New Design article: Elves

[Goblyn]

I like this a LOT. Looks to me like that are making elves cool again.

Don't be silly. Elves were never cool. This IS dnd

...

Anyway, I definitely hope this doesn't mean some kind of strength bonus. If any race should get a strength bonus it would be dwarves ... wait; does anyone know if half-orcs or orcs will be in the core PHB? Wait ... dammit, that's a threadjack.

 

[kerbarian]

Seriously - this sounds exactly like the elves of the Basic/Expert campaigns of my youth. Maybe this means that the ranger class will be more like the Fighter/Magic-User combo Elf class from the BXCM D&D sets instead of the "divine powered" ranger of 3e. That would also make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I had been thinking something similar -- that if the ranger is an arcane striker, that would help cover the bases for PHB1 better than a divine striker would. It makes sense to me; I don't see why rangers would necessarily be religious or reverent -- they're just very skilled. 3e has made a strong association of nature with divine magic, but they seem to be showing willingness to throw out a lot of ideas like that.

 

[Rechan]

I had been thinking something similar -- that if the ranger is an arcane striker, that would help cover the bases for PHB1 better than a divine striker would. It makes sense to me; I don't see why rangers would necessarily be religious or reverent -- they're just very skilled. 3e has made a strong association of nature with divine magic, but they seem to be showing willingness to throw out a lot of ideas like that.

I think a poster in another thread made a good point. While it's not necessarily with the Ranger Archetype flavor, the Ranger Class as written simulates the Native American warrior in tune with the Land, magic wise, or the Jungle warrior with shamanistic powers. It's not Aragorn, no, but it can represent other things.

 

[Klaus]

Sounds like elves will be getting +2 Wis/-2 Int...

I like the flavor, it evokes Faerie and stuff like that. Not so keen on the art, though, The face looks a bit weird, and the pose is anything but natural. And I like Lee Moyer's art, so this seems really weird.

 

[Pale]

Hmmm... so perhaps Eladrin are the new equivalent to Aasimar. Just speculating based on the art that had both an Eladrin and Tiefling in it.... seemed very much like the old "compare and contrast" bit being done.

 

[Klaus]

I have to admit, those are pretty close to WoW elves (minus the ears). They make more sense than 3e elves, though still with the bows, which is a weapon of the steppes, not the forest.

And that's where you're wrong. Bows aren't a "steppes" weapons. Brazilian natives, living in some of the densest jungles in the world, developed the bow. In fact, archery is one of the sports of the Indigenous Olympics, where Brazilian indigenous peoples compete in events that are a part of their culture.

 

[Pale]

Not so keen on the art, though, The face looks a bit weird, and the pose is anything but natural.

I don't mind the face, but the hips and mid-section don't look right to me. And that stance has to hurt her back.

Also, having read the entire write-up now, the fluff heavily reminds me of Katherine Kerr elves from her time-hopping celtic fantasy series whose name escapes me at the moment.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I love the comment about the elves having once been closer to their fey cousins, but have lived too long in the world.

And I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned the references to Corellon and Obad-Hai. Does this mean these gods are crossing over to the 4E default setting? Or does it just mean that the summary was written before the 4E default deities were established?

 

[reanjr]

I don't like the idea of Elves loving the nature magic more than arcane magic... Elves love woods but that doesn't mean they're all druids and rangers. I rather like the idea od mages and warriors (more Tolkien-like).

Warriors works even better than the 3e arcane elves (by the sound of it). And Tolkien elf magic was nature magic. Not sure the reference really applies.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Hmmm... so perhaps Eladrin are the new equivalent to Aasimar. Just speculating based on the art that had both an Eladrin and Tiefling in it.... seemed very much like the old "compare and contrast" bit being done.

As far as I can tell, it looks like...

Elf = hippie elf
Eladrin = poncy elf