D&D: Five Ways to be the Best Elf Ever
For a game about Dungeons & Dragons, there are a staggering number of elves. Here’s how you can be the best elf to ever elf.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that anyone who plays D&D will eventually play an elf. After all, there are just so many of them. Sea elves. Space elves. Wood elves. Name an environment, and it’s probably got an elf or two lurking around. But with all these elves kicking around, how does one live up to their impossible standard?
Do you need to learn to recite poetry under swaying boughs? To sing a song that shapes starlight itself into a gossamer blade worthy of an Elf-name? Well. You could. Or, you could try one of these tips to be the best elf.
Elven Accuracy
Perhaps the single best way to be an Elf is to take a feat that makes you even Elfier than most other elves. And in 5th Edition D&D that feat is Elven Accuracy.
As the name suggests, this feat boosts the accuracy of elves. It says it enhances the abilities of elven archers and spellcasters. But it actually works on a wider variety of things. All elven, mind you. But much more than archers and spellcasters can benefit from this feat.
Elven Accuracy lets you bump your Dex, Int, Wis, or Cha by 1, and allows you to reroll one die whenever you have advantage on an attack roll that uses one of those stats. Which includes any spell and also ranged attack. But this feat also works with finesse weapons, so your elven Rogue can be accurate with that rapier. And it works with the Hexblade’s Hex Warrior feature, which lets you make an attack roll with Charisma. And that still works even if you then multiclass into Paladin or Fighter or whatever else. If you’re making melee attacks with Charisma? You can gain super advantage with this feat.
Be an Extremely Elven Class
The days when Elf was a character class unto itself might be long gone. But an echo of that sentiment remains. Some classes just lend themselves to being more elven.
And in 5th Edition, there are two that really stand out. First up, the Bladesinging Wizard. This is a tradition of wizardry that incorporates swordplay and dance. Which is as elven as it gets. In fact, this subclass was canonically created by elves, though it has since expanded.
But play a Bladesinger and you’ll be using elegant maneuvers to defend yourself while casting beautiful spells in combat.
The other good option is Arcane Archer. These Fighters study “a unique elven method of archery that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects.” Take a level or five in this subclass, and you’ll be an elite warrior standing watch over the fringes of elven domains with your magic-infused arrows.
Be a High Elf
Of course, if you really want to be the Elfiest elf, you’ll want to play a High Elf. These guys are just the worst. Haughty, long-lived, with perspectives that make them say things like “we are but mayflies wafting on the waves of the aeons” high elves take the cake.
Not because they’re the best mechanically or anything. But they’re the ones who believe themselves to be the most superior. They’re reclusive and prefer to recite stories wandering barefoot in the glades of their ancestors.
It’s especially poignant since high elves actually don’t get nearly as much cool stuff as later Elves, like astral Elves and eladrin and shadar-kai, all of whom can teleport. For free.
Follow Corellon Larethian
If you want to be an elf among elves, you’ll probably want to follow Corellon Larethian, the everchanging creator of the elves. Corellon is a consummate warrior and a poet, and after he got stabbed by Gruumsh One-Eye, parent to a wide variety of elves because his blood was so special.
On the character sheet, where it asks what your deity is, write in Corellon. Even if you’re not playing a Cleric (especially if you aren’t), this’ll cinch it for you.
Play a Drow
If all that doesn’t work, you can always just play a drow. Because what could be more elven than going against the grain and not letting anyone else define you?
Happy Adventuring
