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ELF

ANCESTRY

MEDIUM

ELF

HUMANOID

Hit Points 6

Size Medium; Speed 30 feet

Ability Boosts Dexterity, Intelligence, Free; Ability Flaw Constitution

Languages Common, Elven

Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Choose from Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnomish, Goblin, Orcish, Sylvan, and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).

Senses Low-Light Vision

As an ancient people, elves have seen great change and have the perspective that can come only from watching the arc of history. After leaving the world in ancient times, they returned to a changed land, and they still struggle to reclaim their ancestral homes, most notably from terrible demons that have invaded parts of their lands. To some, the elves are objects of awe—graceful and beautiful, with immense talent and knowledge. Among themselves, however, the elves place far more importance on personal freedom than on living up to these ideals.

Elves combine otherworldly grace, sharp intellect, and mysterious charm in a way that is practically magnetic to members of other ancestries. They are often voraciously intellectual, though their studies delve into a level of detail that most shorter-lived peoples find excessive or inefficient. Valuing kindness and beauty, elves ever strive to improve their manners, appearance, and culture.

Elves are often rather private people, steeped in the secrets of their groves and kinship groups. They’re slow to build friendships outside their kinsfolk, but for a specific reason: they subtly and deeply attune to their environment and their companions. There’s a physical element to this attunement, but it isn’t only superficial. Elves who spend their lives among shorter‑lived peoples often develop a skewed perception of their own mortality and tend to become morose after watching generation after generation of companions age and die. These elves are called the Forlorn.

If you want a character who is magical, mystical, and mysterious, you should play an elf.

You Might...

  • Carefully curate your relationships with people with shorter lifespans, either keeping a careful emotional distance or resigning yourself to outliving them.
  • Adopt specialized or obscure interests simply for the sake of mastering them.
  • Have features such as eye color, skin tone, hair, or mannerisms that reflect the environment in which you live.

Others Probably...

  • Focus on your appearance, either admiring your grace or treating you as if you’re physically fragile.
  • Assume you practice archery, cast spells, fight demons, and have perfected one or more fine arts.
  • Worry that you privately look down on them, or feel like you’re condescending and aloof.

Physical Description

While generally taller than humans, elves possess a fragile grace, accentuated by long features and sharply pointed ears. Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped, featuring large and vibrant-colored pupils that make up the entire visible portion of the eye. These pupils give them an alien look and allow them to see sharply even in very little light.

Elves gradually adapt to their environment and their companions, and they often take on physical traits reflecting their surroundings. An elf who has dwelled in primeval forests for centuries, for example, might exhibit verdant hair and gnarled fingers, while one who’s lived in a desert might have golden pupils and skin.

Elven fashion, like the elves themselves, tends to reflect their surroundings. Elves living in the forests and other wilderness locales wear clothing that plays off the terrain and flora of their homes, while those who live in cities tend to wear the latest fashions.

Elves reach physical adulthood around the age of 20, though they aren’t considered to be fully emotionally mature by other elves until closer to the passing of their first century, once they’ve experienced more, held several occupations, and outlived a generation of shorter-lived people. A typical elf can live to around 600 years old.

Society

Elven culture is deep, rich, and on the decline. Their society peaked millennia ago, long before they fled the world to escape a great calamity. They’ve since returned, but rebuilding is no easy task. Their inborn patience and intellectual curiosity make elves excellent sages, philosophers, and wizards, and their societies are built upon their inherent sense of wonder and knowledge. Elven architecture displays their deep appreciation of beauty, and elven cities are wondrous works of art.

Elves hold deeply seated ideals of individualism, allowing each elf to explore multiple occupations before alighting on a particular pursuit or passion that suits her best. Elves bear notorious grudges against rivals, which the elves call ilduliel, but these antagonistic relationships can sometimes blossom into friendships over time.

Alignment and Religion

Elves are often emotional and capricious, yet they hold high ideals close to their hearts. As such, many are chaotic good. They prefer deities who share their love of all things mystic and artistic. Desna and Shelyn are particular favorites, the former for her sense of wonder and the latter for her appreciation of artistry. Calistria is the most notorious of elven deities, as she represents many of the elven ideals taken to the extreme.

