The elf ear-itation.

[Bedrockgames]

So, all elves are nature-oriented? I think that's a bit of a stretch. ...

When I think Elf, longevity and connected to nature are what leap to mind.i suppose some kind affinity for magic as well.

 

[delericho]

For the 'Basic' line of products (and probably therefore in all non-setting-specific material) they should stick to a 'standard' Tolkien-inspired vision for elves, dwarves, and halflings.

(The other possible look is WoW-derived, but the WoW elves look awful, so should be discounted as an option.)

The reason for this is pretty simple: that's the vision that new players are going to bring to the game. And given that those new players are also going to be grappling with a ruleset that is necessarily pretty complex (even in its simplest form), you don't really want them also grappling with a non-standard interpretation of one of the key races.

What they do in setting-specific material will, of course, depend on the setting. And, in fact, it would be a mistake to enforce a single consistent vision of the races - the elves of FR are different from the elves of Eberron, and both are distinct from the elves of Dark Sun, and that's a good thing.

 

[Klaus]

And pupiless eyes don't do anything for me either.

Pupiless eyes are straight out of Three Hearts & Three Lions, by Poul Anderson (which, coupled with The Broken Sword, is the basis for the D&D elf).

 

[Klaus]

My issue with a standard shape for elf ears, and most problematically with small ones, is that it creates the same problem that Star Trek has.

There's a lot of wiggle room for elf ears between Spock ears and WoW handlebars. When I did my concept sketch for high and wood elves, I made their ears about a hand in length. That's certainly longer than Vulcan ears.

As for differentiation between elven subraces, YES, I want them. A good place to start is -- I dunno -- their written descriptions? High elves are pale, with raven hair and green eyes. Wood elves are tanned, or downright brown, with brown, red or dark blonde hair, and green eyes. Gray elves (also called faerie elves in 1e and 3e, and called eladrin in 4e) are pale, with silver or blonde hair and blue or violet eyes. That's a lot of differentiation, right there.

And since a picture is worth 10d100 words, here's my concept image for elves:

 

[Stormonu]

Pupiless eyes are straight out of Three Hearts & Three Lions, by Poul Anderson (which, coupled with The Broken Sword, is the basis for the D&D elf).

Hadn't read the book nor seen a depiction of such an elf til PF. If the D&D elf was grounded on this image, they've done a poor job rendering it in the art over the years.

 

[Jester David]

There's a lot of wiggle room for elf ears between Spock ears and WoW handlebars. When I did my concept sketch for high and wood elves, I made their ears about a hand in length. That's certainly longer than Vulcan ears.

As for differentiation between elven subraces, YES, I want them. A good place to start is -- I dunno -- their written descriptions? High elves are pale, with raven hair and green eyes. Wood elves are tanned, or downright brown, with brown, red or dark blonde hair, and green eyes. Gray elves (also called faerie elves in 1e and 3e, and called eladrin in 4e) are pale, with silver or blonde hair and blue or violet eyes. That's a lot of differentiation, right there.

Agreed.
There's a huge middle ground between small Spock ears and giant anime ears. Plenty of room for larger than human pointed ears that are inhuman yet not comedic. Keeping them flatter against the head might also help prevent an anime-look.

 

[The Human Target]

If you want to have a different race fine, but elves are elves. Elves come from nordic, scottish ... celtic anglo-saxan fey origins. Yes elves are generally nature oriented and magic oriented. Thats why most elves in D&D are... wait for it... nature oriented or magic oriented (or both). Sure FR has different elves, most of them have different colored skin.... and thats about it, those elves are... wait for it... nature oriented or magic oriented. I am aware there are dark elves in FR that are physically oriented but you know what MOST of the dark elf culture is? A Matriarchal magic oriented race. One particular darkelf also worships Mielikki who is... oh what was it??? Oh yeah nature oriented.

Elves are typically human sized, slender with pointy ears and USUALLY nature or magic oriented. If you have a race OTHER than that you can call it an elf all you want, it doesnt make it an elf because an elf is already a standardized humanoid race that simply wont change.

Do you think elves from real world myth looked like Orlando Bloom?

You would be... not correct.

 

[Blackwarder]

Every one knows that Orlando Bloom is an elf! Right?

Warder

 

[Ryujin]

Hadn't read the book nor seen a depiction of such an elf til PF. If the D&D elf was grounded on this image, they've done a poor job rendering it in the art over the years.

Well the original elves in D&D were probably more related to something like the Wendy and Richard Pini "Elfquest" elves than they were a more Nordic rendition, like in "Three Hearts and Three Lions." Smaller than human, bigger ears, etc..

I don't generally get down to that sort of level, in my games, because everyone tends to have a somewhat different vision in their minds. I tend toward the Tolkien elves. A couple of other players lean more to the big pointy ears model. Still other players in our group really don't give a rat's, because they hate elves anyway.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Hadn't read the book nor seen a depiction of such an elf til PF. If the D&D elf was grounded on this image, they've done a poor job rendering it in the art over the years.

I would have to agree. Pupiless eyes are not something i have encountered until very recently (and frankly to me it makes them feel too far removed from humans, almost soulless).