D&D General elf definition semantic shenanigans

Being Smart and Fraile is not, as you put it " in terms of being graceful, beautiful, agile, etc." Raistin was Smart and Fraile and definitely not an elf.

But that's the problem, isn't it? No description of elves could encompass the vast multitude of elves in D&D alone. Wood elves were xenophobic and the opposite of graceful (in the diplomatic sense), shadar-kai are wizened and old, sun elves aren't particularly agile. D&D defeats every attempt D&D makes to define elf.

The solution, of course, was already presented in Monsters of the Multiverse. We were given three elves, each with their own unique racial traits, that had a simple line "You are also considered an elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an elf.". That's it, that's what makes an elf an elf. Oh sure, there was lore and shared elements (darkvision, fey ancestry, trance, keen senses) but none of those things define an elf; plenty of races share one or more of those traits. (Hobgoblins share the exact same ones as half-elves). You want a graceful elf? Put an ASI in Cha. Agile? Put it in Dex. Each collection of traits is a tailored to that particular type of elf. You want to teleport? Swim? Fly? Pick the elf that fits. There is no need to cram all a particular type of elves abilities into a set of free-spells. EACH ELF TYPE IS UNIQUE.

But no, people want as few choices as possible so they will somehow want both deep lore about specific niche cultures of elves on Krynn and at the same time want all elves to reflect the high-elf stats in the PHB. Even WotC can't seem to get this one right because the solution was RIGHT THERE and then fumbled high, wood and drow elves into one singular elf race where their unique abilities boil down to "pick a list of free spells". And I'm sure they'll boil the eladrin, shadar-kai, astral, sea, and any other elf into a collection of spells when the time comes too.

And we'll keep arguing that elves with 8 Dexterities aren't elfy enough...
No argument from me that TSR, WOTC, Paizo, and almost everyone down the tree stinks are race/species design.
And fans excuse it because of nostalgia.

The only ones I give a free pass are people like EN Publishing, Kobold Press and other companies who make their money being compatible. They have to follow the bad design.
 

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Fair enough, there are only so many options when Wizards is too afraid to actually you know, put limits and negative modifiers on things.
The main point is, the "D&D Elf" can be any kind with any abilities.

It is actually unhelpful to fixate on any ability, when describing the D&D Elf species.

Some Elves have a Dexterity improvement, some Elves dont.
Some Elves have a Charisma improvement, some Elves dont.

The cultural background is actually the highly relevant consideration to understand the stats of any Elf.
 

Now, considering every book, in every edition, sometimes introduced multiple types of Elves, I suppose in the most extreme sense you are correct, we cannot have an 'Elf'. *
Elf, like Dwarf, Gnome, Halfling, Etc, shouldn't refer to a singular species as much as a collection of different ones who share some common features and lore. There is no reason to try to force the most common types of elves into three lists of free spells as their defining traits. There is absolutely no reason why +2 Dex needs to remain amongst those traits. Elves should have a variety of abilities that fit that particular type of elf. Trying to shoehorn them all into some Uber-alf is a major step backwards and would only work if people are willing to say elves are the same on every D&D world OR are willing to ignore settings where elves are different exist.
 



Elf, like Dwarf, Gnome, Halfling, Etc, shouldn't refer to a singular species as much as a collection of different ones who share some common features and lore. There is no reason to try to force the most common types of elves into three lists of free spells as their defining traits. There is absolutely no reason why +2 Dex needs to remain amongst those traits. Elves should have a variety of abilities that fit that particular type of elf. Trying to shoehorn them all into some Uber-alf is a major step backwards and would only work if people are willing to say elves are the same on every D&D world OR are willing to ignore settings where elves are different exist.

Nobody is saying elves should not have multiple rules/mechanics and that the +2 and only +2 is all that is relevant.
 



We're not allowed to have different kinds of humans, at least not mechanically.
Which is strange since everyone is perfectly fine with different kinds of elves, dwarves, etc. being presented mechanically. ;)
Culture is not a 5e rules container. We have been over this many times.
In Level Up, culture is an additional way to help customize your character mechanically by providing you with additional skill proficiencies, weapon and armor proficiencies, spells and starting languages.
 

Which is strange since everyone is perfectly fine with different kinds of elves, dwarves, etc. being presented mechanically. ;)

In Level Up, culture is an additional way to help customize your character mechanically by providing you with additional skill proficiencies, weapon and armor proficiencies, spells and starting languages.

Yes, I don't care for Level Ups design choices.
 

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