Hiya! I have long desired to experience playing D&D, which has grown more & more over the recent years! For sake of argument i had missed-out in my youth, (not knowing some friends were players) & by mid20s life can be understandably busy.
Well, over the course of my years conversing with close friends & good acquaintances (often DMs) who would ask about, some character ideas i'd had in mind. (admittedly not exclusively D&D) i learned a lot from them, but also was noticing something rather interesting.
When asked what my "ideal RP character" would be like, & my short answer being, "a support (heal/buffs) that can defend itself with a 2H sword if foes get too close, AND provide a bit of CC (preferably an AoE Ice/Freeze spell) so that i may still contribute towards the party, particularly when allies are buffed, and not in immediate need of healing."
its totally cool if you don't like this, hopefully it doesn't rouse anger. but what i had noticed, was this seemed to actually cause some confusion for those who offered to try helping me custom fit this into a D&D campaign setting.
Sometimes even leading up to the person telling me later, how it was actually bothering them that they could not think of how this could be implemented. or Other times i would simply be told, "that the cleric class would be a close option, but unfortunately cannot use 2H swords."
Well.. "Challenge Accepted.."
i was encouraged to explore the lore, and seek if there was something hidden there that might help, that may well just be unknown to us.
skip ahead a few years, & i've not only begun to further embrace my affinity for Elves.. but would eventually find myself learning of dark elves & wondering if something may lay in wait for me there. (if nothing else, i was sure to find a good read. haha) low and behold i learned of the Dark Maiden, or Drow Goddess Eilistraee.. parts of her compelling story, and her affinity for sword wielding clergy or priest/priestesses... (yes, males too. sometime roughly 1700ish, maybe 1760-80) this i had learned, not long after a friend & i had discussed WoW having a Drow Paladin, that (somewhat) closely resembled 'that thing' i was looking for.
I have been super excited, ever since learning of Eilistraee, as well as her Sword Dancers, Darksong Knights, Silverhair Knights, & nearly anything/everything that i've found so far in this quite personal quest.
So i could have just skipped any backstory (on the search) & asked, "Hello, can some cool people help me by sharing some info, resources, or suggestions to help aid in my research of Eilistraeen characters & classes?" but had felt it somewhat important that i did share this. so that our dear helpful reader may be know, that i have begun to find some great info searching already, and that i am still searching for lots more.
admittedly i am not exactly the wealthiest individual (monetarily) otherwise i'd have already bought a copy of nearly every Drow (& Elf, lol) related book/text/info, that is available for purchase.
but since i am adamant in this pursuit, and not in a hurry to merely 'create my ideal character', I am looking for recommendations of source material information that may assist me in broadening my understanding of the Drow & Elf historical relationships, Particularly when it comes to Eilistraee & her followers. but not outright exclusive to being that alone, either.
if you, the dear reader might offer some assistance with this, it would be greatly appreciated! ^_^ Thank you
--------- (for instance) If you were to recommend a few things (books) from The Forgotten Realms era... Which would you personally suggest that i tried reading/exploring first? (no limits, list as many as you like. would appreciate a summary of "why", if you'd be so kind. TY) ----------
My goals for this quest have changed, perhaps more than just a little bit.. as i had recently found a few versions, of each Eilistraeen Character class mentioned above, (from former D&D editions) that were shared with a different person who had similar ambitions & class questions.. (that was on reddit)
How the goal has somewhat changed, is that i am still leaning more towards making a custom class. that is HEAVILY influenced by the wealth of lore, & not necessarily a 1:1 conversion/incorporation of these unique classes, as they were originally designed in the past.
I'm not a stranger to modding video games, & if it were my intent to brute force build a character, only so that it suits my preferences.. without respecting the lore, then I am fairly confident in my ability to have already done this, quite awhile ago. lol
But.. i do appreciate & have quite a fondness for the lore that i've been privileged to learn thus far, & feel somewhat compelled to continue learning more.. where i will perhaps tackle this, and perhaps maybe even be "a bit more ambitious" by... "remixing" or revamping these classes which are already quite unique.. with a heavier emphasis on the lush lore, and not strictly borrowing from game mechanics alone. (i am not knocking these classes, and am thankful i even found some of their more detailed info!)
thus out of respect, i may go the route of creating a faction (could be wrong word, sorry) of Eilistraeen priest(esses)(s) especially since the lore makes mention of how different communities, and temples are going to live and evolve independently from one another, and are likely to have their own differences.
BUT the last thing i'd want to do, is make promises which may not come to fruition. so for now, i am primarily focused on homebrewing these classes & can only say for sure that those will be shared some point down the road, when i feel they are closer to being ready for testing/review/tweaks or completion. i will of course post it here, at that time.. for those who may be interested. (if it were posted offsite, i would request permission before linking it here, just incase. & in respect of the rules stated on dndbeyond's website.)
i do have more ideas for a few different potential campaigns, for both The Underdark & surface world (lol) settings. but i do not plan to rush any of that, so no promises when or if i'll have any of that to share.. or at least know that likely would not be anytime soon.
Thank you so much for any info you may have available to share, or for helping point me in the right direction! & also an extra thank you, if you took the time to read my post outside of the highlighted areas.
if you would like to collaborate or spin further ideas, we can of course start right here. ^_^ & we can see where it may go from there on. <3 Note. i wouldn't mind providing links to resources i've found so far if requested, but will have to quadruple check the rules about links. & confirm my assertion that any/all resources gathered thus far were by completely legal/legitimate means as i believe them all to be. (most are fan wikis, or YT lore reads, outside of.. The Dark Maiden beckons - On the Drow goddess Eilistraee and her Faith. which appears published & is currently free at time of writing this.. & what i've just recently begun investigating into. so please correct me if i've made an accidental error.)
Id suggest checking out the forgotten realms wiki page about her, which gives a pretty in depth summary. And at the bottom, has a list of every time she was referenced and/or appeared in pretty much anything. Cant say for sure if the list misses anything or not, but it should give you a good starting point.
As far as homebrewing something, I have to ask, have you played much? I’m asking not to bring you down, but because Homebrewing effective, full character classes, and subclasses, is very difficult. And honestly, I can think of a number of ways to generate the kind of character you describe (or at least get really close) within the existing rules. Especially if you use the optional rules included in Tasha’s. No homebrew required.
