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Berkthgar
Learned Scribe
USA
163 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Nov 2014 : 20:50:56
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i love drizzt. My favorite character in the realms aside from wulfgar. But he is virtually unstoppable. That's what sells unfortunately, in my opinion. Who is going to replace drizzt? He has sired no children , Entreri has lost his evil edge so he is not a worthy replacement.
What I would like to see is the evil side of drizzt , not the hunter, but perhaps errtu possesses drizzt?
Entreri is a weakling 1v1 drizzt, why not posses him in a 100 years?
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“Change is not always growth, but growth is often rooted in change.
Drizzt Do'Urden” |
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe
Canada
826 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2014 : 19:02:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Berkthgar
i love drizzt. My favorite character in the realms aside from wulfgar. But he is virtually unstoppable. That's what sells unfortunately, in my opinion. Who is going to replace drizzt? He has sired no children , Entreri has lost his evil edge so he is not a worthy replacement.
What I would like to see is the evil side of drizzt , not the hunter, but perhaps errtu possesses drizzt?
Entreri is a weakling 1v1 drizzt, why not posses him in a 100 years?
If his author wants to portray him in such a light, it is his right. But it is restricted to his books only and really have no bearing in the rest of the realms. It only really becomes annoying when fans of only 1 particular author start topics left and right about how Drizzt could easily take Szass Tam and cite ridiculous claims like drow inborn resistance to magic.
Some authors will write realistically that even the best will eventually hit a crag on the floor, slip in a wet spot on the grass, or not have the miraculous right magical item to survive the day.
Others authors will have their characters will see every crag and wet spot and somehow turn it to their advantage by getting their opponent to slip in it, miraculously be able to anticipate the movements of every different fighter on the field and only run into Wizards who can shoot lightning bolts and fireballs.
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2014 : 19:16:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Berkthgar
i love drizzt. My favorite character in the realms aside from wulfgar. But he is virtually unstoppable.
You're talking about two very different things.
Is Drizzt overrated? Not really, if what his writer says about him is true. Drizzt is a badass fighter who defies all the odds and wins virtually every time. Like that or not. Call it "plot armor". Call him the author's "damned darling drow". Either way, it's the truth.
But it is also a legit observation and complaint that he seems unrealistically unstoppable, in the context of what else we know about the Realms. (How is a melee guy ever gonna get close enough to a magey guy to put those sharp pointy things to good use?)
I'm not really looking as far down the road as a replacement for Drizzt, so much as a more realistic exploration of Drizzt's limitations. Put him in his place, and make him become highly self-conscious of how relatively weak he really is, compared to the real bad-A's out there. Check his ego, and that of his more fanatical advocates. Strike some fear into him. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Berkthgar
Learned Scribe
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2014 : 19:20:47
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| His only weakness was his self guilt that forced him to the underdark back in starless night. Also he has seemed to stifle the hunter. His main weakness was himself. And those seem to be in control |
“Change is not always growth, but growth is often rooted in change.
Drizzt Do'Urden” |
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Berkthgar
Learned Scribe
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2014 : 19:46:58
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| If you guys could be so kind , what is the latest books in the drizzt series. The Salvatore website didn't really help. |
“Change is not always growth, but growth is often rooted in change.
Drizzt Do'Urden” |
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe
Canada
826 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2014 : 23:50:50
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
quote:
Originally posted by Berkthgar
i love drizzt. My favorite character in the realms aside from wulfgar. But he is virtually unstoppable.
You're talking about two very different things.
Is Drizzt overrated? Not really, if what his writer says about him is true. Drizzt is a badass fighter who defies all the odds and wins virtually every time. Like that or not. Call it "plot armor". Call him the author's "damned darling drow". Either way, it's the truth.
But it is also a legit observation and complaint that he seems unrealistically unstoppable, in the context of what else we know about the Realms. (How is a melee guy ever gonna get close enough to a magey guy to put those sharp pointy things to good use?)
I'm not really looking as far down the road as a replacement for Drizzt, so much as a more realistic exploration of Drizzt's limitations. Put him in his place, and make him become highly self-conscious of how relatively weak he really is, compared to the real bad-A's out there. Check his ego, and that of his more fanatical advocates. Strike some fear into him.
