Howdy fellow Paizotes,
I've come with another challenge that I present to our faithful community of roleplayers, adventurers, and everything in between.
Of the games I've had the luxury of playing in, there's a hatred of elves among the folks I play with. For some reason, I've only been presented with the "flower munching","I'm a pretty _____" elf type characters that essentially boils down to the group shirking their relations with said character.
I don't know where the elf hate came into play,( probably due to my group's interpretation of the pathfinder universe ) but I want someone to prove this idea wrong.
Can anyone cite awesome examples of elven characters from either their games, or perhaps from Pathfinder Lore / Modules / Adventure Paths / Novels?
Because I really want to make elven wizard who's into crafting magic items, and I don't want this archetype to spoil the character idea for my group.
We had an elf wizard in one game, he was thinking of specializing into necromancy and the DM gave him a couple levels to decide that, who thought it was cool to place the heads of the drow we defeated earlier hanging from our cart. We entered our first major city that campaign. One of the lead wizards of the city was a drow necromancer. Our wizard had the gall to ask to be his apprentice.
Some elves that I have played/am playing/have been played in various campaign(s):
Tao: Snarky fire sorcerer. Best friends with a human paladin. Sort of worldly, and didn't tolerate misogyny very well.
Skylar: Elf Bladesinger[Fighter/Mage] barely a full adult, and often underestimated for her stature, she is nonetheless a very competent swordswoman
Thwin: Rogue Cleric shadowdancer.
Vadien: Elf Bladsinger[Magus] searching for powerful artifacts to drive back the demons/devils in his homeland. He has spell tattoos in the event of an emergency to facilitate as quick escape. He is fastidious about his hygiene, keeping a separate flask of water and soap to keep his hands clean, and humans find it unnerving how little he blinks; seeming to stare at them.
Very Respectfully,
--Bacon
I've got an elf illusionist wizard//order of the dragon strategist cavalier named Belisarius in one gestalt game. He's an illusion-dropping god wizard who spends the first round or 2 controlling the battlefield or making his party murder into machines with a well-timed haste spell.
His bodyguard-archetyped horse, Pincer, enables him to get in position to deliver devastating lance charges on lone enemies, tramples foes who get too close, and brings Belisarius into the fray to buff his companions with his challenge as they converge on the BEG.
All the while, his wisecracking, larcenous, faerie dragon familiar, Mischief, supports the party's efforts by providing concealment from dropped smokesticks or silent images and creates hazards with grease spells. Mischief has also become fond of poaching the enemy necromancer's zombie troops - he still giggles at the time he ran a fast zombie horse into a tree at a full gallop, throwing its necromancer rider.
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I used to play a conjuration focused elven wizard. Big surprise. She was incredibly lazy, and on the short side of her race. The more she learned of magic, the less she felt the need actually do things for herself. Once she could extend mount and fly, she never walked. Once she mastered unseen servant, she never bothered to cross the room to get a drink.
Slowly, she became heavier and heavier. By level 12 she was the pudgiest little elf on the planet.
How about alignment wise, any sorta trend with Elfs? I would assume that long life, some would go down the route of QUEST FOR POWER and look for ways to extend it - Infernal Pact / Lichdom / etc.
Oooh and to get saucier, has anyone dealt with Elf love? I imagine it to be...like Twilight. "I...watch you in your sleep". xD
Look up Brewer's Guide To The Blockbuster Wizard and play one of those. When you start incinerating everything hostile with mega-powered fireballs, they'll probably not accuse you of being a pansy tree-hugger again.
Look up Brewer's Guide To The Blockbuster Wizard and play one of those. When you start incinerating everything hostile with mega-powered fireballs, they'll probably not accuse you of being a pansy tree-hugger again.
Long life, plenty of time to outlive the law!
I think that is an odd view considering the large amounts of literature that depict Elves as anything but a bunch of prancing pixies. Novels, movies and video games featuring elves usually depict them as, at worst, capable, and more frequently good at a variety of things. I wonder where thy got that from...
I think that is an odd view considering the large amounts of literature that depict Elves as anything but a bunch of prancing pixies. Novels, movies and video games featuring elves usually depict them as, at worst, capable, and more frequently good at a variety of things. I wonder where thy got that from...