Names

An elf keeps their personal name secret among their family, while giving a nickname when meeting other people. This nickname can change over time, due to events in the elf’s life or even on a whim. A single elf might be known by many names by associates of different ages and regions. Elven names consist of multiple syllables and are meant to flow lyrically—at least in the Elven tongue. They so commonly end in “-el” or “-ara” that other cultures sometimes avoid names ending in these syllables to avoid sounding too elven.

Sample Names

Aerel, Amrunelara, Caladrel, Dardlara, Faunra, Heldalel, Jathal, Lanliss, Oparal, Seldlon, Soumral, Talathel, Tessara, Variel, Yalandlara, Zordlon

TABLE 1: ELF HERITAGES
Exclusive Heritages Description
ancient elfLOCG In your long life, you’ve dabbled in many paths and many styles.
arctic elf You dwell deep in the frozen north and have gained incredible resilience against cold environments, granting you cold resistance equal to half your level (minimum 1).
cavern elf You were born or spent many years in underground tunnels or caverns where light is scarce.
desert elfLOCG You live under the desert’s blazing heat, gaining incredible resilience to warm environments.
seer elf You have an inborn ability to detect and understand magical phenomena.
whisper elf Your ears are finely tuned, able to detect even the slightest whispers of sound.
woodland elf You’re adapted to life in the forest or the deep jungle, and you know how to climb trees and use foliage to your advantage.
Versatile Heritages Description
AasimarAPG You descend from celestials or were touched by the celestial realms, gaining an air of awe and grace, as well as features distinctive to your celestial forebears.
AphoriteLOAG You were born with a connection to Axis, the Plane of Law.
ArdandeRE Your elemental heritage is reflected in the oils and fragrances of plants, in tree resin that fossilizes into amber, or in the gentle smell of a flower.
BeastkinLOAG The blood of a beast flows through your veins, granting you the ferocity and might of animals.
ChangelingAPG Your mother was a hag.
DhampirAPG You are the scion of a vampire, half living and half undead, gifted with uncanny charm and grace, a bloodless pallor, and elongated incisors.
DuskwalkerAPG Thanks to an ancient bargain, your soul has been reborn as a duskwalker, a planar scion with a connection to psychopomps and the Boneyard.
GanziLOAG Your blood is touched by primal chaos.
IfritLOAG You descend from fire elementals or bear the mark of the Inner Spheres, and your features illustrate the influence that elemental fire has over you.
OreadLOAG An earth elemental ancestor has influenced your bloodline, and your features highlight this elemental planar connection.
ReflectionDA You were created as a duplicate of another creature, intentionally or accidentally, though you might not know of your origins.
SuliLOAG You are descended from a janni or otherwise embody a dichotomy of opposing elemental planar forces.
SylphLOAG You are descended from air elementals or were born under the element’s influence.
TalosRE Your physical features reflect the influence a zuhra or other metal elemental has had over your bloodline.
TieflingAPG You descend from fiends or bear the mark of the fiendish realms, manifesting as some unusual feature that belies your heritage, such as horns or a tail.
UndineLOAG A water elemental ancestor influences your bloodline.
draconic scionBAD You possess the power of dragons, whether you descended from dragons, learned from dragons, were transformed by exposure to draconic energy, or reincarnated from a past life as a dragon.
TABLE 2: ELF ANCESTRY FEATS
Level 1 Elf Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Ancestral LinguisticsAPG at least 100 years old Over your extensive lifespan, you’ve studied many languages.
Ancestral Longevity at least 100 years old You have accumulated a vast array of lived knowledge over the years.
Demonbane WarriorLOTME — You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to damage with weapons and unarmed attacks against demons.
Elemental WrathLOCG — You are so attuned to the land that you can call forth a bolt of energy from your surroundings.
Elven AloofnessAPG — As much as you might care for them, you’ve come to terms with the ephemeral nature of non-elves, and it makes their threats feel less troublesome.
