Elf or Half Elf, the dilemma.
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- Elf or Half Elf, the dilemma.65 votes
- Elf (come on, come on, you know you like to stack those bonuses)58.46%
- Half Elf (you won't really notice in the long run, besides, elves are snobs)41.54%
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If it's a RP delema only you can answer that.
Game mechanics? that's easy. Gnome is the best race in the game. But if you're taking any kind of thief and it has to be elf or half-elf the +dex is the way to go. The -1 to con is doesnt help HP but its trivial especially if you can summon a familiar.
The biggest factor is weapon selection. if you LOVE long swords and bows then elf, any other weapon probably half elf.
An half-elf's only worth in my eyes is that they can be Druids and Shamans. For all other class needs, I'd go with pure-blooded pointy ears.
If it's not a fighter/mage, go dwarf. Nothing can beat their CON and extra saving throws. SwordsDwarfs, not words!
But if you want these pointy ears, go with an elf. You want to hit as often as possible, and Burning Earth is a great weapon. Also, in SoD (we already know) there will be Fleshripper +2, a shortbow. THAC0 +2, damage +2, 5% chance of hasting the wielder for 4 rounds with each hit; +2 Movement speed while equipped (from the description). Elven bonuses will help greatly.
Heresy.
So you take away shorty bonuses (something which makes dwarfs as tough as they are) and instead give bonuses to gangly limbed elves because they comb their hair and smear flowers over themselves? Bah! Moradin's curse upon you!
That said, I do like the +1 Cha/-1 Wis. Makes them more unique that just being elf-lite.
A travesty that she would be such a racist. NOT IN MY GAME!
and bards.
I like elven fighter/mages, and half-elven stalkers. I like elven archers, and half-elven fighter/clerics. I like elven fighter/thieves, and half-elven straight thieves. It really depends on the feel of the character I'm trying to make.
Sounds like you're leaning towards half-elf, so that's what I voted. That extra bonus isn't really that noticeable, especially late game. I always go for rp reasons over power.
In the 1st edition AD&D I grew up with, there were also level limitations to consider. A half-elf could only rise to level 5 mage and level 7 cleric, while a full elf could rise to, I think it was level 9 as a mage. In 1st edition Basic, only a full elf could be a mage at all. In fact, the class was originally called "Elf".
So you played a full elf if you wanted to be a pure class mage, or multi-classed fighter-mage, or a thief or fighter-thief with good racial bonuses. (I forget the exact level limits, honestly, but they were pretty generous for a gaming system that didn't go any higher than 10 or 12 in most cases.) Only humans had unlimited leveling and single class choices, which was one of the main reasons to be human.
A big disadvantage for elves in 2nd edition is that they cannot be raised by Raise Dead, instead requiring the more expensive higher level spell Resurrection (implemented properly in IWD - I don't think it is in BG). But they do get the 90 percent Sleep/Charm protection, very good multi-class options, and very good racial bonuses.
So, other than roleplaying, the only good reason left to play a half-elf is the cleric-mage multiclass.
When 3rd edition got rid of most all kinds of limitations, there was really no reason at all to play a half-elf any more that I can see.
I'm sure the fact this makes them naturally the best pickpockets has nothing to do with my choice.
(But something that makes them even more appealing as bards).
For the kensai in particular, being an elf over a half-elf is probably just a downgrade since the thaco bonus isn't terribly useful and they lose out on hp, which their only means of survival. For the others, the thaco bonus is more meaningful, but they can equip the +con buckler in conjunction with the tome for auto-regen. Elves can never do that.
But when I want to romance Vic, I like a half elf.
Kensai a half elf makes more sense, but I played an Elf longsword kensai once and by mid to late BG2ee(SoA) he was pretty awesome. Encounters ended very abruptly, as soon as Viconia's truesight and Edwin's breach occurred, whirling elf blades=gibbets, 1st round before Dorn got to go.