Homebrew Half-Elf (2024) Species Details

Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the elves. Some half-elves live among humans, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood in the timeless elven realms, while their peers continue to live as children. Many half-elves, unable to fit into either society, choose lives of solitary wandering or join with other misfits and outcasts in the adventuring life.

Of Two Worlds

To humans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 180 pounds, with men only slightly taller and heavier than women. Half-elf men do have facial hair, and sometimes grow beards to mask their elven ancestry. Half-elven coloration and features lie somewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either race. They tend to have the eyes of their elven parents.

Diplomats or Wanderers

Half-elves have no lands of their own, though they are welcome in human cities and somewhat less welcome in elven forests. In large cities in regions where elves and humans interact often, half-elves are sometimes numerous enough to form small communities of their own. They enjoy the company of other half-elves, the only people who truly understand what it is to live between these two worlds.

In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers.

EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS

Many half-elves learn at an early age to get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent ambassadors and go-betweens (except between elves and humans, since each side suspects the half-elf of favoring the other).

Half-Elf (2024) Traits

As a Half-Elf, you have these special traits.

Creature Type

Humanoid. You are also considered a Human and an Elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be either.

Size

Medium (about 5–6 feet tall)

Speed

30 feet

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.

Half-Elven Lineage

You have inherited the resourcefulness of your human side or the supernatural abilities of your elven side. Choose a lineage from the Half-Elven Lineages table. You gain the level 1 benefit of that lineage.

Some lineages let you learn a higher-level spell when you reach character levels 3 and 5, 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).

Half-Elven Lineages

Lineage	Level 1	Level 3	Level 5
Nonmagical	You gain Heroic Inspiration whenever you finish a Long Rest.	—	—
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

Skillful

You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.