Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

We will file suggestions here that did not make the cut. Don't expect detailed responses, but the most common reasons are:

  • implementing the suggestion is impractical, or too much work for the gain
  • the suggestion is thematically against our design philosophy
  • the suggestion is too detailed/low-level
    Keep your suggestions broad and focused on RP benefits, please, not detailed suggestions of how to fix everything.

Moderators: Active Admins, Forum Moderators, Active DMs, Contributors, Area Developers, Artist/Animator, Suggestion Moderators

Locked
User avatar
High Primate
Posts: 800
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:25 pm

Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by High Primate »

What it says. If you're a Drow on the surface during daylight hours, you should receive some sort of penalty, say, to your attack rolls, or suffer temporary blindness. This used to be a feature, long, long ago.
Some builds I've worked on (not recommended):
Charisma Battlecleric
"E-Dodge Brycer"
DirtyDeity
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:32 pm

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by DirtyDeity »

Almost every UDer I met on the surface in sunlight hours properly played out the vulnerability to sunlight.

That being the case, I don't know if mechanical enforcement is necessary. Although it likely would be cool if their stats were smashed in outdoor areas doing daytime. Also possible to have the same penalty for non-UD races while below.
Razmo_de
Posts: 171
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 4:49 pm

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by Razmo_de »

It would be cool. Its only -1 to some rolls.
http://www.dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Light_Sens ... e_Ability)
So it can be RP'd properly.
User avatar
Izaich
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:38 pm

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by Izaich »

While this may be more scripting than it's worth, I'd suggest that taking the Blind Fight feat removes the daylight penalty.
User avatar
livingNPC
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:35 am
Location: GMT+2

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by livingNPC »

If this is applied, then the same would go for surfacers when they enter ANY place with a roof and no light.
Winter83
Posts: 245
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:13 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by Winter83 »

The above statment imho would be more crucial imho to prevent surface people to merrily wander into the UD seeing those areas to be just another playground.
I am concerned for the atmosphere of the Underdark. It is a place of horror and dread. And -insanely- dark.
DirtyDeity
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:32 pm

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by DirtyDeity »

I am supporting alittle greater penalty than -1 AB. Something to make UDers more hesitant to go to surface, and make surfacers more hesitant to go to the UD.
aaa3
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by aaa3 »

Winter83 wrote:The above statment imho would be more crucial imho to prevent surface people to merrily wander into the UD seeing those areas to be just another playground.
I am concerned for the atmosphere of the Underdark. It is a place of horror and dread. And -insanely- dark.

Oh? REally? Since when?! :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I would go further than -1ab. Add penalties of kind of -4/-10 to all rolls and saves, make drow (and possible other stricly dark-tied races) object to some worse vision (having much darker/brighter screen). But also let them roam in day light - the pentalty striking them would be making them to consider if it is worth of.

Could be thing like letting them loose SR in daylight and similar, but i feel it would get sooo awfully buggy.

And yes, i like the idea that humans in UD should get at least symbolic penalties. Not like livingnpc suggests, everywhere under roof but tied specificly to UD - different air, presuire, etc to different it from surface caverns and buildings. Making the origional inhabbitants of UD like goblins, kobolds and others more natural to enviroment, than ever present humans who spread like bugs :D all around world.
yellowcateyes
Project Lead
Project Lead
Posts: 1445
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:02 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by yellowcateyes »

This topic crops up year after year, without fail.

I'm waiting for the True Sight versus Stealth one.
Dinosaur Space Program is my working partner on Arelith-related projects. If my inbox is full or I take a while to get back to you, feel free to PM them questions or concerns.
User avatar
Hunter548
Posts: 1869
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 5:40 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by Hunter548 »

"Bring back Dev Crit" is next on the docket, Cateyes.

I'm wary about humans-in-the-UD penalties if only because of how it would interact with outcasts and slaves.

"But they're not native so they should have penalties"

If outcast humans in the UD have penalties due to not being from there, then so should goblins, gnolls and kobolds, since they're all just as native to the Underdark.

Edit: Make penalties in the UD for humans removable with either a torch, a light spell or Ultravision spells. Make penalties on the surface removable for drow/duergar/orogs with, iunno, a special helmet or blindfight?
UilliamNebel wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 10:24 pm You're right. Participating in the forums was a mistake. Won't do this again.
Anime Sword Fighter wrote: I have seen far too many miniskirt anime slave girls.
aaa3
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by aaa3 »

I dont get it why to make penalties when every would be able to remove them? Pointless scripting leading to nothing...
User avatar
KregorRanger
Posts: 462
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 3:42 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by KregorRanger »

The penalties are meant to be a discouragement, not a true handicap. At epic levels, the -1 may not be much of a discouragement, granted, but by epic levels, your 'Darker has had the time to master his dealing with the hindrance, and a -1 should seem relatively minor to them.

NWN2 actually added the Light Sensitivity ability to the game, since Drow and Duergar are playable out of the box. As per PnP it's -1 for AB, saves and skills.

I see no reason to counter it with another feat, myself. It's minor enough it's just a discouragement for younger Darklings to go wandering topside.
SwampFoot
Posts: 255
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:20 am

Re: Penalties for Drow in Sunlight

Post by SwampFoot »

Perhaps the scripting used to determine a character's start location can be further used to add a penalty when in a location other than their starting server? Surface caves are better light than the deep 'Dark, so I can see such a penalty happening as that threshold is crossed.
Locked