Do elves have body hair?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Just askin'.

 

[Steverooo]

Elves are like Humans; some have body hair, and some don't. Some have a lot, and others less. Elves tend not to have facial hair, and less body hair. They do have eyebrows & lashes, however. Of the few PHB illustrations, none have facial hair (not even the Half-Elves), and none but Sovelis have any body hair other than on their heads (he has arm hair, IIRC). So, in general, Elves are not a hairy race...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Would that mean the practice of shaving oneself (wherever) would be an attempt to emulate elven standards of beauty?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Or just an attempt to rid oneself of a "bit of downy fluff..."

Shaving could have all kinds of motivations behind it- fashion, politics, emulation of other races, divine edicts, getting rid of an ugly beard, dating someone who hates beards, distinguishing oneself from Dwarves, and so forth.

 

[Steverooo]

I would assume that shaving was invented by Humans (or perhaps Orcs, as an offshoot of scalping), not imitation of Elves...

Why do you ask? What arouseth thy curiosity?

 

[Melan]

Based on the illustration in the OD&D booklets, they do. They have beards.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Why the hell would you like to know that :\

Gamers....

 

[Gez]

Elves in D&D third edition are completely hairless, except of course on the scalp. It's even in the PHB...

Other games or specific settings are not forced to comply to D&D's standard.

 

[Andor]

Yes, but it's all on their backs, and the soles of their feet.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Elves in Dragonlance can grow beards when they are very old. An illustration in the Dragonlance Campaign Setting also shows a Kagonesti Elf with a goatee.