How can wizard really be an elf's favored class?

[Dark Jezter]

Don't be silly, the long life span would give them more wisdom. Ya know, thinking about elves as having lesswisdom before the weight of years catches up is a little scary...

I've seen that claim as well by people who think that elves should be pointy-eared supermen.

"Elves should get an intelligence bonus because of their long lives."

"Elves should get a wisdom bonus because of their long lives."

"Elves should get a charisma bonus because all elves are beautiful."

"Elves should be immune to disease. It would be more Tolkienesque that way."

"The average elf should be higher level than the average human, because elves are just plain badass."

And so on, and so on...

 

[William Ronald]

Yeah, but hoo boy they can toss around cantrips like NOBODY's buisness!

Particularly prestidigitation, which is a prerequisite for the Elven Gourmet Prestige class.

 

[Trainz]

I personally think that, given the stats and abilities races have, the favored class of elves should be rogues (better listen-search-spot, high dex, spot secret doors without looking...) and gnomes wizards (+2 alchemy, +2 vs illusions, +1 illusion DC's, innate spells...).

But sacred cows are what they are...

 

[Staffan]

I personally think that, given the stats and abilities races have, the favored class of elves should be rogues (better listen-search-spot, high dex, spot secret doors without looking...)

As a mix of abilities and flavor, I'd give elves Ranger as a favored class. The perception bonuses and Dex helps a lot with rangers, plus they're all wildernessy and stuff.

 

[Gez]

Elves favor the wizard class because, as the Player's Handbook states, they are fascinated by magic and love to study it. It's like a moth and a flame.

This don't make the moth innately on fire (fire element template on moth, or fav. class sorcerer). It just makes it very susceptible to catch fire.

Or you could compare elves to nerds, and magic to computers. That also explains the elvish l33t sp34k.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Or you could compare elves to nerds, and magic to computers. That also explains the elvish l33t sp34k.

Yeah, like the scene in Return of the King where Legolas said "pwned!" after he singlehandedly took down the oliphant.

 

[Li Shenron]

The "commoner stat block" is actually 3 10s and 3 11's. So presumably, those elves could use at least 1st level spells.

Since the average is 10.5, I'd say that 50% of elves (and humans, dwarves, gnomes, halflings...) are potentially able to cast 1st- and higher-level Wizards spells. Of course the favored class doesn't necessarily refer to a born attitude but could be also a cultural thing... perhaps elves had gathered a lot of magic experience and knowledge and therefore is easier for an elf to learn wizardry from his mates?

 

[Ottergame]

In my mind, any NPC with a character class need to take the basic point spread, not the commoner spread, for abilities.

 

[Buttercup]

There are two issues here. Favored class, and elves.

The very concept of favored class bothers me, so I just ignore it. I use the human/half elf rule, i.e. a character's highest level class is their favored one.

Elves, now. Elves are a problem for me in so many ways. That's why they aren't a playable race in my game. Of course, their natural alignment in my world is NE, and they have all sorts of nasty habits, like blood drinking, slaving, rapine, pillage, plunder...you get the picture. My elves are downright rotten. The only other alternative is to remove them from the game entirely, which I'll probably do in my next campaign.

 

[Ed Cha]

This is a good question and something that I've wondered myself. You might want to post it in the "Ask Gary Gygax" thread and see what Gary says.

If I had to guess, I would say that it was primarily because there was no other major class appropriate for elves. Back in the day, halflings were usually thieves (rogues), dwarves were usually fighters, humans were usually clerics, etc.

Also, there was something about elves finding secret doors easily, too.

Then again there has always been stuff about elves wielding powerful fey magic in JRR Tolkien, Poul Anderson, Roger Zelazny, etc.