Thank you for the suggestion! ill start or continue from there. No i haven't actually played, and i do understand in more ways than one, its not the simplest task. i do hope i didn't insinuate that it would be easy in itself. but i have created custom characters for other games, & often it requires researching all the mechanics, and considering how they will impact everything else in the game, not just opponents but allies alike for example. it's okay though nothing you said has (or likely would, in all honesty) discourage me, as its really just something i enjoy contemplating and gradually working towards on the side.
in theory, i could.. have taken already existing spells, or attributes, weighed them out (such as what level a class would traditionally gain them) and for lack of a more graceful word, shoved them together. but i really want to honor the lore (there is a lot, for a seemingly forgotten deity) & see where i can incorporate specific qualities that i found particularly interesting in the descriptions of , lets say Sword Dancers. and while i think they are amazing as they are (albeit only recently found their info, after idk ~3, maybe 4 or more years of searching) i don't personally feel the class mechanics (that i've seen) were quite as close to the lore description as they perhaps could be. nothing wrong with that. i just felt that instead of a sort of 'replacement' id come up with an alternative version of those classes.
i could elaborate a bit, before i catch some ZzZz.. but for instance, Eilistraee clerics are/were traditionally classified under the light domain. (or optionally nature now) which on the surface doesn't seem like it would be an issue, unless one considers that Drow have the trait which allows them to see better in the darkness. (decently far too) but have worse vision in the daylight. essentially a Drow cleric in the light domain, would be blinding themselves. as i am not the first to make a post about that fact. & of course the benefit of seeing well in the dark, could be forfeit in exchange to not be (as) blinded by their own spells.. but idk, i personally don't really like that idea, as it feels kinda contradictory to play a Drow in the first place, if its more or less just a regular elf cleric light domain.
its really but just 1 example. as it is one of the more obvious ones, but far from the only one i've run across. or others have found before i'd considered it myself.
i'm still trying to remember the source, but for instance there was at one point a war, or a particular standoff where clerics repeatedly blinded the Drow with their light, in order to keep them at bay and from losing their tactical position.
not trying to say, that a drow cleric, could never use the light domain. not at all. just that it doesn't sound particularly appealing for my own liking. & part of my inspiration for, going a "faction" ish route, was so that i might also explore some subtle differences that could be possible with lets say a half Drow, half Elf.. which i was starting to lean into myself for my personal character, as i think that could be a lot of fun to RP. but i didn't want to abandon the native Drow Eilistraeen cleric just because i could personally use that as sort of a work around. if i chose to do that.
^_^ i am most definitely interested in hearing the ideas you might like to share! & i too do not want to sound dismissive of ideas that others find compelling to work with in their own creations. that was kinda why my post was longer than initially intended, & described a few layers of my desires for the class & how they slightly changed over time as i learned more and more. i am def not an expert at D&D, but i do have an odd passion for analyzing systems, and finding exploits, which in the past could help other developers incase something was behaving outside of its intended range of purposes. (so im not too intimidated by the difficulty of such tasks)
i am still learning about Tasha's new options. but do not know too much about it, other than a bit about the Twilight domain, which seems very nice. but was under the impression it was still being revised, so i don't even know exactly what may have changed as i have not purchased a copy yet, but am considering gifting it for myself this Xmas. as it sounded to have even more interesting things than just Twilight domain. (of course it does, but in reference to my pet project lol)
So thank you again for the shares, and i would most definitely welcome any suggestions you'd like to offer! just attempting to be clear that i wasnt strictly looking to build a build, (altho for sure, that aspect alone has stumped players & GM alike. & i've nothing set in stone atm regarding a steady tested build) and that i am indeed enjoying myself learning about the lore, and seeing what has been done, what may be done currently, and if i decide to borrow a bit, and also change or add some things to enhance my own roleplay experience, that id be more than happy to share it with others if it was something they also had interest in. & imo posting about it here on a D&D forum made the most sense. this way anyone can make suggestions, discuss ideas, or (respectfully) debate the concept as a whole. so even after it becomes ready for testing, or more established (for my own personal homebrew ^^) and perhaps finished form. that anyone could still consider other points and perspectives which may come up here. so that they may have a bit more choice, beyond an alternative interpretation of how the class could be, based on lore, as well the findings and concerns of other players. (instead of working on it alone, and asking friends to test it, and then posting it somewhere online)
before i retire for a few hours of rest. i'd just like to give some personal props to you ^_^ i legitimately felt pretty bad after seeing the disheartened look on some faces of friends who were perplexed at how something like this could be implemented. to the extent my primary worry, of posting about it publicly has been (& still kinda is) that i do not want anyone to feel bad, or stress themselves over it. so that is all i ask, is that whatever may come, better or worse. i sincerely hope that it does not cause anything of the sort for you, or another here. but i do have to give you the props for already having some good ideas flowing within, so quickly after the initial post ^_^ & thank you again for taking the time to offer several great ideas, suggestions, and tips that will undoubtedly be an amazing assist in this endeavor!
i always strive to admit my short comings, and organization is not my strongest quality by far. but being highly detail oriented, i do my best, albeit often gotta get creative working towards the goals in life lol or otherwise just muscle through until the near end, when i have soo much info, that i can work top down and simplify/summarize or tidy things up without the clutter of my unconventional thought process hehe <3
take care & cheers! && thank you again for the lovely shares ^^
Well, any cleric you play will be good at support. No matter the domain they'll be able to cast healing word, cure wounds, and other higher level heal spells as they level. They'll all be able to cast bless, guidance, the various restoration spells, whatever you like. Elestree is also associated with the life domain (which are the best healers in the game). Twilight, as you noted, is probably a good thematic fit for her, and its really quite powerful as subclasses go.
Tasha's lets you swap out standard racial ability scores to other abilities (this is really quite controversial, so you'd need to check with your DM if they allow it. In fact, everything in Tasha's is optional, so you'd need DM approval). If they do, put your ability bumps into Wisdom and Strength instead of dex and charisma. If your DM doesn't, you'll still be able to put together a good, effective character, they just won't be fully, statistically optimized, but I get a sense you're not too worried about mathematical optimization, so maybe you don't even need to worry about that. Tasha's also lets you swap out weapon proficiencies, so you can trade your traditional drow weapons for a greatsword. (This bit is probably less controversial.)
Ice spells are where it gets a little tricky. There aren't a whole lot of ice related spells in the game that clerics get access to. Ditto AoE spells, cleric do get a couple, but that usually belongs to other classes. Tempest domain clerics get access to sleet storm and ice storm, which definitely fits the bill of what you're looking for. Tempest clerics also get proficiency in martial weapons, so you wouldn't have to mess with swapping your drow proficiencies, you'd just have the greatsword option, and not for nothing, heavy armor.
