Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Elves are not Elven - Tel-quessir feed back ;)

That's funny, because I see it the exact other way around. DoS2 Elves are just cannibals for the edge and the "read memories through eating" thing is just silly. Meanwhile, TES wood elves are cannibals for not just cultural but mythical reasons, because of their bestial nature and connection to the Wild Hunt. DoS elves are a weak attempt at making their elves different from the "standard" elf, while the TES subversion has strong ties to the bigger narrative of the setting and tells of their place within it, as well as firm roots to the real world myths that elves are founded in.

DOS2 elves are barely quessir. They're more like dryads that gain knowledge from consuming mortals. Much more fey / classic elf (where elf is just one language's word for faerie), compared to the mer who are far more based off Tolkein's elves.

TES elves aren't anything like Tolkien's, they're DnD through and through. With the exception of their Wood Elves, which again are far more like what you describe DoS elves as than DoS elves themselves. That's what I was getting at with the Wild Hunt and their mythical roots.

Really would like to see more sharper/slender/angular features for the elves in BG3. Also otherwordly almond shaped eyes! Hopefully this is addressed in some ways before the full release. As of now they just look like regular humans with pointy ears in my opinion. Doesn't look like elves at all for me.

Looking forward to getting this game!

DnD elves have ( mostly ) always been "short skinny humans with pointy ears", so your preference wouldn't really fit.

Not sure where the "angular elf" even originated. There were a number of "angular" character images in 1970s and 1980s fantasy art, but that was artistic style more than the race depicted. Maybe it was Warhammer that drove the trend, wanting to have something distinct.

Personally, I always think of elves as Tolkein depicted them, but the Norse mythology that spawned the light elves and dark elves is a bit blurry on details of appearance, so I guess you can think of them any way you choose.

The entire opening post of this thread is an analysis, in detail and with pictures, of how DnD elves have not been simply humans with pointy ears, focusing specifically on their distinctive angular features and almond shaped eyes, just as Kurre mentioned.

Yeah, I think that all races need some changes to be more unique. But elves are the worse, in my opinion they just don't look like elves in this game.

I do agree with the OP here, the elves so far don't look too unlike humans at all.

High Elves and Wood Elves are a copy paste of 5e, the game doesn't go deep into the diffrent sub-race types of elves (Forgotten Realms) enough IMO.

High Elf
As a high elf, you have a keen mind and a mastery of at least the basics of magic. In many of the worlds of D&D, there are two kinds of high elves. One type (which
includes the gray elves and valley elves of Greyhawk, the Silvanesti of Dragonlance, and the sun elves of the Forgotten Realms) is haughty and reclusive, believing
themselves to be superior to non-elves and even other elves.
The other type (including the high elves of Greyhawk, the Qualinesti of Dragonlance, and the moon elves of the Forgotten Realms) are more common and more
friendly, and often encountered among humans and other races.

The sun elves of Faerûn (also called gold elves or sun-rise elves) have bronze skin and hair of copper, black, or golden blond. Their eyes are golden, silver, or black.

Moon elves (also called silver elves or gray elves) are much paler, with alabaster skin sometimes tinged with blue. They often have hair of silver-white, black, or blue,
but various shades of blond, brown, and red are not uncommon. Their eyes are blue or green and flecked with gold.

Copy/paste from freebe pdf, page: 17

I don't have the info on Eladrin or how they are interpreted in 5e for forgotten realms. 4e which I have info on does a different take on the FR elves since its only elves and eladrin with no subtypes.

My favorite pic of a Eladrin in the forgotten realms phb 4e


curious if they make it to bg3 if they will be tossed off to the side like drow or put under elves as a subrace.

edit*this is part of the info I was going to post on the drow thread but decided just to toss it here since this thread is general is more about all elves.

The half elves faces are actually my favorite ones, so if they changed that, they could just put those faces for humans, since I don’t like the current faces for humans, that’s why I keep creating half elves.

I think elves should look different indeed. Because in 5e, they are inhabitants of the Feywild and should be distinct in terms of appearance with the races of the mortal plane, even more so than they used to be in previous editions.

And I agree, the tieflings are the best non humans looking in the game right now. Larian managed to give them a kind of unique appeal and sexiness which befits their devilish origins.

I also agree my biggest gripe is that we have to choose from preset and I absolutely despise that. They wanted us to go wild with the character creator yet they lock us into preset of other people faces. The elves are the most non looking elves ive seen as someone mentioned the half-elf preset look more like an elf than the elf does.

I like my elf pc's face and don't want it to be changed or removed. It would be great to have additional head options, though.

No really, I think the elves are fine. I despise the "jackass" ear elves like in DOS and Warcraft. I am actually really fine with the elves looking more Tolkien (I know, blasphemy right)..

More than likely, and I want to say I read it somewhere. This is not the complete character creator. Supposedly there will be more options when it goes live. If not, that is why I love the mod community.

This has my complete support.

Whilst we've gotten used to the LOTR film Elven archtype, I'm moderately sure the original influences are where D&D got their own throw on it... and whilst I'm not against the typical pointy ear humans we have, I'd prefer them to spend the appropriate amount of time on each and every race. Especially given the love they've shown to Tieflings and Dwarves. ( Just need more beards, horns and hair for both parties )

Considering a heavy number of Fae/Fairy races will likely not be added due to them being Small/Tiny/Winged etc; I would like the Fae touched races we do have, to actually look the part! Even if it means morphing/ruining Shadowheart's current face (and it is a nice one) she looks more like a Quarter Elf, not a Half.

You are entitled to your opinion, but that does not change the fact that the elves in Forgotten Realms have a specific appearance and, although this changes slightly with each edition of the books, they have retained most of their characteristics. After years of playing D&D in this setting and reading the novels, most of us are really invested in the universe and want it to be represented correctly.

This exactly! Thank you.



Right? They really outdid themselves with tieflings. It only stands to show how amazing elves could look if they actually paid them some attention.

No. Don't touch Astarion's perfect face.
Also Shadow is a half-elf.

The problem with Astarian... is he looks like a human with pointy ears, not an elf. At best he would be a half elf. The only male "elf" face that even comes close to looking like an elf is #2. And for female it's #3.