Half-Elves...

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I've heard alot on the topic of half-elves. Most say they're underpowered, some say they're allright, and some even say they're too good...

Personally, I think they could use a little more flavour, so they have some traits that no other races have. Right now, they are just a cross between elves and humans.

I'm looking for suggestions to help me make a better half-elf. So far, I've thought of adding some of the following:

A bonus to charisma, though this may be overpowering if you were to play a sorcerer.

Something to do with genetic mutations caused by cross-breeding elves and humans (maybe there could be a few different things such as darkvision, that pleyers could either choose from, or select one randomly).

 

Not sure really what you're looking for here. If you're interested in making them seem more interesting, then adding cosmetic details would be my suggestion. Things such as skin and hair colouring, possible personality traits, etc. I think all too often people want to make (or try to make) changes to the gaming features of a race, class, item, etc., when all they really want is to give a new flavour or 'twist' to something.

Not sure how any could say that half-elves are 'underpowered'. They are the only non-human race that suffers no xp penalty and they have most of the useful elven traits (better saves, etc). They are, in essence, exactly what they are supposed to be: a cross between humans and elves

Not sure why you'd want to give them a bonus to Cha, since niether Elves nor Humans receive such a bonus (i.e., this would make them unlike either of thier ancestors). But, since Cha is one of the 'weaker' stats, a +2 to Cha would equate to a -1 in another stat, although Str and Dex would probably be too much. Con would probably be most the appropriate.

But, I suggest simply coming up with a non-gaming trait (ie, has no effect on the game other than for roleplaying purposes) that makes them different.

 

To make them more interesting play with the sub races such as half moon elf or half drow. There is a nice netbook for this floating around the net
And they are exactly that, a cross between humans and elves, after all, that is the point, is it not?

 

I don't think that half-elves are that weak but if you wanted to add a twist then I would suggest that you give +1 Dex and -1 Con because humans get no bonuses or unbonuses so you just cut the elf traits in half(HALF-elf)

 

I usually don't like the idea of giving a -1 or +1 to a trait, because it menas that you can have a net modifier of +1 (or -1). That usually makes it a bit unbalancing. IMHO, I think the half-elf is fine as it is; if anyone believes they are underpowered, there is also the issue of prejudice - both humans nor elves wouldn't take too kindly to a "half-breed".

 

I'm not saying that they're underpowered, I'm just saying that they could use more flavour...

Even though they are half elven and half human, they would still have some unique traits. When you cross a horse with a donkey, you get a mule. The mule isn't just a mix of horse and donkey. For one thing, its sterile, plus its alot stronger and hardier that your average horse/donkey.

I just think that half-elves could have been made alot more interesting, and I'm looking for suggestions. I never said anything about me, personally, saying that they are underpowered.

 

umm, not neccessarily. Depending on the gender of the respective parent you could get a hinny instead. Both mules and hinnies are sterile, due to having an uneven number of chromosomes. However, you are overselling the other differences. All or nearly all the mule's characteristics are present in one or the other of its parent species.

As for half elves, I don't see why one would think they don't have any flavor. They are more flexible than full elves (no favored class, better 'bonus language' options) but have some nifty bonuses that humans don't get. They also have interesting RP opportunities as half breeds.

 

The +1 dex -1 con are good addition, you can get as high as 19 +4 , but that good if you upgrade your dex at level 4, Anyway they aren't underpowered, Imunity to sleep and +2 against charm and the minor Skill affinity make them pretty good Fighter! It's maybe a stupid question: but when A Half-Elf have children with a human what race the child will be?! 1/4 elf? or an half elf with an elf a 3/4 elf?

 

On the breeding issue, assuming that half-elves are not sterile, a human or elf mating with a half-elf should produce 50% half-elves and 50% pure race. 2 half-elves breeding should produce 25% pure elf, 25% pure human and 50% half-elf. This is if we keep the genetics simple and assume no crossing over of genes.

 

That's true, I've had a player in one of my campaigns before, a bard [prestige class Prankster, of his own creation] be the son of a half-elf and a half-orc, but he looked and acted like full human [Got all-human genes] except he had pointy ears like a full elf. The player was a really funny guy and liked to make jokes and constantly changed his appearance and wore disguises for no reason.

Amon-Ra

 

I don't know much about genetics, but would it be possible to predict which race of kids a half-orc or half-elf would produce by gender? Eg, Bob the half-orc is the son of an orcish father and human mother. If he had children with a pure-blood human would all his sons be half-orc and all his daughters human?

 

Well... to say the truth I don't see why they should get any bonuses to stats. Rules say they don't anyway. Partial resistance to sleep and charm, weak infravision, somewhat different facial features, sized between human and elf that's pretty all that has some dice-related meaning. As they're mixed I believe they could lean to one option more that to the other. My 2ed pally is sort of half-elf with no racial adjustments in resistances (technically human enough to be a pally) and in 3ed he could be a real half-elf, but I prefer what I thought up for 2ed. Considered this?

 

Well, they're mostly alright, if they are part elves thay should have like +1 to dex and -1 to con, not as severe as the elves but so normal.

 

Ironbeard: That would depend on which genes are more dominant than the other.

 

If we leave the purist approach aside (hurrah!), I guess you mean some lame elf, right?