Another possibility would be a bard. They get access to healing spells, and throwing around buffs to allies is a core class feature. However, they don't get many AoE spells, either.
AoE spells in general are typically wizard and sorcerer options. (In general, there are certainly exceptions).
But really, the easiest thing to do would be to go tempest cleric, which can do everything you describe just off the shelf. Then maybe just find a way to re-skin it to fit the god you have in mind.
Something to consider about light, is that light spells do /not/ give drow disadvantage. Sunlight sensitivity says:
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Few of your spells cause direct sunlight.
I'm not saying you should select light domain, I am saying that you should make sure that it really does what you think it does before dismissing it.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Twilight is a perfect domain for Eilistraee. And it's a strong domain. It's about buffing, healing. And you get martial weapon proficiency for your greatsword. Please take twilight, we need nore clerics of this awesome domain :)
Twilight is pretty massively overpowered, but the OP said he doesn't have Tasha's to work with.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
@Tenawa yes thank you !^!^! i like what ive seen with Twilight, and have discussed it a bit with friends they are rather relax with rules, which is fine to me heh so i'm hopeful to figure it out soon enough. that was part of the confusion i was facing actually, i wasn't sure if i'd be able to take Twilight, Life, etc.. or as i'd found out there is an Eilistraeen cleric that uses the domain feature for 5e as suggested in Eilistraeen Orders and Characters.pdf the thing is, im kinda looking if there is a way to get the basic lore traits lol but i guess in a way that these features could also be (somewhat) easily implemented for other classes. as a lot applies beyond cleric, paladin, bard ^_^ (it just makes sense that they'd be likely to take interest in 'the cause'.) *wonders to self, if there was a party buff feature, maybe in an older edition.* hah i think ill just ask some friends and potential group how they'd prefer to handle switching of domains or multiclassing n such, & go from there in the meantime. but ill keep thinking & maybe we'll find the answer sooner or in a future edition.
@Xalthu Hey thanks so much ^_^ you know i wondered myself, and have to laugh (now) why Tempest domain cleric wasn't suggested sooner. but i would guess that maybe cleric isn't entirely the most widely popular class (not solely in D&D, rather in general) just based on the reactions i get when most people learn that i actually WANT to play a more support/healing oriented role.
i think you are right though, i had tried to cross check this, but the info may be different across editions so i dont wanna say it still applies, but basically between Drow's inherited traits and Tempest having access to, the Ice spells, Martial Weapons, & Medium or Heavy armor... these are essentially doubled down on being able to do what i initially desired, right there in the vanilla rules lol (outside ice spells, & heavy armor) and of course not forgetting that Drow are not exactly a traditional player characters chosen race/lineage.
So i do think, i will start from here like you suggested. ^_^ this way i can play a one-shot or perhaps join some friends in an adventure sooner as opposed to later. This is pretty good news & its just kinda funny to me that it was there all along haha was kinda hoping and theorizing it might/should be. i didn't want to just assume that it was in the game though, simply for being able to do this in a very-very-very-handful-few digital rp games in the past 15years. so thank you much, your descriptions gave me a lot of insight into what i was looking for, and how i might take it further down the road.
@crzyhawk hi thank you for bringing this to my attention and to everyone elses. it wasnt my intention to suggest that ALL or MOST 'light domain' spells would cause a Drow char disadvantages. (i was under the impression there were ~4 that did create "direct sunlight effect" but the exact number wasnt entirely my issue or point) this next part is to everyone, but your post helped me reevaluate the question a bit, so bon appetite. & thanks ^_^
i went back and did some more study on the source material i could find, to see if i could describe the challenge itself better, realizing my original question was a bit too broad (which is fine, but being more specific can help find specific answers) .
the thing that was confusing me originally, is how this "domain" thing is implemented in the game. its a multiclass system, i grasp this much & am learning more about it mechanically. & i could mention how it feels at times a bit convoluted like the "feats" system, at times.. but i do understand essentially that its how the game has balanced, and allows for subclassing which is makes each archetypal/role more personable.
So for now i'll iterate what the problems i've found are, First what could be obvious, but it wasnt apparent to me right away, thecharacters described in lore, are very likely NOT LVL 1 CHARACTERS (& this likely explains why in the lore, these titles contain attributes belonging to separate classes listed below) basically.. there are these beautiful alternative classes
Sword Dancer of Eilistraee (versions.. Cleric Domain, v2 "path of growth", old version) Darksong Knight (Paladin Oath) Silverhair Knight (Paladin Oath) College of the Spellsong (Bardic College)
and the classes themselves look great, dont get me wrong. sparking tons of ideas in my head, but heres the thing..(s?)
as i've found it so far described in different parts of the lore, generally a follower of Eilistraee is described as having features belonging to more than one individual class listed above. & the easiest fix i could recommend, is to discuss between players and DM if it's alright for a player to essentially use portions out of 2 or 3 of the 4 "classes". I'm seeking other suggestions, because wither you read up on those specific classes or take my summary, the way it feels or appears perhaps, is very close to the 5e format of having a class, with its domain or subclass. except the lore on , lets say a Sword Dancer compared to a Knight beit Silverhair or Darksong.. and please don't forget i am speaking entirely broadly here, in generalities.. in general a sword dancer is described somewhere between a priest(ess) or cleric, sword wielding warriors, holy crusaders, a creative bard, primarily. but with a lot of mention on rouges & spell casters as well. and some more open statements of how its not specific to 'class' in itself, but more so factors like how closely someone is to one of these very secret benevolent groups, for things like, if they'd honor the principles of stealth, which is why the armor class is bumped down to medium or light, as getting away undetected can mean life or death, not just for a small group but an entire community.
and lets just say the lore difference between a Sword Dancer, Spell Song, & Knight seems a bit more about goals/aspirations, with remaining aspects of specialization attributed there, albeit i think maybe less than a conventional character's class .. and "character class/role" is pretty close but its just not entirely the same i think.
i bring it up because, all of those classes, pretty much have a dancing stealth mechanic. which i quite like seeing some of the ways it was implemented & think they could be a lot of fun. & of course, people can imagine all sorts of ways / reasons a character would have graceful evasion on the battlefield.
