D&D General What would be a good half-elf feature that is combat focused?

[the Jester]

In the history of D&D, have half-elves ever had a good combat-focused racial/species feature?

I can't think of one, but for my custom bespoke perfect dnd system, I would like to have one, and I vastly prefer that it echo something from past editions or lore.

Any suggestions?

 

[Umbran]

I don't know that the lore or fictional positioning of half-elves justifies any species feature of their own - they aren't presented as having any combat abilities that you wouldn't find in humans or elves.

 

[aco175]

I thought they tend to get a non-combat feature like 'best of both worlds' or something that lets them pass in elf and human lands.

I could see them getting special weapons, but not too many people play with elf thinblades and dwarf battle axes much anymore. Maybe allow them to use longswords as free weapons to their list. You can swap it to rapier if you want to get the finesse thing in. If you want more, you can give advantage to first attack in first round of combat 1/rest. Kind of like a quick-draw thing.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

What are the combat-focused features that your system gives Humans and Elves?

You could lean into the concept of half-elves being naturally social and good at working alongside others? Maybe able to take the help action as a bonus action? And/or aid another even if not trained in the relevant proficiency.

 

[Xeviat]

In the history of D&D, have half-elves ever had a good combat-focused racial/species feature?

I can't think of one, but for my custom bespoke perfect dnd system, I would like to have one, and I vastly prefer that it echo something from past editions or lore.

Any suggestions?

In 4E, half-elves were able to learn 1 at-wills power from any class that they could use as an encounter power. While at-wills were largely equal, equivalent to 5E Cantrips if they got to add casting modifier to damage, it did boost their versatility.

If I ever finish up my full house rule patch, I'll be making half-elves be a lineage for humans, so I'd want their features to play nice with humans. I'm considering trading out human extra skill and extra origin feat for a fixed skill and a feature comparable to an origin feat, but maybe slightly better since you aren't getting the free choice.

Aside from having some innate magic (choose 1 cantrip from cleric, druid, or wizard list?), nothing directly combative jumps out at me for half-elves, especially when avoiding cultural features (like weapon proficiencies).

 

[Tonguez]

Paranoia - Never quite comfortable in their identity Half-elfs are always a little suspcious of others, alert for any kind of betrayal and ready to react. They get Advantage on Perception rolls and +2 Initiative but -2 penalty to Charisma.

I'd also allow goblins to have Paranoia too

 

[the Jester]

What are the combat-focused features that your system gives Humans and Elves?

Elves get "Elven accuracy. You spend 10' of movement to gain a 1d8 bonus die to a ranged attack. Once you hit with this ability, you can't use it again until you rest for an hour."

Humans get "Human Perseverance: When you miss with an attack or fail a save, you can roll 1d6 and add it to the result of your attack or to your effective ability score for the save. Once you do so, you can't use this ability again until you rest for an hour."

 

[aco175]

I always liked the power to bump a d20 up by 1. I have used it as a power or magic item and the players always found a way to use it. Mostly missed an attack or save and they scramble to look at the PC sheet and finally another player leans over and says they give +1.

 

[Valetudo]

Right now, I'm gonna just use whatever elf or human for half elves and orc or human for half orcs. Honestly my biggest problem with 5.5 is the fact that all of the half breeds around no longer exist. It's over peeps, you can only bang your own species now or your a bigot.

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

If you use the 5th ed Racial Feats from Xanathar's then Half-Elves can get both the Human and the Elven ones. The Elven Feat "Elven Accuracy" is a fairly powerful combat feat. Taking that feat added a lot to the combat power of the half-elf Rogue in a campaign that I ran. Elven Accuracy - DND 5th Edition