I more or less dislike seeing Liches, Dracoliches, mages and other uber powerful beings every other book not using their abilities because a swordfighter has no answer to it. I am a big fan of the game and wizards, so seeing some of them not being used to their capabilities and looking like wusses in the books bothers me. But I still like his books.
Occasionally I would like to see the higher level Wizards in the books use, you know, spells that are not lightning bolts and fireballs. They can stop time, cast a poison gas cloud and leave the area. He would be breathing it in before he knew it happened. Or just time stop, gate in several Errtu level creatures, walk away and seal the room.
Or turn the entire battlefield to mud, then harden it. A stuck fighter is a sitting duck. Speaking of which. A forcecage = Dead Drizzt.
Not to mention the higher level guys having dozens of spells already cast upon their person using permanency and a lot of quickened spells(can cast with a mere word or gesture). Greater mage armor(better than stoneskin), greater invisibility(can cast and stay invisible), etc etc.
Most high level wizards would easily power through Drow's "innate" magical resistance with little effort. Escalating enfeeblement would ruin his day. ill admit icingdeath would prevent the wizard from superheating all metal on his person, but it would not help is companions, who would be dropping their weapons like hotcakes.
Even if they scored a surprise strike ala assassin style, a contingency spell whisks the Wizard to safety
Even the mages on their side sometimes are a bit nerfed. Alustriel is a mage on par with Gromph. But she often just flies her chariot around lighting things on fire with it?
Ill confess I was pleasantly surprised with his expansion of Kimmuriel's powers this past book. Usually psionicists/Illithids have been mere "Blast of mental energy, turn incorporeal". Psions have a lot of different powers.
Like I said, I love Bob's books. As a fan of magical powers, I just get driven crazy not seeing the goods. Liches seem to have become a dime a dozen instead of genuine threats |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 02:17:31
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| Yep, an analogy would be the defensive systems of the RW's superpowers. No matter how cool of a bomber plane, fighter jet, attack submarine, army tank, or squad of special ops guys you might want to throw at them, they've got radars and sensors monitoring on tons of different frequencies at all times, jamming equipment to foul up your radar and sensors, reactive and ablative armor, hairpin-trigger counter-attack missiles and gun stations, etc. And even if you did somehow manage to get through all of that, they could still just blow up the planet (MAD), wait a few centuries, and start over. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Lilianviaten
Senior Scribe
489 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 23:50:06
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This complaint always drives me crazy, because it's so ill founded and ridiculous. Drizzt has never been portrayed as the most powerful character in RAS books. We've seen Kimmuriel effortlessly KO Drizzt twice (when he fought Entreri, and when he fought Athrogate). People act like Drizzt has been taking out wizards left and right, which is completely untrue. RAS doesn't have Drizzt fight any truly powerful wizards to begin with, like Valindra, Gromph, or Arklem Greeth. He never faces powerful priests either, like Cadderly or Yvonnel Baenre. He's killed some mid-level wizards and priestesses by surprise or in the midst of a chaotic battle. He doesn't fight wizards or priests 1 on 1 and emerge victorious.
It is beyond me how anybody could read Drizzt books and think Drizzt is the most powerful character. Many people like Drizzt the best, and some cannot accept that their favorite character would ever lose. But that fanboyism isn't a result of what RAS writes. Grandmaster Kane and Kimmuriel are the only characters who are arguably written in a deux ex machina fashion. Some would place Jarlaxle in that category as well, but I've never agreed with that.
The most powerful creature Drizzt has defeatedly singlehandedly is Errtu (the first time). While a balor is a very impressive win, he had a sword designed specifically to kill fiery creatures. And he did kill that malebranche recently, with the help of his unicorn. Even in a strictly martial sense, Drizzt is not the most powerful RAS character, because Grandmaster Kane and Gareth Dragonsbane were portrayed as being on a level above him. Plus, Entreri, Breunor, Dahlia, Ellifain, Zaknafein, and Athrogate have all been shown as near equals. I wouldn't be surprised if Afafrenfere is Drizzt level by the time this newest quest is completed. For crying out loud, Drizzt was struggling to defeat 2 Xorlarrin drow a mere few novels ago! |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2014 : 01:33:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Lilianviaten
People act like Drizzt has been taking out wizards left and right, which is completely untrue. RAS doesn't have Drizzt fight any truly powerful wizards to begin with, like Valindra, Gromph, or Arklem Greeth. He never faces powerful priests either, like Cadderly or Yvonnel Baenre. He's killed some mid-level wizards and priestesses by surprise or in the midst of a chaotic battle. He doesn't fight wizards or priests 1 on 1 and emerge victorious.
