Does your elf use a sword and/or a bow?

[Alhazred]

My 4 level elf diviner has a Str 8, so swords and bows are lost on him. He does, however, us a light crossbow.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

I like the stereotype, so I play it that way. Sorry.

Nothing to apologize for If no one liked the stereotype then how did it become one? If you like it that way be proud of it, least your idea is backed by a good author

 

[wizardneedsfood]

Um, a greatsword is a sword.

Yeah, for some reason when I posted my response I thought the question was just about longswords since the elfs get a free proficiency with them or something. Total brain fade on my part.

 

[Thanee]

This poll is similar to the "Does your dwarf warrior use an axe?" poll. It seems that in fantasy, elves are always using either a sword or a bow (or crossbows, in the case of D&D drow). So, this thread was created to see just how true that stereotype is.

Bow normally, yes (voted yes). The elf character I'm playing soon does not use either, however. She uses Scorching Rays as a weapon.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Mark]

Does your elf use a sword and/or a bow?

I voted "Yes and/or No"

 

[Nine Hands]

Well since I run an elf only game let me take a look at the PCs first:

Bryssendi Nightstar (Bard/Rogue)--yup, she has an elven thinblade and a bow, but hardly uses it.
Alyne Oakstaff (Sorceress)--nope, I don't even think she carries a weapon...yup just a staff.
Blackthorne (Unfettered/Champion of Life and Elves)--rapier. Its a moonblade but its a rapier. Has a bow too.
Jharid Nightsong (Ranger/Agent Retriever)--double sword? Does that count?
Thaleles Darkshine (Cleric)--maybe a bow, but normally carries a mace.

NPCs:
Phyrria Silverstar (Rogue/Assassin/Thief Acrobat/Guild Thief)--mainly daggers, but has a rapier and a really nasty bastard sword in gloves of storing. She has a bow somewhere.
Nine Hands (Fighter/Wizard/Bladesinger)--bastard sword mainly but he is in possession of a longsword also, he just does not use it alot. Has a bow.
Karsel'lyn (Cleric)--longsword
Rane (Rogue/Courtier)--no weapons (he steals what he needs to use)
Lyranth (Hawk Totem Warrior/Fighter)--longbow
Roland Ni'Tessine (Unfettered/Mageblade)--longsword, rapier of wounding in gloves of storing. Probably has a bow.
Charunlil Starym (Ranger)--elven thinblade (its a moonblade too).

That is all I can think of at the time. Swords are pretty handy and they are trained in thier use. Which explains why a majority of them use them. Although there is no reason NOT to break stereotype but if you do it all the time, then its not really a stereotype now is it

 

[RCanning]

One of the players in a game I play (and sometimes GM) always plays either Rogues or Wizards. He always takes and elf, he always uses longsword and longbow, and he always (and I mean always) will spend all of his effort trying to get a mithril buckler of at least +3. He will go from church to church in town, trying to talk to clerics who might be able to do it; he talks to wizards. All of this "down time" is spent to this goal.

Every character..... It is annoying as hell.

Basically he realised by the rules that he can get +4 or better to his AC, no spell chance failure, and no penalties. It is just there. Always and elf, always a wizard or rogue, always with a +3 mithril buckler.

Sometimes I just want to scream.

Oh, back on topic. Yes, all of the elves I have GMed (I don't play them) or played with tend to use the swords and bows.

 

[Dark Jezter]

One of the players in a game I play (and sometimes GM) always plays either Rogues or Wizards. He always takes and elf, he always uses longsword and longbow, and he always (and I mean always) will spend all of his effort trying to get a mithril buckler of at least +3. He will go from church to church in town, trying to talk to clerics who might be able to do it; he talks to wizards. All of this "down time" is spent to this goal.

Every character..... It is annoying as hell.

Basically he realised by the rules that he can get +4 or better to his AC, no spell chance failure, and no penalties. It is just there. Always and elf, always a wizard or rogue, always with a +3 mithril buckler.

Sometimes I just want to scream.

Oh, back on topic. Yes, all of the elves I have GMed (I don't play them) or played with tend to use the swords and bows.

I know how you feel. I have a player in my group who always plays as elf rangers. Whenever we start a new game, we'll usually rotate roles in the party (a person who played a fighter in the last game might play as a wizard in this game, etc), but not this guy, he's got a death-grip on the elf ranger archaetype.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I'll say yes, but my usual elf character is a wizard so the weapon choice doesn't matter much.

Ditto.

 

[aurance]

I would guess that a great majority of D&D characters use bows and/or swords. This poll is much less informative than the dwarf/axe thing.