Elven Lore — You’ve studied in traditional elven arts, learning about arcane magic and the world around you.
Elven VerveLOCG — While all elves are immune to the paralyzing touch of ghouls, you can shake off flesh-numbing magic of all kinds.
Elven Weapon Familiarity — You favor bows and other elegant weapons.
Forlorn — Watching your friends age and die fills you with moroseness that protects you against harmful emotions.
Know Your OwnAPG — You’ve spent countless hours studying the history of elves on your world and beyond and are a studied expert in your people’s ways.
rLet’s Try That AgainSG-04 — You feel a sense of deja vu when you’ve made a mistake, almost as if you weren’t so careless in a past life and could certainly do better if given another chance.
rLike a RoachSG-04 — Living with the bare necessities isn’t terribly hard for someone who has defied death, and like a cockroach, you always know how to survive.
Nimble Elf — Your muscles are tightly honed.
Otherworldly Magic — Your elven magic manifests as a simple arcane spell, even if you aren’t formally trained in magic.
Share ThoughtsLOCG Mualijae, Ilverani, or Vourinoi ethnicity You have an uncanny knack of communicating with other elves without speaking, though this habit that is often uncomfortable to observers.
Unwavering Mien — Your mystic control and meditations allow you to resist external influences upon your consciousness.
rWeight of ExperienceSG-04 — The experience you’ve accumulated over multiple lifetimes envelops you like a weighted blanket, providing comfort and bestowing confidence under pressure.
uWildborn MagicLOCG — You have learned to access the old magic of wild places.
rWisdom From Another LifeSG-04 — You absorbed a wide variety of facts before you died, and your soul still remembers slivers of this precious knowledge.
WoodcraftLOCG — You have a innate familiarity with forested areas.
Level 5 Elf Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Ageless Patience — You work at a pace born from longevity that enhances your thoroughness.
Ancestral SuspicionAPG — Long-lived elves have seen civilizations rise and fall, often at the hands of outside forces.
rAnimal Soul SiblingsSG-04 — Your eyes have been opened to the spiritual essence suffusing the world.
uDefiance Unto DeathLOCG — You loathe the alghollthus and their mind magic, and you’ve been trained to be willing to die rather than give into mental manipulation.
Elven InstinctsLOCG — Your senses let you react rapidly.
Elven Weapon Elegance Elven Weapon Familiarity You are attuned to the weapons of your elven ancestors and are particularly deadly when using them.
rEmpathy IncarnateSG-04 — Reincarnation has given you a compassionate perspective and enabled you to relate to almost everyone you speak with, putting them at ease and quickly generating trust.
rFey InfluenceLOIL — You have been exposed to powerful fey magic.
Forest StealthLOCG Expert in Stealth You are skilled at quickly hiding behind bits of underbrush or foliage.
rI’Ve Had Many JobsSG-04 — Finding and excelling at odd jobs is child’s play to one who has worked many occupations during many lives.
Martial ExperienceAPG — You’ve crossed blades with a wide variety of foes wielding a wide variety of weapons, and you’ve learned the basics of fighting with nearly any of them.
rReincarnated RidiculerSG-04 — You’ve practiced the art of taunting an enemy, ensuring they know death will only make you stronger.
rSleep of the RebornSG-04 — Philosophers compare the cycle of life, death, and rebirth to sleeping, dreaming, and waking.
Wildborn AdeptLOCG Wildborn Magic (page 26) The whispers of the jungle grant you more diverse access to simple primal magic.
Level 9 Elf Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Brightness SeekerLOCG — Once per day, you can spend 10 minutes studying your surroundings in search of omens related to a particular course of action to cast augury as an innate divine spell.
rDrain EmotionLOIL Fey Influence You touch an adjacent creature and attempt to draw out its excess emotion.
Elf Step — You move in a graceful dance, and even your steps are broad.
Expert Longevity Ancestral Longevity You’ve continued to refine the knowledge and skills you’ve gained through your life.
rFey AscensionLOIL Fey Influence The fey influence on your form and features grows even more powerful and notable.