essentially what i been trying to say, is i think the classes are great how they are. i hope more people consider using them even. i just got really hooked somewhere on the Eilistraeen lore, & i'm still thinking of ways to simplify i guess how to make a cleric, feel more true to the qualities attributed with an "Eilistraeen cleric" but i did learn that while many of these qualities began with priests, paladins, then bards, rouges warriors and sorcerers etc. it really feels like it was meant for all classes, and was maybe 'tucked away for later'. just speculating, but seems a great attempt at squishing ~4-5 classes into a class+domain system.
but in my humble opinion, until 6e or 7e idk id consider working with the DM to fit some of the key things in these classes that fit your characters story/background/lineage. such as a Blessing from Eilistraee.. or see if the player is interested in incorporating these character quests with the group, or if downtime is an option. but here is a small list of features ascribed to the general 'followers' of eilistraee, (some of these may be more particular in terms of a Drow OR escapee/creature of the underdark character backstory. A) if you have food & someone is hungry, feed them. Do not inflict Tyranny or stand by and be a witness when it stands before you. B) encouraged to create a magical sword AND instrument (with separate conditions to create and maintain, each) to connect further with the goddess. C) (Drow Trait) make/repair magical armor(for self) // it is said Eilistraee CAN Grant a Drow knowledge to craft armor that does not wither in sunlight like normal drow armor would. D) make moon light portals or have access to moonlight portals, traditionally these have trials and levels. they are part of a secret network, often involving rescue missions or protecting portals as they have limits outside of direct moonlight, that are surpassed or reached by few. (~150ftmax, with few exceptions) Advanced Moonfire E) is encouraged to wield a sword type weapon, does not have to, but gains a bonus from the goddess with 2H swords, like longswords (officially, slash dmg + blade = ok / sword) magic sword/instrument = craft + attunement
F) also, as long as they are not over encumbered, & are wearing light (in some instances medium) armor or less in weight.. they can keep an evasion bonus of some kind (there are several listed) which could be a small stat bonus, or skills the player might acquire with saving rolls or extra damage rolls. (Wardancer Feat) i'd like to mention, again, there isnt an outright prohibition on heavy armor, but in the lore, its not just being over encumbered, its really like 1/3 of your carrying weight, which should be equal to the characters body weight >.< & yes gear is what makes up the majority of the 1/3. idk just sharing its stricter in the lore but it doesnt ban heavy armor if a situation maybe called for it. just that the majority of them are stealth based, and its part of their schtick to drop their armor class to light, or perhaps medium.. in order to maintain agility or finesse. (in or out of combat) G) im pretty sure you are noticing the trend that maybe these would be better suited to quests or subquests for characters, and others maybe just an easy give near the start. The Tenant for the Paladin Oaths, are generally shared even outside of Paladins or Clerics. but may be reserved for the more devote followers of the cause.
H) deity of the arts, particularly dancing (sword dancing) & the harp or music played for the enjoyment of others. but. she encourages all forms of art outside dancing & music. incase a player had another form of artist expression in mind for their character, but for the sake of listing things that are attributed in general to 'all' of Eilistraee followers, not solely the Sword Dancers class (from "Eilistraeen Orders and Characters.pdf") aka the Eilistraeen Cleric >.<
these are mostly the features i realize may seem foreign, but i guess im trying to figure out how to put those together. it seems to me like these could be placed in to some lineage/background or mostly religious traits esc category. altho they are cultivated, not all flat rewards. but i am curious others opinions might be ^_^
while "making a class" could be fun, i quite like the setting has to offer from vanilla to expansions and homemades already. im kinda leaning towards the idea of discussing the points with a DM & can likely work some of them into part of the characters' arc. beit quests, or exchanging a spell/ability out. idk, im curious what y'all suggest.
cause at the moment i'm kinda enjoying the idea rolling around in my head, with this temple and its small but growing town. with characters from all over the realms, gearing up for something big, even in this natural and rather welcoming place. instead of having a more conventional militant guard throughout the area, a guild of rouge class warriors are well paid to watch all but that which transpires behind the closed doors and windows themselves in town. i think its "easier" (for me) to conceptualize in a setting where other characters may have similar yet varied proficiency across different crafts & how they may relate or help one another in a growing (but highly guarded... semi secret) community. so i'm still leaning to it being traits outside of a class itself. but idk, just super curious for more opinions recommendations or resources to read ^_^
Thank you all again. & sorry for the wall of text. but i spared copy pasting individual portions of, (3+1+1+1 ..like 6) the several builds and tried to condense what they had, or where it departed slightly from the generalized statements more commonly found in the lore. lol (ngl ~60pages) so i'll keep checking back n spit balling ideas with you all. this will still be crossing paths with my mind, no rush here. keep it easy. ^^
*Edit* oh yeah.. basically my thinking of making it not class or domain specific.. that maybe a "faction" sort of route (im looking for a mechanic already in the game) or perhaps a system for "religions"? or that others may have another suggested manner for maybe going about this.. ^_^
its my opinion that a goddess blessed weapon, instrument, & armor.. could be imbalanced or just undesired for low level gameplay, but i think its rather enticing that a lot of people would want anyway, which isnt for nothing, but being frank, thinking about community, it almost makes sense that some of those type of quests might happen around an Eilistraee Temple, or group, etc. but might be more difficult to do alone. like forging a strong reliable weapon. (forge cleric?) and it was just my opinion that the benefits often make sense to be shared by a group. in a way that doesn't stack, or add stats. more for cooperation. so that if lets say, a forge domain cleric player worked along side another character, so that together they create a strong weapon & customize it to represent the relationship between eilistraee and the owner/wielder of the sword who will need to attune it (such as a forge domain cleric, or any char/class that isnt a follower of eilistraee). i keep thinking how these things might serve for good party buffs that keep players balanced with eachother & at least in terms of equipment progression, or not overstepping (or over buffing) classes or features that already exist. albeit of course a party with magical weapons, armor, and musical instruments, somewhere around midgame could be rather intimidating perhaps, but i think it could be intense for some subsurface espionage where there are plenty of things that can still chew up the weak and eat the strong for breakfast.
Saw this thread and wondered how your experience was with this sub-class and what you finally decided to go with. I have been playing a Sword Dancer straight from the "Eilistraeen Orders and Characters.pdf. Been having a great RP time with her. Very good at swordwork but only light armor makes her vulnerable so not a front line character. Just reached 5th level and looking forward to her casting Spirit Guardians from the second rank. In a strange coincidence, one of the other party members is a Twilight Cleric so her ability to fight within his dim-light Twilight Sanctuary helps enormously with the Sunlight Sensitivity problem - at least once a day that is.
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Hiya! I have long desired to experience playing D&D, which has grown more & more over the recent years!
