Elf

The long-lived elves are children of the natural world, similar in many superficial ways to fey creatures, though with key differences. While fey are truly linked to the flora and fauna of their homes, existing as the nearly immortal voices and guardians of the wilderness, elves are instead mortals who are in tune with the natural world around them. Elves seek to live in balance with the wild and understand it better than most other mortals. Some of this understanding is mystical, but an equal part comes from the elves’ long lifespans, which in turn gives them long-ranging outlooks. Elves can expect to remain active in the same locale for centuries. By necessity, they must learn to maintain sustainable lifestyles, and this is most easily done when they work with nature, rather than attempting to bend it to their will. However, their links to nature are not entirely driven by pragmatism. Elves’ bodies slowly change over time, taking on a physical representation of their mental and spiritual states, and those who dwell in a region for a long period of time find themselves physically adapting to match their surroundings, most noticeably taking on coloration that reflects the local environment.

Description

Generally taller than humans, elves possess a graceful, slender physique that is accentuated by their long, pointed ears. It is a mistake, however, to consider them weak or feeble, as the thin limbs of an elf can contain surprising power. Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped, and filled with large, vibrantly colored pupils. The coloration of elves as a whole varies wildly, and is much more diverse than that of human populations. However, as their coloration often matches their surroundings, the elves of a single community may appear quite similar. Forest-dwelling elves often have variations of green, brown, and tan in their hair, eye, and even skin tones.
While elven clothing often plays off the beauty of the natural world, those elves who live in cities tend to bedeck themselves in the latest fashions. Where city-dwelling elves encounter other urbanites, the elves are often fashion trendsetters.

Racial Traits

Ability Adjustment: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Constitution. Elves are nimble, both in body and mind, but their form is frail.
Size: Medium.
Speed: Elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Type: Humanoid (Elf).
Age: Elves live to be much older than most other mortal races, reaching adulthood at around 110 years old and typically living to at least 300 years of age.
Vision: Low-Light Vision. Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Special Qualities

Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 Racial bonus to Saving Throws against Enchantment spells and effects.
Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 Racial bonus on Caster Level checks made to overcome Spell Resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 Racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.
Keen Senses: Elves receive a +2 Racial bonus on Perception checks.
Weapon Familiarity: Elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), longswords, rapiers, and shortbows (including composite shortbows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.

