| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Iliyan |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 08:19:20
Hi everyone, my question today is, is it possible for a Elan to be made out of a non-human race?
Elans are fabricated from humans. However lets say a Drow Elan... would he regain spell resistance? Ability bonuses? Stuff like that? |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kilvan |
Posted - 06 Nov 2008 : 17:12:19
quote:
Originally posted by HawkinstheDM
it says nothing about their reproductive organs not working, just that to make more elan the aspirants have to undergo the same process they did.
I quite agree, but the way I understand elans, they are above such "primal behaviour" and simply don't care about sex. It may be a mis-interpretation, but the way I see them, they think the body is nothing but a shell. They prefer intellectual and psychological rewards over material or physical. That would be an effect of losing their "humanity", they perceive things in a way beyond human's comprehension.
In other words, I think their way of viewing life is more akin to mind flayers, as described in "The Illithiad", meaning that the power of the body is nothing compared to the power of the mind. More than that, the body is nothing but an hindrance, a weakness, forcing you to feed, sleep, brings you pain ect.
Again, it's simply my interpretation of this strange race. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 06 Nov 2008 : 16:55:56
Here is the crunch from the d20 SRD (of 3.5 days):
Elans
* -2 Charisma
* Aberration: Elans are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
* Medium: As Medium creatures, elans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Elan base land speed is 30 feet.
* Elans (unlike most aberrations) do not have darkvision.
* Naturally Psionic: Elans gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
* Resistance (Su): Elans can use psionic energy to increase their resistance to various forms of attack. As an immediate action, an elan can spend 1 power point to gain a +4 racial bonus on saving throws until the beginning of her next action.
* Resilience (Su): When an elan takes damage, she can spend power points to reduce its severity. As an immediate action, she can reduce the damage she is about to take by 2 hit points for every 1 power point she spends.
* Repletion (Su): An elan can sustain her body without need of food or water. If she spends 1 power point, an elan does not need to eat or drink for 24 hours.
* Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). Elans’ past lives expose them to wide ranges of language.
* Favored Class: Psion.
* Level Adjustment: +0. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 06 Nov 2008 : 16:35:08
quote:
Originally posted by Kilvan
I could also add that they don't reproduce biologically, but psionically, and their "children" are fully-grown adults. Making me never want to be an elan, it's just not worth it.
Or they could adopt. Nothing wrong with that. And to toe a line I do not normally toe, it says nothing about their reproductive organs not working, just that to make more elan the aspirants have to undergo the same process they did. This actually could be a good plot point for someone who was not an Elan but carried the bloodline of one from Jhaamdath. And did I miss it, or did no one mention Eytan Bernstein's excellent Class Chronicles article on the subject? |
| Kilvan |
Posted - 06 Nov 2008 : 13:00:54
Oh, and since nobody answered Na-Gang's question, allow me. An elan is a new race introduced in the expanded psionic handbook. It's a human that became an aberration and can now live forever, really, they are immortal (that's better than lichdom). They retain two things from their former self, their physical appearance and their memories, that's it.
As for the "crunch", they have a level adjusment +0 and gain a few psionics ability. Like human, they tend toward no particular alignment, not even neutral.
I could also add that they don't reproduce biologically, but psionically, and their "children" are fully-grown adults. Making me never want to be an elan, it's just not worth it.
Edit: oh, and GoCeraf had mostly answered already, sorry about that |
| Kilvan |
Posted - 06 Nov 2008 : 12:49:54
According to the elan's description in the EPH, non-human can't be made into elans, for no specified reason, they just can't. That said, it also says that any human becoming elan loses everything but their memories. That includes class levels, skills and any special ability granted to humans. So, if you decided to allow a drow to become an elan, he should lose everything too.
Alternatly, i'd say that a drow with all the elan and drow abilities could exist, through intense research and incantation and maybe with the help of a few illithids, but with a level adjustment +3. I would throw in a level of abberation though, or it's HP would be ridiculously low.
In other words, the DM word is law, do whatever you feel is right... and fun. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 18:16:29
I'm with everyone else here - DEFINATELY just a supeficial resemblance to the original race, and ONLY Elan abilites should apply (I'm thinking we have ourselves a power-gamer here).
You see, I once built a Firbolg Barbarian Shaman Runepriest in a 2e game, so I know a little something about taking from different rulebooks just to create an unstoppable juggernaught. 
On the other hand, a group of Drow who divorced themselves from normal Dark-Elven culture to persue psionics to it's extreme sounds like a fun idea for a setting. 
Dro'lan?  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 15:20:00
It's true. |
| Na-Gang |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 11:32:10
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by Na-Gang
What in the Nine Hells is an Elan?
é·lan
n.
1. Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness.
2. Distinctive style or flair.
Oh Rino. |
| StarBog |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 10:48:11
quote:
Originally posted by Brynweir
Hah. When I first saw the topic I thought it was a reference to the Order of the Stick....
You weren't the only one...
|
| Brynweir |
Posted - 01 Nov 2008 : 19:25:14
Hah. When I first saw the topic I thought it was a reference to the Order of the Stick....
I have to agree with Stormlord - I'd allow it, but they'd simply look like a drow but in fact be a whole nother race. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 01 Nov 2008 : 19:05:21
-Link 'em to some kind of ritual of transformation of some sort, and there you go. Make it such that anyone can cast it, of course. Were I the one making the ruling, they wouldn't retain original abilities, however. Humans casting it who become Elan, and they don't retain their special abilities, so... |
| Stormlord |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 16:30:53
I would allow a player to be an elan made from drow stock. But the abilities gained would be that of an elan, you would just look like a drow. It would purely be a superficial change.
My reasons for that are; an elan is a totally new race with its own bonuses/penalties and you cease to be who and what you were.
This is just my opinion on the topic, yours may vary. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 16:29:31
quote:
Originally posted by Na-Gang
What in the Nine Hells is an Elan?
é·lan
n.
1. Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness.
2. Distinctive style or flair.
|
| GoCeraf |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 12:40:04
It's a psionic race created (generally) from human stock. They can live over 1000 years and they have some racial abilities that are activated with the expenditure of power points.
Ergo, an Elan psion is a lot more powerful than an Elan wizard.
As far as other races, I couldn't say. |
| Na-Gang |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 09:34:44
What in the Nine Hells is an Elan? |
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