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

[Calico_Jack73]

I always felt that Elves should have Ranger as a preferred class but that is just me.

 

[Psion]

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."

Well they should, logically. But all those things would add power and thus ECL to the elves, and nobody wants that.

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

Actually, now that you mention it, it's not just in your mind. Per the MM method, characters with PC classes use the semi-elite array. Only characters who actually USE that favored class would be those that have the aptitude for it, you would think.

 

[Voadam]

A straight elven wizard is not using their favored class ability.

All favored class means mechanically is that it is easier for a member of the race to multiclass with the favored class. So it is easier to pick up a little bit of the favored class or to dabble in other things when focusing on the favored class. This doesn't mean they are necessarily good at the class and favoring a class the race isn't most suited for could be used as a slight balancing factor for an otherwise slightly strong race.

Mostly it is used as a flavor enhancement, elves are into studying magic, dwarves take to mastering combat feats, and half orcs pick up raging easily.

 

[wocky]

A straight elven wizard is not using their favored class ability.

MUST... not... make... joke... about... straight... elves...

Otherwise, what he said...

"Favored class" is a concept that applies to heroes, otherwise most races would have Favored Class: commoner. Heroes don't use 3 10s and 3 11s for stats, but rather the Elite spread (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)... thus, your standard Elven mage should have an INT of 15.

 

[Voadam]

MUST... not... make... joke... about... straight... elves...

I dare you.

 

[Gez]

Indeed, the DMG has charts for NPC with PC classes.

If it was up to me, Elves, being lovers of beauty, whose songs are renowned, and who are skilled in both magic and swordplay, would naturally have Bard as a favored class.

If you read the description above, it fits to both elves, and bards.

And what about the current bard race, the gnomes? Well, they're obviously druids, of course!

 

[Darklone]

Beef against elves as bards: They screwed the fighting spells in the bards spell list.

 

[wocky]

I think the whole "preferred class" things is better represented by Monte Cook's racial levels (a-la Arcana Unearthed). Elves should not be wizards per-se, but rather have arcane magic capabilities. This fits perfectly with bards, except that I think that bards should be rarer than wizards, much like paladins should be rarer than fighters. Having lots of elves with bardic qualities wouldn't be right.

I'm thinking very much in "historical" and "mythical" bards, and not in D&D bards of course...

 

[SylverFlame]

If one looks at the elven description and many of the "outside" texts on elves, sorcerer (or possibly Bard) makes more sense for elves.

Elves are a chaotic race and the formalized study of magical methods and formulae, and the nature of preparing spells at a certain time of day every day, along with the traditional master/apprentice system just reeks of "lawful" tendancy.

Point two: Elves are lovers of beauty. I guess one could say that this applies to bards, but, I would point out the inherent beauty of a well placed barrage of fireballs set off on a whim, as opposed to the set "gotta study now" method.

Point Three: Elves are attuned to nature and the energies of the world. This has more outside sources than representation in the PHB but it is a good point I feel. If elves are so closly tied to nature than this speaks to the path of a druid, unless it is the inherent magical nature of life, the world and everything that pervades existence (think the Weave in FR).

There's my points. Of course, I don't think it should matter because I think Favoured Class is a game element that can easily be tinkered with/junked by any DM according to their whim.

 

[Sejs]

And what about the current bard race, the gnomes? Well, they're obviously druids, of course!

[OT]*nod* Gnomes favor druid in my game as well. Part of that whole Speak With Animals, natural spell-like abilities, dang near fey thing they've got going.[/OT]