Why are elves inferior spellcasters./why gnomes are better.

[Thornir Alekeg]

I think the Elf having Wizard as its favored class is leftover from the days of the Elf being a combination fighter/magic-user. It is more of a fluff thing than crunch. Elves are associated with magic and learning, so it makes sense from that perspective that Wizards be the favored class, but they were also always portrayed as somewhat frail and lithe.

Also, notice that all of the racial bonuses in the core races only boost one of the three physical stats (Str, Con or Dex). I think this was done purposely because the game is still focused on combat in its design, so to give a bonus to Int, Wis or Cha while taking away a physical stat such as Con would put that race at a disadvantage in combat and players would shy away from choosing it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Wizard was a strange choice, though, unless elves are supposed to keep spellbooks in the hollow of a tree. Sorcerer would make more sense, and would represent an intuitive connection to magic. But, as was said, ranger would make even more sense.

 

[Moggthegob]

In my experience, the con penalty is what makes living past first level pretty difficult. I recall a certain 1st level wizard in the middle of casting a sleep spell get hit by a heavy crossbow bolt that ended his career, twice. Also, I play a lot of living greyhawk and hence have to deal with multi-classing xp penalties alot but its a bout more than just that.

Why does thier flavor not match thier abilities? I can understnad that not everything of thier has to shout wizard- everything about a gnome certainly does not. The trouble is that everything they have does shout rogue or ranger.

 

[Wolfspider]

In my experience, the con penalty is what makes living past first level pretty difficult. I recall a certain 1st level wizard in the middle of casting a sleep spell get hit by a heavy crossbow bolt that ended his career, twice. Also, I play a lot of living greyhawk and hence have to deal with multi-classing xp penalties alot but its a bout more than just that.

Why does thier flavor not match thier abilities? I can understnad that not everything of thier has to shout wizard- everything about a gnome certainly does not. The trouble is that everything they have does shout rogue or ranger.

Again...one hit point less really makes that much difference?

 

[Brazeku]

Again...one hit point less really makes that much difference?

When 1 hit point is 25% of your die max, it does make a big difference.

 

[Darklone]

Low light vision is weak? People should play more outdoor adventures. In my games parties without at least one member with low light vision are dead meat in the wilderness.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The wizard as favoured class is probably a holdover from the past, when there were only wizards, no sorcerers. In the history of D&D, elves were always great spellcasters, especially in the Realms (and probably in GH as well).

Since I think that the whole favoured class rule is unnecessary, I don't lose any sleep about any favoured class that might be out of place.

Wizard was a strange choice, though, unless elves are supposed to keep spellbooks in the hollow of a tree.

Not all elves are wood elves.

Not all wizards use actual books as spellbooks.

 

[Moggthegob]

its not just one hit point its a stat penalty that lowers your fort save which is already the weak point of a wizard. Most of the time it is not one hit point. With point buy you can control things to wind up with a 12 con at least which i suppose satisfactory.

but, how often had you rolled one good stat and the rest mediocre. That con penalty means having to wast your second best stat on con or else winding up witrh a 10 con or possibly worse. That and con is the most important stat. I cannot even count to mount of basttles i have been where 1 hit point was all the difference between living to cast one last spell or swing your sword one last ime to win the battle. sure 1 hit point doesnt seem like much until you are a -1 hit points with one lastm agic missile against a teeter tottering bad guy that is hard to hit.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not all elves are wood elves.

The core stats suggest they all are, at root.

Whereas gnomes have multiple qualities that emphasize their magical nature, elves really have the ability to not get zapped by sleep spells. Otherwise, their abilities are mostly related to the natural world (and even the sleep/enchantment thing makes them more capable of interacting with woodland fey).

Obviously, one can layer whatever culture one wants to atop the stats, but just stripping away all the fluff and looking at the crunch, nothing about elves suggests they'd be a magical race, other than that weird appendix of a favored class description.

This is one of the few times I favor using subraces. If someone wants to play a magical elf, I would give them a totally different set of stats to start with than the default wood elf types.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Again...one hit point less really makes that much difference?

At 10th level a con 10 wizard has 26hp. With con 12 he has 36hp. That's almost a 40% increase.