Half-Elves: Half-Eladrin?

[icarusfallz]

To be fair, I have done a fair bit of "Springering" (Which I hate, as a term. Lets refer to it as being a Revisionist Historian, or RHing for short, huh?).

The difference is that my players TRUST me, and for anything I "take away", I also give back. Not necessarily in tangible benefits, but in roleplaying at least.

I have "messed" with character's stats back before anyone knew what a Tiefling was, and had that character (and player) find out in game that they had a devilish heritage. Stuff like this can be a lot of fun, if (as I said) there is trust between the DM and the player.

 

[Evanta]

As long as he doesn't try to do something like taking eladrin feats for his half-elf, it should be fine.

 

[LowSpine]

To date in the campaign, neither James nor Dennis has done much roleplaying or expression of backstory. (Certainly none regarding parentage.)

Regarding potential "Springer-ing", does this at all change matters?

I think it is going to be your job as DM to make this backstory an issue.

Create a plot that makes it important. Bring in some other members of the family. Make the PCs make a difficult choice over the fact that they are related to one another and related to some NPCs in the plot.

Grind their souls into dust with extremely difficult family relationship decisions.

Mwahahahaha!!!!

Really that is what backstory is for. Yes, the players should roleplay this stuff, but it is the DM's job to give them something to work with. But don't make it look like you are punishing them for creating an interesting backstory. Let them punish themselves.

Mwahahahahaha!!!! , again.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

As long as he doesn't try to do something like taking eladrin feats for his half-elf, it should be fine.

Why not? that was exactly what I was suggesting earlier in the thread, exchanging elven feats for eladrin feats doesn't sound bad.

 

[doctorhook]

Again, I appreciate the advice, guys. I think you're right about me "Springer-ing" / "RHing" Dennis' backstory. (Perhaps I've been behind the screen too long; I'd forgotten that personal history and personality are all that a player really has.) I honestly don't think Dennis would have a problem, but, *Sigh* I also feel like a bit of a D-Bag for even considering it.

Having had time to sleep on it, I've concluded I'm willing to allow this. I came upon the following realization:

Since, in common usage, "Goblin" can mean

- Goblin;
- Hobgoblin; or
- Bugbear;​

Perhaps, in common usage, "Elf" can mean

- Wood Elf (Elf);
- High Elf (Eladrin); or
- Dark Elf (Drow)
​

Thus, perhaps the "Elf" in "Half-Elf" refers to the common usage of the word. I'll likely say that since "Elves" are the most common "Elves" in civilized parts of the world, most Half-Elves will still be of Human and Elven parentage, but this still leaves the door open for me to let PCs be of more unique parentage.

I also intend to use the tool I consider to be the real "DM's Best Friend": Communication with my players. I'll sit down with Dennis and say,

"Look, I don't know if you were serious about being 'Half-Eladrin' before. Are you serious? If you are, here's what we can do."

- I'll ask him if he'd like to change any of his physical features to appear slightly more "Eladrin".
- I'll tell him that for his Dual Heritage race feature, instead of being able to choose from both Human and Elf feats, he can choose from both Human and Eladrin feats. [DM's Note: Not sure if this will have any unbalancing effect, but my preliminary estimation says it shouldn't.]
- I'll tell him that, other than the above, his race will follow the same details described under the "Half-Elf" entry in the PH, in terms of both mechanics and flavour, with the word 'Eladrin' substituted for 'Elf' where appropriate. [DM's Note: I don't really see why anything else in there would need to change. Perhaps the languages for Half-Drow, and that's it.]
- Finally, I'll tell him that all of this may be subject to change, at our mutual discretion, should "Half-Eladrin" ever receive an official treatment.
​

Problem solved? I think so.

One last thing: Would it still be as "douche-y" a move to include a story arc where Dennis' character questions his heritage after meeting an Elf man who claims to be his real father? OTOH, I'm not running a soap-opera. (For the record, I am no longer seriously considering this.)

Would you guys ever do it?

 

[Jhaelen]

Can a "Half-Elf" be the spawn of a Human and an Eladrin?

One of my players says yes. I say, "Player's Handbook doesn't say that." I'm willing to handwave for him, but I'm curious about the community's thoughts on the matter.

There's lots of things the PHB doesn't say. I'd allow it of course - without applying any mechanical changes.

I'm too lazy to check the Eladrin racial feats right now to decide if allowing a 'Half-Eladrin' to take them would be a good idea or not.

If the player is willing to play a 'Half-Eladrin' without gaining any in-game advantages from it, why disallow it?

 

[theredrobedwizard]

I'm actually playing a Half-Eladrin paladin now. Using the stats for the standard Half-Elf, except allowing Eladrin instead of Elf feats. Not that busted, because the only one you can take is Eladrin Soldier (so far as I remember). The others all have to do with Fey Step.

So yeah, go for it.

-TRRW

 

[77IM]

Your imagination should always trump any "fluff text" -- the guys who wrote the half-elf description in the PHB aren't at your game table.

So in the default setting of D&D, no, elf means elf and half-elf means half-elf. In my setting, yes, half-elves can certainly be the child of a human and an eladrin (and most commonly are). In your setting... you decide.

-- 77IM

 

[lukelightning]

Regarding potential "Springer-ing", does this at all change matters?

I'd say this isn't really "Springer-ing", it's Poviching. True Springering would be your elf mother is really your father....

 

[TerraDave]

I'm actually playing a Half-Eladrin paladin now. Using the stats for the standard Half-Elf, except allowing Eladrin instead of Elf feats. Not that busted, because the only one you can take is Eladrin Soldier (so far as I remember). The others all have to do with Fey Step.

So yeah, go for it.

-TRRW

Why I recently had a thread here on half-elf=half-eldarin...and latter I thought, who could really take advantage of this: a half-elf/eladrin paladin with the eladrin soldier feat.

In any case, my house rule is to allow choice of parentage upfront, and this determines which feats you can take. But I hope your paladin isn't too broken .