This may be a long review to read, folks, so be forewarned.
Eldest Sons: The Essential Guide to Elves is a RPG race sourcebook published by Paradigm Concepts. It's part of the OGL Interlink series that both PC and Green Ronin Publishing have contributed to. Eldest Sons was originally slated for a September '02 release (IIRC), but for various reasons it started shipping mid-to-late February of this year. The cover illustration is one-half of a larger work by Mark Evans (the other half being used for the cover of Wrath & Rage) and is good but unexceptional. The art style reminds me a little of what I saw being used here and there in out-of-print TSR products for the Horde campaign (Perhaps he contributed to that as well?). It isn't bad, per se, it just doesn't thrill me. The artwork within is generally pleasing, and although the various styles differ they mesh well together. Nothing seems out of place there.
Eldest Sons is a 128-page softcover comprised of seven chapters. The authors, Dina and Shawn Havranek, make it clear from the start that ES is a toolkit and not a straightjacket. Well put. You will not find anything in here telling you that elves cannot do or be X. It's all about options, as with the previous books in the series. ES isn't straight 'crunch', there are narrative pieces here and there that are used to good effect. In general terms, the space is used well but I was struck by the number of punctuation/grammatical errors. I wasn't looking for them, but there they were. Every book has some, but it seems like I found more than the usual share. They're minor, and they aren't enough to make ES annoying to read, but it makes me think that another proofreader would've been helpful before it shipped off to press.
The first chapter, "Getting into Character," deals with many aspects of elven life, from their affinity for magic to how their near-immortality affects their view on time---"What's so important that it must done now?" This is one of the better chapters, and my favorite, because it deals with what's taken for granted about elves as well as the possibilities. Everything gets touched upon. There are paragraphs that emphasize elven sensitivity to sound, why elves are immune to sleep effects, and so on. As I said, though, it also deals with the possibilities. What if you want elves to be immortal in your world? There's a piece discussing it. What if you feel that elves should have a Charisma bonus (ala the MERP campaign)? Or perhaps elves have an affinity for flails instead of swords? It's all here. The way it's handled allows for hide-bound DMs and players both to consider alternative choices without feeling that it's foisted upon them, something that other sourcebooks aren't always successful at. Classes are likewise handled in a decent manner, including the cliche-ridden Druid (One question to consider in your own campaign: if elven druids won't allow for wood cutting then how can elves have so many high-quality bows and arrows?) to uncommon choices such as the Monk and Paladin. There's nothing wrong with revisiting the various roles these classes play, for not everyone has a clear view on what their character's all about.
Chapter 2 deals with elves within the campaign, whether being seen as custodians of the world or a tragic, dying race. It also deals with 'spices', such as making them into stereotypes of PETA members (the books says that tongue-in-cheek, folks) to being exiles. It also discusses how elves feel towards other races. And, naturally, there are the obligatory elven sub-races. Dark elves are, of course, barely mentioned but sea elves get a fair amount of detail. Mention is made of a 'depth touch' that may impart a moderately powerful spell or curse that causes poisoning. This is a nice tweak, and is used as an example of how to further distinguish each sub-race's magic via a signature spell-like ability or specialization.
Elven religion is also discussed in chapter two. Both animism and ancestor worship are given as alternative to worshipping the elder gods, but they take a backseat to the pantheon. There are 15 deities listed, and interestingly enough only one is Chaotic Good. There are four good-aligned deities, 8 neutral-aligned deities, and three evil deities. I support the idea of having a diverse group of gods for the elves (despite my fondness for the Forgotten Realms I find its Elven pantheon to be overly homogenized) and yet I was taken aback. It's almost a heresy to have a Lawful Neutral elf-god, let alone three, right? But there's a reason for this. Most of the deities in question are elemental and/or deal with the weather and the changing seasons. Yvina, the lone Lawful Good goddess of fertility and excess, is responsible for many elven births, and would be responsible for many more if she hadn't accidentally trapped herself. Perhaps four among the fifteen don't deal with nature and/or the elements, instead dealing with the powers of light, lost souls, and whatnot. The Goddess of Paradoxes (the dark elven patroness), is also briefly mentioned.
