Elf -
Created by the god Corellon, the first elves could change their forms at will. They lost this ability when Corellon cursed them for plotting with the deity Lolth, who tried and failed to usurp Corellon's dominion. When Lolth was cast into the Abyss, most elves renounced her and earned Corellon's forgiveness, but that which Corellon had taken from them was lost forever. No longer able to shape-shift at will, the elves retreated to the Feywild, where their sorrow was deepened by that plane's influence. Over time, curiosity led many of them to explore other planes of existence, including worlds in the Material Plane. Elves have pointed ears and lack facial and body hair. They live for around 750 years, and they don't sleep but instead enter a trance when they need to rest. In that state, they remain aware of their surroundings while immersing themselves in memories and meditations. An environment subtly transforms elves after they inhabit it for a millennium or more, and it grants them certain kinds of magic. Drow, high elves, and wood elves are examples of elves who have been transformed thus.
Elf Subtypes
Drow
Drow typically dwell in the Underdark and have been shaped by it. Some drow individuals and societies avoid the Underdark altogether yet carry its magic. In the Eberron setting, for example, drow dwell in rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of Xen'drik. Faerûn's drow have a long history of association with Lolth, and their greatest city is infamous Menzoberranzan, in the Underdark. Drow not affiliated with Lolth can increasingly be found living peacefully among other folk in the North, the Dalelands, and other areas with ready access to the Underdark.
High Elves
High elves have been infused with the magic of crossings between the Feywild and the Material Plane. On some worlds, high elves refer to themselves by other names. For example, they call themselves sun or moon elves in the Forgotten Realms setting, Silvanesti and Qualinesti in the Dragonlance setting, and Aereni in the Eberron setting.
Lorwyn Elves
The horns of Lorwyn elves are stubby like a goat's or curved like a ram's, but always ridged. Their pointed ears are long and slender. In Lorwyn, elves value beauty above all, though what any given elf deems beautiful can seem arbitrary. Some Lorwyn elves assume authority over the land's other peoples, using their fallen empire to support their claims. These elves blame the fall of their empire on outside threats, especially the Phyrexian invasion. Though the invasion was the empire's death knell, its people's self-importance and unwillingness to collaborate with other species had already led to the empire's decline.
Shadowmoor Elves
Shadowmoor elves' horns are long, wavy, and covered with a rough, thorny texture. Their pointed ears are usually longer than those of their Lorwyn counterparts. Like Lorwyn elves, Shadowmoor elves protect beauty, though a Shadowmoor elf's definition of "beautiful" can be abstract. Many of their kind believe beauty is gained or lost in accordance with one's actions; in particular, they consider heroism and self-sacrifice the highest forms of beauty. Bloomseekers are Shadowmoor elves who study and explore Lorwyn. Each one carries a Reliquary of Twilight. Alongside Safewrights—Shadowmoor elves who venture across their realm in search of beautiful things—Bloomseekers are among the most trusted and revered members of their society.
Wood Elves
Wood elves carry the magic of primeval forests within themselves. They are known by many other names, including wild elves, green elves, and forest elves. Grugach are reclusive wood elves of the Greyhawk setting, while the Kagonesti and the Tairnadal are wood elves of the Dragonlance and Eberron settings, respectively. Wood elves, known also as copper elves in Faerûn, are a grounded, practical people. They value the forest and uncultivated nature over the glittering spires of elven cities, and are humble about elven accomplishments.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Creature Type: Humanoid
Elf Traits
Darkvision
You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Elven Lineage
You are part of a lineage that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a lineage from the Elven Lineages table. You gain the level 1 benefit of that lineage. When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the lineage).
| Lineage | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drow | The range of your Darkvision increases to 120 feet. You also know the Dancing Lights cantrip. | Faerie Fire | Darkness |
| High Elf | You know the Prestidigitation cantrip. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace that cantrip with a different cantrip from the Wizard spell list. | Detect Magic | Misty Step |
| Lorwyn Elf | You know the Thorn Whip cantrip. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace that cantrip with a different cantrip from the Druid spell list. | Command | Silence |
| Shadowmoor Elf | The range of your Darkvision increases to 120 feet. You also know the Starry Wisp cantrip. | Heroism | Gentle Repose |
| Wood Elf | Your Speed increases to 35 feet. You also know the Druidcraft cantrip. | Longstrider | Pass without Trace |
Fey Ancestry
You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed condition.
Keen Senses
You have proficiency in the Insight, Perception, or Survival skill.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
Eladrin are elves of the Feywild, a realm of perilous beauty and boundless magic. Using that magic, eladrin can step from one place to another in the blink of an eye, and each eladrin resonates with emotions captured in the Feywild in the form of seasons—affinities that affect the eladrin's mood and appearance. An eladrin's season can change, though some remain in one season forever. Choose your season or roll on the Eladrin Seasons table. Your Trance trait lets you change your season. Like other elves, eladrin can live to be over 750 years old.
| d4 | Season |
|---|---|
| 1 | Autumn. peace and goodwill, when summer's harvest is shared with all |
| 2 | Winter. contemplation and dolor, when the vibrant energy of the world slumbers |
| 3 | Spring. cheerfulness and celebration, marked by merriment and hope as winter's sorrow passes |
| 4 | Summer. boldness and aggression, a time of unfettered energy and calls to action |
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Creature Type: Humanoid
Eladrin Traits
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
Fey Step
As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you reach 3rd level, your Fey Step gains an additional effect based on your season; if the effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (choose when you select this race):
Keen Senses
You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
The pallid elves are a mystical and insightful people with skin as pale as the surface of Exandria's largest moon. They emerged from the Pallid Grove this century and wander the world with childlike curiosity.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Creature Type: Humanoid
Pallid Elf Traits
Blessing of the Moon Weaver
You know the light cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the sleep spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell (targeting yourself only) once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Casting these spells with this trait doesn't require material components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Darkvision
You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Fey Ancestry
You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed condition.
Incisive Sense
You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Insight) checks.
Keen Senses
You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
Sea elves fell in love with the wild beauty of the ocean in the earliest days of the multiverse. While other elves traveled from realm to realm, sea elves navigated the currents and explored the waters of many worlds. Today these elves can be found wherever oceans exist, as well as in the Elemental Plane of Water. Like other elves, sea elves can live to be over 750 years old.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet, Swim 30 feet
Creature Type: Humanoid
Sea Elf Traits
Child of the Sea
You can breathe air and water, and you have resistance to cold damage.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
Friend of the Sea
Aquatic animals have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas to any Beast that has a swimming speed. It can understand your words, though you have no special ability to understand it in return.
Keen Senses
You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the Material Plane to forge their own destinies. Once shadar-kai were Fey like the rest of their elven kin; now they exist in a state between life and death, thanks to being transformed by the Shadowfell's grim energy. Shadar-kai have ashen skin tones, and while they're in the Shadowfell, they also become wizened, reflecting the somber nature of that gloomy plane. Like other elves, shadar-kai can live to be over 750 years old.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Creature Type: Humanoid
Shadar-kai Traits
Blessing of the Raven Queen
As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
Keen Senses
You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Necrotic Resistance
You have resistance to necrotic damage.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.