Let's say... Drows!
DROWS get:
Extra Int +2, Cha +2
Darkvision
Spell Resistance: 11+level (capped at 32)
Spell-Like Ability: Darkness 1/day
Tongues bonus:
- Xanalress
- Undercommon
- Drow sings language
TOTAL: +2 ECL
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Getting features drow get but through Gifts and Awards:
Gift of Learning (INT+2)= +1 ECL
Gift of Confidence (CHA+2)= +1 ECL
Darkvision = ? Let's say +1 ECL
SR 32 (drow get it at level 21)= +2 ECL (and requiring a normal award!)
Gift of Darkness (Darkness 1 / day)= +0.5 ECL
Gift of Tongues (to try compare it with the +3 bonus tongues they get)= ~+1 ECL
TOTAL: +6.5 ECL (and the invest of a normal award...)
And then, drows can get gifts too, while it is not posible get all the bonus drows have as there is a limit of three gifts plus one award...
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DUERGAR:
Listen +1
Move Silently +4
Spot +1
Darkvision EDITED: standard dwarves got it yet.
Immunity: Paralysis
Immunity: Poison
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day Invisibility
TOTAL: +2 ECL
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Duergar bonus compared with gifts...
Listen +1 = + 0.1 ECL
Move Silently +4= +0.8 ECL
Spot +1= +0.1 ECL
Darkvision= +1 ECL ?
Immunity: Paralysis= +2 ECL ?
Immunity: Poison= +2 ECL?
Invisibility 1/day= Gift of Hiding +0.5 ECL
TOTAL: +5.5 ECL (Being not posible to get the immunities through gifts, etc...)
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GNOLLS:
+2 CON
Listen +2
Spot +2
Darkvision
ECL +1
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Gnolls comparison with gifts:
Gift of Endurance (+2 CON)= +0.5 ECL
Listen & Spot +2 ~= +0.5 ECL
Darkvision= ? +1 ECL
So, Gnolls, Kobolds and Orogs (who are going in the same line of right balance) are lower races under Drows and Duergars... Ok, ok. I may say instead, those are balanced while Drows and Duergars are clearly way so OP in ECL wise.
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Then, let's take a look on the surface:
Well... all the surface races are pretty balanced or even nerfed.
None is above what the gifst may worth, and some are below!
Wild elves? (Int -2, Con +2) +1 ECL - 0.5 ECL = - 0.5 ECL ... But they don't receive the reduction of ECL.
Wood elves? (Str +2, Int -2, Cha -2) +1 ECL - 1 ECL - 1 ECL= -1 ECL! ... But they don't receive the reduction on ECL.
Conclusion:
1. As Drows and duergars are not really cursed in the surface under daylight... That was told to be anathema, but not really mechanically balanced... The conclusion is clear (at least in my humble perspective), the UD main races are above the surface races with no balance ECL wise.
or...
2. The ECL on races and the ECL on Gifts are not balanced.
What am I missing on this?
I played in servers where drows, where like this, but balanced by their weakness (and real anathema) of big penalties under the daylight... They could go to the surface during the night time without too many troubles (other than some penalty when on Moon light... but during the day, if not covered by magical darkness, they went blind...
Light Blindness [Ex]: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round. In subsequent rounds, the drow are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.