D&D General elf definition semantic shenanigans

[Scribe]

archers in real life are all str users or at least the long-bow men all were.

This isnt real life, its an Elf Game where we culturally understand what an 'Elf' and a 'Dwarf' are, in Fantasy terms.

 

[Scribe]

archers in real life are all str users or at least the long-bow men all were.

Here, which is which? One is a dexterous elf, the other a solid and tough dwarf.

This is rhetorical, because we KNOW which is which, its been reinforced in our western mythology of what "Fantasy" options look like.

 

[Remathilis]

This isnt real life, its an Elf Game where we culturally understand what an 'Elf' and a 'Dwarf' are, in Fantasy terms.

Oh Absolutely. Neither of these would ever be misconstrued as an elf or a dwarf...

 

[Yaarel]

It seems to me, every "biological" reduces to the problem of Size.

Size is an extremely consequential trait, with numerous physical implications.

2024 must rethink Size, and ensure that its mechanics are well thought out, consistent, balanced, and verisimilitudinous.

 

[Scribe]

View attachment 350986View attachment 350982

Oh Absolutely. Neither of these would ever be misconstrued as an elf or a dwarf...

In D&D (as broad a term as that is) Fantasy?

No, not really.

 

[Yaarel]

In D&D (as broad a term as that is) Fantasy?

There are over a hundred different kinds of "D&D Elf".

Dexterity is irrelevant to MANY of these kinds of D&D Elves.

All D&D Elves express magic.

 

[Scribe]

There are over a hundred different kinds of "D&D Elf".

Dexterity is irrelevant to MANY of these kinds of D&D Elves.

All D&D Elves express magic.

There are no, to my knowledge. Short, Squat, Thick, high Toughness, high Constitution, Elves.

To my knowledge, most (all?) Elves, are described in terms of being graceful, beautiful, agile, etc.

Yes, Magic also is a part of it, with their innate spells based upon their subspecies.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

Gosh, I ran a campaign for years where elves, dwarves, gnomes, and pixies were all the same thing. If I had known better I probably would have thrown goblins, kobolds, and piskies in there too.

 

[Remathilis]

There are no, to my knowledge. Short, Squat, Thick, high Toughness, high Constitution, Elves.

To my knowledge, most (all?) Elves, are described in terms of being graceful, beautiful, agile, etc.

Yes, Magic also is a part of it, with their innate spells based upon their subspecies.

Its worth noting that sun elves in 3e did not have a dexterity modifier. They got +2 Int, -2 Con. Guess they aren't really elves since they don't have a dex mod...

 

[Minigiant]

There are no, to my knowledge. Short, Squat, Thick, high Toughness, high Constitution, Elves.

To my knowledge, most (all?) Elves, are described in terms of being graceful, beautiful, agile, etc.

Yes, Magic also is a part of it, with their innate spells based upon their subspecies.

The issue is that
"most (all?) Elves, are described in terms of being graceful, beautiful, agile, etc."
is more that +2 Dex ( +1 Dex in 0e-1e).

Same with Dwarves. "high Constitution" isn't +2 Con.