D&D’s core elf choices depend on which rules your group uses. The 2014 Basic Rules describe high elves, wood elves, and dark elves—commonly called drow—as subraces. The 2024 rules call them Elven Lineages within the Elf species. Other official options include eladrin, sea elves, and shadar-kai, but those are examples rather than a complete list of every elf in every setting.
Which elf options are in the core rules?
Start with the edition your campaign uses: the names and terminology differ, even where the three familiar choices overlap.
| Rules | Term | Core choices |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Basic Rules | Subraces | High elf, wood elf, and dark elf (drow) |
| 2024 rules | Elven Lineages within the Elf species | Drow, high elf, and wood elf |
The 2014 Basic Rules describe three main subraces (D&D Beyond: Basic Rules, Races). The 2024 rules instead use “species” and “Elven Lineage”; this is the terminology of the newer rules, not a requirement for groups still playing with 2014 rules (D&D Beyond: 2024 Player’s Handbook species).
What distinguishes drow, high elves, and wood elves?
The names suggest different lore and magical ties, but a lineage’s mechanics are defined by its rules entry. Don’t assume a trait from one edition applies in another.
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Drow
Drow are elves, not a separate people outside the elf category. The 2014 rules call them dark elves and identify “drow” as their common name. The 2024 entry presents drow as a lineage associated with the Underdark. In the 2024 SRD 5.2 rules, this lineage includes longer-range darkvision and specified magic; consult that rules text for the exact effects (2024 Free Rules: Elf; System Reference Document 5.2).
High elves
In the 2014 rules, high elves gain a wizard cantrip and an extra language, among other subrace traits. Sun elves and moon elves are examples of narrower high-elf divisions used in the Forgotten Realms. The 2024 high-elf lineage is associated with fey crossings and grants a cantrip followed by additional spells under its rules. These are edition-specific mechanics, not universal features of every high elf in D&D.
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Wood elves
The 2014 wood-elf subrace gains increased speed and a nature-based hiding feature, alongside its other traits. The 2024 lineage is associated with primeval forests and has its own increased-speed and spell features. Setting names can describe wood-elf groups: the 2014 rules give grugach in Greyhawk and Kagonesti in Dragonlance as examples.
For the full 2024 lineage benefits, use the official Elf entry and distinguish it from the 2014 Races rules. Flavor descriptions help explain a lineage’s identity; the rules text determines what a character actually gets.
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What other elf species can you play?
Official published options extend beyond the three core choices. D&D Beyond’s species index lists these examples from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse:
- Eladrin: associated with the Feywild.
- Sea elf: associated with the ocean.
- Shadar-kai: associated with the Shadowfell.
These are additional published options, not a promise that every campaign allows them. Check the source book and edition your DM is using before choosing one; the index identifies them as species from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse (D&D Beyond species index).
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Are setting-specific elf names separate types?
Not necessarily. A name may describe a culture or setting-specific group rather than a distinct player-character mechanic. The rules mention sun and moon elves, Silvanesti, Qualinesti, and Aereni among setting-associated names. The 2014 rules likewise place sun and moon elves under high elves and give setting examples for wood elves. Use the rules source for the character’s mechanics, and the setting material for its culture and lore; don’t treat every regional name as a separate universal subrace.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose an elf for your campaign
- Confirm the ruleset. Ask whether the game uses 2014 rules, 2024 rules, or a permitted supplement. “Subrace” belongs to the 2014 framing; “species” and “Elven Lineage” are used by the 2024 rules.
- Check availability. A published option is not automatically allowed at every table. Confirm that the DM permits its source and edition.
- Pick for both concept and mechanics. Choose the lore connection that fits your character, then read the corresponding rules entry to see its actual traits.
- Keep setting names in context. If you want to play a sun elf, Kagonesti, or another named group, check how that campaign’s setting and rules represent it.
The list of core choices and cited additional species is a practical player guide, not an exhaustive catalog of all elves across D&D publications and settings.
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