2025 Character Creation Challenge Day 14
You can read more about the challenge here and here.
Let's make some elves! But first I will summarise their abilities as described in the original Dungeons & Dragons little brown booklets.
Men & Magic, p. 8:
Elves can begin as either Fighting-Men or Magic-Users and freely switch class whenever they choose, from adventure to adventure, but not during the course of a single game. Thus, they gain the benefits of both classes and may use both weaponry and spells. They may use magic armor and still act as Magic-Users. However, they may not progress beyond 4th level Fighting-Man (Hero) nor 8th level Magic-User (Warlock). Elves are more able to note secret and hidden doors. They also gain the advantages noted in the CHAINMAIL rules when fighting certain fantastic creatures. Finally, Elves are able to speak the languages of Orcs, Hobgoblins, and Gnolls in addition to their own (Elvish) and the other usual tongues.
Let's look at Chainmail then too.
Chainmail, p. 29:
Armed with deadly bows and magical swords, Elves (and Fairies) are dangerous opponents considering their size and build. They can perform split-move and fire, even though they are footmen. When invisible Elves (and Fairies) cannot attack — or be attacked unless located by an enemy with the special ability to detect hidden or invisible troops — but they can become visible and attack during the same turn. Those Elves (and Fairies) armed with magical weapons add an extra die in normal combat, and against other fantastic creatures they will perform even better:...
Above is followed with a list of various creatures and dice modifiers, as well as instructions to see rules for Magical Weapons.
Chainmail, p. 38:
Enchanted Arrows: ... Treat Elves armed with Enchanted Arrows as Hero-types for purposes of missile fire against fantastic targets. ...
Magical Swords: ... Besides allowing Elves to combat certain fantastic figures, they give a plus 1 to the dice score when employing the Fantasy Combat Table, and Magical Swords shed a light of their own over a circle 12” in diameter, which dispels darkness—but does not equal full light.
Chainmail, p. 39:
Elves are listed as Neutral.
Chainmail, p. 43:
SPECIAL ABILITY A – The ability to become invisible (Hobbits only in brush or woods)
SPECIAL ABILITY B – The ability to see in normal darkness as if it were light
SPECIAL ABILITY C – The ability to split move and fire
Men & Magic, p. 9:
Elves are included in both Law and Neutrality lists.
Monsters & Treasure, p. 9:
GHOULS: As stated in CHAINMAIL for Wights, Ghouls paralyze any normal figure they touch, excluding Elves.
Monsters & Treasure, p. 16:
... Elves have the ability of moving silently and are nearly invisible in their gray-green cloaks. Elves armed with magical weapons will add one pip to dice rolled to determine damage, i.e. when a hit is scored the possible number of damage points will be 2–7 per die. Elves on foot may split-move and fire. Mounted Elves may not split-move and fire, for they are not naturally adapted to horseback.
Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, pp. 8–9:
Secret passages ... Elves will be able to locate them on a roll of 1–4. At the referee’s option, Elves may be allowed the chance to sense any secret door they pass, a 1 or a 2 indicating that they become aware that something is there. ... When characters come to a door they may “listen” to detect any sound within. ... A roll of 1 for humans, and 1 or 2 for Elves, Dwarves, or Halflings will detect sound within if there is any to be heard.
I am not exactly sure about the connection between Chainmail invisibility and how it is described in Monsters & Treasure. It sounds like this ability is derived from their equipment rather than something innate. That's why I will include Elven Cloak and Boots (Monsters & Treasure p. 37) with all elven characters I roll:
Elven Cloak and Boots: Wearing the Cloak makes a person next to invisible, while the Boots allow for totally silent movement.
To sum up, elves have the following abilities and limitations:
- Class: Fighting-Man up to Hero (4th level) and Magic-User up to Warlock (8th level).
- Alignment: Law or Neutrality.
- Languages: Elvish, Alignment, Common (20%), Orc, Hobgoblin, Gnoll
- Can switch between Fighting-Man and Magic-User between adventures.
- Can use magic armour as Magic-User.
- See in normal darkness as if it were light.
- Detect sound on 1–2 on d6.
- Sense secret passages on 1–2 on d6.
- Locate secret passages on 1–4 on d6.
- Split move and fire.
- Immune to ghoul paralysis.
- +1 damage with magical weapons.
Somebody really liked elves!
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