For sake of argument i had missed-out in my youth, (not knowing some friends were players) & by mid20s life can be understandably busy.
Well, over the course of my years conversing with close friends & good acquaintances (often DMs)
who would ask about, some character ideas i'd had in mind. (admittedly not exclusively D&D)
i learned a lot from them, but also was noticing something rather interesting.
When asked what my "ideal RP character" would be like, & my short answer being,
"a support (heal/buffs) that can defend itself with a 2H sword if foes get too close, AND provide a bit of CC (preferably an AoE Ice/Freeze spell) so that i may still contribute towards the party, particularly when allies are buffed, and not in immediate need of healing."
its totally cool if you don't like this, hopefully it doesn't rouse anger. but what i had noticed, was this seemed to actually cause some confusion for those who offered to try helping me custom fit this into a D&D campaign setting.
Sometimes even leading up to the person telling me later, how it was actually bothering them that they could not think of how this could be implemented.
or
Other times i would simply be told, "that the cleric class would be a close option, but unfortunately cannot use 2H swords."
Well.. "Challenge Accepted.."
i was encouraged to explore the lore, and seek if there was something hidden there that might help, that may well just be unknown to us.
skip ahead a few years, & i've not only begun to further embrace my affinity for Elves..
but would eventually find myself learning of dark elves & wondering if something may lay in wait for me there. (if nothing else, i was sure to find a good read. haha)
low and behold i learned of the Dark Maiden, or Drow Goddess Eilistraee.. parts of her compelling story, and her affinity for sword wielding clergy or priest/priestesses...
(yes, males too. sometime roughly 1700ish, maybe 1760-80)
this i had learned, not long after a friend & i had discussed WoW having a Drow Paladin, that (somewhat) closely resembled 'that thing' i was looking for.
I have been super excited, ever since learning of Eilistraee, as well as her Sword Dancers, Darksong Knights, Silverhair Knights, & nearly anything/everything that i've found so far in this quite personal quest.
So i could have just skipped any backstory (on the search) & asked, "Hello, can some cool people help me by sharing some info, resources, or suggestions to help aid in my research of Eilistraeen characters & classes?" but had felt it somewhat important that i did share this. so that our dear helpful reader may be know, that i have begun to find some great info searching already, and that i am still searching for lots more.
admittedly i am not exactly the wealthiest individual (monetarily) otherwise i'd have already bought a copy of nearly every Drow (& Elf, lol) related book/text/info, that is available for purchase.
but since i am adamant in this pursuit, and not in a hurry to merely 'create my ideal character',
I am looking for recommendations of source material information that may assist me in broadening my understanding of the Drow & Elf historical relationships, Particularly when it comes to Eilistraee & her followers. but not outright exclusive to being that alone, either.
if you, the dear reader might offer some assistance with this, it would be greatly appreciated! ^_^ Thank you
---------
(for instance) If you were to recommend a few things (books) from The Forgotten Realms era...
Which would you personally suggest that i tried reading/exploring first?
(no limits, list as many as you like. would appreciate a summary of "why", if you'd be so kind. TY)
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My goals for this quest have changed, perhaps more than just a little bit..
as i had recently found a few versions, of each Eilistraeen Character class mentioned above, (from former D&D editions) that were shared with a different person who had similar ambitions & class questions.. (that was on reddit)
How the goal has somewhat changed, is that i am still leaning more towards making a custom class. that is HEAVILY influenced by the wealth of lore, & not necessarily a 1:1 conversion/incorporation of these unique classes, as they were originally designed in the past.
I'm not a stranger to modding video games, & if it were my intent to brute force build a character, only so that it suits my preferences.. without respecting the lore, then I am fairly confident in my ability to have already done this, quite awhile ago. lol
But.. i do appreciate & have quite a fondness for the lore that i've been privileged to learn thus far, & feel somewhat compelled to continue learning more.. where i will perhaps tackle this, and perhaps maybe even be "a bit more ambitious" by... "remixing" or revamping these classes which are already quite unique.. with a heavier emphasis on the lush lore, and not strictly borrowing from game mechanics alone. (i am not knocking these classes, and am thankful i even found some of their more detailed info!)
thus out of respect, i may go the route of creating a faction (could be wrong word, sorry) of Eilistraeen priest(esses)(s) especially since the lore makes mention of how different communities, and temples are going to live and evolve independently from one another, and are likely to have their own differences.
BUT the last thing i'd want to do, is make promises which may not come to fruition.
so for now, i am primarily focused on homebrewing these classes & can only say for sure that those will be shared some point down the road, when i feel they are closer to being ready for testing/review/tweaks or completion.
i will of course post it here, at that time.. for those who may be interested.
(if it were posted offsite, i would request permission before linking it here, just incase. & in respect of the rules stated on dndbeyond's website.)
i do have more ideas for a few different potential campaigns, for both The Underdark & surface world (lol) settings. but i do not plan to rush any of that, so no promises when or if i'll have any of that to share.. or at least know that likely would not be anytime soon.
Thank you so much for any info you may have available to share, or for helping point me in the right direction!
& also an extra thank you, if you took the time to read my post outside of the highlighted areas.
if you would like to collaborate or spin further ideas, we can of course start right here. ^_^ & we can see where it may go from there on. <3
Note. i wouldn't mind providing links to resources i've found so far if requested, but will have to quadruple check the rules about links. & confirm my assertion that any/all resources gathered thus far were by completely legal/legitimate means as i believe them all to be.
(most are fan wikis, or YT lore reads, outside of.. The Dark Maiden beckons - On the Drow goddess Eilistraee and her Faith. which appears published & is currently free at time of writing this.. & what i've just recently begun investigating into. so please correct me if i've made an accidental error.)
Id suggest checking out the forgotten realms wiki page about her, which gives a pretty in depth summary. And at the bottom, has a list of every time she was referenced and/or appeared in pretty much anything. Cant say for sure if the list misses anything or not, but it should give you a good starting point.
As far as homebrewing something, I have to ask, have you played much? I’m asking not to bring you down, but because Homebrewing effective, full character classes, and subclasses, is very difficult. And honestly, I can think of a number of ways to generate the kind of character you describe (or at least get really close) within the existing rules. Especially if you use the optional rules included in Tasha’s. No homebrew required.
