Elf

The long-lived elves are children of the natural world, similar in many superficial ways to fey creatures, though with key differences. While fey are truly linked to the flora and fauna of their homes, existing as the nearly immortal voices and guardians of the wilderness, elves are instead mortals who are in tune with the natural world around them. Elves seek to live in balance with the wild and understand it better than most other mortals. Some of this understanding is mystical, but an equal part comes from the elves’ long lifespans, which in turn gives them long-ranging outlooks. Elves can expect to remain active in the same locale for centuries. By necessity, they must learn to maintain sustainable lifestyles, and this is most easily done when they work with nature, rather than attempting to bend it to their will. However, their links to nature are not entirely driven by pragmatism. Elves’ bodies slowly change over time, taking on a physical representation of their mental and spiritual states, and those who dwell in a region for a long period of time find themselves physically adapting to match their surroundings, most noticeably taking on coloration that reflects the local environment.
Elves value their privacy and traditions, and while they are often slow to make friends at both the personal and national levels, once an outsider is accepted as a comrade, the resulting alliances can last for generations. Elves take great joy in forging alliances with races that share or exceed their long lifetimes, and often work to befriend dragons, outsiders, and fey. Those elves who spend their lives among the short-lived races, on the other hand, often develop a skewed perception of mortality and become morose, the result of watching wave after wave of companions age and die before their eyes.
Elves are the dominant species on Musea.
== Physical description ==
Generally taller than humans, elves possess a graceful, slender physique that is accentuated by their long, pointed ears. It is a mistake, however, to consider them weak or feeble, as the thin limbs of an elf can contain surprising power. Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped, and filled with large, vibrantly colored pupils. The coloration of elves as a whole varies wildly, and is much more diverse than that of human populations. However, as their coloration often matches their surroundings, the elves of a single community may appear quite similar. Forest-dwelling elves often have variations of green, brown, and tan in their hair, eye, and even skin tones.
While elven clothing often plays off the beauty of the natural world, those elves who live in cities tend to bedeck themselves in the latest fashions. Where city-dwelling elves encounter other urbanites, the elves are often fashion trendsetters.
== Society ==
Many elves feel a bond with nature and strive to live in harmony with the natural world. Although, like most, elves prefer bountiful lands where resources are plentiful, when driven to
live in harsher climates, they work hard to protect and shepherd the region’s bounty, and learn how to maximize the benefit they receive from what little can be harvested. When they can carve out a sustainable, reliable life in deserts and wastelands, they take pride as a society in the accomplishment. While this can make them excellent guides to outsiders they befriend who must travel through such lands, their disdain of those who have not learned to live off the scant land as they have makes such friends rare.
Elves have an innate gift for craftsmanship and artistry, especially when working in wood, bone, ivory, or leather. Most, however, find manipulating earth and stone to be distasteful, and prefer to avoid forging, stonework, and pottery. When such work must be done within a community, a few elves may find themselves drawn to it, but regardless of their craftsmanship, such “dirt-wrights” are generally seen by other elves as being a bit off. In the most insular of elven societies, they may even be treated as lower class.
Elves also have an appreciation for the written word, magic, and painstaking research. Their naturally keen minds and senses, combined with their inborn patience, make them particularly suited to wizardry. Arcane research and accomplishment are seen as both practical goals, in line with being a soldier or architect, and artistic endeavors as great as poetry or sculpture. Within elven society, wizards are held in extremely high regard as masters of an art both powerful and aesthetically valued. Other spellcasters are not disdained, but do not gain the praise lavished upon elven wizards.
=== Names ===
* Male Names: Caladrel, Heldalel, Lanliss, Meirdrarel, Seldlon, Talathel, Variel, Zordlon.
* Female Names: Amrunelara, Dardlara, Faunra, Jathal, Merisiel, Oparal, Soumral, Tessara, Yalandlara.
=== Relations ===
Elves are prone to dismissing other races, writing them off as rash and impulsive, yet on an individual level, they are excellent judges of character. In many cases an elf will come to value a specific member of another race, seeing that individual as deserving and respectable, while still dismissing the race as a whole. If called on this behavior, the elf often doesn’t understand why his “special friend” is upset the elf has noticed the friend is “so much better than the rest of his kind.” Even elves who see such prejudice for what it is must constantly watch themselves to prevent such views from coloring their thinking.
