PnP Half-Elf

[Cam_Neely]

Just want to learn more about the PnP version, so please keep it ONLY to the PnP version, not comparisons or guesses about what the DDO Half-elf will be.

My first PnP experience was a Half-elf ranger in ADD, so I'm pretty excited. On the other hand, from what I remember he was not as good as either an elf or a human, but nice for flavor. This was a long time ago, did I misremember it? I know what the 4e is like, but how are they in 3.5? Have a favorite build? Class best for? Worst for?

Discuss

:)

[Symar-FangofLloth]

3.5 Half-elves are bland.



Medium: As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: A half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
+2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.
Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf.
Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-elf takes an experience point penalty, her highest-level class does not count.

However, Eberron helps them out a little bit by giving them two Dragonmarks.

Mark of Detection-
Least: +2 Spot, Detect Magic or Detect Poison 2/day
Lesser: Detect Scrying or See Invisibility 1/day
Greater: True Seeing 1/day

Mark of Storm- (necessary to pilot an airship)
Least: +2 Balance, Endure Elements, Fog Cloud, or Gust of Wind 1/day
Lesser: Sleet Storm, Wind's Favor, or Wind Wall 1/day
Greater: Control Winds or Control Weather 1/day



Pathfinder, the variant 3.5 published by Paizo, gives half-elves some much needed buffs.
They get one free Skill Focus feat, Favored Class: Any Two (and favored classes are better in Pathfinder), and +2 to any one stat, on top of what they have in 3.5.

[Aspenor]

Half-elves are generally considered to be worthless.

[voodoogroves]

Half-elves are generally considered to be worthless.

...in 3.5 ...in 4e they are very strong...

[Aspenor]

...in 3.5 ...in 4e they are very strong...

He was asking about 3.5, so I answered in a 3.5 context. Is that so wrong?

[Robi3.0]

Half-elves are generally considered to be worthless.

By you.


Half-elf bards with ****** high diplomacy have made DMs I have played with in the past cry.


The thing with DnD is that for quit a few people it has never been about the best possible race to x build. Half-elves add a lot of flavor especially in Eberron.

[Cam_Neely]

...in 3.5 ...in 4e they are very strong...

I was mainly asking for 3.5, as I know 4, but any discussion about half elfs is valid. Delving into 3.5 v 4 bickering is not :)

[jcTharin]

Whats so great about half elves in 4e? i have never looked at 4e but now I'm curios

[Cam_Neely]

They have a +2 Con mod, which is always nice

They dont have a racial skill like most of the other races, but they get to pick an at will power from any class and use it as an encounter power, which is better then pretty much every race skill imo.

[Symar-FangofLloth]

They have a +2 Con mod, which is always nice

They dont have a racial skill like most of the other races, but they get to pick an at will power from any class and use it as an encounter power, which is better then pretty much every race skill imo.

And at level 11+, can take a feat to turn it back into an at-will.

[BLugas]

They have a +2 Con mod, which is always nice

They dont have a racial skill like most of the other races, but they get to pick an at will power from any class and use it as an encounter power, which is better then pretty much every race skill imo.

Don't forget the +2 cha mod, too
And, this does not hold true to the half-drow (not to be confused with half-dark elf , as these hold the same bonuses as the half elves, in fact, drow should never be confused with dark elves, as drow are tainted by the blood of Daemons and ****, while the dark elves are not (dark elves also have a chaotic good alignment), however, a drow lineage can be purified because if one breeds with a different tel quessir, the resulting child will be a dark elf, cleansed from the fiendish blood; oh god, I spoke too much) , as they get +2 any stat , +2 cha , plus a lolthtouched power, and a bonus to intimidate.
Tieflings are still much better than both Half - elves, dark elves, and drow, in my opinion; for they are touched by the blood of devils, and that's hot (pun intended), and it also makes much more sense when making a warlock (my favorite class in both 3.5 and 4e), this also adds much to the personality of the character,a hero that at first sight looks more like a villain, a hero trying to fight its dark side, its white shadows, along with the prejudice imposed by the xenophobic humans, much like Jack from ME2 , oh god , how I love that *****.

[Illiain]

Back on topic for the OP.

One important thing to remember were the Favored Classes for each race. If you planned on multiclassing, you needed to pay attention to the racial favored class. If your classes were spread out too far, you would have an exp penalty before leveling, unless you leveled the lower level class. So only races that had either either class favored could have a 19/1 split. Every other race would be hitting an exp penalty after the primary class hit 3.

Half elves and Humans were allowed any class as their favored class. This made these races more flexible when multiclassing. Half elves, while having no stat bonuses, also didn't have a stat penalty. They were a pretty vanilla race, that went well with just about everything. No penalties, and a few racial bonuses to skills.

[Aspenor]

I never realized people actually paid attention to favored classes. That rule is so stupid I don't even know where to begin.