what to do with half-elves?

[chris7476]

Half-elves have always been on my house rule to-do list but I could never think of a good way to give them a slight boost. But lo and behold, a player recently decided to play a half-elf purely for role-playing reasons! Wow. I was impressed. Anyway, I figure that I should get around to do something with the lowly half-elf.

The best idea I had so far was give them a choice of 4 extra skill points at first level or give them the elves' secret door ability and +2 to search, spot, and listen.

I'd probably keep the diplomacy/gather info bonus even though it escapes me as to why they have that ability in the first place.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Here's the Dark Sun version from www.Athas.org:

+2 Dex, -2 Chr - quick, but identity confusion from their mixed heritage.
Medium, speed 30.
Low Light vision.
+2 bonus to disguise when impersonating humans or elves.
+2 survival and Handle animal - change to suit setting.
+1 to listen, spot, search.
Elven blood
Favoured class: Any.

Seems a considerable boost for them.... Possibly a little too far.


Personally, I don't think the Phb standard one is too bad... If finding them far too weak, then I reckon the +2 Dex, -2 Chr goes a long way and suits them rather well?

 

[maggot]

I'd probably keep the diplomacy/gather info bonus even though it escapes me as to why they have that ability in the first place.

In campaign, I let half-elves take any of the +2/+2 skill feats instead of the odd diplomacy/gather info bonus thing. This kind of represents their human half: a bonus feat but a limited one.

It works well. We actually see characters with alertness and stealthy (okay only because they got it "free", but they paid for it by forgoing other racial benefits).

 

[chris7476]

Actually, I don't want any racial ability mods for the half-elf.

In campaign, I let half-elves take any of the +2/+2 skill feats instead of the odd diplomacy/gather info bonus thing. This kind of represents their human half: a bonus feat but a limited one.

I do like this idea. Would you just make this change and leave everything else the same?

 

[Thanee]

I just give Half-Elves skill points like Humans (+4 at 1st, +1/lvl later).

Seems to fit well and further supports their skill edge.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Terath Ninir]

I'm fond of the idea of giving the bonus skill points to half-elves and the bonus feat to half-orcs to represent their human heritage. Lord know both races need a boost (unless you're a teenager playing a hack 'n' slash game -- then half-orcs are fine).

I think the Diplomacy/Gather Info bonus should be dropped since they don't fit the flavour text of the race. People filled with angst are NOT good diplomats. I think increasing the Listen/Search/Spot bonuses to the same level as elves makes more sense and helps make the race be less gimpy.

 

[Khayman]

My vote is with Cyberzombie's ideas --- nice.

A good non-standard half-elf, the Aelfborn, was described in Dragon 307. Adapted from the Shadowbane game, they are, well, nuts. The mixed blood drives them barmy.

 

[RangerWickett]

I just make half-Elves and half-Orcs statistically identical to humans, and make Orcs be just like half-Orcs, with a bonus feat.

Orcs are the master race in my campaign.

 

[Stormborn]

In my game world Elves live on ships and never come to shore. Humans are welcome on some of their vessels, buthave rarely even seen, muchless visited, the large city-ships out at sea. So, when elves need to interact with the land bound human/goblin culture they send Half-Elves. This role helps to explain the Diplomacy/Gather Info bonus, and I give them the extra human-skill points. I didn't allow Half-elves (or elves or dwarves) as a starting race due to startign region, but might now that they have been introduced and the campaing is moving around if a player wanted to roll up a new character.

 

[chris7476]

My campaign is pretty much a straight-forward FR game so I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel (or the half-elf) here.

I like the idea of removing the GI/Dipl bonuses and giving them skills as per human. It makes deciding between the bonus human feat and the other minor abilities of the half-elf a tough decision.

I'm split on giving something else to half-orcs. Darkvision and +2 Str are both pretty good already. I do let them take Scent as a feat though.