D&D 5E Elves, Wizards, Sorcerers, Charisma

[Nivenus]

Probably worth mentioning that Charisma heavy elves do exist in 5e; they're drow .

 

[DerekSTheRed]

Half elves get a charisma bonus which doesn't necessarily make sense from a genetic standpoint. But it fills the fey charmer niche.

 

[1of3]

I think the grace part is well covered with Dexterity. And being graceful and beautiful doesn't make you a people person.

In 3.x Unapproachable East for Forgotten Realms, there were Star Elves who featured a Cha bonus, though. Converting them to 5e might get you:

Star Elf
[*] +1 Cha
[*] Weapon Proficiency: Short and Long Swords
[*] Artistic: You are proficient with a musical instrument or crafting tool of your choice.
[*] Melee weapons you wield count as magical.

 

[DammitVictor]

Just want to note that I agree with you, that Elves have always struck me as more charismatic and wise than intelligent and that they are better suited to the Charisma-based spellcasting classes-- but Wild Mage doesn't suit them well, I'm leery of Elven Paladins (except Oath of the Ancients), and downright hate the notion of Elven Clerics.

 

[Lrdroland]

So, your elf could have +2 to Charisma or +2 to Wisdom or +2 to any other stat. In addition, a High Elf or a Wood Elf would have an additional +1 to any stat.

I have noticed there is no +2 Wisdom modifiers would allowing this break something or is it more because wisdom is mostly even through out all races?

 

[GreenTengu]

If Elven stats had to meet their fluff, they would probably require a +2 to every stat except Strength and Constitution. Those might only get a +1.

In order to make the races balanced, at some point one has to consider which of the attributes its concept supports more....

Actually though... to be honest? Maybe Elves should be +2 Charisma and not +2 Dexterity. I just don't see Elves as being as Dexterous as Halflings or Goblins.

 

[Kalshane]

If Elven stats had to meet their fluff, they would probably require a +2 to every stat except Strength and Constitution. Those might only get a +1.

In order to make the races balanced, at some point one has to consider which of the attributes its concept supports more....

Actually though... to be honest? Maybe Elves should be +2 Charisma and not +2 Dexterity. I just don't see Elves as being as Dexterous as Halflings or Goblins.

That's an interesting thought. I'd leave Wood elves with the higher Dexterity bonus, but I could easily see High Elves being +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity and Gray Elves (to bring them back into the equation from pre-4E) being +2 Int, +1 Dex.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I think one could make a strong academic argument that all Save DCs should be based on Cha, regardless of your magical tradition.

As for Elves, more Cha and more mechanics that depend on Cha "feels" very Fey to me. Not that all (or any) elves necessarily needs to feel Fey, but D&D elves feel much less Fey than even Tolkien. IMHO, of course.

(I was toying with that idea spellcasting DCs should all be Cha based for a 3eish houserule, as a means of making the one stat super high be not being so hyper optimal. Do you want bonus spells or high DC?)

 

[GreenTengu]

That's an interesting thought. I'd leave Wood elves with the higher Dexterity bonus, but I could easily see High Elves being +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity and Gray Elves (to bring them back into the equation from pre-4E) being +2 Int, +1 Dex.

I really think Wood Elves being +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity and High Elves being +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence really fits them better.
I don't really see Wood Elves doing acrobatics through the air, doing a lot of tumbling, being particularly good at thievery... I mean, generally speaking, outside of ranged attacks with a bow and stealth, what it is about High Elves that is particularly Dexterous.
In fact, while on that note, I am not even sure what part Dexterity plays in aiming with bows. Isn't perception far more important which is reliant on Wisdom?

Now, you could say that they live in the woods and get on with the wild life which shows high survival skills as well as keen senses (though that is covered) which also reflects Wisdom, but then... Goblins have all those things in the fluff, though stats never reflect it, and no one is volunteering them for high Wisdom.


As I said originally, if Elves were to be given stats to meet their fluff then they would get a bonus to all stats. They just would. But neither with Wood Elves nor High Elves does it strike me that their Dexterity has ever been their primary superhuman ability any more so than any of the other attributes despite it being the traditional stat that has always been raised for them.

Instead, it strikes me that the biggest superhuman ability Elves have is causing everyone else to be in awe of them and totally convinced of their superiority and perfection.... and add to this that it is the only race, the ONLY race in which no member of the race at any time has ever been described by damn near anyone as "ugly" and that in and of itself may well be the true single defining characteristic across all Elves, and I really do see Charisma being the primary ability score that should be boosted on any sort of Elf.

 

[Mr Fixit]

Thanks for all the replies; I see this is a contentious idea. I appreciate the view that elves shouldn't have a CHA bonus, especially those very well-argued, like Lancelot's.

However, I still stand by my impression that CHA-based spellcasting classes are a better fit for elves than scholarly and bookish wizards. Not to say there aren't any elven wizards, of course, but an "innately magical" race is bound to include quite a lot of those "innately magical" sorcerers. And when it comes right down to it, and this is just my own world-building preference, I've always disliked the notion of a wizarding elf, ever since 3E introduced sorcerers into the mix.

Those pesky humans that tend to breed in prodigious numbers whenever you're not looking (and gods help us, even sometimes when you are) and all collectively exclaiming "oooh, what does this button do"? Now that's a proper wizard! And these pointy-eared green-blooded inhuman... wait... wrong movie... Ahem, so, these prancing elves with their inborn magic and precious nature and special snowflake syndrome? I want them to be sorcerers. And I want them to be warlocks, too. And they are getting that cursed charisma bonus, if that's the last thing I do.