When did elves first appear in Dungeons and Dragons?
Elves first appeared as a player character race in the original 1974 edition of Dungeons and Dragons. The aquatic elf subrace was introduced the following year in the 1975 Blackmoor supplement.
Questions about Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Are Dungeons and Dragons elves based on Tolkien's elves?
Gary Gygax claimed D&D elves draw very little from Tolkien, but several academics have argued otherwise. Michael J. Tresca, in his 2014 book The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games, traced D&D elven sub-types directly to Tolkien's elves: Noldor to high elves, Tawarwaith to wood elves, and Sindar to grey elves.
How long do elves live in Dungeons and Dragons?
Elves in Dungeons and Dragons are capable of living more than half a millennium while remaining physically youthful. They become physically mature by age 25 but do not reach emotional maturity until around age 125.
What are all the elf subraces in Dungeons and Dragons?
D&D elf subraces include aquatic elves, dark elves (drow), deep elves (rockseer), grey elves, high elves, moon elves, snow elves, sun elves, valley elves, wild elves (grugach), wood elves, and winged elves (avariel). Additional subraces such as shadow elves, star elves, lythari, and eladrin appear in specific campaign settings.
How popular are elf characters in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition?
Data from D&D Beyond collected between the 15th of August and the 15th of September 2017 showed elves as the second most created race, with 16,443 characters built in that month. Only humans were more popular at 25,248 characters. The three most common class pairings for elves were ranger, wizard, and rogue.
What is the difference between a half-elf and an elf in Dungeons and Dragons?
Half-elves are the offspring of humans and elves. They have paler skin than humans, are taller and larger than full elves, and live about 180 years. Humans call them half-elves while elves call them half-humans; they share human curiosity and ambition alongside elven sensitivity to magic and love of nature.