Holiday Present - The Elf PHB entry

[ThirdWizard]

I sort of miss some of the old crazy bonuses such as immunity to ghoul paralysis, ability to find secret doors, etc. I can remember some times when those had a real impact on the game. Perhaps it's my nostalgia talking.

Keep in mind that eladrin are the "magical elves" and probably have the sleep, charm, secret doors thing going on. Although, the secret doors thing might be gone because its another thing that the DM has to keep track of instead of the player. Also, ghoul immunity would go in the ghoul MM entry so we won't be sure either way until we see its stats.

 

[HeinorNY]

Which could still be "every shot".

What about making an analogy with the "take 10" rules?

If the character is not being threatened or distracted, he can use Elven Accuracy in every shot.

If he is in combat, thus being threatened and distracted, he can use the power only once in that encounter.

 

[Zurai]

How often can the elf use his Elven Accuracy power outside of an encounter?
Let's say he is in an archery tournament, or just shooting fruits on a tree.

Any time the player is making a decision in a situation presented to him by the DM, he's in an encounter. An archery tournament is an encounter (although it's up to the DM to determine how many encounters it entails). Shooting fruit off a tree may or may not be an encounter, depending on whether the player is just doing this randomly ("Hey, are there any fruit trees around? If there are, I want to shoot a fruit off one!") or whether it's a scenario the DM presented ("You come to a clearing in the forest. In the center of the clearing is an apple tree with dozens of ripe red apples dangling from its limbs.").

Generally speaking, if the results of PC actions matter in any way, they're in an encounter. Just my opinion, but it makes sense if you take the game definition of encounter into account rather than the dictionary one.

 

[WayneLigon]

It seems there is some disdain for the old elf bonuses to longsword and bows. In general, why are people happy with their removal?

Doesn't much matter either way to me. There might not be the types of weapon proficiencies we've come to know in 4E, so that might explain their removal. Or they could be the last vestiges of 'Elf=Automatic Fighter/Magic-User'. If that was the case, then good riddance.

 

[Merlin the Tuna]

Although, the secret doors thing might be gone because its another thing that the DM has to keep track of instead of the player.

Yeah. It kinda throws up flags when you say "I walk over to the bookcase" and the DM says "Oh. Uh... what path do you take to get there?"

 

[Voss]

It seems there is some disdain for the old elf bonuses to longsword and bows. In general, why are people happy with their removal?

I sort of miss some of the old crazy bonuses such as immunity to ghoul paralysis, ability to find secret doors, etc. I can remember some times when those had a real impact on the game. Perhaps it's my nostalgia talking.

I think its largely that people these days are (or are supposed to be) uncomfortable with racial stereotypes. Yeah, its just a game, but there is an element of that race runs really fast or is good at math buried in the magically good at certain things because you're an elf.

Or, to be a little more gamer oriented, the rules are dictating fluff. *all* elves do x, is bad. All elves have a general bonus to a certain type of thing isn't so bad, but saying all elves get drilled in finding secret doors and using bows and swords... thats reaching a bit past the rules book and dictating cultural or personal traits to the character sheet. Not as thrilling...

As for the ghoul thing... eh. I'd rather get a useful ability. A specific immunity to the special ability of a monster that you may encounter a couple times in a certain level range isn't that useful. Particularly if you never actually encounter a ghoul. Its taking up space that could be filled with an ability thats actually useful.

 

[Silvergriffon]

Elven Sideburns

In case no one else has pointed it out, I have been looking over the art in R&C and I can maybe allay some concerns about this little bit of aesthetics. When they say that elven males grow long sideburns, they do not appear to be talking about long sideburns down the side of their cheeks, but rather long hair growing down from just in front of the ear (perhaps more properly called sidelocks). Don't think Wolverine, think the payot or peyot of a Jewish Rabbi (only bound or braided rather than curly and obviously no beard).

 

[ThirdWizard]

Or, to be a little more gamer oriented, the rules are dictating fluff. *all* elves do x, is bad. All elves have a general bonus to a certain type of thing isn't so bad, but saying all elves get drilled in finding secret doors and using bows and swords... thats reaching a bit past the rules book and dictating cultural or personal traits to the character sheet. Not as thrilling...

But, they do all have proficiency with bows. I think its a fairly safe bet to say that eladrin got the sword proficiency and possibly some kind of secret door ability, even if its just a bonus to Search.

As for the ghoul thing... eh. I'd rather get a useful ability. A specific immunity to the special ability of a monster that you may encounter a couple times in a certain level range isn't that useful. Particularly if you never actually encounter a ghoul. Its taking up space that could be filled with an ability thats actually useful.

Note that nowhere in the 3.5 elf entry does it state that elves are immune to ghoul paralysis, yet they still have that immunity, as it is in the ghoul entry in the MM. So, I don't think that's much of a concern.

In case no one else has pointed it out, I have been looking over the art in R&C and I can maybe allay some concerns about this little bit of aesthetics. When they say that elven males grow long sideburns, they do not appear to be talking about long sideburns down the side of their cheeks, but rather long hair growing down from just in front of the ear (perhaps more properly called sidelocks). Don't think Wolverine, think the payot or peyot of a Jewish Rabbi (only bound or braided rather than curly and obviously no beard).

I don't have the book. Kinda like this?

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[HeinorNY]

I don't care about elves growing long sideburns, afterall, they are "elves".

 

[LostSoul]

How often can the elf use his Elven Accuracy power outside of an encounter?
Let's say he is in an archery tournament, or just shooting fruits on a tree.

I think the definition of an encounter will cover this.

An archery tournament could be a series of encounters, an encounter in itself, or just a part of a larger encounter.

We'll see.

edit: I imagine that the advice on what constitutes an ecounter will be variable based on what the DM thinks will fit, so it could cover all of the above.