Languages

Automatic Languages: Common and Elven.
Bonus Languages: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above.
Ageless Patience: Some families of elves have been strongly influenced by rigidly honorable non-elven cultures. This attitude, combined with elven longevity, produces elves of extraordinary patience, who can produce better results when taking their time than they could under time constraints. These elves gain a +2 Racial bonus when taking 20 on skill checks. This racial trait replaces elven magic and keen senses.
Aquatic Mastery: Some aquatic elves are able to wield the power of the sea with great prowess. Elves with this racial trait increase the DC of any spell with the water descriptor they cast by 1. This replaces weapon familiarity.
Arcane Focus: Some elven families have such long traditions of producing wizards (and other arcane spellcasters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful magic-user, with little need for mundane concerns such as skill with weapons. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 Racial bonus on Concentration checks made to cast arcane spells defensively. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
Behind the Veil: Characters with this trait gain a +2 Racial bonus on Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks while benefiting from Concealment or Cover. Elves can take this trait in place of Low-Light Vision.
Blightborn: Elves from cursed lands and domains of evil develop resistance to foul influences. They gain a +2 Racial bonus on Saving Throws against necromancy spells and spell-like abilities and spells and spell-like abilities with the curse descriptor, as well as on Saving Throws to remove temporary negative levels. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
Crossbow Training: An elf with this trait can reload a light crossbow as a Free Action and a heavy crossbow as a Move Action, provided that they are proficient with the weapon. If they select the Rapid Reload feat for a heavy crossbow, they can reload the weapon as a Free Action. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
Darkvision: Though uncommon, some groups of elves are born with Darkvision, rather than Low-Light Vision. In many cases this is taken as a sign of a drow in the elf’s ancestry, and can lead to persecution within the elf’s home community. Elves with this racial trait gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet, but also gain sensitivity to light and are Dazzled in areas of bright light or within the radius of a Daylight spell. This racial trait replaces Low-Light Vision.
Devoted Companion: While some Forlorn quickly become inured to the loss and tragedy all too common in their lives, some refuse to let go, fighting passionately when companions are endangered. Elves with this alternate racial trait gain a +1 Racial bonus on attack rolls and Caster Level checks while adjacent to an ally who has been reduced to fewer than half their maximum hit points. This replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
Dimdweller: Whenever characters with this trait benefit from Concealment or full concealment due to Darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 Racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Elves can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
Disinterested Observer: Elves who frequently interact with shorter-lived species often come to rely on their ability to wait out such impatient races. These elves gain a +1 Racial bonus on attack rolls and skill checks made as part of readied actions in combat. This racial trait replaces the elven magic and weapon familiarity traits.
Dragon Magic: Some elves have potent draconic blood. Elves with this racial trait who take a Draconic Bloodline as a class feature treat their Charisma scores as 2 points higher when determining the DC and uses per day of all bloodline abilities and bloodline spells. Additionally, elves with this trait add spells with the draconic descriptor to their class Spell Lists for any spellcasting classes in which they have levels. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Draconic Consular: Elves serving in the company of dragons are trained to assist and represent their draconic allies. Elves with this racial trait gain a +1 Racial bonus on Diplomacy and Knowledge (arcana) checks. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
Dreamspeaker: A few elves have the ability to tap into the power of sleep, dreams, and prescient reverie. Elves with this racial trait add +1 to the saving throw DCs of spells of the divination school and sleep effects they cast. In addition, elves with Charisma scores of 15 or higher may use Dream once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level is equal to the elf’s character level). This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
Dusksight: When making ranged attacks, characters with this trait can reroll the miss chance granted by Cover to any target in dim light, and take the better of the two rolls. The miss chance for total Concealment applies normally. Elves can take this trait in place of keen senses.
Eastern Weapon Mastery: Elves with this racial trait are proficient with fighting fans and tonfa, and they treat katanas, kusarigamas, and wakizashis as martial weapons. This replaces weapon familiarity.
Elven Arrogance: Some elves are so convinced of elven superiority, or else otherwise so xenophobic, that they have difficulty seeing the point in communicating with “lesser” races. Their Racial bonus on Saving Throws against enchantments increases by 1 (to +3) against such effects from non-elf humanoids, but they begin play speaking only Elven, and if they have high Intelligence scores, they can select bonus languages from only 1 ancient language, Celestial, Draconic, and Sylvan.
Envoy: Elves often have trouble relating to neighbors of other races, especially those with much shorter lifespans. As a result, some are trained in minor magics that are particularly useful when dealing with non-elves. Elves with this racial trait and an Intelligence score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like abilities once per day: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, and Read Magic. The Caster Level for these effects is equal to the elf’s level. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Eternal Grudge: Some elves grow up in secluded, isolationist communities where generations-old slights and quarrels linger as eternal blood feuds. Elves with this racial trait receive a +1 Racial bonus on attack rolls against humanoids of the dwarf and orc subtypes because of special training against these hated foes. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Fey Magic: The character has a mystic connection to one terrain type, selected from the Ranger’s favored terrain list. The character selects three 0-level Druid spells and one 1st-level Druid spell. If the character has a Charisma score of 11 or higher, when in the selected terrain, they gain these spells as spell-like abilities that can be cast once per day. The Caster Level for these effects is equal to the user’s character level. The DC for the spell-like abilities is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the user’s Charisma modifier. These spells are treated as being from a fey source for the purposes of the Druid’s resist nature’s lure class feature and similar abilities. This trait replaces keen senses.
Fey-Sighted: Elves with this racial trait gain Detect Magic as a constant spell-like ability, with a Caster Level equal to their character level. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Fey Thoughts: Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. This trait replaces racial weapon familiarity.
