Half Elves...Wtf... :P

[krissbeth]

In a campain I play in, we don't have half races, but we do have blood feats.

Orc Blood [general]

Requirements: non-orc humanoid, monstrous humanoid or giant, base size must be small, medium, or large, 1st level character only.

Benefits: you gain a +2 Strength bonus, but suffer a -2 Intelligence and -2 Charisma penalty. You gain Darkvision to 60 feet. For all effects related to race, you are considered an orc and your base race. (e.g. favored enemy.)


Elf Blood [general]

Requirements: non-elf humanoid, monstrous humanoid or fey, base size must be small or medium, 1st level character only.

Benefits: you gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects. You have low-light vision, seeing twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. You gain a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks and may detect secret doors merely by passing within 5 feet.


Dwarf Blood [general]

Requirements: non-dwarf humanoid or monstrous humanoid, 1st level character only.

Benefits: you gain darkvision to 60 feet. You gain the Stonecunning ability: a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Simply walking within 10 feet of unusual stonework allows a search check as if you were actively searching, and you can use the search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. You can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground. You gain a +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Craft checks that are related to stone or metal items.

For the elf-blood and the dwarf-blood, you are functionally human (i.e. you get the extra first level feat and you get the extra skill points).

 

[Kisanji Arael]

In my world, half-elves are a cursed race. You remember the things that people in the middle ages thought happened when there was a witch in town? Yeah, like that. Ladders break down the center; milk sours; crops go bad; babies are born still. The downside is that it requires a lot out of me as a DM, the upside is that it makes stories infinitely more interesting with a half-elf in the party, or even an all half-elf party (okay, this hasn't happened yet, unfortunately). The only way to cure this is to reach a spellcaster level of 10, at which point the player learns to control the dangerous magics that bubble within them.

 

[WesternWolf]

Interesting stuff guys Thanks for replying

 

[Dread October]

In my world, half-elves are a cursed race. You remember the things that people in the middle ages thought happened when there was a witch in town? Yeah, like that. Ladders break down the center; milk sours; crops go bad; babies are born still. The downside is that it requires a lot out of me as a DM, the upside is that it makes stories infinitely more interesting with a half-elf in the party, or even an all half-elf party (okay, this hasn't happened yet, unfortunately). The only way to cure this is to reach a spellcaster level of 10, at which point the player learns to control the dangerous magics that bubble within them.

I like everything right up until there are actual super natural consequences to being a half elf. Remember all that damage was done in the dark ages (and in the 1700s) because folks just THOUGHT a witch was in town. I'd use the power of superstition and coincidence to bring about the same effect.

The party his town and folks start doing Gather information checks and high result get them the sort of info that matters. Crappy reults get them stuff like Clem the Green's Pig, Bari, just up and died a night ago. This would coincide with the time and route the party took into town.

Once the fight breaks out, and they do most of the time, someone noticed the half elf and then you find out how many folks in town played with that pig as children or whatever.

 

[Aleolus]

In a campain I play in, we don't have half races, but we do have blood feats.



For the elf-blood and the dwarf-blood, you are functionally human (i.e. you get the extra first level feat and you get the extra skill points).

...Only problem with this is that, according to the BOEF, Dwarves can only crossbreed with creatures who are known for their ability to create half-breeds, such as Dragons and Celestials.

 

[Dread October]

...Only problem with this is that, according to the BOEF, Dwarves can only crossbreed with creatures who are known for their ability to create half-breeds, such as Dragons and Celestials.

Why is that a problem? Dude clearly has a house rule. Can he not have a little Dwarf Blood? We all know we are curious as to how that works....

Anyone can bag a hot elf maiden but...ok...I lie...not anyone, but you know what I mean.

Dwarf chicks man! WHAT!

 

[krissbeth]

Why is that a problem? Dude clearly has a house rule. Can he not have a little Dwarf Blood? We all know we are curious as to how that works....

Anyone can bag a hot elf maiden but...ok...I lie...not anyone, but you know what I mean.

Dwarf chicks man! WHAT!

Boyfriend played a dude who had the hots for the dwarf-blood chick...

...Only problem with this is that, according to the BOEF, Dwarves can only crossbreed with creatures who are known for their ability to create half-breeds, such as Dragons and Celestials.

*shrug* Maybe there was some magical intervention?

 

[Dread October]

Boyfriend played a dude who had the hots for the dwarf-blood chick...

Are you at least short?

There are many rules in D&D.

Rule - If you game with your Significant Other, do not play out some odd fantasy about having the hots for some other chick. That's just not right. Save that for drunking fumbling about after all the gamers leave...

 

[taferial]

Im going to avoid saying anything to do with rp romance (haveing been jumped mid fight by the character played by the DM's girlfriend).

Our groups fix for the rather weak half elf, was to give them the choice - humans bonus skill points, or a bonus feat at first.

Im still campagining for a +1 LA for dwarves though.

 

[Anthelios]

Half-Elves have the divided ancestry benefit, if you take the racial paragon levels from Unearthed Arcana. This makes them very very nice.

Even just the first level of half-elven paragon gives them the human feat AND the elven vision.

A first level (caster) with 3 levels in Half-Elf Paragon and 3 levels in Human paragon gets:

Tons of skills, 2x +2 abilities of their choice, two bonus feats, choice of new class skills, +3 spells per day/caster level, and 6d8 hit points, as well as good saves and medium BAB.

Elf Paragon instead of human adds wizard abilities, higher intelligence, better elf racials, and weapon focus.

In addition, the paragon levels give weapons and armor proficiencies that usually arent available to spell casters. Throw on a Practiced Spellcaster feat and the half-elf becomes a very hardy arcane caster.

Wiz 1, 1/2 elf paragon 3, hum paragon 3 with practiced spellcaster is caster level 7, 4th level wizard with +4 abilities and 1d4 + 6d8 hit-points and two bonus feats. Proficiency in all simple weapons, one martial weapon of their choice, and light armor, and lots of skills they normally wouldn't have as a wizard.

A half-elf paragon can fill pretty much any nitch in a party, which seems perfectly suited to their natures as living between their two vastly different societies.