rLingering EchoesSG-04 — Not everyone is reincarnated, and you feel a strong connection with the spiritual echoes of those who didn’t receive the same opportunity as you.
Otherworldly AcumenAPG at least one innate spell gained from an elf ancestry feat The arcane magic you possess grows in power and complexity.
rPlant Soul SiblingsSG-04 Animal Soul Siblings You’re now able to connect with the spirits present in the greenery of the natural world.
rRapid RetrainingSG-04 — Some feel trapped by their choices and have a tough time reinventing themselves.
uSense ThoughtsLOCG Share Thoughts (page 26) You have an even stranger knack for knowing what other people are thinking.
Tree ClimberAPG — You’ve spent much of your life among the treetops and have become an expert at quickly and safely climbing them.
rYou Seem Somewhat FamiliarSG-04 — You fought hundreds of foes in your various past lives, and now and then, something about a new opponent tugs at your memory, almost as if you defeated their grandparent long ago.
Level 13 Elf Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Avenge AllyAPG — Though you know that you will eventually outlive your companions, seeing them at death’s door brings clarity to your attacks.
rCannibalize MagicLOIL Fey Influence The fey magic inside of you is a vital part of your body, and you can steal other sources of magic to replenish yours.
rClinging to LifeSG-04 — This life still holds much for you, and you aren’t ready to fall back into the River of Souls just yet.
rEldritch CalmLOIL Fey Influence Your fey heritage has altered your mindset to more resemble the uncanny perspective of the fey.
Elven Weapon Expertise Elven Weapon Familiarity Your elven affinity blends with your class training, granting you great skill with elven weapons.
rGlamourLOIL Fey Influence You unlock a new level of fey power and can manipulate the perceptions of others using a font of First World magic.
rI Sense MalevolenceSG-04 — Your time in theRiver of Souls has given you deep insight into the machinations of those who refuse to move on.
rLinguistic RevivalSG-04 — You achieved fluency in different languages with each reincarnation, and your brain remembers much of the grammar, idioms, and obscenities that you spouted in old lives.
rPain Is TemporarySG-04 — Sangpotshi practitioners know that suffering is a fleeting sensation that ultimately strengthens the soul and prepares it for a new reincarnation.
rStone Soul SiblingsSG-04 Plant Soul Siblings Your connection with nature’s spirits has progressed to the point where you can even have casual conversation with pebbles and boulders.
rUnbreakable ResolveSG-04 — The experience of coming back after death has granted you a strong sense of resolve; devilish words, slick spells, and conniving trickery can’t easily catch you off guard.
Universal Longevity Expert Longevity You’ve perfected your ability to keep up with all the skills you’ve learned over your long life, so you’re almost never truly untrained at a skill.
Wandering HeartLOCG arctic elf, cavern elf, desert elf (page 25), woodland elf, or any other elf heritage based on adapting to an environment While all elves adapt to their environments over time, you have traveled so widely and become attuned to so many environs that your body now changes more rapidly than other elves.
Level 17 Elf Feats Prerequisites Benefits
rBoneyard AcquaintanceSG-04 — Before your soul returned to the Material Plane, you interacted with a host of other souls on their way to the Boneyard.
rFey TranscendenceLOIL Fey Influence You become a powerful fey creature, gaining strengths tied to the First World but also some of the weakness against which all fey must contend.
rIndomitable SpiritSG-04 — Your soul has accumulated countless particles of quintessence over myriad deaths and rebirths, and for one moment, this raw material from the Great Beyond envelops you and your comrades.
Magic RiderAPG — Your people used powerful magic to travel between distant worlds, and the remnants of that magic make such transportation easier for you.
rRelease the LightSG-04 — Many people report seeing a bright light before their death.
rSee You in HellSG-04 — You aren’t sure if you’ll be reincarnated again, so you might as well take this foe with you.
rThis Time, Bring the BodySG-04 — Death sends a soul into the River of Souls.