Maybe...LotR?
I've been playing an elf air elementalist through the 1st couple of chapters of RotR and having a blast. In some ways he fits the stereotype -- a bit aloof and superior, though not prejudiced exactly, and I gave him a decent Charisma that makes him effectively the party face most of the time (especially with a thrush familiar, +3 Diplomacy). But I've also played him as a bit reckless, given that he has a low Con (10), and on occasion he really surprises them (taking it upon himself to finish off a captured and unconscious wizard without consulting the party, for instance, or suddenly challenging Ameiko Kaijutsu to a drinking contest.) And they're awfully glad to have him around -- he's got a lot of scouting and buffing abilities, but he kills a lot of stuff too. Especially once you get out of the lower levels, a well-built elf wizard and crafter is a very handy character to have on your side. Stereotypical or not.
The issue with elf hate that happens from time to time in various circles is the mild to overt annoyance of the fem pretty boy trope. The all too common elf played as androgynous and elitist, delicate and etc. Alternatively, there is the just as common ultra-hippie approach. Tree hugging vegan types.
Or a combination of the two... /shudder.
Play a macho, aggressive, antagonistic or heroic elf. Or an honor bound warrior elf, or a conniving sell sword elf.
Or, the one kind of elf no one ever... ever seems to play…
And old wizened grandpa elf with a long beard n who talks about stuff from his day...which was like 700 years ago, and no one knows what he's even talking about.
Too many tree-huggers and not enough badasses, huh?
Admittedly, for the idea of an elven full-caster, it's hard to get my mind to break away from some of the stereotype that Remy eludes to.
IE: If I'm playing an elven Wizard, he's probably arrogant, elitist, and considers Elven magic ("his" magic) to be greater than that of other races, especially short-lived ones like humans.
I don't usually fall into the androgynous and/or delicate trap though - but many people do.
If you're a big reader, I'd suggest picking up some Forgotten Realms to get some good examples of elves who aren't "fru-fru."
(Particularly the Songs and Swords series of books - (who cares about Drizzt, amirite?)).
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Lol, hands-up to playing the exact elven conjurer Remy has alluded to. :D
But while arrogant, haughty, and hailing from the Mordant Spire so just a tiny bit racist... my elf is anything but a flowery pansy.
Author of numerous books regarding Azlanti history and life in the Steaming Sea he's an extremely reliable source of knowledge on many different subjects. Well versed in languages, history, architecture and religion... he's the go to guy in my group for extra bits and bobs and of course is always full of insightful stories to share.
He's also a sex-addict with a fair amount of interest in the kink and a self-proclaimed rock star (think steampunk glam rock star without the rock) although he has no official skills to back this up, just the raw talent that comes with having a high intelligence and the Charmed trait. So while he is certainly learned, there is a playful crudeness about him too which others easily relate to.
Despite some of these traits pointing to an egocentric character, he's fiercely loyal and spends most of his time making other folk look good, a typical God-wizard I guess. Even when it comes to working with a mostly human party he manages to put aside the ingrained racism most grey elves carry ... for he is his own elf, and left the spire to forge his own fate "not MUCH to do with the fact the other grey elves weren't too keen on me sharing the secrets of the Spire..." he frowns.
But...
this is all a front.
Really he is a spy for the Mordant Intelligence Network, tasked with exploring the world for signs of old threats in this Age of Lost Omens (we're running RotR).
Although he has written the books his name is printed on, it is not his name and is only a character profile he and MIN have been working on for 40 odd years in preparation for him leaving the Spire. Much of the information within is half-truths and propaganda MIN wish to spread of the Mordant culture and history.
Although he seems obsessed with sex, it is a false trait to make him seem more human or 'flawed'. It's also pretty good for studying the human ego/psyche as he observes the intimate interactions between workers and their clients.
And even though he is all for the propelling the story forward and helping the party to the best of his ability - it is always in the interest of the Spire.
"It is not enough to watch the waves for threats to our kingdom. We must explore the wilderness of the savages; it is out there we will find corruption's heart."
