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<blockquote data-quote="Dark Jezter" data-source="post: 828570" data-attributes="member: 1015">It would appear that elves should have a lot of high-level characters due to their long lifespans and the fact that they only have to sleep (trance) half as long as the other races do.&nbsp; I mean, being able to function for 20 hours a day, every day, for several hundred years should give you enough time to do just about anything.But for some reason, in most settings the elves tend to have small, scattered populations when compared to the short-lived humans.&nbsp; My belief has always been that elves, though long-lived, become complacent and lathargic; they feel little urgency to get anything done.&nbsp; There is also the fact that if a human gets killed during a risky adventure, he'll only lose a few decades of life, while an elf could lose centuries.&nbsp; This could definately give an elf pause when faced with the prospect of death.Humans, on the other hand, prosper in spite of their short lives because they are adapable, ambitous, and full of energy.&nbsp; Humans are competitive, always trying to best each other, which leads to them accomplishing some amazing feats during their limited lifespans.&nbsp; They possess a zest for life that the longer-lived races lack.Then again, there is also a game mechanics-based explaination about why elves don't have a lot of high-level characters in their societies.&nbsp; Basically, an elf character who spends centuries defending his home from orcs and goblins will gain levels for a while, but going by the EXP rewards chart in the Dungeon Master's Guide, eventually the elf will reach a point where he no longer gains any expirience whatsoever from battling against simple goblins and orcs.&nbsp; His progression stops.&nbsp; At that point, the only way he will improve himself as a fighter is by seeking out tougher enemies to battle against.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dark Jezter, post: 828570, member: 1015"] It would appear that elves should have a lot of high-level characters due to their long lifespans and the fact that they only have to sleep (trance) half as long as the other races do. I mean, being able to function for 20 hours a day, every day, for several hundred years should give you enough time to do just about anything. But for some reason, in most settings the elves tend to have small, scattered populations when compared to the short-lived humans. My belief has always been that elves, though long-lived, become complacent and lathargic; they feel little urgency to get anything done. There is also the fact that if a human gets killed during a risky adventure, he'll only lose a few decades of life, while an elf could lose centuries. This could definately give an elf pause when faced with the prospect of death. Humans, on the other hand, prosper in spite of their short lives because they are adapable, ambitous, and full of energy. Humans are competitive, always trying to best each other, which leads to them accomplishing some amazing feats during their limited lifespans. They possess a zest for life that the longer-lived races lack. Then again, there is also a game mechanics-based explaination about why elves don't have a lot of high-level characters in their societies. Basically, an elf character who spends centuries defending his home from orcs and goblins will gain levels for a while, but going by the EXP rewards chart in the Dungeon Master's Guide, eventually the elf will reach a point where he no longer gains any expirience whatsoever from battling against simple goblins and orcs. His progression stops. At that point, the only way he will improve himself as a fighter is by seeking out tougher enemies to battle against. [/QUOTE]

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