Being an elf...

[Jubal_Barca]

Gives V what bonuses compared to being a human? What abilities do D&D elves have in game terms?

[Branco]

Usual humans get one bonus feat at first level and one extra skill point per level.
Elves get +2 to dex, -2 to con, +2 to saves against enchantment spells, +2 to listen checks, there may be more but I cant remember it right now... oh, and there are many variations of elves.

Give us an offer on our vast selection of elves, this is an elf blow out! All right, we got sun elves, moon elves, wood elves, wild elves, we got hot elves, cold elves, we got wet elves, we got
smelly elves, we got hairy elves, bloody elves, we got snappin' elves, we got silk elves, velvet elves, Naugahyde elves, we even got horse elves, dog elves, chicken elves! Come on, you want elves, come on in, elf lovers! If we don't got it, you don't want it! Come on in, elf lovers!





Yeah, sometimes I like to make a really helpful post^^

[sam79]

In the 3.5 edition of the game (which Order of the Stick is based on) Elves are less tough and more quick than humans; they get +2 Dexterity points and -2 Constitution. Elves get bonuses to skills like spot and search to reflect their heightened senses and keen eyesight, and they can see in the dark. They are better at resisting certain charm spells than humans. They also have longer lifespans.

But the game is designed to try and keep the powers and abilities of the different races balanced; so humans get more points to spend on acquiring skills than do Elves, and find it easier than Elves to multiclass (i.e. change from one type of character to another during the game).

[Holammer]

Branco:
A splendid 'From dusk till dawn' reference!

*sharpens wooden stake*

[derfenrirwolv]

* +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution. (They are slightly better at shooting missile weapons, sneaking around, balancing and tumbling than other species)

* Medium size.

* An elf ’s base land speed is 30 feet. (the normal movement rate)

* Immunity to sleep spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.

* Low-light vision. (given a light source they can see twice as far as a human. With no light its still all dark to them)

* Weapon Proficiency: Elves are automatically proficient with the longsword, rapier, longbow, composite longbow, shortbow, and composite shortbow. (Warriors come with all these proficiencies anyway. for an elf wizard this gives them some alternatives to spellcasting)

* +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.

* Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.

* Favored Class: Wizard. (Elves can multi class to wizard more easily. A dwarf who leveled 1 wizard 4 warrior would earn less experience and find it harder to advance because he's maintaining two careers at very different levels. A 1 wizard 4 fighter elf would not suffer that restriction because a little bit of magic comes easy to elves)

[DBear]

* . A dwarf who leveled 1 wizard 4 warrior would earn less experience and find it harder to advance because he's maintaining two careers at very different levels. A 1 wizard 4 fighter elf would not suffer that restriction because a little bit of magic comes easy to elves)

But isn't a dwarf's preferred class fighter? Therefore fighter 4/wizard 1 shouldn't be any problem. :smallconfused:

[The Blackbird]

But isn't a dwarf's preferred class fighter? Therefore fighter 4/wizard 1 shouldn't be any problem. :smallconfused:

He said warrior, which is a crappy NPC class.

[Forbiddenwar]

*

* Weapon Proficiency: Elves are automatically proficient with the longsword, rapier, longbow, composite longbow, shortbow, and composite shortbow. (Warriors come with all these proficiencies anyway. for an elf wizard this gives them some alternatives to spellcasting)


Great detail, thanks for posting.

Added note on weapon proficiency:

"There is a vast gulf between being proficient with a weapon and being good with a weapon" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0452.html)

Someone who is proficient, knows enough of how to use the weapon to not suffer a penality on attack. However, a wizard doesn't have very good general attacking ability (AKA BAB or base attack bonus) which is why we don't see V picking up a bow and fighting with it.

All other things being equal (which is very rare) a 12th level wizard elf with a longsword has as mush of a chance as hitting something in a fight as a 6th level fighter.

[Morgan Wick]

Great detail, thanks for posting.

Added note on weapon proficiency:

"There is a vast gulf between being proficient with a weapon and being good with a weapon" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0452.html)

Someone who is proficient, knows enough of how to use the weapon to not suffer a penality on attack. However, a wizard doesn't have very good general attacking ability (AKA BAB or base attack bonus) which is why we don't see V picking up a bow and fighting with it.

All other things being equal (which is very rare) a 12th level wizard elf with a longsword has as mush of a chance as hitting something in a fight as a 6th level fighter.

Hmm. After the lessons V's learned with the current strip, and especially the torture that incident caused him, I wonder if we're going to see him ask Haley for some longbow lessons...

[Forbiddenwar]

Hmm. After the lessons V's learned with the current strip, and especially the torture that incident caused him, I wonder if we're going to see him ask Haley for some longbow lessons...

Wouldn't help. Lessons would make someone proficient with a weapon, and V already is proficient with a longbow.

[JonestheSpy]

Wouldn't help. Lessons would make someone proficient with a weapon, and V already is proficient with a longbow.

In OotS logic, V could take the feat Weapon Focus- Longbow, then it will be retroactivley assumed that Haley had been teaching hir. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0126.html

[Forbiddenwar]

In OotS logic, V could take the feat Weapon Focus- Longbow, then it will be retroactivley assumed that Haley had been teaching hir. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0126.html

You're right. I didn't think of lessons as feats, which was dumb, since there's ample evidence to see that. Maybe V should take that feat, It would help.

Sorry Morgan Wick, my mistake and you were right.

[PId6]

You're right. I didn't think of lessons as feats, which was dumb, since there's ample evidence to see that. Maybe V should take that feat, It would help.

Sorry Morgan Wick, my mistake and you were right.
+1 to attack isn't going to do much for her when she still has wizard BAB and still would only fire at the attack of a fighter of one level higher than previous (12 Wizard -> 7 Fighter). Not to mention her lack of dex bonus and lack of other ranged feats make her ranged attacks do basically nil damage anyway even if she does hit. She's much better off taking something like a metamagic or spell focus feat or something to enhance her magic, which she's actually relatively good at.