Print 
PDFThis is just window dressing, but I think elves don’t sleep.
I was listening to a discussion over on the Roll for Initiative Podcast about whether AD&D ever said that they don’t. Clearly elves are immune to sleep spells in the old school editions, but actually needing sleep? While they were discussing it, someone IM’ed them and told them it was an option 2e rule from an elf handbook.
I am all in favor of elves never sleeping. To elves, sleep is a close cousin to death. they only sleep when sick or injured. Elves only have beds in their hospitals (or wherever they heal).
Elves don’t need bedrooms, even for lovemaking. They go to the woods or something. Having sex on a bed is, for an elf, akin to having sex in a coffin or on a gurney. Which is to say, some very few of them really love it, but most of them wouldn’t be into it.
So elves can handle the entire night’s watch, unless they need to rememorize spells. Maybe there should be some chance they will be distracted by visions or something. Otherwise, every party will have an elf. Ideas are welcome.
Me? I like anything that alienates elves from humans.
Half elves? Eh, don’t even get me started. I don’t think there are any.
Related posts:
- Rethinking Elves 2 – Lost Knowledge That a race that lives as long as elves is generally not in touch with the concept of their own...
- Rethinking Elves I was thinking about this, from the LotFP Weird Fantasy: Once the epitome of enlightenment and responsibility, elfin civilization has...
- Drow Are Elves Who Use Too Much Magic Human magic is a chaotic, warping influence. Yesterday I suggested that Magic Users, should they somehow live to an old...
I hear elves don’t poop like mortal men. The regurgitate pellets like owls.
Absolutely true! Bravo sir!
And their Farts smell of cinnamon and cloves!
I’d go with them using padded couches instead of beds. After all, grass and sticks aren’t really comfortable, it can get pretty cold in some places in winter, and there’s the small matter of bears, wolves, snakes, spiders, and any other insects.
As for the actual question, I’ve never seen anything about it in 2e (I think that’s what I have, but I can’t tell very well), but 3.5 says they require 8 hours of trance. Of course, that always struck me as being stupid and heavy handed – how is going into a trance for 8 hours and seeing visions different from sleeping and having dreams?
Personally, I’d say go for it, but give them a -3 on saves against sleep spells because they aren’t used to resisting the urge to take a nap.
Actually, it’s six hours and they still see. Oops.