Playing a Glass Elf

Glass Elves are weird, and not suited to living and adventuring on the overworld. Do not expect to be able to play a glass elf in the same way you play a regular elf, or another race, or even a regular Drow.

Glass elves are blind, and this locks them out of many interactions in the regular game that are sight-based. Being blind also presents a significant disadvantage in combat. In exchange, they have exceptional hearing and other senses, with Expertise in Perception and the ability to Search as a bonus action. It is ironically very hard to hide from a Glass Elf, even if they can't see you at all. The intention of the Search bonus action is to allow a glass elf to use ranged weapons outside of their blindsight radius, though needing to use their Search to pick out a target each turn beforehand. Their detect magic at will also lets them detect magical creatures or enemies using magic items, beyond their normal senses.

Glass elves cannot be out in the day, for the sun is a deadly laser to them. Their flesh and organs rapidly begin to burn and melt when exposed to it. Protective clothing can block out the influence of sunlight, but no specific mechanics are provided for that here. My suggestion to DMs is to allow a glass elf to wear something like a burka or other full-body fully light-blocking clothing, but respond to that clothing in-world with suspicion. Additionally, the protective clothing of glass elves should be considered more able-to-be-damaged than regular clothes and equipment, which tend to be immune to ambient damage in D&D. Glass elf players who employ protective clothing should expect and be willing to deal with said protection coming under threat.

Glass elves do not speak Common, this is a significant roleplay barrier. You will probably want a fellow party member who can speak Elvish to interpret for you, when interacting with most NPCs.

Glass elves are hated, even worse than the regular Drow. The surface dwellers see Drow as evil elves, but they see glass elves as twisted monsters, and most do not even understand them as sapient, intelligent people. Commonfolk should respond to the discovery of a glass elf in their midst with fire and sword.