Weak Elves? ...Why?

[Xarlen]

Well, what I'm saying that the arguement is that Elves are supposed to be 'Weaker' physically. Well, Dwarves should be 'Stronger', physically, by the same reasoning. But they're not, Str wise.

'Strenght' and 'Constitution' are two different things. Strenght is physical exertion. How hard you hit, how much you lift. But Constitution is how long you can do it. Elves, apparently, can't do physical labor as Long as dwarves.

 

[Bonedagger]

By the way. The therm "Weak elves" doesn't necessary mean strenght when mentioned outside the rules which is where you normally hear it (I would assume). Weakness can mean that you easily succumb to a flue. That you can't run very far before needing to take a breake. It all depends on the observer.

I always considered this a roleplaying view. Not a question about how much damage bonus elves get.

 

[Psychotic Jim]

its funny that you succumbed to your own critique.

you said that it was a sad stereotype- but then come right back to say that you know players that "dump" their highest stat of str. Why did you use 'dump' instead of 'place'?

but i agree. my friend was a elven ranger. the dex helped him with a bow- but his highest stat was str and he was very effective- especially with the skill pts and the immune to sleep and secret dor detection.

Dump/place same thing... Didn't mean to imply anything negative .
Back on topic, the Dex bonus, giving a character a AC bonus, can help outs a lot in melee combat as well as ranged, as long as you don't wear really cumbersome armor.

 

[MaxKaladin]

I think the elves with bows thing has more to do with elves not being very numerous compared to races like orcs and humans and thus seeking every advantage in combat to compensate for their lack of numbers and reduce their potential casualties.

 

[Xarlen]

By the way. The therm "Weak elves" doesn't necessary mean strenght when mentioned outside the rules which is where you normally hear it (I would assume). Weakness can mean that you easily succumb to a flue. That you can't run very far before needing to take a breake. It all depends on the observer.

I always considered this a roleplaying view. Not a question about how much damage bonus eleves get.

Those examples also can be considered a Con based thing.

Diseases, Physical exhaustion, Poison, Succumbing to supernatural effects (Wraiths, Shadows and Wights touches) all require a Fort save. The Fort save's attribute is Con.

And, perhaps the very reason Dwarves are considered more durable and resistant.

 

[Bonedagger]

Those examples also can be considered a Con based thing.

That was the point

I always considered this a roleplaying view. Not a question about how much damage bonus elves get.

In other words. Not a question about strenght.

 

[Xarlen]

Also, in one of the Dragon Magazines, it mentione dplaying characters with low scores.

One of the reasons you could have a low Str, Dex or Con would be Age (Although, if you're going to use the age rules, just take a -1 to STr, Dex, and Con, and get the upping in mental stats).

Another reason would be a terminal illness. For example, Doc Holiday, one of the best shooters in the west, had Teburculosis. What does this mean? Well... He had a high Dex (ranged attacks) but a low Con.

 

[Weeble]

plus, if you look at the best martial arts masters, they do not rely on brute strength, but more on finesse. Tai Chi is the best example where you have fluidity in motion, and use your opponent's force against them.

Tai Chi vs. Jiu Jitsu. I'll take the ground fight, which uses both fluid motion, reservation of strength, then LOTS O STRENGTH.

 

[Ruvion]

Weakeness can also imply the reluctance to resort to manly melee fights. Most stereotypical elf will shoot you (the dwarf, human, or orc in question) from cover, preferrably from a far away place, rather than face you toe to toe, blade to blade.

 

[Undead Pete]

Because elf is just another word for girly man

Actually.... in some languages it does.

This is a bit of an in-game joke, but I'll tell it anyway. I ran a character in a Greyhawk campaign for about 5 years who was a 1/2 Giant (okay, I know they don't normally exist, but my DM let me play one) named UYAG GNARLFIST.

Now Uyag was a jolly sort who tended to use a giant phrase here and there (He also spoke in the 3rd person, and pretended to be a LOT dumber than he actually.....all part of the Uyag mystique). One of the terms he always used was "sleeyag", what I had determined was the Giant translation for elf. I went about it in a logical manner "Yag" (rhymes with log) means man, Uyag means half man.....and the literal translation for "sleeyag" was "wussy man".

It simply began as a minor joke that we probably would have forgotten in a run or two....EXCEPT the party's only elf took offense to the translation when she heard of it, thus creating a monster that would haunt her for the next 5 years.

We came up with many other phrases for various items and creatures, but we kept coming back to SLEEYAG. Our DM (who happened to be the elf's OOC husband) found it hilarious as well. Soon NPC's were tossing around the term....and pissing the elf off to no end.

So.....I realize this is off the thread's topic, but if you are one of the gamers who are just a little bit nauseated by the adoration some gamers have for all things elvish, introduce "sleeyag" into your campaign...and don't tell the elves what it means right away. Instant Fun!

In game etymology is a wonderful thing.