Drow

Cruel and cunning, drow are a dark reflection of the elven race. Also called dark elves, they dwell deep underground in elaborate cities shaped from the rock of cyclopean caverns. Drow seldom make themselves known to surface folk, preferring to remain legends while advancing their sinister agendas through proxies and agents. Drow have no love for anyone but themselves, and are adept at manipulating other creatures. While they are not born evil, malignancy is deep-rooted in their culture and society, and nonconformists rarely survive for long.

Description

Drow are similar in stature to humans, but share the slender build and features of elves, including the distinctive long, pointed ears. Their eyes lack pupils and are usually solid white or red. Drow skin ranges from coal black to a dusky purple. Their hair is typically white or silver, though some variation is not unknown.

Racial Traits

Ability Adjustment: +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution. Drow are nimble and manipulative, but share the frailty of their surface kin.
Size: Medium.
Speed: Drow base land speed is 30 feet.
Type: Humanoid (Elf).
Age: Drow mature at the same rate as other elves.
Vision: Darkvision 120 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and Drow can fuction just fine with no light at all.
Racial Skills: +2 bonus on Perception checks.

Special Qualities

Drow Immunities: Drow are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 Racial bonus on Saving Throws against Enchantment spells and effects.
Poison Use: Drow are skilled in the use of Poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves.
Spell Resistance (Su): A drow possesses an amount of Spell Resistance equal to 5 + their character level.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A drow can cast Dancing Lights, Darkness, and Faerie Fire, each once per day, using their total character level as their Caster Level.
Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light leaves drow Blinded for 1 round; on subsequent rounds, they are Dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
Weapon Familiarity: All Drow are proficient with the hand crossbow, rapier, and short sword.

Languages

Automatic Languages: Elven and Undercommon.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, Draconic, Gnome, Goblin, and Sakvroth.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above.
Ambitious Schemer: Seduction and treachery are tools for advancement in drow society, even for the martially inclined. Drow with this racial trait may choose either Bluff or Diplomacy as a class skill, and gain a +2 bonus on such skill checks. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
Ancestral Grudge: The enmity between the drow and elves and dwarves is long-standing and deeply entrenched. Drow with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against Humanoids with the dwarf or elf Subtypes (with the exception of drow) because of their special training against these reviled foes. This racial trait replaces poison use.
Blasphemous Covenant: Since their twisted beginnings, the drow have consorted with demons. Some drow have strong ties with these creatures and may call upon ancient and obscene associations to sway demonic cooperation. Drow with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks made against unbound creatures with the Demon Subtype. Furthermore, demons conjured with any summon spell gain +2 hit points per Hit Die. Lastly, the cost of bribes or offerings for any planar ally spell cast by these drow to summon a demon is reduced by 20%. This racial trait replaces keen senses and poison use.
Champion of Dark Powers: Some drow offer themselves to dark patrons, particularly demon lords. Drow with this racial trait apply their Spell Resistance only against spells with the good or healing descriptor or against spells cast by a divine spellcaster who worships a good-aligned deity. Anytime a drow with this racial trait casts a spell with the evil descriptor, the DC to resist the spell’s effects increases by 2. This modifies the spell resistance racial trait.
Defensive Training: Many drow cities are frequently beset by attacks from Aberrations, prompting the residents train themselves to defend against them. Drow gain a +4 Dodge Bonus to AC against Aberrations. This racial trait replaces drow immunities, keen senses, and poison use.
Seducer: Certain drow possess an innate understanding of the darkest desires that lurk in every heart. Drow with this racial trait add +1 to the saving throw DCs for spells and spell-like abilities of the Enchantment school. In addition, drow with a Wisdom score of 15 or higher may use Charm Person once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the drow’s character level). This racial trait replaces drow immunities.
Stalker: The lands outside of drow cities, from rough-hewn tunnels to rocky caverns, are treacherous to navigate. Drow with this racial trait may move through difficult terrain without penalty while underground. In addition, drow with a Dexterity of 13 or higher gain Nimble Moves as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the spell-like abilities racial trait.
Sure Step: Adventurers can spend their whole careers in the alleys and sewers of large cities or the tunnels of the Underworld. Characters with this trait suffer no movement penalties when Blinded or moving in Darkness. Drow can take this trait in place of keen senses.
Surface Infiltrator: Some drow dwell close to the surface lands, either because they serve drow causes or they were exiled. Drow with this racial trait gain Low-Light Vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. This racial trait replaces the darkvision and light blindness racial traits.
Underworld Guide: Those who brave the lightless tunnels below the world’s surface learn to identify the dangerous phenomena that characterize the Underworld. Characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Initiative checks, and on saves against traps and hazards when underground (from a lifetime of dodging accursed pools, cave-ins, and green slime). Drow can take this trait in place of keen senses.