Chapter 3 deals with new roles for elves. There are two new core classes, the Warder and the Suromar (psi-hunter). At first the Warder looks like an alternative ranger, but in reality it's an attempt to bring back the flavor of the old-style D&D "Elf." Anyone remember Basic D&D, where the Elf as a class and not just a race? This is what the Warder's about. Warders get up to 7th-level spells from a limited spell list, the tracking feat, the occasional bonus feat, and what's termed Homeland Defense--essentially you get a bonus when in a specific terrain or geographical area, and it improves every few levels. In my opinion, it's a viable class and may well see use in my campaign. The Suromar, however, is another matter, if only because I have no experience with 3E psionics. They act as psionic hunters, they’re trained to resist psionic attacks, and like the Warder they have limited access to spells (up to 6th level, from a special list).
Ah, feats. In Eldest Sons there are several sets of feats: Elven, General, Metamagic, and Elorrii (the latter of which deal with the Arcanis version of elves, discussed later on). The Elorii feats are all bloodline-related, and depending on various factors can be quite powerful. As for the Elven feats, I find them to be very useful. Feats like Trackless Step, Difficult Target (which gives 1/4 concealment vs. all ranged attacks as long as you're aware of an attack and not denied your Dex bonus), and Arcane Enemy all evoke the power and subtlety of the elves. Friend of the Wild is one of the usual 'lose a feat to gain 2 skill ranks in two skills' feats, while Elven Blood allows a non-elf to use elf-only magic and such. Not counting the Elorii feats, there are at least 23 new feats, 10 of which are quite handy.
There are prestige classes as well: The Berotar (a magic shipsman of sorts), Eldritch Craftsman, Elfbane, Lifewarden, and many others. For those whose campaigns have elves who think the ends justify the means, there's Those Who Follow The Second Path. Hold up, hold up! I have a real problem with prestige classes using common or over-used words/terms as a description (e.g., the Elffriend), but this is a far worse offense. Why not call it something else...Something a little bit shorter perhaps? The Vengeful Path (or Vengeful Blade) sounds more appropriate. Regardless, prestige classes as a rule are hit-or-miss and these are no exception.
Chapter 4, Tools of the Fey, includes new spells and magic. The list of bard spells is a tad stingy, but for everyone else there's much to be had. A number of useful psionic-related spells for the Suromar are also included. Are there any spells that stand out? Aerial Arms and Vampiric Earth are worth a try. Some spells, however, seem to be higher-level than they should be (Greengrowth and Safeguard, for example, are both 8th level but in my opinion it doesn't quite seem justified). Maybe it's just me. There's a spell, Wall of Flies, that should've been called Wall of Insects but perhaps I'm just a nitpicker. As far as new magic items and properties, I'm mostly pleased by what's included. From arcane armor to elven chain (as well as the 'enhanced' property which allows for weapon/armor properties to be added without the item itself having a +1 or more enhancement), it's a short but sweet ending to the chapter.
Chapter 5 deals with Fairvus, the Divided City. This is an elven coastal trade-town, presumably in Arcanis, where they meet with humans. It bustles with action as well as with the anger of some elven natives. It's a short chapter compared to the rest but it gives you a slightly different view of how two cultures collide. Even if you don't plan on having anything to do with Arcanis, Fairvus can be transplanted wherever you like. Chapter 6, the Menagerie, deals with several elven-related constructs, totems, and undead. Templates for the Eternal (another form of undead), fae, half-elf, and half-faerie are also included, Chapter 7, Entares and the Elorii City of Seremas, finishes off the last 20+ pages of the book, and while it's Arcanus-specific you may well find it of interest. It's very detailed, although (as with Fairvus) no map was included.
So, what's the final verdict? There's a lot to like about Eldest Sons: The Essential Guide to Elves, and in general it's a good product. At the same time, I don't feel it's as essential to have as previous race-based guidebooks. It could be that ES suffers from being late in line. (Perhaps.) Or maybe there's already enough elf-based material out there. (True, but the overall quality of that material is iffy.) You're certain to find something useful in ES, and I doubt you'll rue forking over your money. It isn't stellar (and some of the errors within were more than I'm used to), but it's a solid product. Look for it at the local game store and see what you think.
US $19.99
