List of All the Different Types of Elves

[Deset Gled]

you are very much missing the animal tamer elves the dragon scale elves and the musical elves and i hope to be in you campaign

It's probably worth noting you are responding to a post that is over 20 years old. That's not against the rules, but I wouldn't expect the author to respond.

Also, if we're updating this with elves that didn't exist when the OP was made, we can add

Elf on the Shelf
Buddy the Elf (yes, the original post is older than the movie).

 

[Blix'X]

Races of dragon: Forest Lord Elves....they're draconic by green dragon wood elves

 

[Charlaquin]

Well, this being a two decade necro having been acknowledged already, how about we take the opportunity to steer this conversation in a new, but related direction? What are everyone’s favorite takes on elves? Do you just use the standard PHB high, wood, dark division, maybe with half-versions of each? Do you like to add in one or two other environment-specific types? Do you prefer to keep elves one unified species, and have divisions be strictly cultural? Or do you have some other preferred way of doing it for your home games?

Personally, I really liked the city elf/wood elf divide from Dragon Age, and borrowed liberally from that setup in my D&D games, with Eladrin kind of subbing in for the ancient elves and high elves being like Eladrin revivalists, while wood elves were more like DA’s Dalish and half-elves being the equivalent of city elves. But, more recently I’ve developed a different approach (though the Dragon Age influence can still definitely be felt). I generally prefer my mortal species to have similar lifespans, generally living somewhere between 80 and 120 years, and dwarves being the longest-lived at 150ish at most. But my elves are the one truly ageless species. But, elves who become despondent as they outlive everyone else around them will occasionally sink into Trance for decades or even centuries, so as to awaken to a world they no longer recognize and get a fresh start. This leads to a stark cultural divide among elves, between those who live among mortals for a century or so at a time between bouts of trance, and those who only live among their fellow elves and so much more seldom feel such despair that drives them into long slumbers, normally only doing so out of ennui. The latter group find the former to be impatient, overly sentimental, and terribly dreary, and believe that interacting with mortals is what made them so, infecting their minds with mortal haste. Whereas the former group find the latter aloof, detached, and emotionally stunted due to their isolation hampering their capacity for empathy.

 

[Zardnaar]

Well, this being a two decade necro having been acknowledged already, how about we take the opportunity to steer this conversation in a new, but related direction? What are everyone’s favorite takes on elves? Do you just use the standard PHB high, wood, dark division, maybe with half-versions of each? Do you like to add in one or two other environment-specific types? Do you prefer to keep elves one unified species, and have divisions be strictly cultural? Or do you have some other preferred way of doing it for your home games?

Personally, I really liked the city elf/wood elf divide from Dragon Age, and borrowed liberally from that setup in my D&D games, with Eladrin kind of subbing in for the ancient elves and high elves being like Eladrin revivalists, while wood elves were more like DA’s Dalish and half-elves being the equivalent of city elves. But, more recently I’ve developed a different approach (though the Dragon Age influence can still definitely be felt). I generally prefer my mortal species to have similar lifespans, generally living somewhere between 80 and 120 years, and dwarves being the longest-lived at 150ish at most. But my elves are the one truly ageless species. But, elves who become despondent as they outlive everyone else around them will occasionally sink into Trance for decades or even centuries, so as to awaken to a world they no longer recognize and get a fresh start. This leads to a stark cultural divide among elves, between those who live among mortals for a century or so at a time between bouts of trance, and those who only live among their fellow elves and so much more seldom feel such despair that drives them into long slumbers, normally only doing so out of ennui. The latter group find the former to be impatient, overly sentimental, and terribly dreary, and believe that interacting with mortals is what made them so, infecting their minds with mortal haste. Whereas the former group find the latter aloof, detached, and emotionally stunted due to their isolation hampering their capacity for empathy.

I like Garden elves. Basically your character grabs an elf (any flavor) and plants them in the ground head first.

Being D&D there's a 50% chance they spawn a new Elf.

 

[Tonguez]

Well, this being a two decade necro having been acknowledged already, how about we take the opportunity to steer this conversation in a new, but related direction? What are everyone’s favorite takes on elves? Do you just use the standard PHB high, wood, dark division, maybe with half-versions of each? Do you like to add in one or two other environment-specific types? Do you prefer to keep elves one unified species, and have divisions be strictly cultural? Or do you have some other preferred way of doing it for your home game

Elves are fantastic, they create fantasies
Elves are glamorous, they project glamour
Elves are enchanting, they weave enchantment
Elves are terrific, they beget terror

I like Terry Pratchetts presentation of Elves as cruel beautiful parasites, a half step out of reality and with no understanding of mortal emotions. The project glamour, demand to be the centre of attention and feed on mortal adoration.

In my own games I went a step further and made them into mist-born parasites who must drain Charisma from living creatures to assemble and sustain a tangible body with which to interact with the real world. Inspired by Leanan sidhe, some Mistborn Elfs will assist and inspire a creative mortal and drain them slowly, but others are more ruthless and will quickly drain a victim, leaving them as an empty listless husk who will eventually fade into the mist themselves...

 

[Yaarel]

The many versions of D&D Elves are why I love the 5e24 Elf format. The format can represent every kind of D&D Elf well enough. Choose whichever ability boosts best represent the concept. Then choose the cantrip-like ability, plus cantrip, slot 1 and slot 2 spells. Elves are essentially a manifestation of magic, and highly versatile. The DM can easily tweak a unique kind of Elf for a setting.

Possibly the DM can swap out the Darkvision for an additional cantrip-like ability, including a light cantrip, since not every Elf concept has Darkvision.