These elegant humanoids who live incredibly long lives and ooze ethereal radiance.
There are no chicken chasers here, only well-respected, highly renowned heroes.
This is a guide to renown in D&D and how to bring it into your game.
Art by Mike Pape and Jedd Chevrier via Wizards of the Coast
But it’s not just appearances or vibes.
What Are Elves?
Even those who have left their bleak home still carry the magic of that realm with them.
Artwork by Mike Pape via Wizards of the Coast
For the high elves, their magic and appearance areinfluenced by both the Feywild and the Material Plane.
Then there are the wood elveswho aren’t assigned a particular planethat holds influence over them.
Do you want your players to feel like the heroes in their own story?
Artwork by Mike Pape via Wizards of the Coast
Of course, you do!
And hero points can help achieve that.
There are four feats each elf shares.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws that would prevent or break being charmed.
Keen Senses
You choose a proficiency in Insight, Perception, or Survival.
Trance
You only need four hours to complete a long rest.
Knights of the Solar Bastion by Zuzanna Wuzyk
You remain conscious during that time.
They each get different benefits and access to spellsimmediately, at third level, and then at fifth level.
When you pick your lineage,you also pick what spellcasting modiferyou use for these spells.
Dunamancer Art by Irina Nordsol
This lets you better synergize with your class and your stats.
You don’t get this ability back untilyou’ve completed a long rest.
They can instead see for120 feet in both dim light and in darkness.
Artwork by Jedd Chevrier via Wizards of the Coast
Take that surface dwellers!
In addition, at level one, drow are able tolearn and cast the Dancing Lights cantrip.
At level three, you gain access tothe first level spell Faerie Fire.
Choose Your Weapon by Olivier Bernard
When you reach fifth level, it’s possible for you to cast, you guessed it,Darkness.
What would a drow be without being able to cast Darkness?
This is a15-foot, sphere-shaped area.
Artwork by April Prime via Wizards of the Coast
Unless a character or creaturehas a way to peer through magical darkness, not even Darkvision can see inside.
After each long rest, you canreplace it with a different spell.
The only catch is thatit has to be a wizard cantrip.
Artwork by Alexander Mokhov via Wizards of the Coast
Then, once you’ve hit third level,you gain Detect Magic.
This allows you to, well, detect the magicthat is within 30 feet of you.
The next spellyou learn at fifth level is Misty Step.
Artwork by Chris Rallis via Wizards Of The Coast
Wood Elf
Call these the speediest elves in the Wild West.
Wood elves are immediately faster than their other elf kin,having 35 feet of movement instead of 30.
They also gain a cantrip, just as the others.
Art via Wizards of the Coast
Then, the beloved,Pass Without A Trace is learned when you’re fifth level.
This is a rogue’s best friend.
Well, any character that wants to be extra stealthy.
If someone wanders outside the Emanation,they lose the effect of the spell, for better or worse.
Which Class Should You Consider?
Humans are just one of the species thatdon’t gain any cantrips or spells.
As for druids, they do at leasthave the ability to cast Faerie Fire.
However, Keen Sensesused to only give elves proficiency with their Perceptionskill.
Nowyou can choose from three skills, customizing your character further.
This is seen withthe Fey Ancestry trait, which used to prevent elves from being charmed.
Drow no longer haveSunlight Sensitivity!
However,Pass Without A Trace at fifth leveldoes make up for it.
Setting a revolution can be a strong narrative point for your campaign in D&D.
Elaborate an uprising for your party with exciting scenarios.
