Holiday Present - The Elf PHB entry

[The Human Target]

Looks pretty good, it gets a thumbs up.

The only thing that made me groan are weapon proficiencies and feats that add numbers to situational rolls.

Like the flavor a lot, even the simple stuff like Elves having more than one hair color.

 

[Spatula]

Elves don't live for thousands of years anymore! Yay!

They haven't lived for (a) thousand years since the 2e days...

 

[cr0m]

elven accuracy

Why do you think they require you to take the 2nd roll, even if it's lower?

I like the new elf. Very neat. I don't understand why people care whether elves are immortal or just very old, but I have a feeling that's one of those emotional issues like whether you think you should roll attack and damage at the same time or separately.

edit: or why anyone at all cares about skin and hair color... seriously, has any DM ever said "sorry, I know you want to play an elf with burnt umber hair and purple skin, but the PHB doesn't allow it".

 

[Spatula]

Nerts. I was hoping elves would be a bit more urbanized for 4E. :\

These are the wild elves (grugach? forgot the old name, or like the Mirkwood elves/Legolas if you want to go by Tolkien terms). Eldarin are the "magic" elves.

Really good race writeup, I think, aside from the aura thing. As others have mentioned, keeping track of lots of little bonuses is a pain in the ass. The elven accuracy ability feels very... right. It just fits, and seems like a cool little perk that isn't really that powerful.

 

[Incenjucar]

Cr0m: It's basically second-guessing yourself, I think is the idea.

The age issue is simply a matter of being able to accept it as realistic within the context. So very hard to ignore that many immortals in a prime world.

Elven abilities are essentially tied to skin and hair color. Remember, in fantasy, racism is accurate.

 

[The Human Target]

Why do you think they require you to take the 2nd roll, even if it's lower?

I like the new elf. Very neat. I don't understand why people care whether elves are immortal or just very old, but I have a feeling that's one of those emotional issues like whether you think you should roll attack and damage at the same time or separately.

edit: or why anyone at all cares about skin and hair color... seriously, has any DM ever said "sorry, I know you want to play an elf with burnt umber hair and purple skin, but the PHB doesn't allow it".

Really, the only reason to have the power be like that is to prevent a player who roles high (say an 18, enough to hit the orc he's fighting) use the power to try to go for a critical hit since he can;t get any lower than an 18. Its to ensure the player will use it to make a horrible roll better instead of a great roll greater.

Being long lives just helps elves be a little more different than the other races. I kinda hope Eladrin still live a long time, just for that sake alone. I liked that Half-orcs aged faster and died much younger. It generally doesn't come up a lot in games, but it helps make the races a little less like humans.

Thats never happened to me either. But saying elves can only have dark hair and green eyes is just kinda silly and theoretically limiting. Its easy to house rule out of course, but why was that kinda stuff there in the first place?

However, I probably would make a player give me a good reason to let them be an elf with burnt umber hair and purple skin.

 

[Stalker0]

Another vote for not liking the aura perception bonus. It doesn't make a lot of sense, and it WILL be a pain in the butt to remember.

Remember the lessons of dodge everyone, people have enough trouble remember a nice +1 to AC against a single target, and its their feat, no way are they going to constantly remember a +1 from someone else.

I will say one good thing about it though, its a racial bonus!! One thing I really hope for in 4e is that class and racial abilities always stack with magic. One thing I really do not like is when an innate bonus gets overwritten by magic. It just encourages high level characters to be the same.

Dwarf: I have 60 feet darkvision!
Human with googles of night: Me too!

Hope for 4e/

Dwarf: I have lowlight vision!
Human: So do I!
Dwarf: Let me try those on! Sweet, now my lowlight works twice as far!!

 

[Sitara]

I'm of a mixed bag. Overall I have to say I don't much like the way the races, or at least this one has panned out.

First, racial ability is cool, since its useful at all levels. However, its kind of bland.

The feat is AMAZING! I can't believe people are basing something that can be used every battle and thaqts the equivalent of weapon focu and improved weapon focus. Guys remember, in this game magical weapons are rarer, so you need all the attack bonusii you can git.

But over all it doesn't mesh for me. I wish they had done away with the racial power all togather and made them into racial feats, giving you the option of selecting one at 1st level. (so this way all 1st level people of the same race wont have the same power)

 

[fuindordm]

I'm just happy that the "search for secret doors automatically" ability has finally gone away.

 

[BASHMAN]

Well I for one like it-- and have been somewhat of a curmudgeon regarding a lot of the racial stuff of 4e. It really helps to emulate a "Legolas" type.