Clerics are a popular class for elves...Really?

[Bishmon]

I really like that elves get a wisdom bonus. Not only makes them more perceptive, but it's perfect for nature-priests/druids/shamans.

I think it'd be a bit more intuitive if the PHB entry said that elves made for good druids (in the 3E sense) than clerics. But since there's no specific nature magic user in the PHB, they just say they make good clerics, I think with the understanding that they mean clerics of nature deities.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I think the main dissonance is "Elves in plate mail and shields?! WTF?!" Generally, one doesn't think of graceful woodland creatures plodding around in heavy armor, and the Con penalty is a blow to a second-string melee fighter, while the Dex bonus isn't much help.

But I think clerics will be "lighter" in 4e, by default, so they could be going around in splint mail or the like and be just fine (and Dex might still help 'em out).

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

An odd contradiction in the newest Dragon posting about the three fey races:

For many elves, the gods are not much different from the clan elders who have moved on from this life to another. They remember the gods in thanks and might pray for insight, but not many elves become champions of any god's ideals as a cleric or paladin. They are not as fascinated with arcane magic as their eladrin cousins, often growing impatient with its intricacies and precision. They are drawn more to mastery of primal power, which keeps them attuned to the natural world with its spirits and forces. Elf rangers, rogues, druids, and barbarians are the most common adventurers.

Seems clerics are not "common" among elves, so the idea of cleric being a "best" class for elves is in fact based upon the mechanics more than flavor.

 

[TerraDave]

an illustration

I think the main dissonance is "Elves in plate mail and shields?! WTF?!" Generally, one doesn't think of graceful woodland creatures plodding around in heavy armor, and the Con penalty is a blow to a second-string melee fighter, while the Dex bonus isn't much help.

But I think clerics will be "lighter" in 4e, by default, so they could be going around in splint mail or the like and be just fine (and Dex might still help 'em out).

 

[Imp]

I think the main dissonance is "Elves in plate mail and shields?! WTF?!" Generally, one doesn't think of graceful woodland creatures plodding around in heavy armor, and the Con penalty is a blow to a second-string melee fighter, while the Dex bonus isn't much help.

Unless you pick up BECM, then plate mail & shields are one of the big perks. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE TRADITION NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRYYY

About the Dragon posting bit, so, wait, are they having the Barbarian in some future book as the Nature Defender or whatever? I have seen a straw and must grasp it.

 

[Emirikol]

It's about time. They fit right in there with priests.

Lolth..heh.

Elfth heh

jh

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Well, the latest flavor article of the DDI makes a good point why there might be a few more Elven Clerics:
The split of the "Urelves" happens along the lines of the 3 elven gods. If the relationship between their gods and their races made it possible to split them apart (possibly forever), this presents a good reason why a notable amount of Elves do worship their gods strongly and become Clerics. The relationship is just too close.

 

[Klaus]

The only designers I know who play WoW are Wyatt and Noonan. Mearls has shown great distaste towards MMOs.

Mind you, the Warcraft character I posted wasn't from WoW, but from Warcraft III.

 

[Doug McCrae]

The elven characteristic of being in tune with nature goes hand-in-hand with intuition, wisdom, and a high 'emotional IQ' which suggests religion/divine magic over logic/science/arcane magic.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Clerics is a wider class than one may think...

Elves seems quite spiritual to me, in a sort of native american/celtic way.