Just off the top of my head, Drizzt has either defeated or managed to hold his own against all of the following magic-users, despite the fact that he should've been summarily splatted on sight:
* Briza Do'Urden, a very wary high priestess of Lolth (Exile)
* Hephaestus, a red great wyrm (Sojourn)
* Akar Kessell, admittedly a weak magic-user, but also one heavily boosted by the Crystal Shard (The Crystal Shard)
* Errtu, a freaking Type VI balor tanar'ri (TCSh)
* A farastu demodand (The Halfling's Gem)
* Vierna Do'Urden, another wary drow priestess (The Legacy)
* Jarlaxle Baenre, a drow fighter-mage mercenary (TL)
* The entire city of Menzoberranzan, including Vendes Baenre, high priestess and Duk-tak of House Baenre (Starless Night)
* A huge Menzoberranyr invasion force, including Quenthel Baenre, an exceptionally gifted high priestess of Lolth (Siege of Darkness)
* A marilith (Passage to Dawn)
* Errtu, yet again, even though he was supposedly prepared this time (PTD)
* Numerous accomplished orc shamans (The Lone Drow)
* Gerti Orelsdottr, a frost giantess witch (The Two Swords)
* More highly accomplished orc shamans (The Orc King)
* Various shade-ey beastly things of the Underdark (TOK)
* Jack the Gnome, a mage who had trained with illithids and demons (TOK)
* Various shade-ey beastly demons of the Lower Planes (The Pirate King)
* The Ghost King, made up of the red dracolich Hephaestus, the mind of Yharaskrik the illithid, and the Crystal Shard (The Ghost King)
* The component lich-ghosts of Crenshinibon (TGK)
* Legion devils (Gauntlgrym)
* Sylora Salm, a red witch of Thay (Neverwinter)
* A skull lord lich (The Last Threshold)
quote:
I wouldn't be surprised if Afafrenfere is Drizzt level by the time this newest quest is completed. For crying out loud, Drizzt was struggling to defeat 2 Xorlarrin drow a mere few novels ago!
Was this a struggle against mere fighters, or against mages/priestesses?
It doesn't help to make Drizzt inconsistent.
It would help to have him consistently struggle against, and therefore explicitly avoid, magic-users. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2014 : 01:34:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Berkthgar
If you guys could be so kind , what is the latest books in the drizzt series. The Salvatore website didn't really help.
Click the link in my signature for a complete chronology of RAS's Realms works, including the latest Drizzt book. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2014 : 01:40:18
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| Drizzt is overrated in that he has become the "signature" of the Realms, but I wouldn't say he's uber powerful. Is he a bad-@$$ fighter? Yes. But he has failed, not just in battle, but in what he believes is right. Hr isn't always successful. I love Drizzt, though I am not the fangirl I used to be. The Drizzt books don't harbor the same Realms feel that other FR novels do, as I have said before. But I don't think he's overly powerful. He's just a very good fighter, which is to be expected. He was trained well, and he's had a lot of experience, and he practices everyday. |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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Berkthgar
Learned Scribe
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2014 : 01:44:51
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Drizzt always manages to escape. He was about to be executed , when catti Brie saved him and set menzo into chaos lol.
I cannot see drizzt settling down with a family anytime soon.
It was a very real possibility when catti Brie was In the past.
Even thought Cattie Brie is reincarnated it seems as if marriage may not be the same as befor
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“Change is not always growth, but growth is often rooted in change.
Drizzt Do'Urden” |
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LordofBones
Master of Realmslore
1477 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2014 : 11:01:22
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Let's be fair, with the exception of the Thay series (there are issues, of course, but Szass actually uses more than just animate dead), no author actually writes spellcasters the way they should. PC spellcasters already break the game in half at 15th level, but Faerun's epic level wizards and beasties are a joke.
