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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 783709" data-attributes="member: 2020">Elves have always been a pretty popular race.  They were the race with the higher level attainment capabilities, under the old 2nd Edition rules.  They were the ones you could play as a mage plus practically any other class.  Elves had (and have) the famous Bladesinger class.  Elves have the Archer class.  Elves have (and in 2nd Edition, especially had) all manner of special abilities.  Ok, fair enough.  Elves are (or, at least in 2nd Edition, were) pretty special people.  Special people, with special privileges and abilities that made them a preferred race to play.  I suppose that even now, in this 3rd edition world where dwarves and gnomes and halflings can be fighter/mage/clerics or whatever, elves still hold a special place in the hearts of many players.  Forrester has bitterly spoken out against this reality, and I have seen others speak eloquently (or, not so eloquently) concerning the special advantages of playing an elf.  Well, I say ... high elves should have a special disadvantage, to go along with all those advantages.  This disadvantage should be in line with the racial alignment, which is Chaotic Good.  This disadvantage should go along with the classic stereotype of elves as being good, lofty, noble beings (nevermind the OTHER stereotype of elves being snotty, racist, bigoted creeps.)  I'm talking HIGH Elves here ... you know, the fun-loving, frivolous, flighty, music playing, dancing, lore-wise, gentle, reasonable, intelligent, wise, lofty, Fair Folk.  High elves should ... not be able to kill or harm (using the broadest possible interpretation of harming) other high elves.  High elves, should be able to instinctively recognize other high elves (as a Supernatural Power), unless they are concealed by magic.  A high elf who accidentally kills another high elf should be afflicted with permanent, debilitating insanity (curable by a Heal or Restoration spell, but the act will still be a lifelong source of grief.)  A high elf who kills another high elf by accident, should be the source of horrified pity of all other high elves.  It should not even be a thinkable (read:  the elf cannot think of such a deed) act, to kill or harm another high elf.  Even EVIL high elves should be held to this restriction.  Assuming evil powers, such as the Minions of Bane, manage to alter the elf so that these restrictions are removed ... the elf loses all his or her special abilities, permanently!  Or, that elf metamorphoses into a drow, which is worse.  - - -  Absolutes make for poor campaigns, in my book.  The above restrictions need not be as absolute as stated.  A more complicated scenario is possible, in which behavioral traits and personalities are explored.  Nevertheless, all high elves should have some form (some severe form) of limitation on their capacity to deliberately bring harm down on their own kind.  Just my opinion.    With great power comes responsibility.  The Crown Wars - elf against elf - permanently devastated vast regions of Faerun, and permanently broke the power of the elves ... this is something they should have learned from, no?  They ARE supposed to be intelligent, lofty beings ...</blockquote>

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