Elves are not foolish enough, however, to dismiss all aspects of other races and cultures. An elf might not want a dwarf neighbor, but would be the first to acknowledge dwarves’ skill at smithing and their tenacity in facing orc threats. Elves regard gnomes as strange (and sometimes dangerous) curiosities, but regard their magical talent as being worthy of praise and respect. Halflings are often viewed with a measure of pity, for these small folk seem to the elves to be adrift, without a traditional home. Elves are fascinated with humans, who seem to live in a few short years as full a life as an elf manages in centuries. In fact, many elves become infatuated with humans, as evidenced by the number of half-elves in the world. Elves have difficulty accepting crossbreeds of any sort, however, and usually disown such offspring. They similarly regard half-orcs with distrust and suspicion, assuming they possess the worst aspects of orc and human personalities.
=== Alignment and religion ===
Elves are emotional and capricious, yet value kindness and beauty. Most elves are chaotic good, wishing all creatures to be safe and happy, but unwilling to sacrifice personal freedom or choice to accomplish such goals. They prefer deities who share their love of the mystic qualities of the world.
=== Adventurers ===
Many elves embark on adventures out of a desire to explore the world, leaving their secluded realms to reclaim forgotten elven magic or search out lost kingdoms established millennia ago by their ancestors. This need to see a wider world is accepted by their societies as a natural part of becoming mature and experienced individuals. Such elves are expected to return in some few decades and take up lives in their homelands once more, enriched both in treasure and in worldview. For those elves raised among humans, however, life within their homes—watching friends and family swiftly age and die—is often stifling, and the ephemeral and unfettered life of an adventurer holds a natural appeal. Elves generally eschew melee because of their relative frailty, preferring instead to engage enemies at range. Most see combat as unpleasant even when needful, and prefer it be done as quickly as possible, preferably without getting close enough to smell their foes. This preference for making war at a distance, coupled with their natural accuracy and grasp of the arcane, encourages elves to pursue classes such as wizards and rangers.
== Traits ==
=== Standard racial traits ===
* Ability Score Modifiers: Elves are nimble, both in body and mind, but their form is frail. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Constitution.
* Size: Elves are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Type: Elves are Humanoids with the elf subtype.
* Base Speed: Elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
* Languages: Elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan. See the Languages page for more information about these languages.
=== Other racial traits ===
* Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
* Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.
* Keen Senses: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
* Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
* Weapon Familiarity: Elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), longswords, rapiers, and shortbows (including composite shortbows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.
=== Alternate racial traits ===
* Ageless Patience: Some families of elves have been strongly influenced by rigidly honorable non-elven cultures. This attitude, combined with elven longevity, produces elves of extraordinary patience, who can produce better results when taking their time than they could under time constraints. These elves gain a +2 racial bonus when taking 20 on skill checks. This racial trait replaces elven magic and keen senses.
* Aquatic Mastery (aquatic elves only): Some aquatic elves are able to wield the power of the sea with great prowess. Elves with this racial trait increase the DC of any spell with the water descriptor they cast by 1. This replaces weapon familiarity.
* Arcane Focus: Some elven families have such long traditions of producing wizards (and other arcane spellcasters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful magic-user, with little need for mundane concerns such as skill with weapons. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to cast arcane spells defensively. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
* Behind the Veil: Characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks while benefiting from concealment or cover. Elves can take this trait in place of low-light vision.
* Blended View: Prerequisite(s): low-light vision. Half-drow whose non-drow parent had low-light vision might be blessed with a legacy of versatile senses. Characters with this trait keep their low-light vision but also gain darkvision to a distance of 60 feet. Elves can take this trait in place of keen senses.
* Blightborn: Elves from cursed lands and domains of evil develop resistance to foul influences. They gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against necromancy spells and spell-like abilities and spells and spell-like abilities with the curse descriptor, as well as on saving throws to remove temporary negative levels. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
* Cold-Honed: The elf can move through natural snow and ice at their normal speed and gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves to avoid nonlethal damage from cold environments. This replaces elven immunities.