Hell, Drizzt would barely be a speedbumb to Errtu. The average 3.5e balor would snap the Mithral Hall party across its knee with ease. |
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Entromancer
Senior Scribe
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2014 : 12:19:08
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| Drizzt died in The Silent Blade. All it took was Entreri, with one of Jarlaxle's Bregan D'Aerthe supporting him. I forget if it was Raigy or Kimmuriel. The power of marketing dragged him back from death. |
"...the will is everything. The will to act."--Ra's Al Ghul
"Suffering builds character."--Talia Al Ghul |
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Berkthgar
Learned Scribe
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2014 : 19:01:00
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| You do have to keep in mind that zaknefein was killed and he was arguably more skilled then drizzt. |
“Change is not always growth, but growth is often rooted in change.
Drizzt Do'Urden” |
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Mirtek
Senior Scribe
595 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2014 : 23:02:06
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I don't see Drizzt alone as too overrated but drow (and psionics) in gernal in RAS novels.
Oh look how perfect Bregan D'Aerth is and no other organization can hold a candle to him (oh, look a dreaded mountain of human assassins, let's punk them with minimal effort). And don't forget how awesome Kimmuriel and his psionics are (oh, a human archmage and a high level shade warlock? Done and done with ease. Opposition? Effort? Against such inferior races? Are you kidding?), he just hasn't yet walked on water only because he sees no point in it.
And the drow race in general. No other race can match them, not even shades, after magically fusing with the essence of shadow, can match them in stealth (specifically pointed out in the Neverwinter novels).
And Lolth is just the only goddess that matters (well, Mielikki was allowed to do something lately) and no matter which tricks she tells her followers to play on worshippers of other deities, no other deity ever does something against it.
Even if they subvert an entire forst giant tribe with a fake simulacrum brother of Thrym, Thrym is totally cool with that and won't ever let it through to his priests that they are played for a fool.
And the mightiest warrior of an entire orc kingdom? He should feel praised by being judged to maybe be good enough that Tiago would need two blows to kill him. Unthinkable that a kingdom of orcs could produce high level warrior or shamans of Gruumsh equal to a drow battle master or drow priestress, the drow are just too l33t for that. Where's the grand shaman of Luthic to tell Quenthel/Yvonnel to shut her trap and get the ### of of here before she shows her how Luthic treats bugs (yes, spiders are not bugs) |
Edited by - Mirtek on 02 Dec 2014 23:10:58 |
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Memmorath
Acolyte
Finland
8 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2014 : 01:40:08
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I do like reading Drizzt novels, and have been reading them and other FR novels for at least the past 8 years or so. However, ever since the 4th ed. I find myself both loving and hating the novels, and partly because some characters refuse to stay dead...
as CorellonsDevout said, Drizzt has become the signature character of the Realms. Even my friends who know next to nothing about D&D or FR know of Drizzt. As such, I would imagine Salvatore will keep writing more and more books about Drizzt and nothing in the Realms will hold him back - at least not permanently (until WotC decides otherwise, that is).
Indeed, having just read the both Companion Codex books in the past 24 hours or so, I did find it rather "mundane" (for the lack of better term, I am not native english speaker) that some of the chapters would end in such cliffhangers as "he knew himself doomed, for he had no way of defending himself" only to be rescued By Guen or Entreri or Catti-brie or vampire dwarf or anything at all at the start of the next chapter. By all accounts, Drizzt is more favoured by Tymora (or whoever is the current deity of luck) than Mielikki.
But as I said, I enjoy reading the novels and finding about what's happening in the realms. And I understand that D&D is about good prevailing over evil - as is most fantasy. And Drizzt is a hero character, as are the Companions of the Hall. If Drizzt loses a fight against some evil creature, I would guess it's only a temporary setback, to be made right in the next novels. Ultimately, I would guess that Drizzt cannot lose, not without some greater sacrifice that will spell doom for the evil forces as well.
As to whether or not Drizzt is overrated, I guess it depends on the person. To me, the answer is a bit of both...
edit: a word. |
Edited by - Memmorath on 05 Dec 2014 01:42:25 |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2014 : 10:02:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Entromancer
Drizzt died in The Silent Blade. All it took was Entreri, with one of Jarlaxle's Bregan D'Aerthe supporting him. I forget if it was Raigy or Kimmuriel. The power of marketing dragged him back from death.
Good point. |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe
Ireland
705 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2014 : 23:04:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Berkthgar
You do have to keep in mind that zaknefein was killed and he was arguably more skilled then drizzt.
