Elf questions

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I know enough about Elves to know that they have above average hearing and sight, compared to Humans and live to about 1000 years, but what about half Elves? And also since they (Elves and half Elves) live so long does this mean that they mature slower physically, like not fully grown till 100 years old or so or is it the same as us, who mature at 16-18?

I know this may seem stupidly obvious to some people who have been D&Ding since the 80's but alas I'm pretty much an infant to all this and it's pretty overwhelming how deep it goes, to me it's almost like learning about half a dozen different cultures and races.

 

Elves mature slower, reaching adulthood at the age of 110.

(PHB 3.0 page 93)

 

Half-elves are mature at about 20 year and can live up to 145-180 years,

info from the 3E PHB

 

Of course, although elves come of age after their first century, they still tend to reach physical maturity earlier than this. Look at Drizzt.

And, of course, it differs from one setting to another.

 

Drizzt was always a dodgey character through

 

But what is the age of physical maturity for Elves? just a general ball park number is good enough for me.

 

Afaik, D&D makes no difference between physical and mental maturity when it comes to age. So 100 to 110 would be good, I think.

 

The more the rules are 're-written', the further D&D seems to move away from its origins (which were based on Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings). For example, in the 2nd edition, elves are considered children until age 75. The typical age at which elves begin adventuring is between 105-130 which is classed as 'young adult'.
Half-elves are far more human-like than elf-like in terms of age. They only live a little more than humans and their rate of maturation is almost identical (only each category is a few years later than for humans).
Re elves maturation rate, this should make it apparent that such characters shouldn't be role-played as 'humans with pointy ears'. This amazing life-span gives elves an outlook on life that is utterly alien to humans. Note also that elves do not die of old age i.e. unless they meet a violent end, elves live forever (although they feel compelled to leave the realms of mortals after approximately a thousand years).

 

Keldor, most of that maturity info is gotten right from Tolkien, and I sacrifice my ass on the lord of "backstabbers" altar if it is the same. I just recently lend out my PHB to my little brother so I can't look it up but you have wrong, they CAN die from old age, and that is a long time before 1000 years.

EDIT: I realised that that mayhap' sounded like I am pissed at you, but I assure you, I am just in a maiming mood right now. No offence!!

 

Velve is very much correct, AFAIK. The PHB 3Ed does not mention anything about them living forever, but simply says they are known to live to 1000 years of age.

 

Unless it's different in 3E (since I happen to be looking at the 3.5E SRD right now), an elf's maximum life span is 350 + 4d%, so the maximum (which is unlikely too) is 750 years. That's a bit short of a 1000 years.

Of course, if the DM wants for some reason (to be faithful to "real" D&D, maybe) make an elf's lifespan longer (or make them immortal), there's no reason it can't happen. Such variant rules are explained in the DMG. Of course, the DM will have to justify some things (like why aren't the elves overpopulating the world, for example).

[ February 02, 2004, 22:22: Message edited by: Oaz ]

 

Elves make good processing materials for various foodstuffs and amenities...

http://www.sorcerers.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000682

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