* Creepy: For some elves, their long, slender limbs and large pupils evoke not attraction, but unease in other humanoids. Non-elf humanoids take a –1 penalty on saving throws against spells these elves cast that cause confusion or fear. In addition, elves with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks to demoralize. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Crossbow Training: An elf with this trait can reload a light crossbow as a free action and a heavy crossbow as a move action, provided that she is proficient with the weapon. If she selects the Rapid Reload feat for a heavy crossbow, she can reload the weapon as a free action. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
* Darkvision: Though uncommon, some groups of elves are born with darkvision, rather than low-light vision. In many cases this is taken as a sign of a drow in the elf’s ancestry, and can lead to persecution within the elf’s home community. Elves with this racial trait gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, but also gain sensitivity to light and are dazzled in areas of bright light or within the radius of a daylight spell. This racial trait replaces low-light vision.
* Deep Sea Dweller (aquatic elves only): Aquatic elves who live far beneath the surface have adapted to the inhospitable conditions of the ocean depths. Aquatic elves with this racial trait gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet and cold resistance 5. This racial trait replaces low-light vision and elven immunities.
* Desert Runner: Some elves thrive in the deepest deserts, forever roaming across burned and parched lands. Elves with this racial trait receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue, exhaustion, or ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst, or hot or cold environments. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Devoted Companion: While some Forlorn quickly become inured to the loss and tragedy all too common in their lives, some refuse to let go, fighting passionately when companions are endangered. Elves with this alternate racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls and caster level checks while adjacent to an ally who has been reduced to fewer than half her maximum hit points. This replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
* Dimdweller: Whenever characters with this trait benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Elves can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
* Disinterested Observer: Elves who frequently interact with shorter-lived species often come to rely on their ability to weight out such impatient races. These elves gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls and skill checks made as part of readied actions in combat. This racial trait replaces the elven magic and weapon familiarity traits.
* Dragon Magic: Some elves have potent draconic blood. Elves with this racial trait who take a draconic bloodline as a class feature treat their Charisma scores as 2 points higher when determining the DC and uses per day of all bloodline abilities and bloodline spells. Additionally, elves with this trait add spells with the draconic descriptor to their class spell lists for any spellcasting classes in which they have levels.
* Draconic Consular: Elves serving in the company of dragons are trained to assist and represent their draconic allies. Elves with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on Diplomacy and Knowledge (arcana) checks. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
* Dreamspeaker: A few elves have the ability to tap into the power of sleep, dreams, and prescient reverie. Elves with this racial trait add +1 to the saving throw DCs of spells of the divination school and sleep effects they cast. In addition, elves with Charisma scores of 15 or higher may use dream once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level is equal to the elf’s character level). This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
* Dusksight: When making ranged attacks, characters with this trait can reroll the miss chance granted by cover to any target in dim light, and take the better of the two rolls. The miss chance for total concealment applies normally. Elves can take this trait in place of keen senses.
* Eastern Weapon Mastery: Elves with this racial trait are proficient with fighting fans and tonfa, and they treat katanas, kusarigamas, and wakizashis as martial weapons. This replaces weapon familiarity.
* Elemental Resistance: Elves who dwell in the most extreme environments, from arctic wastelands to volcanic plains, develop natural resistance to the dangers of their homelands over the course of a few generations. Elves with this racial trait gain elemental resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, or fire. This choice is made at character creation, and once made it cannot be changed. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
* Elven Arrogance: Some elves are so convinced of elven superiority, or else otherwise so xenophobic, that they have difficulty seeing the point in communicating with “lesser” races. Their racial bonus on saving throws against enchantments increases by 1 (to +3) against such effects from non-elf humanoids, but they begin play speaking only Elven, and if they have high Intelligence scores, they can select bonus languages from only 1 ancient language, Celestial, Draconic, and Sylvan.
* Envoy: Elves often have trouble relating to neighbors of other races, especially those with much shorter lifespans. As a result, some are trained in minor magics that are particularly useful when dealing with non-elves. Elves with this racial trait and an Intelligence score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like abilities once per day: comprehend languages, detect magic, detect poison, and read magic. The caster level for these effects is equal to the elf’s level. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Eternal Grudge: Some elves grow up in secluded, isolationist communities where generations-old slights and quarrels linger as eternal blood feuds. Elves with this racial trait receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoids of the dwarf and orc subtypes because of special training against these hated foes. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Fey Magic: The character has a mystic connection to one terrain type, selected from the ranger’s favored terrain list. The character selects three 0-level druid spells and one 1st-level druid spell. If the character has a Charisma score of 11 or higher, when in the selected terrain, she gains these spells as spell-like abilities that can be cast once per day. The caster level for these effects is equal to the user’s character level. The DC for the spell-like abilities is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the user’s Charisma modifier. These spells are treated as being from a fey source for the purposes of the druid’s resist nature’s lure class feature and similar abilities. This trait replaces keen senses.