Drizzt never defeated Zaknafein, he killed himself before he could kill Drizzt.
It's all about marketing and money. I hate Drizzt now because of the way Salvatore writes. Drizzt is completely protected with +5 Plot Armour. He is always going to come away intact one way or another so more books can be written and more money can be made. I always thought Entreri was a much better character who had a lot more depth. |
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien
*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*. |
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Drizztsmanchild
Learned Scribe
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - 13 Dec 2014 : 04:49:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Entromancer
Drizzt died in The Silent Blade. All it took was Entreri, with one of Jarlaxle's Bregan D'Aerthe supporting him. I forget if it was Raigy or Kimmuriel. The power of marketing dragged him back from death.
Technically not true. While he would have died if not healed by Raig'y he didn't actually die. We had a debate earlier on RAS's site and I actually asked Mr Salvatore on his FB page and here was his answer
Tough question - was he actually "killed" by Entreri in the tower fight? He says he was, but that could merely mean that he was about to die and would have died (as in, "You've killed me!" - well, obviously someone saying that cliche line in a movie wasn't actually dead when he said it). Did he pass over? I don't honestly know...I tend to think not." |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 13 Dec 2014 : 18:53:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Entromancer
Drizzt died in The Silent Blade. All it took was Entreri, with one of Jarlaxle's Bregan D'Aerthe supporting him. I forget if it was Raigy or Kimmuriel. The power of marketing dragged him back from death.
Drizzt outfought Entreri big time in that fight. He would've killed the assassin several times over, if it had not been for the stoneskin spell that Kimmuriel had secretly bestowed upon the human. In fact, Entreri was so ticked-off that he couldn't beat Drizzt by his own fighting prowess, that he basically gave up and attempted to throw himself onto Drizzt's swords.
What it took for Entreri to defeat Drizzt was the unleashing of all the pent-up energy from Kimmuriel's spell. That was psionic action there--not martial.
Whether Drizzt died in that scene or not is a matter of ongoing debate. Drizzt recalled dying to Entreri there, in a later book. As far as Drizzt was concerned, Entreri had killed him, that day.
But as some have wisely pointed out, Rai'guy was only called in to use healing spells on Drizzt's body, as opposed to resurrection or raise dead spells. This would undermine Drizzt's thought that he had ever died.
My retcon is that Drizzt's body physically died, as in loss of blood and oxygen to the brain, but his spirit did not have enough time to depart his body before Jarlaxle's band intervened and saved him. So Drizzt was both physically dead and yet spiritually still alive.
As an atheist materialist, I would guess that he never fully DIED, died. He lost enough blood and oxygen that he was on the verge of death, but he never quite fully kicked the bucket. Rai'guy got his blood volume restored and got Drizzt's heart and lungs pumping again, and presumably reversed any brain damage that the ranger might've incurred.
Still, Drizzt stands no chance on his own against any real magic-user without divine or authorial intervention, and/or a hellacious amount of luck. (With Tymora in the Realms, I guess that amounts to the same thing.)
I don't think anyone but the most fanatical, out-of-touch Drizzt fans believe otherwise, though. Hardly anyone thinks that Drizzt could withstand a real magic barrage thrown his way. Most people fully recognize his limitations. Heck, even Drizzt does, which is why you don't see him taking on any real magic-users, directly!
So I say no, Drizzt isn't overrated. I'd say he's pretty much rated right where he should be. He's great at what he does, but he stops before trying to do too much. He's a good guy who knows his limitations, as do most of the rest of us.
And he's consistently lucky, because his writer keeps him out of too much harm's way, and his publisher (and the paying public) like to have it so. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Arcanus
Senior Scribe
485 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2014 : 02:31:17
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| I don't think that Drizzt is overrated. Those he fights are within his scope of defeating. I think that Bobs characters are far too lucky at times though. |
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Arcanus
Senior Scribe
485 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2014 : 10:13:13
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| I don't think that Drizzt is overrated. Those he fights are within his scope of defeating. I think that Bobs characters are far too lucky at times though. |
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Austin the Archmage
Seeker
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2014 : 00:08:24
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
quote:
Originally posted by Lilianviaten
People act like Drizzt has been taking out wizards left and right, which is completely untrue. RAS doesn't have Drizzt fight any truly powerful wizards to begin with, like Valindra, Gromph, or Arklem Greeth. He never faces powerful priests either, like Cadderly or Yvonnel Baenre. He's killed some mid-level wizards and priestesses by surprise or in the midst of a chaotic battle. He doesn't fight wizards or priests 1 on 1 and emerge victorious.
