Alternate DF Elf template

[vitruvian]

Working on an alternate Elf template, and looking for some advice/opinions before finalizing it.

ST -1 [-10], DX +1 [20]
Per +1 [5]
Appearance (Attractive) [4]
Infravision [10]
Forest Guardian 1 [5] (I liked Kromm's writeup of this, I'll let the swords ability be taken care of by higher DX)
Language Talent [10]
Magery 0 [5]
Resistant (+8) to Magical paralysis and sleep effects [5]
Elven Gear [1]
Sense of Duty (Nature) [-15]

Now, to round the package out to a whole 50 points, would Less Sleep 5 [10] be enough to cover the whole "elves don't actually sleep, but go into a trance for three or four hours" thing?

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by vitruvian

Now, to round the package out to a whole 50 points, would Less Sleep 5 [10] be enough to cover the whole "elves don't actually sleep, but go into a trance for three or four hours" thing?

Depending on how easily they snap out of this trance, I might call it Doesn't Sleep with a "Must Meditate" limitation for slightly more points.

[Xenophile]

Originally Posted by vitruvian

Infravision [10]

I don't really think of "heat vision" as a trait associated with elves. Maybe some extra Per or Telescopic Vision would be better?

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Xenophile

I don't really think of "heat vision" as a trait associated with elves. Maybe some extra Per or Telescopic Vision would be better?

It's an old school D&Dism, although now that I think about it, I think that was UV-vision, back when the TSR folks thought there was some bizarre amount of UV light at night.

Heat vision isn't really associated with any of the mythic humanoid monsters either, it just showed up in D&D or AD&D when they tried to rationalize "Can see in the dark"

[ravenfish]

Originally Posted by Xenophile

I don't really think of "heat vision" as a trait associated with elves. Maybe some extra Per or Telescopic Vision would be better?

It's an old AD&D meme. Basically, if it was good at seeing in low light (or was just non-human), it got infravision. Tolkien's elves certainly never had it, but the dungeon crawl genre owes more to Gygax than Tolkien anyway.

EDIT: Curse you, ninja!

[Victor Maxus]

I like the less sleep idea. I used it myself for making elves. Though inspired by Lord of the Ring elves, mine are actualy not, they are different. But less sleep is somethjing I did use.

And the equipment perk is good as well. Though for mine, I made a 5 point unusual background and it was an option for the player if they wanted it or not. But my 5 points included the equipment, a free level of common tongue and a small claim to hospitality among elves.

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Xenophile

I don't really think of "heat vision" as a trait associated with elves. Maybe some extra Per or Telescopic Vision would be better?

I would cut Infravision entirely (a total non-sense), and I agree with Xenophile here.

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by Xenophile

I don't really think of "heat vision" as a trait associated with elves. Maybe some extra Per or Telescopic Vision would be better?

I like the idea of "heat vision" but how does that come about? Are they the famous lost 13th tribe of the Krytonians? <giggles>

[Bruno]

I totally like Infravision, but that's because it's on my TOP TEN LIST OF POWERS I REALLY WANT in real life. ;)

[vitruvian]

I would cut Infravision entirely (a total non-sense), and I agree with Xenophile here.

Since they're not usually an underground race, I could pretty easily be persuaded to depart from Gygaxland and embrace the Tolkienism of Elves first showing up when the only light in the sky was from the stars, therefore replacing Infravision with Night Vision in the 5-9 range. They'd still be able to see considerable distances in the dungeon using only ambient light or something like a shuttered lamp with a candle as the light source.