Dark Elf (ˈdärk ˈelf)
Exquisite stone and leering eyes beget an ancient understanding.
Masters of stealth and guerilla warfare, the underground dark elves are as capable as they are cunning. They refuse to let their home ever again be consumed and overrun.
Physical Description: Dark Elves are similar in stature to humans, but share the slender build and features of elves, including the distinctive long, pointed ears. Dark Elf skin ranges from coal black to a dusky purple. Their hair is typically white or silver, though some variation is not unknown.
Society: Most dark elf homes underground are elaborate, intricate cave abodes, carved out in the same manner you could trees. Though often these lightless abodes are quite intimidating to those above ground, they are surprisingly homely for those who can pierce the darkness. Surprisingly, dark elf society is not too different from that of wood elves once this implicit difference is dealt with. Though they have taken great care to include defenses and against horrors of the underground, and use the advantages the deep provides to their advantage, becoming natural runners throughout the worst of terrain. Much of dark elf competition can be considered a case of constant showmanship through dangerous to traverse locations to see who is the fastest through.
Relations: Most dark elves are fireforged friends with dwarves and heraklesians, having survived an endless tide of horror together to defend their underground homes. Inversely, they dislike treeguard who they consider to be uptight and their home to have been relatively untouched, though this contentiousness is one-sided. While they do not interact commonly with the above ground compared to dwarves, they still have a home in most kingdoms throughout the realm.
Alignment and Religion: Dark Elves are founding members alongside other elves, and as such are followers of the conglomerate church. As well, dark elves have no particular inclination towards any one alignment and can be of any alignment.
Adventurers: Dark Elves commonly make excellent scouts and archers, but are limited by their eyes' sensitivity to sunlight, leading most to primarily stay underground alongside dwarves and other underground pact members. Those that do join an adventuring party excel in the dark and when such a party can account for their weakness.
| Adulthood | Intuitive | Self-Taught | Trained | Middle Age | Old | Venerable | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 years | +4d6 years
(114 – 134 years) |
+6d6 years
(116 – 146 years) |
+10d6 years
(120 – 170 years) |
175 years | 263 years | 350 years | 350 + 4d% years |
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 5 ft. 4 in. | +2d8 in.
(5 ft. 6 in. – 6 ft. 8 in.) |
110 lbs. | +(2d8×5 lbs.)
(120 – 190 lbs.) |
| Female | 5 ft. 4 in. | +2d8 in.
(5 ft. 6 in. – 6 ft. 8 in.) |
110 lbs. | +(2d8×5 lbs.)
(120 – 190 lbs.) |
Standard Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Dark Elves are nimble and charismatic. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Constitution.
- Type: Dark Elves are humanoids with the elf subtype.
- Size: Dark Elves are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Base Speed: Dark Elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Languages: Dark Elves begin play speaking Da'brigandine and Jiljagossan. Dark Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Brigandine, Draconic, Goblin, Heraklesian, Keimite, or Thalassan. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
- Keen Senses: Dark Elves gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
- Elven Immunities: Dark Elves are immune to fatigue (but not exhaustion) and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects. A dark elf's immunity to fatigue does not apply to fatigue applied as a penalty by one of their own abilities (such as rage), by not sleeping, or sleeping in poor conditions. When a dark elf is inflicted by fatigue this way, they are considered fatigued but suffer no negative effects.
- Superior Darkvision: Dark Elves have superior darkvision, allowing them to see perfectly in the dark up to 120 feet.
- Strider (Ex): Dark Elves with this racial trait may move through difficult terrain without penalty while underground. In addition, dark elves with a Dexterity of 13 or higher gain Nimble Moves as a bonus feat.
- Light Blindness: As underground dwellers naturally, dark elves suffer from light blindness. Abrupt exposure to any bright light blinds dark elves for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
Favored Class Options
The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.- Alchemist: Add +10 minutes to the duration of the alchemist’s mutagens.
- Antipaladin: The antipaladin adds +1/4 to the number of cruelties he can inflict.
- Barbarian: Add 1 to the barbarian’s base speed. In combat this has no effect unless the barbarian has selected this reward 5 times (or another increment of 5 a speed of 34 feet is effectively the same as a speed of 30 feet, for example. This bonus stacks with a class’s fast movement feature and applies only under the same conditions as that ability.
- Cavalier: Add +1/4 to the cavalier’s bonus on damage against targets of his challenge.
- Bard: Add +1 to the bard’s CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder attempt.
- Cleric: Select one domain power granted at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier. The cleric adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power.
- Druid: Add +1/3 to the druid’s natural armor bonus when using wild shape.
- Fighter: Choose the disarm or reposition combat maneuver. Add +1/3 to the Fighter’s CMB when attempting this maneuver (maximum bonus of +4).
- Gunslinger: Add +1/6 to the dodge bonus granted by the gunslinger’s nimble class feature (maximum bonus of +2).
- Inquisitor: Add +1/3 to the number of rounds per day the inquisitor can use the bane ability. The inquisitor must be 5th level before selecting this ability.
- Magus: Add +1/4 point to the magus’s arcane pool.
- Monk: Add +1 to the monk’s CMD when resisting a dirty trick attempt.
- Oracle: Add +1/2 to the oracle’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of the oracle’s curse ability.
- Paladin: The paladin adds +1/4 to the number of mercies he can use.
- Ranger: Add +1/4 to a single existing favored terrain bonus (maximum increase of +1 per favored terrain). The ranger must be 3rd level before selecting this ability.
- Rogue: Add a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and pass secret messages.
- Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must have the earth or darkness descriptor, and be at least one level below the highest spell level the sorcerer can cast.
- Summoner: The amount of time the summoner must spend to summon his eidolon is reduced by 1 round, to a minimum of 1 round.
- Witch: Add +1/4 hours to the duration of the witch’s disguise hex.
- Wizard: Select one arcane school power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier. The wizard adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that arcane school power.
