High Elf Healer?

[gentlemansavage]

So guess what? I've been running a campaign sporadically since the spring and now my wife, who at first was adamantly against the idea of roleplaying, wants to join. I think she saw how much fun everyone was having.

None of the cultures grabbed her until I mentioned the High Elves of Rivendell, which, coincidentally, allowed me to quickly pre-order that supplement (gotta love that). She wants to play a High Elf healer type of character. I imagine she's envisioning the work of Arwen and Elrond on poor Frodo, but also the various tales of Elves' mythic healing abilities.

Color me surprised when we looked at the backgrounds for High Elves to find nary a mention of healing. In fact, healing Shadow on themselves is even harder than normal! (I do like the theme and mechanic though). Turns out the real healers in The One Ring are Woodmen and Rangers of the North.

What do do? We can easily toss out the descriptive text of the backgrounds and craft her own unique story, but the problem lies in the fact there aren't any mechanical advantages to playing a healer High Elf - no related rewards, virtues, or favored skills.

I suppose I'm just relating my surprise as I don't expect anyone to point out large swaths of text I've missed, but I'd be curious to hear your take on this omission.

[Mytholder]

Another options would be to let her take some Woodman virtues, reflavoured to be High Elf healing.

[gentlemansavage]

Another options would be to let her take some Woodman virtues, reflavoured to be High Elf healing.

Virtues like Staunching Song and Herbal Remedies would really be ideal for the character she envisions, but I am truthfully still getting a grip on the RAW and the thought of hacking character profiles is daunting considering I can't tell if it will be game breaking.

Thanks for the suggestions,vilainn6, those are helpful!

[Hermes Serpent]

A quick look at the Rivendell books shows me that High Elves start with 2 ranks in Healing and 2 and favoured in Song. These are going to be good for not only dealing with Wounds but Rallying comrades in combat.

Check out Writing and Singing Songs to gain extra success dice.

High Elves can also take Herb-lore which when invoked could give a auto-success in finding a herb or making a salve for an injury.

The use of Hope with 'Elbereth Gilthoniel' to add success dice if someone is Wounded or Miserable is a great way of getting wounds Treated.

Skills of the Eldar giving you an extra success on a Gandalf rune when testing Common skills which include Song and Healing making High Elves pretty good at tasks which use Common skills.

[Blubbo Baggins]

Another options would be to let her take some Woodman virtues, reflavoured to be High Elf healing.

Virtues like Staunching Song and Herbal Remedies would really be ideal for the character she envisions, but I am truthfully still getting a grip on the RAW and the thought of hacking character profiles is daunting considering I can't tell if it will be game breaking.

Thanks for the suggestions,vilainn6, those are helpful!

Mytholder just said to take those two Virtues and re-flavour them. He is one of the writers of the game -
if he tells you it's OK, it probably won't break anything!

[gentlemansavage]

Another options would be to let her take some Woodman virtues, reflavoured to be High Elf healing.

Virtues like Staunching Song and Herbal Remedies would really be ideal for the character she envisions, but I am truthfully still getting a grip on the RAW and the thought of hacking character profiles is daunting considering I can't tell if it will be game breaking.

Thanks for the suggestions,vilainn6, those are helpful!

Mytholder just said to take those two Virtues and re-flavour them. He is one of the writers of the game -
if he tells you it's OK, it probably won't break anything!

Indeed, indeed. I'll mention this option to SWMBO. I'm not a home-ruler - I like to stay inside the lines - but everyone has provided great suggestions and I'm merely hand wringing now.

[Stormcrow]

She wants to play a High Elf healer type of character. I imagine she's envisioning the work of Arwen and Elrond on poor Frodo, but also the various tales of Elves' mythic healing abilities.

Color me surprised when we looked at the backgrounds for High Elves to find nary a mention of healing.

I'd guess that this was done to show High Elves as being skilled at healing, but it's not their schtick. Elrond and Arwen are not High Elves! Glorfindel is the only one who demonstrates this skill, and he can only do a little more than Aragorn to help Frodo fight the Morgul-knife. This is covered by Healing and Song skills. Thus, not a schtick.

So what tales of mythic healing abilities is your wife thinking of? The Noldor are mostly renowned for their craft and ambition, not their healing.

[gentlemansavage]

She wants to play a High Elf healer type of character. I imagine she's envisioning the work of Arwen and Elrond on poor Frodo, but also the various tales of Elves' mythic healing abilities.

Color me surprised when we looked at the backgrounds for High Elves to find nary a mention of healing.

I'd guess that this was done to show High Elves as being skilled at healing, but it's not their schtick. Elrond and Arwen are not High Elves! Glorfindel is the only one who demonstrates this skill, and he can only do a little more than Aragorn to help Frodo fight the Morgul-knife. This is covered by Healing and Song skills. Thus, not a schtick.

So what tales of mythic healing abilities is your wife thinking of? The Noldor are mostly renowned for their craft and ambition, not their healing.

I can't say off hand, but clearly we are not Tolkien scholars. I appreciate the clarifications!

[zedturtle]

She wants to play a High Elf healer type of character. I imagine she's envisioning the work of Arwen and Elrond on poor Frodo, but also the various tales of Elves' mythic healing abilities.

Color me surprised when we looked at the backgrounds for High Elves to find nary a mention of healing.

I'd guess that this was done to show High Elves as being skilled at healing, but it's not their schtick. Elrond and Arwen are not High Elves! Glorfindel is the only one who demonstrates this skill, and he can only do a little more than Aragorn to help Frodo fight the Morgul-knife. This is covered by Healing and Song skills. Thus, not a schtick.

So what tales of mythic healing abilities is your wife thinking of? The Noldor are mostly renowned for their craft and ambition, not their healing.

I can't say off hand, but clearly we are not Tolkien scholars. I appreciate the clarifications!

Elrond is the foremost healer in all of middle earth; it makes since that any Noldor interested in healing would hang out with him. Plus he's 3/32 Noldo! (Not much, I grant you.)

I agree with the others, reskin the Woodmen virtues or use something like my Lore of Healing and let her play what she wants to play. A High Elf is one character I wouldn't worry about making too powerful... the Eye of Mordor will see to that.

[gentlemansavage]

Elrond and Arwen are not High Elves!

I've done a little elf research now. So Elrond has never been to Valinor and seen the light of the Two Trees? The site I read suggested Elrond was a Noldor, though I understand not all Noldor have been to Valinor. #inabovemyhead