Are we tired of elves yet?

[Akrasia]

Whenever I get tired of elf-burgers, I switch to elf-kabobs, or elf-vindaloo, or ...

Really, basic elf is a very versatile ingredient! Sure it tastes a bit bland by itself (sorta like tofu), but when properly prepared, it can make for a good meal.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I've never liked elves, just as a matter of personal taste, really.

 

[shadow]

I'm neutral in regards to elves. On one hand they are integral to most standard D&D fantasy campaigns-the quintessential fantasy race. On the other hand they are often portrayed in D&D supplements as insanely powerful "tree huggin' nature freaks", not to mention to absurd number of elven subraces. The trick is how to portray elves. Dark Sun and Birthright come to mind as having non-stereotypical elves.

In Dark Sun elves are exceptionally tall (over 7') nomads and raiders. Hardened by their lives in the wasteland, elves are very tribal and find it difficult to trust any outsider. They are excellent runners who can cover up to fifty miles a day running across the desert. (In fact they consider riding any type of beast dishonorable.) They are known, not as nature freaks, but as shady merchants as best, or savage raiders at worst.

Birthright is much more "standard D&D" than Dark Sun, but the elves are very different from the elves of Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk. Birthright elves are aloof and unconcerned with the afairs of humans. They are actually fey-touched creatures - the Sidheilin. Very territorial, they are just as likely to be counted as enemies rather than friends.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Besides, most of the gamers (myself included) that I've seen role-play elves can't possibly successfully convey their ancient, world-weary, knowledgeable personalities.

If Orlando Bloom can do it, so can any D&D player. Seriously, how faithfully do you demand peopel psycho-analyze their character? Use id and superego rather than alignment? Have a random psychological issue table? Have them live a month like a peasant so they can properly play a peasant?

It's a game, man. As long as you have a rough stereotype, you can play it.

 

[Incenjucar]

To me, elves just aren't that big a deal. But then, I really tend to stray away from generic D&D fantasy/JRRT fantasy anyways. In my setting, I've got ulari which are, to be honest, kinda elfy-looking, with swept-back pointy ears, delicate, fine-boned faces, grace, and, of course, viperish fangs that produce a pheromone-laced venom, a tendancy to be between six and seven feet tall, tiny scales on their skin with an endless variety of reptilian patterns, slit pupils, fragile, weak bodies to make up for their boundless charisma, one female to every four to five males, a human-like lifespan, egg-laying, and, of course, a tendancy to find warm hairy things endlessly cuddle-worthy (if dwarves existed, they'd drag them in to their laps for warmth).

But, unlike elves, they actually make sense in their world (with its funky spirit-driven evolution -- they were derived from serpents that used potent venom on animals to gain their affection as guardians), as they make up for being utter wusses (-2 Str&Con for +2 Dex&Cha) by being the friendliest, most cooperative, and most considerate race in existance -- especially to assassins that are hired to kill them, as they consider it a mark of cultural pride to seduce them and take them in as consorts when such is at all possible or reasonable.

Elves, honestly, just stopped making sense after they were taken from normal mythology.

 

[Ferrix]

Nope, they have their place easily. They can be fun to play, hell even the holier than thou types can be fun to interact with in a party. Particularly if you're a dwarf ;-)

All in all, I'm not so overly connected to the mythology of elves nor the tolkien elves that I can't shift them around so they fit properly in a game world I run or as a character I play.

[sarcasm]The subraces, yeah lots of 'em, but then there are three standard halfling subraces plus the ones from FR. Oh yeah, and don't get me talking about dwarves, let's see we've got a ton from FR and then there's the three or four in the core books. This subrace stuff really has got to go. Oh, almost forgot about gnomes, well they're a bit better, but since they look funny and have that commonly associated dragonlance tinker blow stuff up background they're out, that's right, no more gnomes.[/sarcasm]

Yeah, no problem here, I prefer to give the different races a modified feel in my game worlds, but there are usually bits and pieces drawn from all sorts of literature. Don't need to be gettin' all classical now.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I like elves, but I voted for the I can't stand 'em because I've had enough of the subrace proliferation. There should be an elf-nonproliferation clause in the OGL and D20-STL.


Regards,
Eric Anondson

 

[Dark Jezter]

You know, I've never really seen that much of the whole 'elf fanboy' thing that a lot of people talk about. I see a LOT more people saying "Elves suck!" and then a few trying to defend them here and there.

It's not very prevalent on ENWorld, thankfully. Elf fanboys are one of the major reasons I stopped frequenting WotC's Forgotten Realms forums a while back; half the threads on that forum were "elves this, drow that, Eilistraee hit me with a wiffle ball bat."

Something that REALLY bothers me is when everyone talks about all the Elven subraces. Have you people not seen all of the DWARVEN ones?! There's just as many, especially in the Realms!

I think you need to go back and do a recount.

Just for the record, I'd prefer less dwarf subraces as well, but the number of dwarf subraces out there is still well short of the number of elf subraces.

 

[Gothmog]

You know what I like?

Pratchett Elves. An incredibly, inconceivably evil, callous, cruel, malicious, sadistic race, but oh-so-pretty and perfect at the same time. Just like cats. Not too keen on iron, either.

LOL!

You sir, have eloquently summed up why I dislike elves, and the mangy nasty-tempered things we call cats. They are exactly the same thing. Eye candy with no substance and very bad attitudes!

But I agree, Pratchett's elves are much more interesting and original than D&D elves. And I loved Lords and Ladies- easily the funniest book I have read in the last 10 years!

 

[Halivar]

There should be an elf-nonproliferation clause in the OGL and D20-STL.

Dude! There's a standard template library for D20? Rock on! 'Bout dang time the ISO took over the D&D rules. I'm sick of writing custom container classes for those stupid elves... oh, bother it all. I'm not funny.

Count me as pro-sub-race-proliferation. If you don't want aquatic-miniature-giant-dark-elves (which happen to bear a striking similarity to regular aquatic-dark-elves), you don't have to (and shouldn't) include them in your game. But it's not killin' ya to have them in your MM.

As for you elf-haters... I can't believe you want cut out elves. Think about it; without elves, orcs start eating humans instead, and we just can't have that.

(PS: $5 says someone starts a "Are we tired of humans yet?" thread in the next few days.)