Just off the top of my head, Drizzt has either defeated or managed to hold his own against all of the following magic-users, despite the fact that he should've been summarily splatted on sight:
* Briza Do'Urden, a very wary high priestess of Lolth (Exile)
* Hephaestus, a red great wyrm (Sojourn)
* Akar Kessell, admittedly a weak magic-user, but also one heavily boosted by the Crystal Shard (The Crystal Shard)
* Errtu, a freaking Type VI balor tanar'ri (TCSh)
* A farastu demodand (The Halfling's Gem)
* Vierna Do'Urden, another wary drow priestess (The Legacy)
* Jarlaxle Baenre, a drow fighter-mage mercenary (TL)
* The entire city of Menzoberranzan, including Vendes Baenre, high priestess and Duk-tak of House Baenre (Starless Night)
* A huge Menzoberranyr invasion force, including Quenthel Baenre, an exceptionally gifted high priestess of Lolth (Siege of Darkness)
* A marilith (Passage to Dawn)
* Errtu, yet again, even though he was supposedly prepared this time (PTD)
* Numerous accomplished orc shamans (The Lone Drow)
* Gerti Orelsdottr, a frost giantess witch (The Two Swords)
* More highly accomplished orc shamans (The Orc King)
* Various shade-ey beastly things of the Underdark (TOK)
* Jack the Gnome, a mage who had trained with illithids and demons (TOK)
* Various shade-ey beastly demons of the Lower Planes (The Pirate King)
* The Ghost King, made up of the red dracolich Hephaestus, the mind of Yharaskrik the illithid, and the Crystal Shard (The Ghost King)
* The component lich-ghosts of Crenshinibon (TGK)
* Legion devils (Gauntlgrym)
* Sylora Salm, a red witch of Thay (Neverwinter)
* A skull lord lich (The Last Threshold)
Dang. I've been kind of hesitant to check out Drizzt since the guy gets kind of a bum rap nowadays, but that kind of hit list peaks my interest. I can certainly understand the downsides of a character being too accomplished, but it's hard not to be impressed. |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2014 : 01:40:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Austin the Archmage
Dang. I've been kind of hesitant to check out Drizzt since the guy gets kind of a bum rap nowadays, but that kind of hit list peaks my interest. I can certainly understand the downsides of a character being too accomplished, but it's hard not to be impressed.
The Drizzt stories are great if you like to root for the good guy, and if you can deal with the preachiness or soul-searching of someone who earnestly tries to be "the good guy" at every turn. If not, then you'll probably get bored or even annoyed.
I think the biggest beef people have with RAS's stories is that the magic-users get nerfed in order to ensure that Drizzt the mere arch-fighter continues to shine. They're all stunted in order to keep giving him a fighting chance. People who like to supercharge their magic-users in the game and/or in other novels can detect a majorly different take on mages in Bob's stories, which leaves them dissastified and perturbed.
I claim ignorance on how most Realmsian magic is supposed to work, so I don't know what all is wrong, and I don't really want to know. Just as Bob has said of both of the characters Zaknafein and Drizzt, I am more comfortable contemplating the fighter's sword than the mage's rod. I "get" the visceral, mostly realistic (though not always) nature of Realmsian melee, but magic largely flies right over my head and makes my eyes roll. Swashbuckling and axe-hacking are my comfort zone--my literary "comfort food"--so I'm happy to keep coming back to the Drizzt well. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2014 : 01:49:44
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I like a good sword fight, myself, however the Realms is a fantasy setting, and to me, at least, fantasy means magic and otherworldly elements as much as it does a good melee fight scene, otherwise it would simply be fiction, not fantasy fiction. I mean, even Drizzt uses a bit of magic. He has the magical unicorn, and those anklets that increase speed, not to mention Guen, a being of the Astral Plane.
I will agree with your earlier post however in that Drizzt is good at what he does, and knows his limits. Healways tries to do what he thinks is right. In fighting statistics, at least, I don't think Drizzt is overrated. |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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Drizzt is too overrated? Spoilers maybe