* Fey-Sighted: You gain detect magic as a constant spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to your character level. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Fey Thoughts: Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. This trait replaces racial weapon familiarity.
* Fleet-Footed: While all elves are naturally lithe and agile, some also are naturally speedy and have a strong desire to rush into situations rather than worrying about looking ahead. Elves with this racial trait receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 racial bonus on initiative checks. This racial trait replaces keen senses and weapon familiarity.
* Frostmelding: Elves with this alternate racial trait can use meld into stone as a spell-like ability once per day, with a caster level equal to their character level, except that they instead meld with snow and ice and the spell duration is 1 round per level. This replaces elven magic.
* Human-raised: Elves raised outside of elven communities—are accustomed to other races’ brevity of life. Although they lose the opportunity to train in traditional elven arts, these elves pick up a bit of their adoptive parents’ skills. They gain Skill Focus as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
* Illustrious Urbanite: City elves have a remarkable ability to combine magic harmoniously with their surroundings. They gain Spell Focus with conjuration, illusion, or transmutation spells as a bonus feat. When casting spells of this school, the elves can choose to have the spell leave undamaged any building or structure that would normally be affected. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
* Jungle Affinity: The elf gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks while within jungle terrain and can move through natural difficult terrain in a jungle at their normal speed. This trait replaces multitalented.
* Keeper of Secrets: Some elves seek to protect younger races from dangerous lore. The save DCs of enchantment spells they cast against humanoidsincrease by 1 and they receive a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Linguistics checks to omit or cover up facts. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Light Against Darkness: Elves have fought against the corruption of demons since time immemorial. Elves with this trait receive a +1 bonus on attack rollsagainst outsiders with the demon subtype. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Lightbringer: Many elves revere the sun, moon, and stars, but some are literally infused with the radiant power of the heavens. Elves with this racial trait are immune to light-based blindness and dazzle effects, and are treated as one level higher when determining the effects of any light-based spell or effect they cast (including spell-like and supernatural abilities). Elves with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may use light at will as a spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the elven immunities and elven magic racial traits.
* Long-Limbed: Elves with this racial trait have a base move speed of 35 feet. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
* Loremasters: Some elves are steeped in lore older than most civilizations. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), and Spellcraft checks. This racial trait replaces elven magic and keen senses.
* Memories Beyond Death: Some elves are born with sensitive souls that absorb insight from others and from the spirits of the deceased. These elves gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear effects. They also choose two Knowledge skills and always treat those skills as class skills. If they take a class that grants either or both of those skills as class skills, they gain a +1 racial bonus on the overlapping skill or skills. This racial trait replaces elven immunities and elven magic.
* Moonkissed: Elves with this alternate racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on saving throws. This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.
* Mordant Envoy: Add +1 to the caster level of any transmutation spells cast. Elves with a Charisma score of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—comprehend languages, detect secret doors, erase, and read magic. The caster level for these effects is equal to the elve’s character level. This replaces adaptability.
* Natural Swimmer: Elves with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Swim checks and can always take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered when swimming. This racial trait replaces elven magic and keen senses.
* Overwhelming Magic: Some elves obsess over the fundamentals of magic, training for decades to add layers of potent spellwork before they ever begin practicing true spells. This builds a foundation that makes their magic increasingly difficult to resist. These elves gain Spell Focus as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
* Perfect: The eerie beauty of some elves cannot be denied. Elves with this racial trait receive a +1 racial bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks against humanoids and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against transmutation spells and spell-like effects. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
* Poison Minion: Drow sometimes augment their slaves and frontline warriors by making them toxic, causing their bodies to internally produce mawbane poison (see below). The resulting poisonous creature makes a potent weapon in the effort to discourage neighboring monsters. Any creature that hits such a character with a bite attack is immediately exposed to its poison. The save DC for this poison is equal to 10 + 1/2 the character’s Hit Dice + the character’s Constitution modifier. Mawbane Poison—ingested; save Fortitude as above; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Constitution damage; cure 1 save. Elves can take this trait in place of elven magic and weapon familiarity.