Thank you for the suggestion! ill start or continue from there. No i haven't actually played, and i do understand in more ways than one, its not the simplest task. i do hope i didn't insinuate that it would be easy in itself. but i have created custom characters for other games, & often it requires researching all the mechanics, and considering how they will impact everything else in the game, not just opponents but allies alike for example. it's okay though nothing you said has (or likely would, in all honesty) discourage me, as its really just something i enjoy contemplating and gradually working towards on the side.
in theory, i could.. have taken already existing spells, or attributes, weighed them out (such as what level a class would traditionally gain them) and for lack of a more graceful word, shoved them together. but i really want to honor the lore (there is a lot, for a seemingly forgotten deity) & see where i can incorporate specific qualities that i found particularly interesting in the descriptions of , lets say Sword Dancers. and while i think they are amazing as they are (albeit only recently found their info, after idk ~3, maybe 4 or more years of searching) i don't personally feel the class mechanics (that i've seen) were quite as close to the lore description as they perhaps could be. nothing wrong with that. i just felt that instead of a sort of 'replacement' id come up with an alternative version of those classes.
i could elaborate a bit, before i catch some ZzZz.. but for instance, Eilistraee clerics are/were traditionally classified under the light domain. (or optionally nature now) which on the surface doesn't seem like it would be an issue, unless one considers that Drow have the trait which allows them to see better in the darkness. (decently far too) but have worse vision in the daylight. essentially a Drow cleric in the light domain, would be blinding themselves. as i am not the first to make a post about that fact. & of course the benefit of seeing well in the dark, could be forfeit in exchange to not be (as) blinded by their own spells.. but idk, i personally don't really like that idea, as it feels kinda contradictory to play a Drow in the first place, if its more or less just a regular elf cleric light domain.
its really but just 1 example. as it is one of the more obvious ones, but far from the only one i've run across. or others have found before i'd considered it myself.
i'm still trying to remember the source, but for instance there was at one point a war, or a particular standoff where clerics repeatedly blinded the Drow with their light, in order to keep them at bay and from losing their tactical position.
not trying to say, that a drow cleric, could never use the light domain. not at all. just that it doesn't sound particularly appealing for my own liking. & part of my inspiration for, going a "faction" ish route, was so that i might also explore some subtle differences that could be possible with lets say a half Drow, half Elf..
which i was starting to lean into myself for my personal character, as i think that could be a lot of fun to RP. but i didn't want to abandon the native Drow Eilistraeen cleric just because i could personally use that as sort of a work around. if i chose to do that.
^_^ i am most definitely interested in hearing the ideas you might like to share! & i too do not want to sound dismissive of ideas that others find compelling to work with in their own creations. that was kinda why my post was longer than initially intended, & described a few layers of my desires for the class & how they slightly changed over time as i learned more and more. i am def not an expert at D&D, but i do have an odd passion for analyzing systems, and finding exploits, which in the past could help other developers incase something was behaving outside of its intended range of purposes. (so im not too intimidated by the difficulty of such tasks)
i am still learning about Tasha's new options. but do not know too much about it, other than a bit about the Twilight domain, which seems very nice. but was under the impression it was still being revised, so i don't even know exactly what may have changed as i have not purchased a copy yet, but am considering gifting it for myself this Xmas. as it sounded to have even more interesting things than just Twilight domain. (of course it does, but in reference to my pet project lol)
So thank you again for the shares, and i would most definitely welcome any suggestions you'd like to offer! just attempting to be clear that i wasnt strictly looking to build a build, (altho for sure, that aspect alone has stumped players & GM alike. & i've nothing set in stone atm regarding a steady tested build) and that i am indeed enjoying myself learning about the lore, and seeing what has been done, what may be done currently, and if i decide to borrow a bit, and also change or add some things to enhance my own roleplay experience, that id be more than happy to share it with others if it was something they also had interest in. & imo posting about it here on a D&D forum made the most sense. this way anyone can make suggestions, discuss ideas, or (respectfully) debate the concept as a whole. so even after it becomes ready for testing, or more established (for my own personal homebrew ^^) and perhaps finished form. that anyone could still consider other points and perspectives which may come up here. so that they may have a bit more choice, beyond an alternative interpretation of how the class could be, based on lore, as well the findings and concerns of other players. (instead of working on it alone, and asking friends to test it, and then posting it somewhere online)
before i retire for a few hours of rest. i'd just like to give some personal props to you ^_^ i legitimately felt pretty bad after seeing the disheartened look on some faces of friends who were perplexed at how something like this could be implemented. to the extent my primary worry, of posting about it publicly has been (& still kinda is) that i do not want anyone to feel bad, or stress themselves over it. so that is all i ask, is that whatever may come, better or worse. i sincerely hope that it does not cause anything of the sort for you, or another here. but i do have to give you the props for already having some good ideas flowing within, so quickly after the initial post ^_^ & thank you again for taking the time to offer several great ideas, suggestions, and tips that will undoubtedly be an amazing assist in this endeavor!
i always strive to admit my short comings, and organization is not my strongest quality by far. but being highly detail oriented, i do my best, albeit often gotta get creative working towards the goals in life lol or otherwise just muscle through until the near end, when i have soo much info, that i can work top down and simplify/summarize or tidy things up without the clutter of my unconventional thought process hehe <3
take care & cheers!
&& thank you again for the lovely shares ^^
*edit for font color, and few grammar fixes
Well, any cleric you play will be good at support. No matter the domain they'll be able to cast healing word, cure wounds, and other higher level heal spells as they level. They'll all be able to cast bless, guidance, the various restoration spells, whatever you like. Elestree is also associated with the life domain (which are the best healers in the game). Twilight, as you noted, is probably a good thematic fit for her, and its really quite powerful as subclasses go.
Tasha's lets you swap out standard racial ability scores to other abilities (this is really quite controversial, so you'd need to check with your DM if they allow it. In fact, everything in Tasha's is optional, so you'd need DM approval). If they do, put your ability bumps into Wisdom and Strength instead of dex and charisma. If your DM doesn't, you'll still be able to put together a good, effective character, they just won't be fully, statistically optimized, but I get a sense you're not too worried about mathematical optimization, so maybe you don't even need to worry about that. Tasha's also lets you swap out weapon proficiencies, so you can trade your traditional drow weapons for a greatsword. (This bit is probably less controversial.)
Ice spells are where it gets a little tricky. There aren't a whole lot of ice related spells in the game that clerics get access to. Ditto AoE spells, cleric do get a couple, but that usually belongs to other classes. Tempest domain clerics get access to sleet storm and ice storm, which definitely fits the bill of what you're looking for. Tempest clerics also get proficiency in martial weapons, so you wouldn't have to mess with swapping your drow proficiencies, you'd just have the greatsword option, and not for nothing, heavy armor.
