I have here an early concept sketch for our Drow line I will be getting to later on in this year. I like the brains of this place and thus am going to submit the concept art to your advice.
I am basing them off of Vault of the Drow.
This is a rough sketch at its earliest state. I will update new pics as I get them.
Imo, while it's neat to super-hero a drow, drow would be all about silence in the dark tunnels of the Underdark or UnderOerth. As a result, the boot blades have to go because nothing makes more noise than naked steel on stone in a tunnel. For the same reason, the helmet should be tight fitting and leave the ears uncovered. The drow needs to be able to peek around corners without his head gear scraping on anything. A cape is a bad idea because if he has to run away or levitate away from something, it gives the monster something it can latch on to.
That makes sense. I want to go with a straight blade meant for piercing and a buckler with some jabbity to it because tunnel fighting it all about poking things unmercifully.
I was going to get different heads on the miniatures, so there may be one helmeted drow amongst the pack, the other would have either a simpler helm or no helm at all.
Perhaps the option should not be superhero or not but surface vs underdark.
Within the underdark the drow should be silent and deadly - efficient tight fitting armour, controlled weapons to eliminate sound and little overt display.
However on the surface the drow could use cloaks for concealment from the sun and other races. Excessive overt display such as fearsome armour, complicated helms and even capes to initimidate the foolish surface races that haven't learned the deadliest killers have no need to advertise their skill. Indeed the whole surface apparel could be perceived as an enomous ruse by the drow.
In view of the previous comments, I would suggest that both could possibly be viewed as types of ceremonial armor as opposed to actual (daily) fighting armor, which I agree should be more practical.
I would agree with the comments the armour. Looking at the 2 sketches you have done youy have based the drow on Vault pictures, these I feel were good for the time but not really practical in the use or equipment just giving a terrifing image for players(always good to keep players on their feet)
I think though if you do opt for the more practical approach to the equipment the figures would look a little bland (not saying the sculpting would be poor but there would be little to be really eye catching).
I look forward to seeing any other sketches you have.
I do want to put more emphasis on appearance than practicality. I want them to look good on the table more than anything, really. However I do not want to betray the look of Vault of the Drow.
So basically in areas where there is sort of a fluid definition of how the drow were described I have taken my own design liberties.
I think they'll turn out great, though.
BTW, I should have the greens for the bullywugs and sahuagin any day now.
The cloak is kinda mandatory VotD gear since every single drow had one. The soft boots are likewise pretty mandatory for the classic look. On a functional basis, notches and projections on the edge of the bucklers are not normally a good idea given the way they are used in combat. The center spike is really traditional but I'd pass personally. Wider blades on the short swords are more traditional, but that is really a personal style call in a fantasy setting where blades are made of fantastic materials. I would like to see a hand crossbow shooter and a javelin thrower w/atal-atal, both core parts of the Drow threat in 1st ED.
The cloak is kinda mandatory VotD gear since every single drow had one. The soft boots are likewise pretty mandatory for the classic look. On a functional basis, notches and projections on the edge of the bucklers are not normally a good idea given the way they are used in combat. The center spike is really traditional but I'd pass personally. Wider blades on the short swords are more traditional, but that is really a personal style call in a fantasy setting where blades are made of fantastic materials. I would like to see a hand crossbow shooter and a javelin thrower w/atal-atal, both core parts of the Drow threat in 1st ED.
How would you all respond to a conversion of this first set of male drow warriors with interchangeable arms set with ranged weapons as Free City Assassin suggested? I could use the same torso and legs as the first pack, get them new heads and arm variants. Would that be acceptable?
I think a few standard packs of figures would be good, then you could provide some conversions for not only different weapons, but also different classes.
FWIW, I think it's imperative to showcase female drowic dominance too: there should, in general, be more female drow figures, and leaders should almost always be females, too. So, your conversions could be something like this:
Females standard pack of 3 (fighters with short swords)
- conversion kit 1 = clerics with maces and shields instead of bucklers
- conversion kit 2 = fighters with atlatls and javelins, hand-crossbows, bucklers
- conversion kit 3 = leader clerics with tentacle staff, demon staff, maces, and other EHP type equipment (sacrificial dagger, talisman of ultimate evil, etc.)
