Half-Elf

Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the elves. Some half-elves live among humans, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood in the timeless elven realms, while their peers continue to live as children. Many half-elves, unable to fit into either society, choose lives of solitary wandering or join with other misfits and outcasts in the adventuring life.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

To humans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 180 pounds, with men only slightly taller and heavier than women. Half-elf men do have facial hair, and sometimes grow beards to mask their elven ancestry. Half-elven coloration and features lie somewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either race. They tend to have the eyes of their elven parents.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Half-elves use either human or elven naming conventions. As if to emphasize that they don’t really fit in to either society, half-elves raised among humans are often given elven names, and those raised among elves often take human names.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf
• Human

Lifespan

Half-elves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years.

Half-Elf

Ability Score Increase +2 Cha, +1 to choice of two others

Size Medium

Speed 30ft

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Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charm ed, and m agic can’t put you to sleep.
Skill Versatility: Proficiency in 2 skills of your choice.

Drow Half-Elf

Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage.
Drow Magic A half-elf of drow descent can forgo Skill Versatility and instead choose the drow’s Drow Magic:
Drow Magic: You know the dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

High Half-Elf

Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage.
Half-Elf Variant A half-elf of high elf descent can forego Skill Versatility and instead choose the high elf’s Elf Weapon Training or Cantrip.
Elf Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
Cantrip: You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Wood Half-Elf

Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage.
Half-Elf Variant A half-elf of wood elf descent can forgo Skill Versatility and instead choose the wood elf’s Elf Weapon Training, Fleet of Foot, or Mask of the Wild.
Elf Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
Fleet of Foot: Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Mask of the Wild: You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

Languages. Common, Elvish, and 1 of choice