Small Ways to Beef up a Half-Elf?

[Kevingway]

I'm not looking at little optimization tricks* or anything of the sort--I'm simply looking for ways to make the half-elf, as a race, more powerful. I don't use homebrew, and I prefer to stay away from anything level adjustment, but all I have so far is a deepwyrm half-drow, using the added SLAs and Dragonblood subtype from Dragon Magic.

Is there anything more that can be added to this without having to worry about LA buyoff or the sort?

*dragonborn

[sonofzeal]

Magic-Blooded (DM #306, I believe) would fit half-elf flavour and be quite effective for certain characters.

[(Un)Inspired]

Mark of Storms.

Some of the later SLA are pretty strong. Best of all it can be added on top of an existing chassis and it's half elf only.

[Red Fel]

Mark of Storms.

Some of the later SLA are pretty strong. Best of all it can be added on top of an existing chassis and it's half elf only.

A world of this. Get him into the Dragonmark Heir or Storm Sentry PrCs, and watch him do some outrageous stuff. In fact, one of my favorite build threads involves this specific concept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?363006-Building-a-Tempest), and optimizing the character around the use of his Control Winds SLA. (Short version: Once per day, create a tornado that lasts for three hours, is 720' high and 720' in radius. Enjoy ruining everything.)

[ahenobarbi]

Let elves raise the kid. Dungeon Master's Guide (page 171) has a variant of Half-Elf who was raised by humans (called half-elf human) they get weapon proficiency as elves (loose bonus to Diplomacy, Gather Information and have Wizard as favored class). Nice for some builds.

[atemu1234]

A world of this. Get him into the Dragonmark Heir or Storm Sentry PrCs, and watch him do some outrageous stuff. In fact, one of my favorite build threads involves this specific concept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?363006-Building-a-Tempest), and optimizing the character around the use of his Control Winds SLA. (Short version: Once per day, create a tornado that lasts for three hours, is 720' high and 720' in radius. Enjoy ruining everything.)

For a *cough* friend, what are the sources for the stuff in that post/build?

[Red Fel]

For a *cough* friend, what are the sources for the stuff in that post/build?

The book you want to dig up is Dragonmarked. It's an Eberron book. (In case the whole "Dragonmark Houses" aren't a total giveaway.) You'll really want to grab everything Eberron you can to make the most of Dragonmarks - the Eberron Campaign Setting will be your friend. This guide (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1072.0) gives a great explanation of how to use and optimize Dragonmarks.

Ths Mark of Storms is a particularly potent one, and it's unique to Half-Elves (specifically those of House Lyrandar, the Dragonmarked House that carries the Mark of Storms). As a bonus, if you happen to be using Eberron as a setting, having the Mark of Storms means not only that you're a member of House Lyrandar, but also that you're part of the monopoly that controls the world's airships.

Some quick sources for the classes proposed in that thread: Dragonmark Heir: Eberron Campaign Setting Storm Sentry: Dragonmarked Stormlord (divine caster): Complete Divine Stormcaster (any caster): Stormwrack Storm Disciple (psionics): Complete Psionic
The Least, Lesser, and Greater Dragonmark feats are from Eberron Campaign Setting, and the Dragonmark Prodigy, Adept, and Visionary feats are from Dragonmarked.

[Kevingway]

Hm. Are there any non campaign specific sources that I could pool from for half-elf buffitude?

[Ruethgar]

Be a Half-Human Elf(DMG2?) and Chaos Shuffle the proficiencies away like a normal elf.

[ShurikVch]

Half-Elves are good diplomancers:
Sociable Personality (Races of Destiny) feat allow to re-roll Diplomacy and Gather Info checks; Complementary Insight (Races of Destiny) gives +3 skill synergy bonus (instead +2); Cosmopolitan (Player’s Guide to Faerûn, [regional]) gives +2 bonus on Bluff, Gather Information & Sense Motives checks;
Smooth Talk (Player’s Guide to Faerûn, [regional]) if you make a Diplomacy check as a Full Round Action, you only receive a –5 penalty (instead of –10);
Noble Soul (Dr#315, Greyhawk-specific) gives +2 to Diplomacy checks and +1 on Will saves;
Rapscallion (Dr#315, Greyhawk-specific) add Int mod (in addition to Cha mod) to Bluff checks

Also, regional feats (Player’s Guide to Faerûn):
Education - all Knowledge skills are always In-Class, and +2 to any two of them
Fleet of Foot - +10' land speed
Foe Hunter – Dragons - gain Favored Enemy (dragons)
Knifefighter - you may use a Light weapon to attack your opponent in a Grapple with no penalty, don't need check to draw it while grappling, and may full attack with it
Luck of Heroes - +1 luck bonus to AC and all saves
Militia - proficiency with all Martial Weapons
Strong Soul - +1 to Fort & Will saves; vs. death effects, energy drain, & ability drain - +3

Divine Sorcery (Dr#343): if your PC is half-elven sorcerer, and your patron deity is Corellon or Pelor, you may get access to one of their domains (depend on alignment)

Half-elven Bard (Races of Destiny): Secrets of the diplomat ACF allow to get three bonus spell known for literally no extra cost

Half-elven Ranger (Races of Destiny): Street Magic ACF modify your spell list. You get Dimension Door, which may allow you to enter the Telflammar Shadowlord PrC (Unapproachable East)

Also, Windwright Captain (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050803a&page=3)

[Flickerdart]

Half-elf Paragon is actually pretty snazzy, especially if you then use it to enter Human Paragon. Two list-independent bonus feats and a free extra class skill are amazing whenever you're having trouble entering a PrC, and 2 caster levels aren't a terribly high price to pay if your ideal optimization threshold is below Dragonborn. This works even better if you can burn the no-casting levels before you take the casting class you want - Half-Elf Paragon 1/Human Paragon 1 is a pretty solid way to hop into a casting PrC like Ur-Priest or Divine Crusader, and then you can load up on Human Paragon 3 (and Half-Elf Paragon 2 if you really want a +2 to all Charisma checks - maybe you're doing Iaijutsu or diplomancy on the side).

This actually works pretty great for a Sublime Chord build - since you only need 3rd level spells to enter but have to be level 10 without egregious skill cap breaking, you have 3 levels to burn on a bard, or a whopping 4-5 levels if you go in as a proper full caster. The standard approach is to throw in the first (non-casting) level of Virtuoso, but Bard 7/Half-Elf Paragon 1/Human Paragon 1/Virtuoso 1 works just as well. You won't miss those two levels of bard casting when you're rocking nines.

[Antipode]

Small ways to beef up a half-elf? Try a squadron of halfling clerics!

Ba dum psh...

[Extra Anchovies]

Also, Windwright Captain (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050803a&page=3)

Oooh. I like that. If I ever end up in an Eberron game I'm probably going into that PrC.