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Complete Book of Elves?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
wdarkk
Sep 16, 2004 4:11:42 I never actually played 2E, but I heard a bunch of horror stories about that book's Munchkin potential.

Is it true it was full of stupid-overpowered stuff?
#2
Tenzhi
Sep 16, 2004 5:07:20 It's true to an extent. It's also true that elves were portrayed as quite the arrogant racial supremacists - hence why the book is sometimes referred to (in poor taste, some might say) as Mein Alf.

Despite all that, though, it was quite a flavorful book.
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2004 8:55:47 it is not for the faint of roleplaying. ;)

it requires work to be added in a constructive way to an existing campaign.
#4
wdarkk
Sep 16, 2004 9:22:01 Would it be worth picking up for flavor use in light of the facts:
A) I never played 2E and probably never will.
B) Races of the Wild will be out in a few months.
C) I love being a snooty Elf Wizard.

Some 2E books are still worth picking up for Flavoring. Some aren't. Where does this one stand?
#5
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2004 10:46:15 yes. it would be worth picking up. for all of the above reasons you listed.
#6
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 10:20:56 I personally think that is was the best of the complete books that 2nd edition put out. It gave alot of background on each of the different subtypes of elves as well as having sections for the different elves on different worlds. This book also brought the Winged Folk into 2nd edition as well, even though their history was changed from their first apperance in a Dragon magazine.

Some of the class kits would not be a bad idea for 3.5 PrCs. The bladesinger was presented there for the first time. Unique elven items and spells were in there too!
#7
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 11:22:42 that book is the reason I did not allow any complete books imc unless I owned the book. The munckins were too tight to ante up to buy me a copy. Lost 1 munckin and had less headaches.
#8
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 15:00:39 If you dont have it and enjoy playing elves then I would suggest purchasing it. I wonder how much of this book will be in the races of the wild book?
#9
wdarkk
Sep 17, 2004 15:13:41 That last question is why I haven't purchased it yet. I don't want to buy the same flavor material twice. Anyone know how much of the Dwarf and Gnome 2E stuff was kept for Races of Stone?
#10
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 15:16:12 I am not sure about that. I havent bought or even really looked at the Races of Stone book.
#11
zombiegleemax
Sep 23, 2004 18:56:54 I have to say that elves are my favorite race in the D&D system. I dont like the others as much, except for maybe humans.
#12
zombiegleemax
Oct 13, 2004 22:11:28 I like a lot of the book, and there are things I don't like about it. I'm a big fan of kits, and there are plenty of good ones in there (bladesinger's probably the best, but several others are also good). There are also some weak kits (wind rider with its no-advantages comes to mind, but then again I completely overhauled that one).

A lot of the overview stuff is really interesting, though if you're wanting to fit it snugly into one campaign setting (FR or Greyhawk, for instance) it doesn't perfectly fit. Some stuff works, other stuff doesn't. Up to you what you take and what you don't.

IMO, it's one of the best three of the Complete Handbook series (the other two being Complete Book of Dwarves and Complete Psionics).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 wdarkk Sep 16, 2004 4:11:42	I never actually played 2E, but I heard a bunch of horror stories about that book's Munchkin potential. Is it true it was full of stupid-overpowered stuff?
#2 Tenzhi Sep 16, 2004 5:07:20	It's true to an extent. It's also true that elves were portrayed as quite the arrogant racial supremacists - hence why the book is sometimes referred to (in poor taste, some might say) as Mein Alf. Despite all that, though, it was quite a flavorful book.
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2004 8:55:47	it is not for the faint of roleplaying. ;) it requires work to be added in a constructive way to an existing campaign.
#4 wdarkk Sep 16, 2004 9:22:01	Would it be worth picking up for flavor use in light of the facts: A) I never played 2E and probably never will. B) Races of the Wild will be out in a few months. C) I love being a snooty Elf Wizard. Some 2E books are still worth picking up for Flavoring. Some aren't. Where does this one stand?
#5 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2004 10:46:15	yes. it would be worth picking up. for all of the above reasons you listed.
#6 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 10:20:56	I personally think that is was the best of the complete books that 2nd edition put out. It gave alot of background on each of the different subtypes of elves as well as having sections for the different elves on different worlds. This book also brought the Winged Folk into 2nd edition as well, even though their history was changed from their first apperance in a Dragon magazine. Some of the class kits would not be a bad idea for 3.5 PrCs. The bladesinger was presented there for the first time. Unique elven items and spells were in there too!
#7 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 11:22:42	that book is the reason I did not allow any complete books imc unless I owned the book. The munckins were too tight to ante up to buy me a copy. Lost 1 munckin and had less headaches.
#8 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 15:00:39	If you dont have it and enjoy playing elves then I would suggest purchasing it. I wonder how much of this book will be in the races of the wild book?
#9 wdarkk Sep 17, 2004 15:13:41	That last question is why I haven't purchased it yet. I don't want to buy the same flavor material twice. Anyone know how much of the Dwarf and Gnome 2E stuff was kept for Races of Stone?
#10 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 15:16:12	I am not sure about that. I havent bought or even really looked at the Races of Stone book.
#11 zombiegleemax Sep 23, 2004 18:56:54	I have to say that elves are my favorite race in the D&D system. I dont like the others as much, except for maybe humans.
#12 zombiegleemax Oct 13, 2004 22:11:28	I like a lot of the book, and there are things I don't like about it. I'm a big fan of kits, and there are plenty of good ones in there (bladesinger's probably the best, but several others are also good). There are also some weak kits (wind rider with its no-advantages comes to mind, but then again I completely overhauled that one). A lot of the overview stuff is really interesting, though if you're wanting to fit it snugly into one campaign setting (FR or Greyhawk, for instance) it doesn't perfectly fit. Some stuff works, other stuff doesn't. Up to you what you take and what you don't. IMO, it's one of the best three of the Complete Handbook series (the other two being Complete Book of Dwarves and Complete Psionics).