D&D General So how do Half-Elfs feel different to Elfs?

[Charlaquin]

Exactly.


Discussing cultural sensitivity is sometimes relevant.

Discussing cultural sensitivity is very relevant. Discussing your personal spiritual beliefs is not. If you have a problem with the depiction of elves because you believe they’re real and you’re descended from them… that’s not really something I can argue about, but it seems incredibly inappropriate to be telling people how they should run elves at their table on that basis, given that religion is an off-limits topic.

 

[Maxperson]

The D&D 2024 emphasis on elven magic derives from mythological accuracy, both Norse and Scottish. (And it is a more helpful way to distinguish from other species, rather than proficiency with swords.)

So what. Having some ultra remote possible connection does not make them Norse elves. They are not Norse at all. They are D&D elves with the D&D lore we have been given.

The 2024 Elf is close enough to Norse. It is innately magic. Whether they live in the sky above the clouds, or perhaps the sky of the Border Ether, is a setting choice.

The High lineage works well. The cantrip and swapping it are great for casual magic. The innate Detect Magic is relevant. Even Misty Step has precedence, with stories about being able to jaunt invisibly and to pass thru a keyhole. Thankfully Dexterity is no longer default, and the Elves can be tough, and charismatic, and now make great Bard, Wizards, Druids, and eventually Psions. The idea that an Elf starts at level 1 and only individuals reach epic, is appropriate.

The only change I would make would be to delete Darkvision from the Elf species. But let the Drow lineage keep the Darkvision. But this isnt a big deal. If fate is an important setting theme, maybe avail the Guidance cantrip, or even swap Misty Step for innate Augury (without spell component). Otherwise a background can handle such.

Even as-is, the 2024 Elf is workable for a Norse or Norsesque setting.

That's a great home brew idea.

 

[Maxperson]

On this subject matter, if you want an incredible depiction of an elf character with this brand of alien mentality, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is one of the best, full stop. The second half of Delicious in Dungeon also does it quite well, in a rather different way.

Frieren is amazing. Delicious in Dungeon I couldn't get into.

 

[Charlaquin]

Frieren is amazing. Delicious in Dungeon I couldn't get into.

Thats fair. Delicious in Dungeon is very lighthearted (it has dark elements, especially in the back half, but the tone is overall pretty light for the majority of the runtime), and the focus on cooking isn’t going to appeal to everyone. But I adored it, as one might guess from my avatar. Started collecting the manga when there were still only a few volumes out in English. Major influence on how I depict orcs in my campaigns.

 

[Maxperson]

Is this cavalier approach true for any cultural heritage? Japanese, Nigerian, Indigenous American, etcetera?

Not in your personal game. In default D&D, absolutely. Default D&D isn't about any specific culture.

 

[Maxperson]

Huh. Actually yes. My family includes ancestry from Haraldr (Fairhair). If I recall correctly, his family includes descent from the alfar. Obviously, his pedigree would be to shore up his own prestige to be king, by connecting himself with various prominent families. Being a literal descendant of a nature being is a normal part of Norse animism. Individual families remember this kind of tradition.

Regardless, D&D elves are not Alfar. If they were, you couldn't play one, because they would be too powerful to be a PC race.

 

[Maxperson]

I agree to an extent, in that I suspect accounts of alien abductions and UFOs are a modern expression of the same phenomena that accounts of encounters fae and similar otherworld entities come from. Possibly ghosts too.

I just went ghost hunting in the Whaley House. It was a lot of fun, even if I didn't see or hear any.

 

[Yaarel]

Regardless, D&D elves are not Alfar.

My point is, any setting is legitimate in 2024.



Which books are you referring to in order to play the one "true" D&D elves? I get the sense that you are referring to earlier editions of D&D, but these books are no longer canonical. (And the elven "subraces" changed radically in each edition anyway.) You can choose a particular setting, like 2024 Greyhawk or even pull out 1e Greyhawk by Gygax to use it as the setting. There is no reason to assume that Sea Elves exist in 2024 Greyhawk, and if they do perhaps Shadar-kai, Eladrin, and Astral Elves exist as well, unlike in 1e Greyhawk. The Elves in a setting are a choice.

D&D Elves include Dark Sun, Eberron, Lorwyn, and others.

Whatever your Elves, they are only true for the chosen setting and only at your table.


The 2024 Players Handbook is reasonably setting neutral when describing Elves. It has three sentences mentioning Corellon and Lolth, and doesnt mention a connection between Drow and Lolth. If there is a connection, it is a setting choice. Depending on the choice of setting, these minimal sentences are easy to ignore or even explain away or elaborate.

The 2024 Elf entries are flavorful with a light touch for inspiration, such as High Elves developed near fey crossings. The mechanics are solid, drawing from mythological accuracy, and versatile enough for different kinds of settings.


The DM isnt beholden to Monster Manual lore, because again monsters depend on setting, and the DM can and should modify appropriately. The Drider entry mentions that Lolth likes to transform her "drow worshipers" into Driders. But also adds that a powerful Hag or Mindflayer among others can also turn creatures into Driders. It depends on the setting. If a "Drow priestess of Lolth" exists, it reformats as a "Fiend Cultist". Even if a Lolth cult exists in the setting, the expectation seems to be that most Drow have nothing to do with it per the Players Handbook.

During session zero, the DM and the players decide on a setting. Whatever they pick will be the "true" way to play Elves for them.