Welcome
Elf in Dungeons & Dragons 5e
One DnD Playtest 1
Elf
Created by the god Corellon, the first elves could change their physical forms at will. The elves lost this ability when Corellon exiled them from Arvandor for plotting with another elven deity named Lolth, who tried and failed to usurp Corellon’s dominion. When Lolth was cast down into the Abyss, most elves renounced her
treachery and earned Corellon’s forgiveness, but that which Corellon had taken from the elves 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, wanderlust and curiosity led many of them to explore other planes of existence, including various worlds in the Material Plane. Elves have the mystical ability to take on characteristics of the environments with which they are bonded—drow to the Underdark, high elves to fey crossings in the Material Plane, and wood elves to forests. These connections grant elves access to certain kinds of magic.
Elves are blessed with long lives and long memories. From birth, they don’t sleep but instead enter a trance when they need to rest. In this state, elves remain aware of their surroundings while immersing themselves in their own memories. What an elf remembers during this reverie depends largely on how long the elf has lived and the events that have shaped the elf’s existence.
Elves have pointed ears and tend to be light on their feet. Another common physical characteristic of elves is their lack of facial and body hair.
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, wanderlust and curiosity led many of them to explore other planes of existence, including various worlds in the Material Plane. Elves have the mystical ability to take on characteristics of the environments with which they are bonded—drow to the Underdark, high elves to fey crossings in the Material Plane, and wood elves to forests. These connections grant elves access to certain kinds of magic.
Elves are blessed with long lives and long memories. From birth, they don’t sleep but instead enter a trance when they need to rest. In this state, elves remain aware of their surroundings while immersing themselves in their own memories. What an elf remembers during this reverie depends largely on how long the elf has lived and the events that have shaped the elf’s existence.
Elves have pointed ears and tend to be light on their feet. Another common physical characteristic of elves is their lack of facial and body hair.
ability score increase:
Chosen when you pick your background
age:
750 years on average
Size:
Medium
speed:
30ft
Languages:
Chosen when you pick your background.
race features:
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5–6 feet tall) As an Elf, you have these special traits.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Elven Lineage. You are part of an elven lineage that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a lineage from the Elven Lineages table: Drow, the lineage of the Underdark; High Elf, the lineage of fey crossings and other magical locations; or Wood Elf, the lineage of primeval forests. You gain the 1st-level benefit of that lineage.
Starting at 3rd level and again at 5th level, you also gain the ability to cast a Spell with this trait. Once you cast the Spell with this trait, you can’t cast that Spell with it again until you finish a Long Rest; however, you can 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).
Fey Ancestry. You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed Condition on yourself.
Keen Senses. You have Proficiency in the Perception 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 retainconsciousness. Elven Lineages
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5–6 feet tall) As an Elf, you have these special traits.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Elven Lineage. You are part of an elven lineage that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a lineage from the Elven Lineages table: Drow, the lineage of the Underdark; High Elf, the lineage of fey crossings and other magical locations; or Wood Elf, the lineage of primeval forests. You gain the 1st-level benefit of that lineage.
Starting at 3rd level and again at 5th level, you also gain the ability to cast a Spell with this trait. Once you cast the Spell with this trait, you can’t cast that Spell with it again until you finish a Long Rest; however, you can 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).
Fey Ancestry. You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed Condition on yourself.
Keen Senses. You have Proficiency in the Perception 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 retainconsciousness. Elven Lineages
| Lineage | 1st Level | 3rd Level | 5th Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Description:
ELVES OF MANY WORLDS
After leaving the Feywild, elves established deep roots on worlds throughout the multiverse. Within their respective domains, elves often use their magic and other resources to build fabulous enclaves. The subterranean cities and outposts of the drow, the gleaming towers and citadels of the high elves, and the forest sanctuaries of the wood elves are nothing short of architectural wonders, which reflect their builders’ otherworldly origins.
Drow. Known for their white hair and dusky- gray skin tones, drow typically dwell in the Underdark. Noteworthy exceptions include Drizzt Do’Urden and Jarlaxle Baenre, two drow adventurers of the Forgotten Realms who shun their subterranean homeland. Some drow societies avoid the Underdark altogether. On the world of Eberron, for example, drow dwell in gloomy rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of Xen’drik.
High Elves. On some worlds, high elves refer to themselves by other names. For example, the sun elves and moon elves of Toril (the world of the Forgotten Realms setting) are high elves, as are the Silvanesti and Qualinesti of Krynn (the world of Dragonlance) and the Aereni of Eberron.
Wood Elves. Wood elves are known across the multiverse by many other names, including wild elves, green elves, and forest elves. Grugach are reclusive wood elves on Oerth (the world of the Greyhawk setting), while the Kagonesti and the Tairnadal are wood elves of Krynn and Eberron, respectively.
After leaving the Feywild, elves established deep roots on worlds throughout the multiverse. Within their respective domains, elves often use their magic and other resources to build fabulous enclaves. The subterranean cities and outposts of the drow, the gleaming towers and citadels of the high elves, and the forest sanctuaries of the wood elves are nothing short of architectural wonders, which reflect their builders’ otherworldly origins.
Drow. Known for their white hair and dusky- gray skin tones, drow typically dwell in the Underdark. Noteworthy exceptions include Drizzt Do’Urden and Jarlaxle Baenre, two drow adventurers of the Forgotten Realms who shun their subterranean homeland. Some drow societies avoid the Underdark altogether. On the world of Eberron, for example, drow dwell in gloomy rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of Xen’drik.
High Elves. On some worlds, high elves refer to themselves by other names. For example, the sun elves and moon elves of Toril (the world of the Forgotten Realms setting) are high elves, as are the Silvanesti and Qualinesti of Krynn (the world of Dragonlance) and the Aereni of Eberron.
Wood Elves. Wood elves are known across the multiverse by many other names, including wild elves, green elves, and forest elves. Grugach are reclusive wood elves on Oerth (the world of the Greyhawk setting), while the Kagonesti and the Tairnadal are wood elves of Krynn and Eberron, respectively.
World Anvil: The Ultimate Worldbuilding Toolset & RPG Campaign Manager
Created for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters, World Anvil has everything you need to build your own homebrew RPG campaign setting, and run your games, either online or around the table!
- Speed up prep with a whole library of community statblocks you can copy (and edit!)
- Enthrall your players with interactive maps, timelines, and a whole wiki of your world
- Keep track of NPCs, PC character sheets, monster stats, treasure, journals, notes and more
- Quickly look up essential info with session notes, campaign map markers, and bookmarked lore at your fingertips
- Build your own campaign setting, or expand a prewritten campaign, with expertly created worldbuilding templates and prompts
- Control who sees what in your worldbuilding wiki with secrets and subscriber groups
- Collaborate with players and GMs to build the campaign setting of your dreams
- NEVER lose your notes!
GET STARTED TODAY!
Take the first step. Create your account. Your world and characters await!
100+ RPG systems
Find your way!
Resources
WHO WE ARE
LEGAL
Listen to our Podcast
by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2025 [en] | Anvil Time: 17:55, Apr 26 2026