Fleet-Footed: While all elves are naturally lithe and agile, some also are naturally speedy and have a strong desire to rush into situations rather than worrying about looking ahead. Elves with this racial trait receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 Racial bonus on Initiative checks. This racial trait replaces keen senses and weapon familiarity.
Human-raised: Elves raised outside of elven communities—are accustomed to other races’ brevity of life. Although they lose the opportunity to train in traditional elven arts, these elves pick up a bit of their adoptive parents’ skills. They gain Skill Focus as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
Illustrious Urbanite: City elves have a remarkable ability to combine magic harmoniously with their surroundings. They gain Spell Focus with conjuration, illusion, or transmutation spells as a bonus feat. When casting spells of this school, the elves can choose to have the spell leave undamaged any building or structure that would normally be affected. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
Keeper of Secrets: Some elves seek to protect younger races from dangerous lore. The save DCs of enchantment spells they cast against humanoids increase by 1 and they receive a +2 Racial bonus on Bluff and Linguistics checks to omit or cover up facts. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Light against Darkness: Elves have fought against the corruption of demons since time immemorial. Elves with this trait receive a +1 Racial bonus on attack rolls against outsiders with the demon subtype. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Lightbringer: Many elves revere the sun, moon, and stars, but some are literally infused with the radiant power of the heavens. Elves with this racial trait are immune to light-based blindness and dazzle effects, and are treated as one level higher when determining the effects of any light-based spell or effect they cast (including spell-like and supernatural abilities). Elves with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may use Light at will as a spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the elven immunities and elven magic racial traits.
Long-Limbed: Elves with this racial trait have a base move speed of 35 feet. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
Loremasters: Some elves are steeped in lore older than most civilizations. They gain a +2 Racial bonus on Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), and Spellcraft checks. This racial trait replaces elven magic and keen senses.
Memories Beyond Death: Some elves are born with sensitive souls that absorb insight from others and from the spirits of the deceased. These elves gain a +2 Racial bonus on Saving Throws against Fear effects. They also choose two Knowledge skills and always treat those skills as class skills. If they take a class that grants either or both of those skills as class skills, they gain a +1 Racial bonus on the overlapping skill or skills. This racial trait replaces elven immunities and elven magic.
Moonkissed: Elves with this alternate racial trait gain a +1 Racial bonus on Saving Throws. This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.
Natural Swimmer: Elves with this trait gain a +2 Racial bonus on Swim checks and can always take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered when swimming. This racial trait replaces elven magic and keen senses.
Overwhelming Magic: Some elves obsess over the fundamentals of magic, training for decades to add layers of potent spellwork before they ever begin practicing true spells. This builds a foundation that makes their magic increasingly difficult to resist. These elves gain Spell Focus as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
Perfect: The eerie beauty of some elves cannot be denied. Elves with this racial trait receive a +1 Racial bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks against humanoids and a +2 Racial bonus on Saving Throws against Transmutation spells and spell-like effects. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
Retreat Magic: Some elves specialize in magic that fools foes into misjudging elven numbers and locations. These elves gain a +1 Racial bonus to their caster levels for the purpose of determining the range and duration of all Conjuration and Illusion spells that they cast. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Sense Thoughts: Some elves are so closely attuned to each other and their environment that they seem able to read each other’s minds and their foes’ thoughts. Elves with this alternate racial trait can use Detect Thoughts as a spell-like ability once per day, with a Caster Level equal to their character level. This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.
Shadowhunter: Characters with this trait deal 50% weapon damage to Incorporeal creatures when using non-magical weapons (including natural and unarmed attacks), as if using magic weapons. They also gain a +2 Racial bonus on Saving Throws to remove Level Drain, and recover physical Ability Damage from attacks by undead creatures at a rate of 2 points per ability score per day (rather than the normal 1 point per ability score per day). Elves can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
Shadowplay: Characters with this trait cast spells with the darkness, light, or shadow descriptor at +1 Caster Level. Elves can take this trait in place of elven magic.
Silent Hunter: Elves are renowned for their subtlety and skill. Elves with this racial trait take no penalty for using Stealth while moving up to their normal speed, and reduces the penalty for using Stealth while attacking, running, or charging by 5. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Slender: Elves often appear unnaturally thin by other races’ standards. Elves with this trait gain a +2 Racial bonus on Escape Artist checks, on Combat Maneuver Checks to escape a Grapple, and to CMD against grapples. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
Spirit of the Waters: Some elves have adapted to life in tune with the sea or along the reedy depths of wild rivers and lakes. They gain a +4 Racial bonus on Swim checks, can always take 10 while swimming, and may choose Aquan as a bonus language. They are proficient with longspear, trident, and net. This racial trait replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
Tongue of the Sea: Elves with this racial trait begin play speaking an ancient language and Elven. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Aboleth, Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, and Undercommon. This racial trait replaces an elf’s normal languages.
Urbanite: Elves who live in cities for more than a century can grow to know the ebb and flow of social situations just as their forest-dwelling cousins know the rules of the wild. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 Racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Sense Motive checks made to get a hunch about a social situation. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
Vigilance: Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 Dodge Bonus to AC against attacks by chaotic creatures. This trait replaces elven magic.
Woodcraft: Elves know the deep secrets of the wild like no others, especially secrets of the forests. Elves with this racial trait gain a +1 Racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. In forest terrain, these bonuses improve to +2. This racial trait replaces elven magic.