The Classics

[Curious]

Two different kinds; the elements -and energies- as well as the tolkien-esque races, such as dwarves, elves and halflings. What do you love and hate about them, would you reflavor them, or do you like them just the way they are?

[dsmiles]

Two different kinds; the elements -and energies- as well as the tolkien-esque races, such as dwarves, elves and halflings. What do you love and hate about them, would you reflavor them, or do you like them just the way they are?

Oh lord, here we go...(don't get me started )

I play both 3.5 and 4e:
My 3.5 elements are the classical western elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water. But I also use the para- (where two elemental planes meet) and quasi- (where an elemental plane and the positive or negative material plane meet) elements, and the positive and negative material planes, too.

My 4e elements are the classical eastern elements of Wind (Thunder), Water (Cold), Fire (Fire), Metal (Lightning), and Wood (Poison). Plus the positive (Radiant) and negative (Necrotic) energies.

I don't use Tolkien-esque elves, I use Elfquest-esque elves. My dwarves are all Scottish, and I've been doing that for at least 15 years. I don't use halflings or gnomes (I use goblins and orcs, instead).

[Curious]

Hm, I've never heard of elfquest, so I can't really offer an opinion on that. But scottish dwarves? Classy.
Thumbs up for the eastern elements as well, just for the diversity they offer.

[dsmiles]

In Elfquest, there are a couple of varieties of elves. I use the Wolfrider-type elves. They're short (4-ish feet) have three fingers and a thumb, ride wolves, and are overall pretty barbaric for elves. Also, they can grow facial hair.

[The Rose Dragon]

My 4e elements are the classical eastern elements of Wind (Thunder), Water (Cold), Fire (Fire), Metal (Lightning), and Wood (Poison). Plus the positive (Radiant) and negative (Necrotic) energies.

Those are not the classical Eastern elements, since there is no such thing as classical Eastern elements. There is the Five Steps (Wu Xing) from Chinese philosophy, which are Fire, Wood, Water, Earth and Metal; the Five Elements of Japanese philosophy, which are Wind, Earth, Fire, Water and Sky; the Five Elements of Hindu philosophy, which are Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Aether; and the Five Elements of Greek philosophy, which are the same as Hindu ones.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Tolkien stole his elves and dwarves from nordic myth - I try to re-inject a little of the original flavour by making elves a bit more fey (as they age they become ethereal and ghostly) and dwarves a bit more dark and earthy (gain tremorsense).
Halflings in D&D fluff are already quite far from hobbits (which he made up from scratch).

The elements I leave as they are (air, earth, fire, water) but add one: void. Void is the entropic element, and takes on the functions of negative energy.
I also re-fluff the Ethereal plane as the Spirit Realm / The Invisible, etc.

[dsmiles]

Those are not the classical Eastern elements, since there is no such thing as classical Eastern elements. There is the Five Steps (Wu Xing) from Chinese philosophy, which are Fire, Wood, Water, Earth and Metal; the Five Elements of Japanese philosophy, which are Wind, Earth, Fire, Water and Sky; the Five Elements of Hindu philosophy, which are Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Aether; and the Five Elements of Greek philosophy, which are the same as Hindu ones.

My apologies, then. I stand corrected. I use the Five Steps, then, I guess.