SoA vs. what you thought of it?

[Chade Fallstar]

*** Could be a spoiler - so if you haven't yet visited the underdark - proceed with caiution ***


There's been at least a few posts somewhat
regarding this topic but I couldn't find them. People were 'complaining' about issues such as beholders not being deadly enough etc. I'm just pointing out something that really bugs me and I'd like to hear what / how you feel about it. It's the Underdark's Ust'Natha. From what I've red about the books dark elfs should be fearsome - cruel and very_very_very powerful. I mean - I was expecting my men (and women) to be beaten even by the 'average' fighters of the drow - not to mention the leaders & high priestesses. instead my 12th -13th level guys just rocked and before leaving I killed everyone in the whole city ... Even my mainguy who isn't a pure fighter could win any drow in hand-to-hand combat. He probably could have cleared the whole city on his own. I was very dissapointed ...

btw. In the city there's this 'fishy' thing that is threatening you. If you do not kill someone it'll expose you to the whole city. well, if you just don't so what it says and threaten back you get out of it (and 12000 exp.)

[Maurice]

I never really got into touch with Drow before, never read much about them. So I was 'clean' when I entered the city for the first time...

By now, I realise what they really are, how they act and such. Different from what I expected. I must add that I have most of this from my interaction with Viconia - romancing her gives you quite an insight in Drow culture.

Why would they be so much more powerful than your average Elf?? Would there be a reason for it (extended hardship or so...)??

[Chade Fallstar]

Well ... for starters - my guy's a human with the average lifespan of 70(?) years. Then again the elf's & drow's lifespan is 1200 years. From what I recall from the books is that every drow male that has gone through the Male Fighter's Society has around 30 years of training. I mean - my guy isn't even that old and there's no way he could match those guys.

[Chade Fallstar]

I think I pretty much compare those drow to Drizzt. According to the books he was the best of his class and he could even easily win his elder students. But he wasn't invincible, there were drow there that could allmost match him. Those drow of Ust'Natha are just 'sandbags to throw around'. A char like drizzt could easily kill the whole city. So why is Drizzt made as such powerful figure when all the other drow (that are suppost be also very powerful - eg. high priestesses of lloth) are 'sandbags'

In the books even Drizzt wouldn't go to hand-to-hand combat with a one priestess & couple of fighters cause he'd be dead in a second ... in the game you can just go and whack 'em - no problem.

[Maurice]

Ah, I see. In our own PnP RPG, Elves get a lifespan of about 300 years ... I didn't know how long they lived in AD&D.

But still ... there's only so much you can learn. Eventually training amounts to just keeping sharp.

[Bill]

From what i recall (ok,my RPG archive helps me a little) in the Menzoberranzan game,Drizzt joined your party for the first half of the game.Then he was kiddnaped and you tried to save him before he was sacrificed to Lloth.Drow warriors were not that powerful in that game either,but the comparison is wrong since this game had very different gameplay.
Anyway,i found something worth mentioning.In the bestiary description of the above game,there is one for Malice Do'Urden,the matron mother of house Do'Urden.In that description it is written that Malice,at the time of Drizzt's birth was busily engaged in an assault on House De Vir (yes,this is Viconia's House).She was breaking their defenses using magic,despite the fact that Drizzt's birth was a matter of hours.The destruction of house De Vir allowed Drizzt's house to ascend in the rank of drow houses.
When my party met Drizzt,Viconia made a comment about him which i don't recall,but i think it was something like underappreciation or dislike.As it seems,Viconia and Drizzt have a lot more in common than being drow and casted out of drow society (although for different reasons)

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