Another possibility would be a bard. They get access to healing spells, and throwing around buffs to allies is a core class feature. However, they don't get many AoE spells, either.
AoE spells in general are typically wizard and sorcerer options. (In general, there are certainly exceptions).
But really, the easiest thing to do would be to go tempest cleric, which can do everything you describe just off the shelf. Then maybe just find a way to re-skin it to fit the god you have in mind.
Something to consider about light, is that light spells do /not/ give drow disadvantage. Sunlight sensitivity says:
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Few of your spells cause direct sunlight.
I'm not saying you should select light domain, I am saying that you should make sure that it really does what you think it does before dismissing it.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Twilight is a perfect domain for Eilistraee. And it's a strong domain. It's about buffing, healing. And you get martial weapon proficiency for your greatsword. Please take twilight, we need nore clerics of this awesome domain :)
Twilight is pretty massively overpowered, but the OP said he doesn't have Tasha's to work with.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
@Tenawa
yes thank you !^!^!
i like what ive seen with Twilight, and have discussed it a bit with friends
they are rather relax with rules, which is fine to me heh so i'm hopeful to figure it out soon enough.
that was part of the confusion i was facing actually, i wasn't sure if i'd be able to take Twilight, Life, etc.. or as i'd found out there is an Eilistraeen cleric that uses the domain feature for 5e as suggested in Eilistraeen Orders and Characters.pdf
the thing is, im kinda looking if there is a way to get the basic lore traits lol but i guess in a way that these features could also be (somewhat) easily implemented for other classes. as a lot applies beyond cleric, paladin, bard ^_^ (it just makes sense that they'd be likely to take interest in 'the cause'.)
*wonders to self, if there was a party buff feature, maybe in an older edition.*
hah i think ill just ask some friends and potential group how they'd prefer to handle switching of domains or multiclassing n such, & go from there in the meantime. but ill keep thinking & maybe we'll find the answer sooner or in a future edition.
@Xalthu
Hey thanks so much ^_^ you know i wondered myself, and have to laugh (now) why Tempest domain cleric wasn't suggested sooner. but i would guess that maybe cleric isn't entirely the most widely popular class (not solely in D&D, rather in general) just based on the reactions i get when most people learn that i actually WANT to play a more support/healing oriented role.
i think you are right though, i had tried to cross check this, but the info may be different across editions so i dont wanna say it still applies, but basically between Drow's inherited traits and Tempest having access to, the Ice spells, Martial Weapons, & Medium or Heavy armor... these are essentially doubled down on being able to do what i initially desired, right there in the vanilla rules lol (outside ice spells, & heavy armor) and of course not forgetting that Drow are not exactly a traditional player characters chosen race/lineage.
So i do think, i will start from here like you suggested. ^_^ this way i can play a one-shot or perhaps join some friends in an adventure sooner as opposed to later. This is pretty good news & its just kinda funny to me that it was there all along haha was kinda hoping and theorizing it might/should be. i didn't want to just assume that it was in the game though, simply for being able to do this in a very-very-very-handful-few digital rp games in the past 15years. so thank you much, your descriptions gave me a lot of insight into what i was looking for, and how i might take it further down the road.
@crzyhawk
hi thank you for bringing this to my attention and to everyone elses. it wasnt my intention to suggest that ALL or MOST 'light domain' spells would cause a Drow char disadvantages. (i was under the impression there were ~4 that did create "direct sunlight effect" but the exact number wasnt entirely my issue or point) this next part is to everyone, but your post helped me reevaluate the question a bit, so bon appetite. & thanks ^_^
i went back and did some more study on the source material i could find, to see if i could describe the challenge itself better, realizing my original question was a bit too broad (which is fine, but being more specific can help find specific answers) .
the thing that was confusing me originally, is how this "domain" thing is implemented in the game.
its a multiclass system, i grasp this much & am learning more about it mechanically.
& i could mention how it feels at times a bit convoluted like the "feats" system, at times..
but i do understand essentially that its how the game has balanced, and allows for subclassing which is makes each archetypal/role more personable.
So for now i'll iterate what the problems i've found are,
First what could be obvious, but it wasnt apparent to me right away, the characters described in lore, are very likely NOT LVL 1 CHARACTERS
(& this likely explains why in the lore, these titles contain attributes belonging to separate classes listed below)
basically.. there are these beautiful alternative classes
Sword Dancer of Eilistraee (versions.. Cleric Domain, v2 "path of growth", old version)
Darksong Knight (Paladin Oath)
Silverhair Knight (Paladin Oath)
College of the Spellsong (Bardic College)
and the classes themselves look great, dont get me wrong. sparking tons of ideas in my head, but heres the thing..(s?)
as i've found it so far described in different parts of the lore, generally a follower of Eilistraee is described as having features belonging to more than one individual class listed above. & the easiest fix i could recommend, is to discuss between players and DM if it's alright for a player to essentially use portions out of 2 or 3 of the 4 "classes".
I'm seeking other suggestions, because wither you read up on those specific classes or take my summary, the way it feels or appears perhaps, is very close to the 5e format of having a class, with its domain or subclass. except the lore on , lets say a Sword Dancer compared to a Knight beit Silverhair or Darksong.. and please don't forget i am speaking entirely broadly here, in generalities.. in general a sword dancer is described somewhere between a priest(ess) or cleric, sword wielding warriors, holy crusaders, a creative bard, primarily. but with a lot of mention on rouges & spell casters as well. and some more open statements of how its not specific to 'class' in itself, but more so factors like how closely someone is to one of these very secret benevolent groups, for things like, if they'd honor the principles of stealth, which is why the armor class is bumped down to medium or light, as getting away undetected can mean life or death, not just for a small group but an entire community.
and lets just say the lore difference between a Sword Dancer, Spell Song, & Knight seems a bit more about goals/aspirations, with remaining aspects of specialization attributed there, albeit i think maybe less than a conventional character's class .. and "character class/role" is pretty close but its just not entirely the same i think.
i bring it up because, all of those classes, pretty much have a dancing stealth mechanic. which i quite like seeing some of the ways it was implemented & think they could be a lot of fun. & of course, people can imagine all sorts of ways / reasons a character would have graceful evasion on the battlefield.
essentially what i been trying to say, is i think the classes are great how they are. i hope more people consider using them even.
i just got really hooked somewhere on the Eilistraeen lore, & i'm still thinking of ways to simplify i guess
how to make a cleric, feel more true to the qualities attributed with an "Eilistraeen cleric"
but i did learn that while many of these qualities began with priests, paladins, then bards, rouges warriors and sorcerers etc.
it really feels like it was meant for all classes, and was maybe 'tucked away for later'. just speculating, but seems a great attempt at squishing ~4-5 classes into a class+domain system.
but in my humble opinion, until 6e or 7e idk id consider working with the DM to fit some of the key things in these classes that fit your characters story/background/lineage. such as a Blessing from Eilistraee..
or see if the player is interested in incorporating these character quests with the group, or if downtime is an option.
but here is a small list of features ascribed to the general 'followers' of eilistraee,
(some of these may be more particular in terms of a Drow OR escapee/creature of the underdark character backstory.
