The title says it all!
We see them but they seem very rare.
To encourage this sub-optimal and rarely played race, give it some sort of mechanical perk. My idea is to give it some sort of minor to modest withering resistance, perhaps as a consequence of the mixing of it's ancient elven blood and vibrant, young, human blood, somehow being slightly resistant to the withering?
There's actually alot of Half-Elves. It's just that you don't really see it because their heads are usually the human variant.
As for the suggestion, it does seem like a good idea, much like the Dwarves and Elves that live a very long while.
Give dwarves Dwarf proficiency, then we can talk about Half-Elves
This idea has little merit.
I do agree that most races have some mechanical things about them that make them really neat to play, while half-elves are underwhelming. I have only ever chosen to play them for the rp aspect. I mean, little played classes got perks, why not the probably least played race?
Half-elves have terrific roleplaying possibilities, as they have the whole internal struggle thing going on.
Rather than worry about their underwhelming mechanics (they truly are the mechanically worst race), it's probably better to just recognize that cool characters usually end up doing well for themselves in the long run.
The Withering Reduction is probably not the way to go, but the original thought behind it does have merit. I would just see it as more of an opportunity in a non-min-maxed way.
I think they should get a +2 Charisma.
That said, Half-elves are pretty cool.
I do not see any reason for this.
pff... NERF THEM HALF-ELVES!
give them -4 cha for being so confuse about themselves and for being so underloved.
wait... underloved? that didn't sound right, right?
If you can think of something sweet, creative and flavourful, there's a chance of it happening. But not withering resistance.
While it seems like wasted effort to bother, a racial perk might be interesting.
Some small (or large, they are bad) bonus half-elves can choose at level 1 which reflects the sub race of the elven part of their ancestry.
i.e. Lore or EFUSS artistry skills for those with Sun Elven ancestry; Move Silently or EFUSS Wilderness survival for Wild Elven ancestry, etc.
OP: Why?
They -should- be very rare.
Half Elves already have access to the best subrace - Hobgoblin.
But yeah they could use... something. I don't know.
Quote from: Nuclear Catastrophe;314593OP: Why?
They -should- be very rare.
Some countries in FR actually have fairly high half-elven populations because they have human populations and elven populations and you stick the two together and badonkadonk happens.
But that is true, Half Elves are 'not as bad' half-orcs without the rape. There's still a great social stigma attached to them, and their lives are difficult.
QuoteIn general though, if you make a half-elf, you are likely to get suitably powerful DM loot when earned / given strength of concept.
I think that applies to *any* race... meaning that they're still a bit too much underpowered.
I like alphabits' suggestion of choosing a perk accordingly the stronger genetic properties inherited...as I love customization and more choice options. My knowledge of the possibilities of RPing a sorcerer has grown a lot since I met Sorcerer EFU perks, being it part of the reason that I have issues into playing other class (I feel an urge of exploring many of the concepts suggested by the perks).
So, any flavorful perk that is added to our options will make things more interesting and give more insightful clues of how playing determined class or race, adding to the general RP quality of the server. No need of really strong mechanical things. But something that improves the identity of the PC and that has an incredible cool label would be really nice.
I just played one, they're not that bad.
Besides, adding extra bonuses goes against elf-dom, which imparts half it's pansy-ness in cases of half-elves.
Strongsoul feat and more EFUSS points, IMO.
They may be a little underpowered, but I personally think half-elves should be a bit of a rarity. Having parents, friends, and relatives who live to be 70 or 700 - and living to 150-200 yourself should put you in kind of an awkward place.
That being said... I do know that in 3.5e they gave half-elves a +2 bonus to social skills because of cross-cultural competency or something. Maybe that might be an option? If anything is to be changed.