Elf Species Details
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.
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.
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.
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.
Elf Traits
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5–6 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet
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 |
| 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.
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Posted Feb 8, 2026..
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Posted Feb 18, 2026I like the versatility of the elf. While not my first pick, if you are looking for a really good starting race for your first character, I suggest either elf (Because of fey ancestry) or humans (because of heroic inspiration). As for sub speices, I think the +5ft in walking for wood elf is just so OP. And Pass without a trace on level 5.
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Posted Feb 22, 2026I'll be sticking to the 2014 rules
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Posted Feb 22, 2026this was very hard too make
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Posted Feb 22, 2026-
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Posted Feb 22, 2026-
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Posted Mar 2, 2026Hi
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Posted Mar 3, 2026How do I use Shadar-Kai?
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Posted Mar 5, 2026Elf
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Posted Mar 13, 2026Why remove the Drow? I was literally building a drow, I wasn't finished, and I come back and the Drow is removed as a choice. Argh!
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Posted Mar 14, 2026I was referring to the character builder as an option for the free account. It was removed as a free option when they named the "revised 2024-25" content to "5.5 ed.". It has since been returned, but I have witnesses just no screenshot. I didn't mean it was removed from cannon, only from the builder and to voice my frustration. Happy it is back as an option in the builder.
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Posted Mar 15, 2026Drow
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Posted Mar 17, 2026Update; the drow only remains as an option in the character building app so long as a class is not selected. As soon as a class is selected, the Drow race option is removed and appears to dissappear as if it is a payed option only. Very frustrating situation that reinforces the pay to play model of the D&D Beyond model. Pay for every book twice, be told at a drop of a hat that it isn't enough, membership dues are due, and the sandbox isn't just theirs its a trademark or copyright infringement to play the game outside of the sandbox. If they could find a way to monetize it we will have to pay to play at our own table tops.
Not directed at you wagnarokkr only the monitors of monetization.
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Posted Mar 27, 2026high elfs are so op
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Posted Apr 1, 2026Hai
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Posted Apr 7, 2026That was when elf was something you took levels in, yes?
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Posted Apr 11, 2026Elf is what I am and will be endless there is a cat humanoid
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Posted Apr 18, 2026I want to do like an ice elf play off what elf do I choose
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Posted Apr 20, 2026I love the elf
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Posted Apr 22, 2026If you have the 2014 PHB (like I do) then yes, outdated. It also says you need permission to play a drow, maybe that why they're so rare. But I'm making one now. I never felt like calling my DM in the middle of the night before a new game. I even want a wig