A) if you have food & someone is hungry, feed them. Do not inflict Tyranny or stand by and be a witness when it stands before you.
B) encouraged to create a magical sword AND instrument (with separate conditions to create and maintain, each) to connect further with the goddess.
C) (Drow Trait) make/repair magical armor(for self) // it is said Eilistraee CAN Grant a Drow knowledge to craft armor that does not wither in sunlight like normal drow armor would.
D) make moon light portals or have access to moonlight portals, traditionally these have trials and levels. they are part of a secret network, often involving rescue missions or protecting portals as they have limits outside of direct moonlight, that are surpassed or reached by few. (~150ftmax, with few exceptions) Advanced Moonfire
E) is encouraged to wield a sword type weapon, does not have to, but gains a bonus from the goddess with 2H swords, like longswords
(officially, slash dmg + blade = ok / sword)
magic sword/instrument = craft + attunement
F) also, as long as they are not over encumbered, & are wearing light (in some instances medium) armor or less in weight..
they can keep an evasion bonus of some kind (there are several listed) which could be a small stat bonus, or skills the player might acquire with saving rolls or extra damage rolls. (Wardancer Feat)
i'd like to mention, again, there isnt an outright prohibition on heavy armor, but in the lore, its not just being over encumbered, its really like 1/3 of your carrying weight, which should be equal to the characters body weight >.< & yes gear is what makes up the majority of the 1/3. idk just sharing its stricter in the lore but it doesnt ban heavy armor if a situation maybe called for it. just that the majority of them are stealth based, and its part of their schtick to drop their armor class to light, or perhaps medium.. in order to maintain agility or finesse. (in or out of combat)
G) im pretty sure you are noticing the trend that maybe these would be better suited to quests or subquests for characters, and others maybe just an easy give near the start. The Tenant for the Paladin Oaths, are generally shared even outside of Paladins or Clerics. but may be reserved for the more devote followers of the cause.
H) deity of the arts, particularly dancing (sword dancing) & the harp or music played for the enjoyment of others.
but. she encourages all forms of art outside dancing & music. incase a player had another form of artist expression in mind for their character, but
for the sake of listing things that are attributed in general to 'all' of Eilistraee followers, not solely the Sword Dancers class (from "Eilistraeen Orders and Characters.pdf") aka the Eilistraeen Cleric >.<
these are mostly the features i realize may seem foreign, but i guess im trying to figure out how to put those together.
it seems to me like these could be placed in to some lineage/background or mostly religious traits esc category. altho they are cultivated, not all flat rewards. but i am curious others opinions might be ^_^
while "making a class" could be fun, i quite like the setting has to offer from vanilla to expansions and homemades already.
im kinda leaning towards the idea of discussing the points with a DM & can likely work some of them into part of the characters' arc.
beit quests, or exchanging a spell/ability out. idk, im curious what y'all suggest.
cause at the moment i'm kinda enjoying the idea rolling around in my head, with this temple and its small but growing town. with characters from all over the realms, gearing up for something big, even in this natural and rather welcoming place. instead of having a more conventional militant guard throughout the area, a guild of rouge class warriors are well paid to watch all but that which transpires behind the closed doors and windows themselves in town.
i think its "easier" (for me) to conceptualize in a setting where other characters may have similar yet varied proficiency across different crafts & how they may relate or help one another in a growing (but highly guarded... semi secret) community.
so i'm still leaning to it being traits outside of a class itself. but idk, just super curious for more opinions recommendations or resources to read ^_^
Thank you all again. & sorry for the wall of text. but i spared copy pasting individual portions of, (3+1+1+1 ..like 6) the several builds and tried to condense what they had, or where it departed slightly from the generalized statements more commonly found in the lore. lol (ngl ~60pages)
so i'll keep checking back n spit balling ideas with you all. this will still be crossing paths with my mind, no rush here. keep it easy. ^^
*Edit*
oh yeah.. basically my thinking of making it not class or domain specific.. that maybe a "faction" sort of route (im looking for a mechanic already in the game) or perhaps a system for "religions"?
or that others may have another suggested manner for maybe going about this.. ^_^
its my opinion that a goddess blessed weapon, instrument, & armor.. could be imbalanced or just undesired for low level gameplay, but i think its rather enticing that a lot of people would want anyway, which isnt for nothing, but being frank, thinking about community, it almost makes sense that some of those type of quests might happen around an Eilistraee Temple, or group, etc. but might be more difficult to do alone. like forging a strong reliable weapon. (forge cleric?) and it was just my opinion that the benefits often make sense to be shared by a group.
in a way that doesn't stack, or add stats. more for cooperation.
so that if lets say, a forge domain cleric player worked along side another character, so that together they create a strong weapon & customize it to represent the relationship between eilistraee and the owner/wielder of the sword who will need to attune it (such as a forge domain cleric, or any char/class that isnt a follower of eilistraee).
i keep thinking how these things might serve for good party buffs that keep players balanced with eachother & at least in terms of equipment progression, or not overstepping (or over buffing) classes or features that already exist. albeit of course a party with magical weapons, armor, and musical instruments, somewhere around midgame could be rather intimidating perhaps, but i think it could be intense for some subsurface espionage where there are plenty of things that can still chew up the weak and eat the strong for breakfast.
Saw this thread and wondered how your experience was with this sub-class and what you finally decided to go with. I have been playing a Sword Dancer straight from the "Eilistraeen Orders and Characters.pdf. Been having a great RP time with her. Very good at swordwork but only light armor makes her vulnerable so not a front line character. Just reached 5th level and looking forward to her casting Spirit Guardians from the second rank. In a strange coincidence, one of the other party members is a Twilight Cleric so her ability to fight within his dim-light Twilight Sanctuary helps enormously with the Sunlight Sensitivity problem - at least once a day that is.