinder, they are similar but not identical. The majority of our changes we readjusting level adjustment due to shifting stats from races up +2 on base scores. Changing the basic mechanics of the races was not something we messed with though some may be closer to PF than others.
Re: Generally - This isn't worth any REP, let alone 15. SR is the main reason it had it, and 6+Character level is… honestly useless.
Re: Tammuz - Indeed, there are better ways to get SR and it isn't worth 15REP, but then is Warforged worth it either?
Warforged? Lets see.
Immune to: poison, sleep effects, paraylsis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause sickened, and energy drain.
Light Fortification: 25% chance of ignoring a critical damage or Sneak Attack damage.
At the same time you dont heal naturally, heal only 1/2 as much from conjuration healing and are STILL subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, dazing, stunning, ability drain, ability damage, and death effects etc as normal.
Nonetheless, a nice set of benefits.
Duergar are Immune to: paralysis, phantasms, and poisons.
Sadly they are not immune to all mind affecting illusions (still affected by patterns). But I will say Immunity to poison might as well be a better version of Drow's poison use because not only can you NOT be poisoned while applying poison (immune), but you are immune to ALL poisons that might be used against you by enemies.
Duergar Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—Enlarge person and Invisibility as a wizard of the Duergar's level. are probably more useful than Drow's SLAs and they have a +4 Racial bonus on Hide and Move silently, making them good rogues or stealthy types. (Drow only have a +2 bonus, albeit to three skills)
NOW I will admit that DROW get TWO +2 to ability scores and one -2 while Duergar ONLY have one of each. Albeit Drow have a +2 on saves vs Enchantment, Duergar have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities that covers EVERYTHING. (Its also a benefit normal Dwarves have)
What the Drow HAD going for them was their SR which made 1/2 the things that hit them fail if they allowed SR basically assuming the caster was of the same lvl.
I will also note on the old site they were their original SRd versions.
"Ya can hoot, ya can holla-make any noise ya like! But if ya cant chant, oh if ya cant chant, well…ya no cult o' mine!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7movKfyTBII
~Ishkokum Mes Mosof She'res~
"Congratulations, you can link to TV Tropes. This does not mean you have special insight into the storytelling process, much less the author's mind. Stories don't need to fit into neat boxes, you know.
As the person who altered the race… they were altered because of the same people who are now playing them whining that they were too powerful.
Now, to dissect it…
First off, 15 rep races cost 15 rep because they are counted as "special" backgrounds.
Secondly drow gets EVERYTHING that a normal elf gets… except that it gains charisma instead of intelligence.
Thirdly drow gain SR (6+char level), three spell like abilities once per day each.
Fourthly drow gain darkvision 120', this is 60' further than any other race. However it is balanced with the light blindness. Unlike other races with darkvision it still gains lowlight vision (x2 human).
…. So I have to ask, how the hell is it not worth 15 rep? Sure… I'd love to see it back to core for +0LA, but I couldn't justify that without it being a full +1 LA as it should be.
From there I have this to say… there are half-X races (by x i mean, dragon/celestial/fiend and so on and so forth) and just about every one of them has a class level progression, one of them is even used here. All they require is a quick 15 rep (last i checked) and you're in them because you pay for the levels in them with exp. Pretty cheap ass cost to get half dragon in my opinion. My suggestion…. if you want it that badly you may as well take the lesser drow as its presented, and then allow them to take a 2 level PRC that grants them at 1st level a normal SRD drow's stats and at 2nd level the stats for a Noble Drow at the 2nd level of the PRC. But this is just my thoughts on the issue.
"One should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths…With an intense, fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgments within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side." — Hagakure
While it's on my mind, it may be pertinent to inform people they can get the same benefit as burning a 1st level feat from…10gp sunglasses, found in Sandstorm and Races of the Dragon. Just a thought before someone shoves a boot up someone else's rear-side over it.