* Retreat Magic: Some elves specialize in magic that fools foes into misjudging elven numbers and locations. These elves gain a +1 racial bonus to their caster levels for the purpose of determining the range and duration of all conjuration and illusion spells that they cast. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Sense Thoughts: Some elves are so closely attuned to each other and their environment that they seem able to read each other’s minds and their foes’ thoughts. Elves with this alternate racial trait can use detect thoughts as a spell-like ability once per day, with a caster level equal to their character level. This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.
* Shadowhunter: Characters with this trait deal 50% weapon damage to incorporeal creatures when using non-magical weapons (including natural and unarmed attacks), as if using magic weapons. They also gain a +2 bonus on saving throws to remove negative levels, and recover physical ability damagefrom attacks by undead creatures at a rate of 2 points per ability score per day (rather than the normal 1 point per ability score per day). Elves can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
* Shadowplay: Characters with this trait cast spells with the darkness, light, or shadow descriptor at +1 caster level. Elves can take this trait in place of elven magic, also gaining the fetchling’s spell-like abilities racial trait.
* Silent Hunter: Elves are renowned for their subtlety and skill. Elves with this racial trait reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this racial trait). This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Slender: Elves often appear unnaturally thin by other races’ standards. Elves with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks, on combat maneuver checks to escape a grapple, and to CMD against grapples. This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
* Spirit of the Waters: Some elves have adapted to life in tune with the sea or along the reedy depths of wild rivers and lakes. They gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks, can always take 10 while swimming, and may choose Talan as a bonus language. They are proficient with longspear, trident, and net. This racial trait replaces elven magic and weapon familiarity.
* Surface Features (aquatic elves only): Some aquatic elves appear almost indistinguishable from surface elves. Their coloring, height, and weight all suggest those of a surface elf, and the webbing between their digits is almost transparent. Aquatic elves with this racial trait gain a +4 bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks when attempting to pass themselves off as surface elves. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
* Surfacer Antagonist (aquatic elves only): Aquatic elves generally distrust humans, but for some, the suspicion has become festering hatred. Those who have lost loved ones to human aggression or have watched humans loot artifacts from venerated undersea ruins view all humans as enemies. Aquatic elves with this racial trait receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humans. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Tongue of the Sea: Elves with this racial trait begin play speaking an ancient language and Elven. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Aboleth, Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, and Undercommon. This racial trait replaces an elf’s normal languages.
* Urbanite: Elves who live in cities for more than a century can grow to know the ebb and flow of social situations just as their forest-dwelling cousins know the rules of the wild. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Sense Motive checks made to get a hunch about a social situation. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
* Vigilance: You gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by chaotic creatures. This trait replaces elven magic.
* Voice in the Darkness: Prerequisite(s): Charisma 13+. Characters who practice coercion and intimidation in the Underworld or on the Shadow Plane learn to do so in dim light or no light at all. As long as they are in dim light or darker conditions, characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate and Stealth checks. Elves can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
* Woodcraft: Elves know the deep secrets of the wild like no others, especially secrets of the forests. Elves with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. In forest terrain, these bonuses improve to +2. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
== Racial subtypes ==
=== Arctic elf ===
These elves live primarily in the frozen Kaldr. They were born and raised in the frozen lands of the far north or south, and have dealt with freezing deserts, nights that last for weeks, and the horrors that roam the cold terrain. These elves have the darkvision, desert runner, and elemental resistance alternate racial traits.
=== Aquatic elf ===
Aquatic elves, or sea elves, live in both the Majority and the mainland. These amphibious elves often have unnatural skin colors and either solid or fish-like eyes. They have gills, can breathe both air and water, and have a swim speed of 30 ft. They also gain the aquatic subtype in addition to the elf subtype, meaning they always treat Swim as a class skill. Aquatic elves have the darkvision and spirit of the waters alternate racial traits. They also have access to the aquatic mastery, deep sea dweller, surface features, and surfacer antagonist alternate racial traits.
=== Dusk elf ===
Gray- and purple-skinned, dusk elves are the primary inhabitants of the city Yale’hadil. Rather than being tied to the terrain around them, some elves are linked to the night itself. Though not tied to demon worship and evil as drow often are, these elves are similarly attuned to the magical concepts of darkness and shadow. These elves have the arcane focus, darkvision, dreamspeaker, and silent hunter alternate racial traits.
