A minor rant: the Elf spectrum

[fuindordm]

Why is it that every edition of D&D has been swimming in elves?

It looks like 4E is keeping up the tradition, and while I love most of what I've heard so far I find this disappointing.

So far we're getting eladrin, elves, half-elves, and drow. If drow are significantly different from eladrin, perhaps we will end up with "shadow elves" and "half-shadow elves" as well.

I really don't understand the point. Are the roles played by these variants really so distinct that so many different races are needed? Are we really going to have half of the PH race quota taken up by elf variants?

If we're getting only six races to play with in the first PH, why can't they be Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Orc, and Tiefling? I'm sick of half-races.

If a player wants to be half-whatever, let them spend a feat at first level to get a single feature from some other race. Then our precious PH pages can be devoted to distinct and flavorful options, not "shades of elf".

 

[Oldtimer]

If we're getting only six races to play with in the first PH, why can't they be Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Orc, and Tiefling? I'm sick of half-races.

Or Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Gnome, and Tiefling?

 

[TerraDave]

It could be worse...

The 3.5 SRD has

(High) Elf
Drow
Half Elf
Aquatic Elf
Gray Elf
Wood Elf
Wild Elf

As far as I can tell "high elf" is gone, and wood elf and wild elf combined into elf.

So consider it progress

 

[Anthtriel]

It could be worse...

The 3.5 SRD has

(High) Elf
Drow
Half Elf
Aquatic Elf
Gray Elf
Wood Elf
Wild Elf

As far as I can tell "high elf" is gone, and wood elf and wild elf combined into elf.

So consider it progress

Unless FR manages to fit them in again. Together with demonic elves, mountain elves, rubber elves and elf elves. But then again, FR has silly subraces for everything other than humans.

In defense of Wizards, multiple elf subraces have been pretty common in modern fantasy. High Elves, Wood Elves and Dark Elves are all staples. At least 4E will apparently make the racial distinction (which should just be cultural, as far as I'm concerned) actually meaningful, by splitting the Eladrin off.

Half-Elves are staples to keep the grognards content (though yeah, I don't know anyone who actually likes them either).

 

[lukelightning]

I think all elves (and "sub-races" in general) should be mechanically the same, but differentiated culturally through fluff and minor changes. The difference between a wood elf and a high elf? On tends to be wizards and warriors, the other tends to be druids and rangers.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Its all being done to soften people up to the idea that there are lots of different kinds of elves because in the PHB II they are planning a cross-marketing campaign with Keebler and will need to add the cookie elves, which will be the replacement for Gnomes.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't get elf fetishism, myself, and agree that they should just be handled as different cultures applied to a single core set of stats. The fetishists outnumber the elf agnostics and doubters, though, so I don't see it ever happening in D&D.

 

[Mad Mac]

Not a big elf fan either, but I do like the Elf/Eladrin split and tying elves more to fey, and there's no way to get rid of Dark Elves. Just as long as all the other subraces get axed, I won't be too disgruntled.

Half-Elves, on the other hand...They were a big deal in 2nd Edition, where they were one of the most powerful races, having decent racial bonuses and able to advance to high levels in otherwise human dominated classes. And of course Dragonlance was more high profile and you had Tanis wannabes popping up all over the place.

Half-Elves were useless in 3rd edition though, and didn't have any new iconic characters, and I think most gamers have managed to mostly forget about them in the last 7 years. I'm not sure they're still important enough to merit inclusion in the core rulebooks, not when other races are getting the axe. (temporary as it will probably be)

I'm not that into the changes either. Making Half-Elves into naturally charismatic inspiring leaders? So after all these years, we still don't have a broader concept for Half-Elves than Tanis?

 

[Doug McCrae]

Why is it that every edition of D&D has been swimming in elves?

People like them.

Not me, but I am nonetheless aware there's a lot of elf love around.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm not that into the changes either. Making Half-Elves into naturally charismatic inspiring leaders? So after all these years, we still don't have a broader concept for Half-Elves than Tanis?

That sounds more like Elrond, actually.