His real persona is so far removed from his pretense it's scary. And yet as he continues on this journey he finds himself slowly growing closer and closer to the group to the point where doubts have begun to creep in and the strain of being duplicitous is beginning to show... I'm sure the DM has some future test of faith to spring on me and looking forward to that moment to see what will happen with the character and group as, at this point, even I don't know what I will do. ;)
tl/dr (sorry I didn't expect to divulge all that, feels good getting it out actually!)
- every character, despite how cliched it may seem, has the potential to be richly developed through RP, player and the DM so that it breaks the mold. I say forget about what everyone else thinks and just focus on making your pc come alive and have fun with it. You'll probably find that everything else just falls into place. =)
The presence of Calistria in the Golarion elven pantheon makes at least the androgynous part of the stereotype easier to dodge! If someone wants to play a very sexualized elf, Calistria gives you all the excuse you need.
I don't really care if you hate me. You only exist to allow me to set fire, burn in acid, freeze or electrocute our enemies. I tolerate your existence only for that reason.
I exist only to bring the power of magic to bear on our enemies. I could not care less about all those tree hugging elves, although I am trying to save them from their evil cousins.
oh wait...you didn't want the stereotype.
I love elven wizards. I once played one in a 3.0 game. He was a grey elven enchanter who preferred to speak and operate in elven. He had been captured when the party found him and they were taking a long time to fight the baddy that was the guard. He kept yelling out in elven that it was a good thing he was an elf or he might die of old age before the group found him. They didn't like him, which he didn't really care but he was competent, damn competent. They refused to give him a share in the treasure that he helped to get.
One of the party members went to sleep in the stables because he was drunk. As they were heading out, the elf went to get him. The guy didn't want to come and threw horse manure at the elf. The elf cast a suggestion spell on the guy and suggested that he eat the whole pile of crap. He failed his save.
The whole party turned on him and killed him for that, lol. The player of the crap eater threw the table over and wanted to beat me up, lol.
This is my current PC for the Shattered Star Adventure Path.
Art by Stefano Marinetti
Art by Shonenmitsu
(I get art done for all of my characters)
And his statblock
Vadien Fayeel
Male Elf Magus (Hexcrafter) 3
CG Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +2
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +2 shield, +3 Dex)
hp 21 (3d8)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune magic sleep
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee cestus +5 (1d4+2/19-20) and
elven curve blade +5 (1d10+3/18-20) and
mithral rapier +6 (1d6+2/18-20)
Ranged shortbow +5 (1d6/×3)
Special Attacks spellstrike
Magus (Hexcrafter) Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +8):
1st—color spray (DC 15), infernal healing, shocking grasp, vanish
0 (at will)—daze (DC 14), detect magic, flare (DC 14), mage hand
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 9, Cha 9
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 17
Feats Step Up, Weapon Finesse
Traits arcane temper, reckless
Skills Acrobatics +10, Craft (tattoo) +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (planes) +9, Perception +2, Spellcraft +10 (+12 to determine the properties of a magic item), Use Magic Device +5; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan
SQ arcane pool, elven magic, weapon familiarity, hex arcana, hex arcana (close range), spell combat
Combat Gear Scroll of Expeditious Retreat, Scroll of Mage Armor, Spell Tattoo of Burning Hands, Spell Tattoo of Feather Fall, Spell Tattoo of Obscuring Mist; Other Gear masterwork parade armor, +1 buckler, arrows (40), cestus, elven curve blade, mithral rapier, shortbow, ioun torch, artisan's tools, backpack, masterwork, bedroll, belt pouch, canteen, flint and steel, ink, black, inkpen, mess kit, pot, silk rope, soap, spell component pouch, spellbook, trail rations (5), 155 GP, 7 SP, 9 CP
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Pool (+1) (5/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Close Range (Ex) Using spellstrike, deliver ranged touch spells as melee touch spells.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Elven Magic +2 to spellcraft checks to determine the properties of a magic item.
Hex Arcana You can substitute Hexes for Magus Arcana.
Ioun torch This item is merely a burned out, dull gray ioun stone with a continual flame spell cast upon it. It retains the ability to float and orbit, and allows the bearer to carry light and still have his hands free. It may be in any crystalline shape common to ioun stones (ellipsoid, prism, sphere, and so on).
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, continual flame, creator must be 12th level; Cost 62 gp, 5 sp
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Scroll of Expeditious Retreat Add this item to create a scroll with spells on it.