=== High elf ===
Sometimes called "vanilla elves," these are the most common and human-like type of elves. They are the primary inhabitants of Mithalleana.
=== Major elf ===
The primary species of elf in the Majority, major elves grew up very differently from their cousins on the mainland. These seafaring elves are freakishly lithe and sinewy, with alarmingly big eyes. Major elves often serve as emissaries or consultants for Mizani and other draconic species. These elves have the creepy, draconic consular, long-limbed, and slender alternate racial traits. Their starting languages are changed to Elven and Hapanui.
=== Sand elf ===
These elves live primarily in the Desert. They are the primary inhabitants of the city of Panohsem. They, too, have dealt with horrific and deadly terrain. These elves have the darkvision, desert runner, and elemental resistance alternate racial traits. These elves have the eternal grudge and fleet-footed alternate racial traits.
=== Savage elf ===
Far from the barbarism their name might imply, savage elves are largely peaceful naturalists who choose to live off of the land and away from civilization. They operate in large nomadic tribes and familial colonies that live primarily in the Dusk Forest. Though they have no kingdom or city, the Temple of Whispered Songs is a sacred place to them.
=== Tower elf ===
Tower elves are the scientific and institutional masters of Musea. They have long eyebrows and glowing eyes. They have a tower to the north of Mithalleana, called quite simply the Tower, from which they conduct research and public business. Their elven institutions of magical learning date back centuries, and entire clans of elves have lived for generations as caretakers, students, and instructors of these self-sufficient schools of wizardry. These elves have the arcane focus and urbanite alternate racial traits. 
== 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 one extract formula from the alchemist’s list to his formula book. This formula must be at least one level lower than the highest-level formula the alchemist can create.
* Arcanist: Increase total number of points in the arcanist’s arcane reservoir by 1.
* Barbarian: Add +1 to the barbarian’s base speed. In combat this option has no effect unless the barbarian has selected it five times (or another increment of five). This bonus stacks with the barbarian’s fast movement feature and applies under the same conditions as that feature.
* Bard: Add +1 to the bard’s CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder attempt.
* Bloodrager: Add 1 foot to the bloodrager’s base speed. In combat, this only has an effect for every five increases in base speed. This bonus stacks with the bloodrager’s fast movement class feature, and applies under the same conditions and that feature.
* Brawler: Add 1 foot to the brawler’s base speed. In combat, this has an effect only for every five increases in the brawler’s base speed.
* Cavalier: Add +1 hit point to the cavalier’s mount. If the cavalier ever replaces his mount, the new mount gains these bonus hit points.
* 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: Add +1 to the Fighter’s CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder attempt.
* Gunslinger: Add +1/3 on critical hit confirmation rolls made with firearms (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
* Hunter: Choose a weapon from the following list: longbow, longsword, rapier, short sword, shortbow, or any weapon with “elven” in its name. Gain a +1/2 bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls made while using that type of weapon (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with those gained through Critical Focus and similar effects.
* Inquisitor: Add one spell known from the inquisitor’s spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest-level spell the inquisitor can cast.
* Investigator: Increase the total number of points in the investigator’s inspiration pool by 1/3.
* Kineticist: Gain a +1/4 bonus on damage rolls that apply the kineticist’s elemental overflow bonus.
* Magus: The magus gains 1/6 of a new magus arcana.
* Medium: Gain a +1/3 bonus on all skill checks using occult skill unlocks.
* Mesmerist: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Acrobatics checks to move through a threatened area and a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint.
* Mesmerist: Add a +1/4 bonus on grapple and trip combat maneuver checks.
* Monk: Add +1 to the monk’s base speed. In combat this option has no effect unless the monk has selected it five times (or another increment of five). This bonus stacks with the monk’s fast movement class feature and applies under the same conditions as that feature.
* Occultist: Increase the occultist’s total number of points of mental focus by 1/2 point.
* Oracle: Add +1/6 to the oracle’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of one revelation.
* Paladin: Add +1/2 hit point to the paladin’s lay on hands ability (whether using it to heal or harm).
* Psychic: Increase the total number of points in the psychic’s phrenic pool by 1/3 point.
