Are we tired of elves yet?

[Dark Jezter]

Similar to the "Are we sick of the Drow yet?" thread, except this time in regards to surface elves. So, are you okay with elves, or are you tired of the ever-growing number of elf subraces and elf-only prestige classes?

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I never play them and won't be using them at all in my campaign.

 

[ssampier]

You ask a double-barrel question. The first part of the question is that I enjoy playing elves so I have no problem with them. The second part I can also agree that there are FAR too many elf subraces. IMHO there are too many prestige classes already.

 

[Gothmog]

Tired of elves? Are you kidding? I never get tired of seeing an orc elf-ear necklace, of the thrill of hearing one splat beneath an ogre's club, of...

Oh, you meant as a player race?

Hate elves. Never have liked them. They are the ultimate in useless foppery and frivilous behavior. I don't allow elven PCs in the games I run, and I only use them as a sinister, chaotic, cruel faerie force that is at war with human society, and have an utterly alien mindset. The players in my game fear and loathe elves, and the paladin was commended by his church for slaying 50 of them lurking near a human settlement.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I've just read the Silmarillion and, with few exceptions, they didn't seem all-powerful or wise. Although too many had the mind-reading, and when Felagund met his first humans... ug. I guess I like Sindar, Nandor and silvan elves but not the Noldor or those wussy Vanyar.

Later on, it was nice to see the elves "letting" the humans have their own lords. Humans worked with elves. Humans worked against elves. Humans killed elves in single combat. And so forth. PS Tolkien elves are not immune to sleep spells.

As for in DnD, um... no. Low Con = death. I could be easily persuaded to play an elf in D20 Past or Grim Tales or something like that... yes, having a low Con means having a low Mas, but then again the class bonus to Defense progression and general lower incoming damage means you still have a good chance of survival. Or just take Improved Damage Threshold.

I found I didn't like elves in most settings though. I really liked the Elfquest elves, although I have to admit that series grew up a lot faster than I did. Either I missed the blatant hypersexuality when I read the first two books in the series x years ago, or that stuff was added later.

IMO there are also too many subraces. Really, do wild elves need different stats from other elves? I think not. Take a baby wild elf and raise him as a high elf and you won't see anything different.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I've just read the Silmarillion and, with few exceptions, they didn't seem all-powerful or wise.

Yet that dosen't stop many authors from portraying them as such. Two prominent examples being The Complete Book of Elves and Elves of Evermeet, two old D&D suppliments which portray elves as being infinately wise, beautiful, and superior to humans in every way.

I've also heard that Elaine Cunningham's FR novels portray elves (and by extention, drow) as being the best at everything they do, but I haven't read them myself so I can't say for certain.

I really liked the Elfquest elves, although I have to admit that series grew up a lot faster than I did. Either I missed the blatant hypersexuality when I read the first two books in the series x years ago, or that stuff was added later.

I've never read Elfquest myself, but a friend of mine informed me about the nymphomaniac elves in that comic series: All the male elves look like bodybuilders, and all the female elves look like lingerie models, and they're constantly "hooking up" with each other.

 

[Sado]

They do seem to come across as arrogant little $#!+$ dont they? I think I'd like to stop seeing them portrayed in novels and games as these condescending know-it-alls who are so much wiser and more capable than us mere humans. I'd like to see a setting where elves are mostly primitive barbarians, for example. I'm tired of having it shoved in our faces how superior they are (yeah I have issues).

 

[RFisher]

I think I was tired of elves by about 1987. Maybe '88. Still, it's not the drow kind of tired. I still tolerate them. Can't imagine the game without them. Might even play one someday.

 

[Mythtify]

Eberron elfs are very different. They are into death bigtime. No subraces, though they do have different social styles. Aside from the death worshiping ones, you have the elves who like to fight. They started out as mercenaries, then just decided to take over a good portion of land. They kinda remind me of cossacks.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Can't stand elves, dwarves or halflings.

The plethora of elf subraces is absolutely ridiculous. Are they so different that they deserve different racial stat bonuses? I don't think so.

I think the wood elf with their bonus to str is a major reason people view half-orcs unfavourably. The reality is that the wood elf breaks the rules for ability bonuses.

I just use humans and give no option for races.