Dark Elves

[ClemGrt]

Greetings, I'm publishing 3 Dark-elves as monsters : a soldier, a spearman and a crossbowman :
They can all be found on my Blog

Dark-Elf soldier:


Dark-Elf Spearman:


Dark-Elf Crossbowman:

[Pancho]

It's great that you're adding Dark Elves to HQ. I'm a big fan of these guys and would love to see/do a dedicated Dark Elf Quest pack one day.

I think the combat stats for your elves are a bit on the low side. Not much better than Goblins, when really Elves should be dangerous foes.
I don't have my cards handy but I think my DE warriors have 3 dice in attack and defend like the Dark warriors in The dark company (i.e. if they roll a black skull with any of their 3 defence dice they are unharmed by the attack). They look like they have Longswords on your cards so 3 dice in attack fits with that.
My DE Crossbowmen use repeater crossbows like in Warhammer fantasy; when making ranged attacks they can either fire one bolt with 3 dice, or make two attacks on the same opponent each with two combat dice. It gives some tactical options to the Evil Wizard player for a change.
Some of the other Dark Elves like Assassins, Witch Elves, Scouts all can make poisoned attacks. All of them defend in the same way as Dark Company monsters.

Coming across one DE is a potential problem. Coming up against multiple DE's in combinations of the above can be deadly.

[ClemGrt]

Thanks for your answer, I wish I had more figures to make more DE monsters... I'll check out after some games whether I should strengthen them up or not, thanks.

[wallydubbs]

I like to consider the Elf character as half Dark Elf, not that I'm well acquainted with the Warhammer universe, but white hair is very characteristic of dark elves.
It would also make sense on why the Elven hero has allied himself with the Emperor rather then Terrelia in the Elven Kingdom and why some of his spells are more befitting for dark elves.

[Daedalus]

I like to consider the Elf character as half Dark Elf, not that I'm well acquainted with the Warhammer universe, but white hair is very characteristic of dark elves.
It would also make sense on why the Elven hero has allied himself with the Emperor rather then Terrelia in the Elven Kingdom and why some of his spells are more befitting for dark elves.

Huh. Ladril Do'Urdin.

[wallydubbs]

I like to consider the Elf character as half Dark Elf, not that I'm well acquainted with the Warhammer universe, but white hair is very characteristic of dark elves.
It would also make sense on why the Elven hero has allied himself with the Emperor rather then Terrelia in the Elven Kingdom and why some of his spells are more befitting for dark elves.

Huh. Ladril Do'Urdin.

Well I have read some of the Forgotten Realms series and the fact that the Elf defers to Earth spells at the start of the game, that seems more in line with Dark Elves and the Elf spells from MotM grant him some Time spells that I recall Drizzt using in his fight against the Basilisk. While normal elves from the Tolkien universe seem to master over the feminine elements (Air & Water).
However the HeroQuest world drifts further and further from Warhammer with musical Orcs and Demonically possessed Halflings, and evil elves overthrowing their own kingdom. So it's its own world that doesn't care about applying our standards of Orcs, elves and Dark Elves. So I'm probably wrong on this, but it's the way I think of the original Elf. The New Elf from MotM and Rogue, whom is Elfkind has the more Aryan features.

[Daedalus]

I haven't read any Dritzz't books since waaaay back, so feel free to disregard my comment. I thought I was being funny, but it reads as snarky.

Yeah, the new HeroQuest world is more open to alternative races for Heroes, which is fine. You were just ahead of the curve in seeing the Elf with a different background.

[Evil Frog Wizard]

I'm not an expert in Warhammer either, but I believe in Warhammer, dark elves and high elves look the same and are just culturally different. Silver or blond hair, pail skin.

In the 'play by play' of Advanced Heroquest I linked in that subforum, the elf in it is actually a dark elf who is disguised as a high elf, that's why I know.

Edit: Actually looking up warhammer dark elves, they do look different.

As for how they are different, I read up on it a while back and basically High elves think they are better than you because they came first, and dark elves think you should be their slaves for the same reason. Both are the more subversive what I like to call 'ant elf' archetype. They arrogant instead of wise, which I've come to understand come from the 'Elric' books, though I have never read them.

Anyway, back on topic, both high elves and dark elves believe they are better than others on some level. One is just kinda snooty about it and thinks your an idiot, while the other really doesn't have value for your life at all, seeing you as less than an animal.

As for the Elves in heroquest, I honestly see them as a different thing and put them more in the generic 'true elves' camp (More wise than arrogant). So more 'drow' like dark elves wouldn't be completely out of place.

[wallydubbs]

I haven't read any Dritzz't books since waaaay back, so feel free to disregard my comment. I thought I was being funny, but it reads as snarky.

Yeah, the new HeroQuest world is more open to alternative races for Heroes, which is fine. You were just ahead of the curve in seeing the Elf with a different background.

No, you're good, I found your comment more comical then snarky. I had briefly forgotten Drizzt's last name. I've done an analysis on the heroes, we don't really get any form of background information on the heroes (Except maybe the Barbarian from Frozen Horror) or how they came to Mentor's service. Now, of course, your players should get to determine the background of the heroes they play. But if I was to write a story as to how the 4 main heroes came into Mentor's service, I'd pick the Wizard as his apprentice; the Dwarf a refugee from Keller's Keep; the Barbarian from the Northlands, noticed by Mentor for his valor and swordsmanship skills; and the Elf as a bit of an outcast, since the Elves have their own kingdom. I'd probably make him half Drow, unloved by both the Elves and Dark Elves, but Mentor would see potential in him, having access to wider variety of spells, while able to apply caring and compassion where most Dark Elves yield little. This dynamic is a little more compelling... Not that Ladril would have to be dark.
I would see Mentor constantly on the look out for heroes, trying to recreate the seasoned heroes of old: Rogar, Durgin, Ladril & Telor, as this cycle is doomed to repeat itself with the eventual defeat of Zargon.
The newer heroes could always find some part to play along the way.