* Ranger: Choose a weapon from the following list: longbow, longsword, rapier, shortbow, short sword, or any weapon with “elven” in its name. Add +1/2 on critical hit confirmation rolls made while using that weapon (maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
* Rogue: Add +1 to the number of times per day the rogue can cast a cantrip or 1st-level spell gained from the minor magic or major magic talent. The number of times this bonus is selected for the major magic talent cannot exceed the number of times it is selected for the minor magic talent. The rogue must possess the associated rogue talent to select these options.
* Shaman: Add 5 feet to the range of a chosen shaman hex. Multiple bonuses from this ability can apply to the same hex, to a maximum of an additional 30 feet for any single hex.
* Skald: Increase the bonus granted by the well-versed class feature by 1/4 (maximum +8).
* Slayer: Increase the studied target bonus on Perception and Survival checks by 1/4. When the slayer gains the stalker class feature, he also gains this increase to the studied target bonus on Stealth checks.
* Sorcerer: Select one bloodline power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the sorcerer’s Charisma modifier. The sorcerer adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that bloodline power.
* Sorcerer: Choose a terrain type from the ranger’s favored terrain list. When casting sorcerer spells in the chosen terrain, add 1/3 to the effective caster levelof the spell, for the purpose of determining the spells’ duration.
* Spiritualist: Add 1/6 to the shield bonus granted by the 3rd-level ectoplasmic bonded manifestation ability.
* Summoner: The amount of time the summoner must spend to summon his eidolon is reduced by 1 round, to a minimum of 1 round.
* Swashbuckler: Increase the total number of points in the swashbuckler’s panache pool by 1/4.
* Vigilante: Gain +1/3 on all Acrobatics, Climb, and Stealth checks in forested areas.
* Warpriest: Add 1/2 to the number of times per day the warpriest can use blessings, but he can use these additional blessings on only those from the Air, Animal, Charm, Magic, Plant, or Sun domains.
* Witch: Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level lower than the highest-level spell she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
* Witch: Add a +1/2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify cursed items and on Sense Motive checks to notice enchantment or possession.
* 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.
=== Aquatic elf options ===
Aquatic elves additionally have access to the following options.
* Arcanist: Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s caster level when casting spells with the water descriptor.
* Cavalier: Add 1 skill rank to the cavalier’s mount. If the cavalier ever replaces his mount, the new mount gains these bonus skill ranks.
* Druid: Add 1 hit point to the druid’s animal companion. If the druid ever replaces her animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points. For a druid whose nature bond gives her a cleric domain, select one cleric domain power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the druid’s Wisdom modifier. The druid adds 1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power.
* Fighter: Choose a weapon from the following list: rapier, short sword, trident, or any weapon with “elven” in its name. Gain a +1/2 bonus on critical hitconfirmation rolls made while using that type of weapon (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with those gained through Critical Focus and similar effects.
* Magus: Add one spell from the cleric, druid, or wizard spell list with the water descriptor to the magus’s spellbook. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level he can cast. This spell is treated as 1 level higher unless it also appears on the magus spell list.
* Ranger: Choose a weapon from the following list: longbow, shortbow, or any weapon with “elven” in its name. Reduce the penalty on ranged attack rollsunderwater made with this weapon by 1.
* Summoner: As long as the summoner’s eidolon has a swim speed, add 5 feet to its swim speed (max +20 feet).
* Witch: When casting a witch spell underwater, add 1/3 to the effective caster level of the spell for the purpose of determining the spell’s duration.
* Wizard: Add 1 to the wizard’s caster level check when attempting to cast a spell with the fire descriptor underwater.
== Archetypes ==
The following racial archetypes are available to elves:
* Ancient Lorekeeper (Oracle; Elf)
* Spell Dancer (Magus; Elf)
* Spellbinder (Wizard; Elf)
* Treesinger (Druid; Elf)
== Feats ==
The following feats are available to an elf character who meets the prerequisites.
* Attuned to the Wild
* Breadth of Experience
* Elven Accuracy
* Elven Battle Training
* Guardian of the Wild
* Leaf Singer
* Light Step
* Mage of the Wild
* Spirit of the Wild
* Stabbing Shot
== Classes ==
The following classes and/or prestige classes are available to an elf character who meets the prerequisites.
* Brightness Seeker
Category:Races