Dark elves and drow

Dark elves and drow are the black sheep of the elven race. Originally, the dark elves split from the first elves because of their interest in destructive magic, the shroud of darkness and the night. While dark elves have been seen as an eloquent and wise sect of elves in the past, their recent workings with demons have shattered that image. Now they are discriminated against in many parts of the world and have found a harsh existence after the fall of their last king, Nárindo. A few dark elves still exist within the Kingdom of Náraleth, being select individuals that Undariel Blackstar, the new king, has allowed to stay. While both dark elves and drow have earned a bad name for themselves, it is the drow that are the true degenerates and traitors of their kin. They have embraced the teachings of the devil lord Kyil'Zhal and gave themselves up for the flames of Hell. Currently, most drow are hiding underground and continuing to study demonology while the dark elves on the surface are trying to survive, hiding their identities and masking themselves as gray elves.

## Physical description

Both dark elves and drow are quite similar physically as not much time has passed since the drow have even been acknowledged as another group. The males average at around 190 centimeters in height and have quite a thin body. The females are around 180 centimeters in their average height with an even thinner body. The males weigh around 70 kilograms while the females are at around 60 kilograms. Dark elves and drow have a variable skin tone, with most having a dark and muddy brown or gray color combined with a tint of blue or purple. Their hair is almost always white. Their facial features sometimes give them an angry look on their face and their slanted eyebrows have become a defining feature for them. Dark elves are known to be quite long-lived, reaching ages of around 500 to 600 years. The drow are presumed to be the same.

## Society

The dark elves do not have any nations of their own after Undariel Blackstar took Náraleth for the gray elves. Little is known about the drow but they are presumed to be living in split communities, with no greater nations existing. While they were once the most numerous of the elven subraces, their numbers are now very similar to the high elves, if not even less. Still, it is difficult to determine their true total because of their nature to hide and the splitting of the drow.

## Rules

* **Ability Score Modifiers:** Dark elves and drow acknowledge the importance of studying and know how to use their agile bodies, but have sacrificed their fortitude in search of greater magical power and ruined their reputation because of their demonic pacts. Dark elves and drow gain +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution and -2 Charisma.
* **Size:** Medium
* **Type:** Humanoid, elf
* **Base speed:** 30 feet
* **Languages:** Dark elves and drow begin play speaking Common and Elven. Dark elves and drow with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following; Undercommon, Abyssal, Infernal, Aklo, Dark Folk, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Orc, Goblin and Necril.

* **Destructive Magic:** When casting a spell that deals hit point damage, the dark elf or drow casting the spell may inflict one additional point of damage with it while also dealing one point of damage to themselves, if they so choose. If the spell hits multiple targets, the dark elf or drow only applies damage to himself once. This effect is increased by +1 for every 2 levels you have, with the maximum being +10 damage at level 18. This bonus damage cannot be increased by any effect and is applied after other modifiers. This bonus only applies once to a spell, not once per missile or ray, and cannot be split between multiple missiles or rays. This bonus damage is halved for damaging spells that have a radius (such as *Fireball*) but the dark elf or drow still suffers full damage. The damage is of the same type as the spell (except for the self-inflicted damage, which is always untyped) and can be negated or reduced with a successful saving throw or sufficient resistances. You must choose whether to use this trait as you cast your spell and before any saving throws are made or any damage is dealt.
* **Elven Immunities:** Dark elves and drow are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
* **Keen Senses:** Dark elves and drow gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
* **Shadow Elf:** Dark elves and drow can cast *Darkness* three times a day as a spell-like ability, using their total character level as caster level. In addition, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks.
* **Poison Use:** Dark elves and drow are skilled in the use of poisons and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves.
* **Weapon Familiarity:** Dark elves and drow are proficient with hand crossbows, rapiers, and shortswords, and treat any weapon with the word “elven” and "drow" in its name as a martial weapon.
* **Superior Darkvision:** Dark elves and drow can see perfectly in the dark up to 120 feet.
* **Light Blindness:** Abrupt exposure to any bright light blinds dark elves and drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

* **Heritage:** Players must choose if they belong to the older generation of dark elves or the newer generation of drow. You must choose one of the following racial traits. This choice is mostly made for roleplaying reasons as people may view dark elves and drow differently.

* **Nightborn:** Choosing to be a dark elf replaces Superior Darkvision with Improved Darkvision (Dark elves can see perfectly in the dark up to 90 feet) and removes Light Blindness. In addition, they remove their -2 penalty to Charisma.

* **Duskfallen:** Choosing to be a drow removes Common as a starting language and adds Infernal and Drow Sign Language as starting languages (Drow with high Intelligence scores can still choose Common as an additional language). In addition, drow possess spell resistance (SR) equal to 6 + their total character level.

### Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. In addition, those with the Nightborn racial trait have access to all alternate racial traits normally available to elves and those with the Duskfallen racial trait have access to all alternate racial traits normally available to drow. Consult your GM before selecting any new options.

* **House of Spiders:** Instead of damaging magic, some dark elves and drow are more interested in poisons. Dark elves and drow with this racial trait increase the save DC of any poison effects that they inflict by 1. In addition, they gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against poison and a +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks. This racial trait replaces Destructive Magic.
* **Student of the Blade:** On occasion, dark elves and drow have been known to be talented martial warriors and masters of various bladed weapons, having sacrificed their magical studies in favor of these pursuits. Dark elves and drow with this racial trait gain *Exotic Weapon Proficiency* as a bonus feat. They must select a bladed weapon, such as a sword or a dagger, capable of dealing slashing damage when choosing their weapon for this feat. This racial trait replaces Destructive Magic and Shadow Elf.
* **Explosive Magic:** Some dark elves and drow have dedicated their lives to destroying everything in their path with magic, even if this means disregarding their own survival. Dark elves and drow with this racial trait double the effects of Destructive Magic. This racial trait alters Destructive Magic and replaces Elven Immunities, Shadow Elf, Poison Use, and Weapon Familiarity