Groups & Switching Classes
- There are two broad groups of elves: those that make their homes in the “woodlands” and those that prefer the remote “meadowlands.”
- Elves begin play as either fighters or magic-users. [1]
- Elves may switch class between adventures, but not during the course of a single game.
- A new “adventure” is interpreted as any game session that begins in a safe homebase setting instead of a dungeon/underworld/wilderness setting. Example safe homebase settings include: non-hostile villages, towns, cities, keeps, castles, etc.
- Any elf that has switched class gains the benefits of both the fighter and magic-user classes in that:
- such elves may use the weaponry available to the fighter class.
- such elves may also cast spells as a magic-user.
- these elves may wear magic armor and still act as a magic-user. That is, an elf fighter/magic-user can cast spells while wearing magical armor.
- these elves, like other magic-users, still cannot cast spells while wearing other forms of armor or using shields.
- Experience is always tracked separately for each respective class, with earned experience during an adventure being allocated to the currently selected class.
- Elves use the saving throws and attack matrix of the currently selected class.
- When a class switch occurs at the beginning of an adventure, hit points are re-rolled using the current hit dice of the selected class.
Other Abilities
- Elves gain +1 damage with magical weapons.
- Besides any bonus languages due to intelligence, elves speak the language of orcs, hobgoblins, and gnolls in addition to Elvish, Common, and their respective Alignment tongue. [2]
- Elves are immune to the paralyzing touch of ghouls.
- Elves can move silently.
- When actively searching, elves locate secret doors/passages on a 1-4 (on a d6 roll).
- Even when not actively searching, elves have a chance to passively sense the presence of secret doors/passages on a 1-2 (on a d6 roll).
- Elves can identify noises and detect other sounds on a 1-2 (on a d6 roll).
- Elves can force open doors on a 1-2 (on a d6 roll).
- Elves on foot may split-move and fire their bows (i.e., they may move up to one-half their normal movement and fire without penalty).
Additional Note: References to elves and invisibility are interpreted as only being possible with magical cloaks that are acquired during play or by casting an invisibility spell. Invisibility is not an innate ability possessed by elves.
Limitations
- Elves may not progress beyond 4th level as a fighter (i.e., a Hero).
- Elves may not progress beyond 8th level as a magic-user (i.e., a Warlock).
- Elves cannot be clerics.
[1] Instead of “Fighting-men,” I prefer to use the later and more gender-neutral class name “Fighters.”
[2] Woodland and meadowland elves are aligned with either Neutrality or Law.