Is high intelligence integral to the elven archetype? Like,

>>54845169
It depends on the setting. In SOS the elves are mostly stupid basques who eat people and alcoholic sailors who also eat people.

>>54845280
Aren't those just ogres under a different name?

>>54845280
Archetypes transcend settings.

You can't get away with the "depends on the setting" meme.

>>54845169
No to the first and sure, why not to the second.

>>54845169
Typical Elven societies place high value on the superiority of their grace and refinement. For there to be a pureblood elf barbarian, I would think they'd either have had to lose their reason due to a traumatic event, be raised by non-traditional parents, or be from a non-traditional society or non-traditional fantasy setting.

Does that make sense? Like, how would a berserker pop up in a tolkeinien elven nation? They're super noble in all aspects of their life.
But an elf from Middle-Earth orphaned at a young age and raised by human mercenaries in the east would act much more savage.

Somewhat. Elves and barbarians both need some kind of cunning to function as characters.

going full "me am hit with axe" retard is pretty boring, anyways

>>54845169
>>54845478
This, elves aren't always intelligent but they're usually refined or graceful.

If you wanted a barbarian Elf, you'd make them Native American Noble Savages, who while not highly intelligent, have the natural grace of a wild animal, and some kind of intuitive wisdom.

Which is to say, you'd play a Wood Elf.

>>54845497

Definitely agree to that second part.

I think this might still be a possibility, either from the "trauma-based fury" standpoint or the "feral upbringing" standpoint. Maybe your Elf spent a few decades lost in the woods, or they fight mad with grief because they've lost a loved one. This doesn't have to be your character's focus, just the reason they're able to get lost in a red mist instead of choose to be a more focused duelist. Mechanically, I believe most editions of DnD and pathfinder support a dual wield blade flurry berzerker that takes risks and favors aggression and still allows you to be a smart, interesting warrior - you just don't value your own life very highly.

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>>54845497
You calling Moka boring?

>>54845588
what about alcoholism? Would that be a good backstory? Cause the "traumatic upbringing" thing is kinda weird

>>54845588
>>54845497
Technically elves are beings of passion, so its not unimaginable for an otherwise normal elvish hero to go completely batshit in a greek hero fashion.

Remember the time the king of the Noldor got so mad during a war he literally rode his horse, ALONE all the way to Satan's front door and demanded he come out and they settle it like men? And the entire time the Orcs left him alone because he looked so pissed off enroute they thought he was one of the Valar?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aB6CPyO0Ww

Wood elves who don't give a shit about book learning or the high art of magic are a real common archetype, I can't see any problem with your retard elf barbarian OP.

>>54845554
There definitely are some settings that have more aggressive Wood Elf tribes. some of the planes in MTG, the wood elf faction in Warhammer, I believe there were some Wood and Wild elves in normal DnD/Forgotten Realms/whathaveyou. It just wasn't as common within the rules sets of those games, I suppose.

>>54845676
In one of my settings the Wood Elves didn't even use armor and weapons, most of their warriors were Monks. The only weapons they favored were bows, and only then because they couldn't throw their fists at their enemies.

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>>54845478
>Like, how would a berserker pop up in a tolkeinien elven nation?

Tolkien elves can go berserk. Pic very related.

>>54845676
>>54845734
aggressive is just one part of the premise.

The other part is that she's gotta be kinda dumb.

There definitely can be berserkers that are still intelligent and tactical; they just lose themselves in the trading of blows, and win out through aggression and fury, and have the unfortunate habit of not placing a high priority on their safety - examples would be anyone from house Dzur in the Draegaera books by Steven Brust; Araris Valerian from Codex Alera, Fahfrd of that infamous Duo - I just can't think of many Elves who have that as their trademark fighting style.

Fingolfin definitely lost it after the destruction of Noldor and fought valiantly against Morgoth, so he qualifies, but I did mention the "traumatic event" condition above.

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>>54845841
>she
No idea what you are talking about.

>>54846076
see
>>54845169

>>54846054
>berserkers that are still intelligent
off-topic
not relevant

>>54845478
Berserkers can still be noble, just in a different way. Similar to how humans can be shifty, sneaky rogues or massive strongmen like The Mountain. Or insanely intelligent.
There's always exceptions. Although I do imagine it would be extremely rare.

>>54845169
>Ozanari Dungeon
I see you're a man of taste, anon.

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Elves don't have to necessarily be refined so much as old. Very, very old.

Imagine one of those innawoods nutters turned up to 11. They tend to be pretty damn good at actually surviving as a crazy nutjob in the woods, even if they're deficient at living in society. Just swap out the guns for bows.

Now imagine one of those that has been alive and doing the innawoods thing for centuries. Nothing but a crazy old dude living in a shack out in the woods for 500 years. That's centuries of refinement and improvement of being a crazy wood-squatter hillbilly in a world where monsters are real and also live in the woods.

Congrats. You now know what a wood elf is. Old and refined doesn't necessarily mean clean or nice or sophisticated or educated. It just means they've had a lot of time to be exactly who they are. And who they are is a bunch of crazy old wood-and-hill people that will fucking end you when you come into their territory.

>>54849003
exceptions are not compatible with archetypes