Scroll of Mage Armor Add this item to create a scroll with spells on it.
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
Step Up When a foe makes a 5 ft step away from you, you can move 5 ft to follow them.
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His blasted homelands have been affected by the nascent demon lord Treerazer, and his adventures are a means to acquire artifacts that will allow them to finally banish the beast to the realms from whence he came.
He sees his current adventuring group as a means to an end, and once the Sihedron is assembled, he has little to no qualms about snatching it up and using it himself (I'll probably do this as a post-script to the adventure path... Unless the DM wants to run it afterwards with the party... otherwise, Vadien has plenty of magics to make his getaway and be well off before the party can mount a chase.
Even though, her -currently- has little love for his cohorts, they may earn his grudging respect and admiration. ...eventually.
It is his firm belief that Treerazer, The Worldwound, the resurgence of Sinspawn, and the frequency with which he has encountered Devils within the Irespan are all related to the weakening of the veil between the realms, and this makes him a little paranoid and aggressive. But it also makes him appreciate the finer things. Like a hot bath, good wine, perfume, warm bread, stimulating conversations, etc.
Very Respectfully,
--Bacon
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This is a brewers blaster, that I use now for PFS. I went with a backstory where a sector of the elven govt. recruits him out of college and teaches him "forbidden" magic i.e orc bloodline sorcery.
He is brainwashed and thus I play him lawful good. Lawful good being whatever the govt. tells him to do.
I like the idea of training in an "area 51" type environment. You know below ground theirs a lab with drow, orcs, goblins floating in brine.
Check out some of my elves from my Crazy Character Gallery (and its discussion thread).
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- Angol Cerdir - A great wizard and golem constructor
- Corral Styne - A vengeful widow with an extreme hatred for orc-kind
- Galanost Laetalal - A heavily scarred war wizard
- Lwaxana Lore - An archer whose arrows burn, freeze, electrify, and explode.
- Naya Foreteller - A druid/conjurer with a great many friends
- Ravendark - A vile creature who lives only to bring darkness to the world
- Riva Sarjenka - A sorcerer whose keen intellect rivals most wizards
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- every character, despite how cliched it may seem, has the potential to be richly developed through RP, player and the DM so that it breaks the mold. I say forget about what everyone else thinks and just focus on making your pc come alive and have fun with it. You'll probably find that everything else just falls into place. =)
Thanks mate, that advice is something I needed. I've been fortunate to play in a group for KM and needless to say, my party abuses my abadite cleric's role within the party. At every turn, the judge him, label him monster, treat him with no respect, and talk bad about him, despite the feller's trying to establish the tenets of society within a truly lawless land.
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After reading your responses, I'm quite happy to see that my viewpoint has been very narrow considering Elven kind. Especially you , your elven builds are pretty neat.
Thanks folks, your input has been appreciated!
"Surly" is an NPC I'm planning to drop in at the local tavern/inn where the PCs are based.
He's a burned out, ex-spec ops elf who feels more at home amongst the local goblin tribe (who I styled after the Hmong) than among the elitist bastards in the elven military. He's a hexcrafter who rarely smiles except for when his familiar, Chuckles the rhamphorhynchus, is performing tricks for jerky and other snacks.
Loudmouths and others who are ruining his good time are apt to find themselves face down in their soup bowl after getting nailed with a slumber hex.
One of my players is looking to play a witch and Surly might prove to be a good way to initiate her into a coven if she wants to go in that direction.
Look up Brewer's Guide To The Blockbuster Wizard and play one of those. When you start incinerating everything hostile with mega-powered fireballs, they'll probably not accuse you of being a pansy tree-hugger again.Long life, plenty of time to outlive the law!
+1 to Sampy McSplosion
i actually like to play up some of the elven stereotypes... different stereotypes for different builds, can actually be really useful in making your characters distinct from each other (you just have to be careful not become a cliche).
a graceful elven fighter or ranger 1/diviner[scryer] 1/eldritch knight in a weapon finesse/curve blade build, or a dervish dancer build who looks at shorter lived races with a mix of pity and arrogance can be fun.
so could a tree hugging druid with a temper, or a an ethereal/effeminate bard[arcane duelist] or dervish dancing magus who happens to be far more dangerous combatant than people give him credit for...