- conversion kit 4 = leader fighters with shields instead of bucklers
Males standard pack of 3 (fighters with short swords)
- conversion kit 1 = fighters with atlatls/javelins, hand-crossbows, bucklers
- conversion kit 2 = leader Ftr/MUs with swords, shields not bucklers, etc., and leader MUs (not also F/MUs)
I'd probably prefer there to be a greater variety of base figures vs. just three to work from, especially given that some figures are harder to show in standard fighter posts (Clerics and MUs casting, for example). Several of the figures should show ambidexterity too: attacking with two weapons, or perhaps even attacking and readying to cast a spell or using an innate magical ability (darkness, levitation, etc.). Having a levitating male and female figure would also be very useful!
Standard equipment on both should be chainmail armor, drowic boots and cloaks, short swords, daggers, and bucklers, with bucklers replaced by shields in leader-types, and short-swords by maces or tentacle rods/staves for high-level clerics, and staves and daggers for single-classes MUs.
Also FWIW, I think the male sketches above are far too muscular and hirsute: drow are still elves, and their ability score ranges in 1e are:
Fiend Folio 1e wrote:
Drow abilities are determined as follows: Strength 8 + 1-6 (6 + 1-6 for males); Intelligence 12 + 1-6 (10 + 1-8 for males); Wisdom 8 + 1-10 (8 + 1 4f or males); Dexterity 12 + 2-8; Constitution 4-16; Charisma 10 + 1-8 (8 + 1-8 for males).
I think a few standard packs of figures would be good, then you could provide some conversions for not only different weapons, but also different classes.
FWIW, I think it's imperative to showcase female drowic dominance too: there should, in general, be more female drow figures, and leaders should almost always be females, too. So, your conversions could be something like this:
Females standard pack of 3 (fighters with short swords)
- conversion kit 1 = clerics with maces and shields instead of bucklers
- conversion kit 2 = fighters with atlatls and javelins, hand-crossbows, bucklers
- conversion kit 3 = leader clerics with tentacle staff, demon staff, maces, and other EHP type equipment (sacrificial dagger, talisman of ultimate evil, etc.)
- conversion kit 4 = leader fighters with shields instead of bucklers
Males standard pack of 3 (fighters with short swords)
- conversion kit 1 = fighters with atlatls/javelins, hand-crossbows, bucklers
- conversion kit 2 = leader Ftr/MUs with swords, shields not bucklers, etc., and leader MUs (not also F/MUs)
I'd probably prefer there to be a greater variety of base figures vs. just three to work from, especially given that some figures are harder to show in standard fighter posts (Clerics and MUs casting, for example). Several of the figures should show ambidexterity too: attacking with two weapons, or perhaps even attacking and readying to cast a spell or using an innate magical ability (darkness, levitation, etc.). Having a levitating male and female figure would also be very useful!
Standard equipment on both should be chainmail armor, drowic boots and cloaks, short swords, daggers, and bucklers, with bucklers replaced by shields in leader-types, and short-swords by maces or tentacle rods/staves for high-level clerics, and staves and daggers for single-classes MUs.
Also FWIW, I think the male sketches above are far too muscular and hirsute: drow are still elves, and their ability score ranges in 1e are:
Fiend Folio 1e wrote:
Drow abilities are determined as follows: Strength 8 + 1-6 (6 + 1-6 for males); Intelligence 12 + 1-6 (10 + 1-8 for males); Wisdom 8 + 1-10 (8 + 1 4f or males); Dexterity 12 + 2-8; Constitution 4-16; Charisma 10 + 1-8 (8 + 1-8 for males).
They're specifically described as "slight of build" for example.
This is a very helpful post. I will send this to the artist who is doing the pictures for me and let him make according changes. I like the breakdown of your packs quite a bit. I have a version similar to those myself, but yours are better. I am most probably going to make them as you say.
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