Editing Elf (section)

==[[Elf Subraces|Elven Subspecies]]==
There are three major "archetypes" of elf in D&D; the High Elf, the Wood Elf and the Dark Elf. The myriad elven cultures that have been developed for different settings usually base themselves in these three archetypes, but some sub-species are more unique.

===[[High Elves]]===
These are generally portrayed as the most "civilized" elves; the most focused on exploring their magical heritage and the ones who are most interested in building cities and civilizations. This makes them the most common of elves, in no small part because they tend to be the most adventurous of the elven species. Whilst they are traditionally described as respecting nature heavily, their first true love is magic; this is the race that defined the archetype of the elven wizard, and they shamelessly exploit their natural talents in arcane magic to make their civilizations work. A high elf community isn't necessarily a [[magocracy]], but it's an easily applied trope.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be High Elves:
* Zakharan Elves
* The Silvanesti and Qualinesti of Krynn
* The Moon Elves of Faerun
* The Sun Elves of Faerun
* The Star Elves of Sildëyuir and Faerun
* The Dark Elves (Ancestors of the Drow in the Forgotten Realms)
* The Llewyrr of Moonshae Isles
* The Green Elves (Ancestors of Wood Elves in the Forgotten Realms)

===[[Wood Elves]]===
These elves prefer the wild to civilization, and are much more reclusive than their High Elf cousins. Also known as Sylvan Elves, at least in AD&D, wood elves still possess an affinity for magic, but place far more importance on living in harmony with nature. If the high elves defined the archetype of the elf wizard, these elves are responsible for the association of the elf race with the [[druid]] and [[ranger]] classes - especially the latter, given the wood elf forte with bow & arrow.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Wood Elves:
* The Kagonesti of Krynn
* The Tamire Elves of Krynn (actually steppe elves)
* The Hulderfolk of Krynn
* The Cha'asii of Krynn (swamp/jungle elves)
* The Wild Elves of Faerun
* The Wood Elves of Faerun
* The Grugach of Oerth
* The Dusk Elves of Barovia

===[[Dark Elves]] (Drow)===
This is the obligatory evil elf race. These guys have their own name, the '''[[Drow]]''', and that's helped them to develop their own iconic niche, in contrast to High & Wood Elves who often seem to have nothing but the most meager nitpicking of details separating them.

===[[Aquatic Elf|Aquatic Elves]]===
Water-breathing elves who live deep underwater. Usually the most xenophobic and thus least interesting of all the elves. Seriously, even in [[Dragonlance]], where the local aquatic elves A: mirror the high elf/wood elf split in their own culture as the Dargonesti (Deep Elves) and Dimernesti (Shoal Elves), and B: are shapeshifters, with Dargonesti turning into dolphins and Dimernesti turning into otters, they have pretty much no value or influence on the setting at all.

The subrace hails all the way back to [[Pelinore]], the flat world from 1st Edition, which established the basic ideas that persisted into their future incarnations, predominantly a) that aquatic elves have a raging feud with [[sahuagin]], and b) that aquatic elves are ''pricks''. Outside of Pelinore and [[Dragonlance]], the most well-known aquatic elf culture is found in the Forgotten Realms, where they are known to inhabit both the Great Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars. They're known to inhabit [[Mystara]] and probably inhabit [[Greyhawk]], but they're pretty obscure unless you're talking to a real expert on the setting.

For what further details exist, see the [[Aquatic Elf]] page.

===[[Gray Elf|Gray Elves]]===
A subrace which most people prefer to forget, these are the most arrogant and elitist elves of all - that's right, they're literally defined as "the asshole elves who aren't [[drow]]". Obsessed with the idea that they represent the pinnacle of the elven species, even the CBoE struggled with portraying these guys at all sympathetically. Xenophobic, supercilious, condescending, these are pretty much the embodiment of every elitist asshole elf cliche you can think of. Even more so than High Elves, they rely heavily on their prowess for arcane magic to do everything. They also keep other elven races as slaves to do all the physical labor. Charming. A bit notorious in 3rd edition for being the only race in third edition's core to have a boost to a mental ability score and no [[Level Adjustment]].

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Gray Elves:
* The Armach-nesti are a spinoff, full-on apartheid elves; Taladas doesn't dick around
* The Valley Elves of Oerth

===Different Elves===
[[Avariel]] are flying elves from [[Forgotten Realms|Faerun]]. [[Ee'ar]] are the same from [[Mystara]].

[[Dark Sun|Athasian]] Elves are tall, lean, desert-dwelling runners with a culture based on trade and grifting.

[[Eladrin]] are either [[angel]]s who just happen to look like elves ([[Great Wheel]]) or the original [[fey]] from which the elves sprang ([[World Axis]]).

[[Lythari]] are elven [[therianthrope]]s who can assume the form of silvery-white giant wolves.

[[Rockseer Elf|Rockseer Elves]] - also Sargent - are a peaceful race of ''[[Night Below]]''-dwelling elves with innate earth [[elementalism]] powers, who believe themselves to have been outcast by the rest of their race... who, again, forgot they ever existed. These don't hold grudges, though.

[[Shadow Elf|Shadow Elves]] are [[Carl Sargent]]'s residents of the [[Mystara]]n [[Underdark]] and [[Hollow World]], who'd scuttled down there in deep antiquity. The surface elves forgot them. They function almost as drow: no demon-worship, but just as xenophobic and vengeful.

[[Snow Elf|Snow Elves]] are a super-obscure branch of the elf family tree who have adapted to living in artic, subarctic and mountain environments. Basically, if there's snow there most of the year at minimum, you'll find these elves there.

The elves of [[Larisnar]] subvert the trope HARD: they are lizard-scaled, and die at age 30. Those who would live longer make dark pacts and/or turn to necromancy. Are they really elves, or [[githyanki]]...?

===Look, Ma! No Elves!===
Some settings do without, or pretend as much, although these may host fey and/or arrogant-alien races which fill this niche. [[Michael Moorcock]]'s [[Elric|Melnibonéans]] form the template for the latter, this borrowing from Lord Dunsany and Poul Anderson with some antipathy to "[[Tolkien|Prof. T]]" whom Mikey made quite the show of disliking. [[Talislanta]] took those themes and ran with them. Ditto the [[faen]] and alabast in [[Arcana Unearthed | the Diamond Throne]].