I am making ranger character for Dragon Heist and Dungeon of the Mad Mage. I plan on becoming a gloom stalker. I dont know if I should be drow or wood elf. I am using the customizing your origin rules from TCoE
A couple of thoughts: Drow: Sunlight sensitivity is an issue you will need to manage, but in a dungeon its not a big deal. 150 ft dark vision is going to be great. The spells are charisma based, so even though faerie fire is a great spell you will probably be bad at it. Darkness is not bad, even though you can't see through it, its a good way to cover a side in battle. Nice flavorful choice. If you have the ability scores to justify it, Drow High Magic feat is great.
Wood Elf - I am not sure if Mask of the Wild really comes into play in a dungeon. So you really only get increased movement (which is great).
If you are playing a melee ranger I would go with Wood Elf, if I was playing a ranged ranger I would play drow.
I love my Drow Gloom Stalker. A dip in Twilight Cleric gives you 300 foot darkvision, so if you are a ranged Ranger in the underdark you can rain death down and never get touched. Might not be as useful in a heist case tho.
The loading property of crossbows is annoying to manage and requires a feat. With the few number of feats on a Ranger I prefer longbow. I would probably go Elven Accuracy at 4th and then grab sharpshooter at 8th. That gives you problems with point blank range, but that can be manageable.
Also, should my GS use a heavy crossbow or something like a bow or 2 hand crossbows and crossbow expert with ranged build?
So if you are taking crossbow expert you weild one hand crossbow not two. You get a bonus shot but have to have a hand free to load it. So assuming 5th level you get two shots for your action and a bonus action/shot for weilding a light weapon, which the hand crossbow is a light weapon. As a Gloom stalker you would also get your dread ambush attack in round one as part of your action. Hand crossbow= 4 attacks in round one!
Ok late to this discussion but … Drow would potentially work in madmage but would have serious problems in dragonheist as it takes place primarily above ground in Waterdeep . Without some serious disguise ability simply being a Drow should create massive extra problems walking around.
Ok late to this discussion but … Drow would potentially work in madmage but would have serious problems in dragonheist as it takes place primarily above ground in Waterdeep . Without some serious disguise ability simply being a Drow should create massive extra problems walking around.
Even back in 2nd Edition, Waterdeep was a relatively tolerant place. A drow walking openly through the streets was more likely to attract odd looks rather than torches and pitchforks. Especially if they were part of a group that was mostly non-drow.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I prefer drow, just for the flavor. The spells are fun, Sunlight Sensitivity is annoying but interesting. Wood Elf is just boring in comparison. I dunno, to each their own.
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I am making ranger character for Dragon Heist and Dungeon of the Mad Mage. I plan on becoming a gloom stalker. I dont know if I should be drow or wood elf. I am using the customizing your origin rules from TCoE
A couple of thoughts:
Drow: Sunlight sensitivity is an issue you will need to manage, but in a dungeon its not a big deal. 150 ft dark vision is going to be great. The spells are charisma based, so even though faerie fire is a great spell you will probably be bad at it. Darkness is not bad, even though you can't see through it, its a good way to cover a side in battle. Nice flavorful choice. If you have the ability scores to justify it, Drow High Magic feat is great.
Wood Elf - I am not sure if Mask of the Wild really comes into play in a dungeon. So you really only get increased movement (which is great).
If you are playing a melee ranger I would go with Wood Elf, if I was playing a ranged ranger I would play drow.
I love my Drow Gloom Stalker. A dip in Twilight Cleric gives you 300 foot darkvision, so if you are a ranged Ranger in the underdark you can rain death down and never get touched. Might not be as useful in a heist case tho.
Thanks for the advice!
Also, should my GS use a heavy crossbow or something like a bow or 2 hand crossbows and crossbow expert with ranged build?
The loading property of crossbows is annoying to manage and requires a feat. With the few number of feats on a Ranger I prefer longbow. I would probably go Elven Accuracy at 4th and then grab sharpshooter at 8th. That gives you problems with point blank range, but that can be manageable.
Half Elf or Yaun-Ti.
So if you are taking crossbow expert you weild one hand crossbow not two. You get a bonus shot but have to have a hand free to load it. So assuming 5th level you get two shots for your action and a bonus action/shot for weilding a light weapon, which the hand crossbow is a light weapon. As a Gloom stalker you would also get your dread ambush attack in round one as part of your action. Hand crossbow= 4 attacks in round one!
Ok late to this discussion but … Drow would potentially work in madmage but would have serious problems in dragonheist as it takes place primarily above ground in Waterdeep . Without some serious disguise ability simply being a Drow should create massive extra problems walking around.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Even back in 2nd Edition, Waterdeep was a relatively tolerant place. A drow walking openly through the streets was more likely to attract odd looks rather than torches and pitchforks. Especially if they were part of a group that was mostly non-drow.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I prefer drow, just for the flavor. The spells are fun, Sunlight Sensitivity is annoying but interesting. Wood Elf is just boring in comparison. I dunno, to each their own.
This is what happens when you let a nothic onto the forums. My friends call me ic2Se.
PFP by Martin Grip. I rp, sometimes. World’s most frustrating Extended Signature, here to deliver.
Amateur mapmaker (link) and forever GM. DJ’s proud Second in Shroom. My long-dead corpse. Have a great Friday!