Half-Elf

The term “half-elf” refers to an individual with one parent who is human and the other elven, or two half-elven parents, or one parent who is quarter-elven and the other three-quarters elven. Typically, someone who is only one-quarter elven or less with the larger portion being human will be referred to only as human, while only another elf is likely to perceive that a person who is three-quarters elf has recent human heritage.

To humans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 180 pounds, with men only slightly taller and heavier than women. Half-elf men do have facial hair, and sometimes grow beards to mask their elven ancestry. Half-elven coloration and features lie somewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either heritage. They tend to have the eyes of their elven parents.

Half-Elves of the Sword Coast

Half-elves whose elven heritage is that of a moon-elf are relatively common on the Sword Coast, as moon elves tend to mingle relatively freely with human settlements. Half-sun-elves are much less common and half-wood-elves are very rare except in deep woodland or druidic communities.

Half-dark-elves are rare, though there are a few places where humans and dark elves mix in the Sword Coast North, particularly in the cities of Waterdeep and Luskan.

Half-Elf Names

Half-elves use either human or elven naming conventions. Half-elves raised among humans often have elven given names and those raised among elves often take human given names, but some half-elves’ parents embrace their child’s split heritage and choose a name from each, such as a human given name and an elven family name, or an elven given name and a human surname.

Moon elf and wood elf clans tend to be matriarchal, so a “half-human” raised among moon elves or wood elves is slightly more likely to have their mother’s family name instead of that of their father’s surname, especially if the mother is elven. Sun elf families and most humans are patriarchal, so a half-human raised among sun elves or a half-elf raised among humans is likely to have their father’s surname or family name.

Half-human children raised by Underdark-dwelling drow are rare, and are usually not permitted a surname even if their female parent is a drow noble. A half-human child raised by surface drow will likely have her mother’s surname even if the mother is human.

Half-Elf Traits

A half-elf has some qualities in common with elves, some with humans, and some that are unique to half-elves.

Age

Half-elves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years.

Size

Half-elves are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Their size is Medium.

Speed

A half-elf’s base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to their elven blood, half-elves have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. A half-elf can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. A half-elf can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fey Ancestry

Half-elves have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put them to sleep. However, most half-elves cannot achieve reverie and must sleep for 6 or more hours as their human heritage requires.