PDA

View Full Version : A redo on High Elves



asphen fox
2008-03-21, 06:59 AM
I think since High Elves, Core Elves and Moon Elves have the same racial bonuses... a redo on High Elves is needed. This race is made especially for those DMs who wont allow a free weapon familiarity feat for their players

High Elf
Favored Class: Knight

• Medium Size
• 30’ movement
• Immunity to sleep effects
• +2 Racial bonus on Listen, Search, & Spot checks.
• Automatic Search check if an Elf passes within 5’ of a secret or concealed door
• +2 Racial bonus to saves vs. Enchantments
• Low-light Vision
• Automatic proficiency with all straight Bows
• Automatic proficiency with Longsword and Rapier
• Elven XBlades are treated as martial weapons for determining weapon proficiency




Yup. No stat adjustments. Any comments or suggestions on the uber minor adjustment I made?

SurlySeraph
2008-03-21, 09:49 PM
They're balanced. Other than that, there's not much to say.

asphen fox
2008-03-21, 10:09 PM
:smallbiggrin: Yeah... Any ideas for a new elf race?

SurlySeraph
2008-03-22, 12:34 AM
Well, I've been thinking about homebrewing a race of elves that actually reflects how elves are always portrayed - bonuses to pretty much every stat but especially wisdom and charisma, some kind of harmony-with-nature ability, and an "Arrogance" racial trait that gives them a big penalty to social interaction with all races that they consider inferior to themselves. It would have a level adjustment to be balanced.

asphen fox
2008-03-22, 06:00 AM
Same thing I was thinking... Problem is.. I don't wanna make a race with a high LA... A want the LA to be small enough so people would want to play the race but big enough to be a bad ass in fighting. :smallcool:

MythMage
2008-03-22, 07:26 AM
Haughty Elves:
• Medium Size
• 40’ movement
• +4 Dexterity, +4 Wisdom, +4 Charisma.
• Immunity to sleep effects
• +4 Racial bonus on Knowledge (nature), Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival checks.
• -4 Racial penalty on Charisma-based skill checks with non-elf humanoids.
• Wild empathy as a druid of his total Hit Dice; if the elf would wild empathy from class levels, instead he gains a +2 competence bonus on wild empathy checks.
• Woodland stride.
• Low-light vision.
• Automatic proficiency with all straight Bows.
• Automatic proficiency with Longsword and Rapier.
• Level Adjustment +3.

asphen fox
2008-03-22, 06:58 PM
Are you sure that's LA +2 only? It seems so powerful... And what's the Favored Class?

Kizara
2008-03-23, 02:04 AM
Are you sure that's LA +2 only? It seems so powerful... And what's the Favored Class?

Compare it to a goliath or drow (keep in mind 11+HD SR is very powerful). Its a solid +2 IMO, maybe slightly weak.
Overall, not bad. I like the abilities you have selected and the way you implimented them. The 40ft movement is a really nice touch I wouldn't have thought of. I may play this race at some point.

As for the race in the OP, its basically your peeve about the weapon profs. and removing the racial modifiers. Also, a random favored class of knight. I don't like it much at all. Sure, the weapon profs. thing could be addressed, but your 'new subrace' is sorely lacking in identity.

EDIT: Favored class of ranger seems fairly obvious. Or maybe fighter? Glorfindel, Elrond and Legolas were fighters. Arwen (as presented in the movies) was a ranger (I suppose).

EDIT: Second thought, for some reason I thought it was +4 to 2 stats, not 3. 3 is too much for LA 2. Consider giving only +2 to wis and dex. I think that what came across to me the most in Tolkien's elves was the super charisma.

asphen fox
2008-03-23, 02:20 AM
Well... I was thinking of a "noble" class like a Paladin and I considered Knight and Crusader. I selected Knight since it's not as powerful. If I gave a Wis bonus... It would've been a druid though.

dman11235
2008-03-23, 02:31 AM
...Are you aware that those are all the same race? High are normal and moon. I'm 100% certain on the high elves, and 90% certain on the moon. Where are the latter from again?

asphen fox
2008-03-23, 04:17 AM
High Elves, Core Elves (the ones in PHB) and Moon Elves... Same Races... Why not separate them? It's a waste of race names. Seriously.

Bago!!!
2008-03-23, 05:08 AM
First one seems 'alright'. But nothing fantastic. Not one person I know will take that race but meh, its a balanced.

Last one, without a doubt, is one of the most broken D&D races I have ever seen, no offense to Myth here but there is no penalty to off set the +8 (+4 from dex, +2 from Cha, +2 from Wisdom) aside from that level adjustment that really doesn't stop anything. I tell you, other of all the races, if I ever want to play a SUPER TURNING CLERIC or some sort of sword sage or rogue or warlock or.... (Anything really!), I would pick this race without even bothering to look at the other stuff.

Spell resistance is nice, but Stats without any sort of stat penalty have a more desired effect. This race would be desired simpyl because you can pull off so many stats that will put you beyond the rest of the group. Besides, the drow are terrible if hit in the light, completely blind if memory serves. The goliath has good bonus' in general, but even so, they are nowhere as massive as this. They have lots of minor bonus with some large bonus (powerful build).

