Guide:Races Guide by Phantomsplit: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
(→‎Half-Elves: Added Half-Elf section.)
Line 253: Line 253:




== Half-Elves ==
== [[Half-Elf|Half-Elves]] ==
Coming back to this after Human
=====Lore====
{{FRWiki|Half-Elf|Half-elves}} don't particularly have too much lore behind them. They are born from [[Human]] and [[Elf]] parents, often in a Human or Elf dominated society, where they go on to adopt the culture of that society. They have existed in small numbers for tens of thousands of years. They typically are not viewed with any particular scorn or hatred by any.
 
 
====World Interactions====
Given how most races are on decent terms with [[human|humans]], the world interactions you get as a half-elf will respond more to your elven herritage. If you are playing as a Drow Half-Elf then you may get dialogue tags that represent the your [[Drow]] lineage, and you may get dialogue tags that represent your [[Human|human]] lineage. But you will not have the total reactivity of either. There are dialogue options in the game which are only available to Drow, but not Half-Drow. Similar rules apply to Wood Half-Elf and High Half-Elf.
 
 
====Mechanical Traits====
[[Half-Elf|Half-Elves]] in BG3 are one of the races that are hampered by Larian's [[Guide:Baldur's_Gate_3_Races_Guide#Flexible_Ability_Scores|Flexible Ability Scores]] changes. It is ''speculated'' based off some launch build footage from content creators that Half-elves will get:
* [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] out to 40 ft
* [[Fey Ancestry]] making them impossible to put to sleep magically and granting [[advantage]] on saving throws to avoid being [[Charmed (Condition)|charmed]].
* [[Proficiency]] with [[Spears]], [[Pikes]], [[Halberds]], and [[Glaives]], [[Armour#Light_Armour|Light Armor]], and [[Shields]] (These proficiencies are the features which are the most speculatory, the other Half-elf features seem locked in for launch)
 
 
Normally in Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition, Half-Elves get "Skill Versatility" allowing them to be proficient in two skills of their choice. This option does not appear to be present in BG3 and they must choose one of the below variant Half-Elf options which grants the following:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Caption text
|-
! Drow Half-Elf !! High Half-Elf !! Wood Half-Elf
|-
| The ability to cast the following spells using [[Charisma]] as the spellcasting ability modifier when applicable:
* [[Dancing Lights]] (available at level 1)
* [[Faerie Fire]]* (one free cast per long rest, available at level 3)
* [[Darkness]] (one free cast per long rest, available at level 5)
|| Learn one [[Cantrip]] from the [[Wizard]] Spell list** using [[Intelligence]] as the spellcasting ability modifier when applicable || Movement Speed is increased by 5 ft to a total of 35 ft
|-
| - || - || Mask of the Wild grants [[Proficiency|proficiency]] in [[Stealth]]
|}
 
* For Drow Half-Elf's Faerie Fire see the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section.
** For High Half-Elf's Cantrip feature, see the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section.
 
 
====Build Synergy====
In tabletop the Half-Elf is the second most common race for players to pick behind variant human. This is largely due to their ability score bonuses where they get a +2 to [[Charisma]] (as well as flexible ability scores they can put elsewhere) in combination with Charisma focused classes like [[Bard]], [[Warlock]], [[Sorcerer]], [[Paladin]], and possibly even some charming [[Rogue|Rogues]]. They are also desired in tabletop for their [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] and Skill Versatility options. Of the above three features (ability score bonuses, darkvision, and skill versatility), only Darkvision will be available to Half-elves in BG3. This significantly shakes them up. The [[Fey Ancestry]] is a nice feature, but rather niche and by no means a reason why most people pick this class in tabletop.
 
Now half-elves keep their [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|darkvision]] and niche [[Fey Ancestry|fey ancestry]] feature, but the extra armor, shield, and weapon [[proficiency|proficiencies]] they are likely to obtain are intended to make up for the loss to traditional half-elf ability score bonuses as discussed in the [[Guide:Baldur's_Gate_3_Races_Guide#Flexible_Ability_Scores|Flexible Ability Scores]] section. Like with human these features make half-elf a slightly more tempting target for something like a squishy [[Warlock]] or [[Bard]] since they can throw a shield on and slightly boost their AC. And this is especially the case for [[Sorcerer]] and [[Wizard]] Characters who by default do not even get light armor proficiency. I still think a one level dip into a class that grants medium armor and shield proficiency like Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, or Druid would be better for such characters, but playing a half-elf is a way to get some defensive boosts without multiclassing.
 
The subrace features synergize just like the same features do for the base Elf race:
* Drow Half-Elf's [[Dancing Lights]] is not very helpful on caster character because it competes for [[Concentration]] but can be of a bit of benefit to non caster builds. [[Darkness]] has great in combat and out of combat utility whether you are a caster or not, but is especially good on a Warlock with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]]. [[Faerie Fire]] is a great spell into the midgame even, but only on characters with decent Charisma as described in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section.
* High Half-Elf's Cantrip goes great with [[Intelligence]] based casters such as the [[Wizard]], [[Eldritch Knight]] [[Fighter]], or [[Arcane Trickster]] [[Rogue]]. But if the character will not have a high Intelligence then Light, Minor Illusion, and to an extent Mage Hand can also be good options as described in the [[Guide:Races_Guide_by_Phantomsplit#Build_Synergy_4|Elf Mechanics]] section of this guide.
* Wood Half-Elf movement speed bonus is nice on all characters, but especially nice on melee characters who can use this to get into range of their target. Their stealth proficiency is nice on sneaky characters as it opens you up to put proficiencies from [[background]] and your starting class elsewhere.
 
Overall if Half-Elf is implemented as they are expected to be then they are still a very flexible choice which anyone will get at least some benefit out of. There is a very good chance that a more specialized race exists for a specific build. But anyone will at least get some decent use from their half-elf features.


== [[Half-Orc|Half-Orcs]] ==
== [[Half-Orc|Half-Orcs]] ==
Retrieved from "https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Guide:Races_Guide_by_Phantomsplit"