Fixing the Half-Elf?

[IndyPendant]

In a blatant rip-off of the 'Fixing the Half-Orc' thread, I've decided to try this one.

I had an idea that I liked, of giving the Half-Elf the Human's bonus skills--but as a player of mine pointed out, that basically means that *all* humans have over the half-elf is their bonus feat...

Another idea I've been toying with is to allow the Half-Elf a free bonus +2 to any two skills of their choice, that stacks with other bonuses...but I'm not sure it captures the flavour I'm looking for.

Thoughts?

 

[Terath Ninir]

I give the half-elves the bonus skill points. But I also allow humans to pick any 2 skills and have them as class skills, no matter what class they take. Yeah, I know humans don't need any more power, but most of my players already play humans *any way*, so it doesn't really affect things much.

 

[maggot]

Another idea I've been toying with is to allow the Half-Elf a free bonus +2 to any two skills of their choice, that stacks with other bonuses...but I'm not sure it captures the flavour I'm looking for.Thoughts?

What I did is remove the +2 diplomacy and gather info (which I don't think makes any sense as "racial" abilities) and instead gave them a bonus feat that must be choosen from skill +2/+2 feats. Thus it is kind of like they are getting a bonus feat, kind of like the have extra skill points. If you do this, you might want to watch prestige classes that require one of these feats as a requirement. In my campaign, there are none, so it works out well.

Another step to halfway between elf and human is to reduce the +2 vs. enchantment to +1 and give the half-elf +1 on reflex saves. The +1 on reflex saves is about half of +2 Dex. Okay, so it is far less than half, but it is more than an extra +1 vs. enchantment spells. If you want to give them some more, give them +1 on all dex skills. Thus they are only missing +1 on initiative and AC from the extra dex elves get (and prerequisites I suppose).

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

In my games, I give Half-Elves the Elf's normal racial modifiers (Elves get an additional -2 STR/+2 CHA).

I'd restore the Elf's ability with secret doors, myself.

 

[Stalker0]

I'd give the half elf the skill points. Frankly, I'd still play a human...one more feat is so huge, especially when your making low level characters.

 

[Li Shenron]

Every now and then it feels to me like Half-Elves are indeed unfixable... At least they're doomed by being half human and half elf, so it seems natural that they should be something in the middle, but if you don't change either humans or elves at the same time, it's difficult to have them half of each (unless you give them +1 skill points / 2 levels and... half a feat!).

Ok, beside jokes, you can still dip into the Elf race a little. At least there are those elven proficiencies that HElves don't get. You may want to add 1 or 2 bonus prof in either Longbow, Shortbow, Longsword, Rapier (by choice) for example. Or you can really give +1/2 skill points, tho it is not elegant IMO.

Otherwise, if you ADD something unique to the race, then you have to decide yourself what is the flavor you want to add (such as being a crossover may imply being more resistant to what?). Just adding a bonus +2/+2 feat can be a good compromise in balance, but it doesn't add flavor AT ALL! You can't really add the flavor of versatility, because that already belongs to humans.

I may have too much a drastic opinion, but I have been looking forward to eliminate the PHB Half-Elf race for an uncoming campaign. Or more precisely, to keep the PHB Elf and call it "Half-Elf", and make "Elves" extinct or with LA. Just a thought...

 

[Gnome]

Yeah, half-elves need work, too. The +2 to bluff and diplomacy is okay, but is only useful for a very narrow range of character concepts. I'm thinking that that option could be one of many choices a half-elf could choose at character creation. Another might be one of the martial weapon proficiencies that elves get (either because he was raised by elves, or wants to emulate them). I can't think of any other possibilities at the moment, but one or two other options might at least make the race more interesting.

 

[Gnome]

Oh hey, I just thought of another idea for a special ability in place of the +2 on bluff and diplomacy:

Hybrid Grace: Half-elves combine the best features of their parent races, and are good at dealing with others based on their exposure to both human and elven cultures. As a result, a half-elf is trated as having a charisma stat two points higher than his actual score for the purposes of ability and skill checks (but not spellcasting).

So, basically +2 CHA, but uses his normal CHA score for spellcasting classes.

What do you think?

 

[Ace]

I call Hald elves IMC Changelings and do them thusly --

Human Stats

Elven Sences (+2 to spot, serach, listen, nightvison. secret doors as PHB Elf) ,

Immune to Magic Sleep == Resist Charm as Elf

Gain Background (3 extra class skills ) as Human

 

[maggot]

Just adding a bonus +2/+2 feat can be a good compromise in balance, but it doesn't add flavor AT ALL!

Actually, I find it adds a touch of flavor in my campaign. I have a whole race of mixed elf-humans and use half-elves with the bonus +2/+2 feat instead of +2 dip/gather, and it makes them seem more skilled than pure elves without being as skilled as pure humans. Versatility-wise humans are still the best because +1 skill point per level is most often better than a +2/+2 feat, and the human could just take the +2/+2 feat with their bonus if they really wanted it and still have +1 skill point per level to be more versatile. The only place half-elves excel in this system is with spot, listen and search where they can take the +2/+2 and stack it with the half-elven racial bonuses (a big +1). But this doesn't bother me much because I've always seen half-elves as rangers.

As for giving half-elves one of the elf weapon proficiencies, I would be careful. Many people only use one of those proficiencies anyway, and they are a big draw for non-fighter elves (elven cleric-archer anyone).