I say that there is already variation between the races without the stats. I know this from experiance. I have played elves for about a year or so. Then I started playing a gray elf. The change was total. Before, I was a generalist professor who knew what he was doing who tried to be on some sort of friendly terms with his party. The gray elf acted like he had a stick up his ass, thought himself better than all the rest, a believe he knew more than the entire party combined, which he actuelly did since he had a +20 on his Arcane knowledge check at level 5. Favorite past time, sulking in the corner while the group fought all those monsters. Funny thing was, he was totally inept at that level because I had him take a few extra levels, so his only use aside from knowledge was unlimited detect magic. Man my DM was pissed that I did detect magic whenever possible. :smallamused:

Then that dark elf I played as and with a while back are totally different than any elf I know. Their more dark, serouis, and just plain badass. The differences between them had little to do with the paper and numbers.

If you still want to change the races or what not, perhaps a change on those other elves are in order instead of the High Elf. THats my two cents.

Edit: As for that super elf, could you not make there be a Con penalty to off set some it? Right now, it looks like it should have a +4 Level adjustment on stats alone. Anyway, why would they have a 40 ft landspeed?

Overlord
2008-03-23, 01:18 PM
High Elves, Core Elves (the ones in PHB) and Moon Elves... Same Races... Why not separate them? It's a waste of race names. Seriously.

True, but you can always get more race names:

Hippie Elves

Keebler Elves

Super Special Awesome Elves.

InaVegt
2008-03-23, 01:24 PM
Demonspawn elves

Frightened elves


Quarter elves

Elflings

Dumb elves

Smart elves (Oh, wait, those are grey elves)

Blue elves

Little blue elves with white hats 'n pants

Overlord
2008-03-23, 01:31 PM
Dentist Elves.

The Rose Dragon
2008-03-23, 01:32 PM
High Elves, Core Elves (the ones in PHB) and Moon Elves... Same Races... Why not separate them? It's a waste of race names. Seriously.

High elf is the proper name of the core elves, actually. And moon elves only exist in FR, where there are no "high" elves.

You could separate them, but there is really no need.

Bago!!!
2008-03-25, 05:04 AM
Oh! I love names!

Twilight Elves, Nightshroud Elves, Half-Orc/Elf (I always wanted to play one.),
Cloud Elves and all that stuff.



Demonspawn elves

Frightened elves


Quarter elves

Elflings

Dumb elves

Smart elves (Oh, wait, those are grey elves)

Blue elves

Little blue elves with white hats 'n pants

They should rename the Gray Elves to, Beat stick elves. Thats all my party does to me, cause they know I can't really do any effective damage to them and live. :smallfrown:

SMERFS!

asphen fox
2008-03-25, 09:13 AM
They should rename the Gray Elves to, Beat stick elves. Thats all my party does to me, cause they know I can't really do any effective damage to them and live. :smallfrown:

SMERFS!

If you're laying a wizard then something's definitely wrong with your build or you need to build up your battlefield and/or evocation spells.

SilverClawShift
2008-03-25, 09:24 AM
...aren't there way way more than enough kinds of elf?

dman11235
2008-03-25, 01:05 PM
That there are. High elves are what the core elves are called in the MM. It's what they actually are called. In fact, there is no such thing as the 'core elf', you just made that name up. Moon elves, as had been said, are what High Elves are called in Faerun, where high elves don't exist.

kentma57
2008-03-25, 08:13 PM
There should only be two types of elves; High Elves proud magic city dweling folk, and Wood Elves ranges who respect nature living in harmony with it.

asphen fox
2008-03-25, 11:13 PM
There should only be two types of elves; High Elves proud magic city dweling folk, and Wood Elves ranges who respect nature living in harmony with it.

:)) Yup though I'd add Drow to that list which makes it three. And I think High Elves should have racial bonuses that would make them worthy for at least LA +1

Te'Shen
2008-03-25, 11:45 PM
There should only be two types of elves; High Elves proud magic city dweling folk, and Wood Elves ranges who respect nature living in harmony with it.Eh... I look at all the different types of elves as if different nationalities. I also allow orc and the three or four versions of them and the two different half orcs (orog).

I like having different options...

Bago!!!
2008-03-26, 09:08 PM
Well, everyone is about level 4, but I am level five. I have only 3 levels in the Wizard class, and 2 levels in warlock. I have the lowest amount of hitpoints in the party. And what few spells I actuelly get aren't gonna help me too much.

Everyone else has like so many hit points or can do so much damage. I was once knocked cold by one punch from full hit point.

Pathetic, I know, but I still enjoy playing my character with infinate detect magic and unlimited shatter spells.

MythMage
2008-03-27, 01:33 AM
That's what I get for not carefully balancing a joke race. :P

The haughty elves need a +3 LA if you seriously want to use them in a game. I couldn't decide on a favored class, but I think I'd probably go for druid.