- --The Tome of Wonders
Summary[]
The  High Elf military emphasizes mobility and firepower to defeat their enemies. Their  Shock- and  Physical-based ranged units deal more damage than their counterparts, particularly their longbows that are able to inflict full damage at maximum range – and which are issued to class units that may be equipped with regular bows or crossbows among other races. Meanwhile, phasing unicorns and  flying gryphons can bypass enemy walls or exploit weaknesses in enemy formations. High Elves have no innate ability to speed their healing, relying instead on ranged and flanking attacks to bring a quick victory and minimize the damage they take, especially from blight attacks and abilities. High Elves thrive best in temperate or arctic forests, being able to navigate dense vegetation with ease while finding high temperatures, blight, and underground regions difficult to tolerate.
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Class Synergies[]
High Elves work particularly well with Arch Druids, due to longbow-equipped Hunters and the ability to navigate forests that are grown by the archdruid. Warlord-based cavalry forces, including longbow-equipped mounted archers, are also a strong option, and high elven flying and phasing units can work well in augmenting a sorcerer-summoned army. Counter-intuitively, high elves can also work well with dreadnoughts, due to having several  armored units and access to flying cavalry, granting the dreadnought an air force option they might otherwise lack.
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Tactics[]
Elves are a very ranged combat focused race, their ability to use longbows that ignore distance penalties makes them a powerful force to be reckoned with. Their focus on ranged engagements makes them vulnerable to cavalry, but a smart commander can plan around this.
Elves also research new spells and abilities faster than other races so use this to quickly gain access to important spells like disjunction, dispel or class specific spells and effects that benefit your early game strategies. This trait also benefits a rapid expander mindset as more cities means more research even at their beginning without any upgrades or growth.
High Elf Inherent Traits[]
- Likes: Dense Vegetation
- Dislikes: Tropical and Subterranean
- Hates: Blighted and Volcanic Terrain
- +1
- +1 Ranged Damage
- +1 Ranged Damage
- 20% Weakness
- Cities generate +3
- Cities generate -10%
- Forestry
Units[]
High Elf Initiate
'I like the ladies and don't descriminate by race. So who should enter my tavern but an elf lady straight from my dreams? She wore a fine robe, so I put on my best manners, hinting that for favors she could stay the night free of charge. She said something about being a priestess. I told her I adored her. She said she was saving herself for the storm. I said I'd be her storm of love. She raised both arms to embrace me. I knew I'd conquered her. Then there was a brilliant flash and a boom of thunder. I could not move a muscle, but she could. Faster than lightning she fled my irresistable charms.'
- --Tavern of Romance, by Godwin the Seducer
Unit: High Elf Initiate
Origin: High ElvesTier I: 33
28 
8 
9 
Cost: 45 
Upkeep: 4 /
Abilities:
- Melee Strike (4 4 )
- Lightning Shock (12 )
- Evolve(High Elf Storm Sister)
- Night Vision
- Irregular
- Walking
- High Elf
- Forestry
- 20% Weakness
- 40% Protection
- +1 Melee +2
- +1 Melee +2 +1
- +1 Melee +2 +1
- +1 Melee +4 +1
High Elf Swordsman
'We are the pinnacle of fitness, better than past generations. Nowhere is this more evident than in our basic infantry. No longer do we allow any elf who can lift a knife to fight. High Elves are stronger and quicker than ever. We train to fight with both sword and shield. Those who survive without crippling injuries are guaranteed the honor of having children, so that only the fittest elves father the next generation. They are eager to kill our enemies with perfect obedience.'
- --Improving Traditions, by Commandant Wincer Ludstar
Unit: High Elf Swordsman
Origin: High Elves Requires: BarracksTier I: 43
28 11 9 Cost: 50 Upkeep: 4 /Abilities:Experience Ranks:
- +1 Melee +2
- +1 Ranged +2 +1 , Inflict Bleeding Wounds
- +1 Melee +2 +1
- +1 Ranged +4 +1 , First Strike
High Elf Longbowman
'Near forty year ago, a slender fellow named Nockfeather entered our archery tournament. He took the Archer's Pact, declaring himself a human from Wellers Townships. He pretended to shoot just a fraction better than his competitors. We were about to award him the gold prize, when a servant girl, who'd fallen in love with him, noticed his strange scars. The tips of his pointed ears were missing, but Nockfeather was an elf. Elves are prohibited from competing in Archery events. Disqualified, Nockfeahter fled through thick forest with freakish elven speed, never to be seen again. Still, officials must inspect the ears of all competitors, because Elven Archers are too skilled with the longbow.'
- --The Commonwealth Games Rulebook, under 'Nockfeather's rule'
Unit: High Elf Longbowman
Origin: High Elves Requires: BarracksTier I: 32
28 8 9 Cost: 80 Upkeep: 4 /Abilities:
- Melee Strike (6 )
- Shoot Longbow (9 )
- Archer
- Armored
- Walking
- High Elf
- Forestry
- 20% Weakness
- +1 Ranged +2
- +1 Ranged +2 +1
- +1 Ranged +2 +1
- +1 Ranged +4 +1 , Projectile Resistance
High Elf Union Guard
'It is as we feared. The High Elves are not Wood Elves. They've changed. They are merciless. They no longer regard all life as sacred. Wood Elves were content to hide in the forest. Now a forest of long spears made up their battlefield formation. Their pikeman skewered my cavalry. With ruthless efficiency these Union Guards cut down every living thing. One of our past advantages in battle is gone. The time when Elves tried to avoid hurting our innocent horses is over. The Union Guard left no man or animal alive.'
- --Killing the Enemy, by Lady Loki
Unit: High Elf Union Guard
Origin: High Elves Requires: War HallTier I: 43
28 10 9 Cost: 60 Upkeep: 4 /Abilities:
- Melee Strike (9 2 )
- Pikeman
- Pike Square
- Polearm
- First Strike
- Armored
- Walking
- High Elf
- Forestry
- 20% Weakness
- +1 Melee +2
- +1 Melee +2 +1 , Inflict Shocking
- +1 Melee +2 +1
- +1 Melee +4 +1 , Armor Piercing
High Elf Storm Sister
'She stood in a tall hooded hat, raising her long, jeweled staff, and insisted that we all bow. I complied immediately, as I had heard of these Storm Sisters, but the dwarves, ever stubborn and full of pride, refused. They let me pass as a vortex of black clouds formed overhead. The Dwarves took cover, but how does one hide from the sky? Needless to say, I continued my journey alone.'
- --Chronicles of Deepmir, by Ham the Wanderer
Unit: High Elf Storm Sister
Origin: High Elves Requires: TempleTier II: 36
28 9 12 Cost: 70 20 
Upkeep: 8 /Evolves from High Elf Initiate
Abilities:
- Melee Strike (8 )
- Shock Bolts (9 )
- Stunning Touch
- Night Vision
- Total Awareness
- Support
- True Sight
- Walking
- High Elf
- Forestry
- 20% Weakness
- 80% Protection
Experience Ranks:
- +1 Melee +4
- +1 Ranged +4 +1 , Dispel Magic
- +1 Melee +4 +1
- +1 Ranged +8 +1 , Inflict Stun
High Elf Unicorn Rider
'She penetrated the deepest glade, her staff aglow with the light of life. The Wizard Queen Julia petitioned the forces of nature to fight for Elvenkind. The gracious and wild Unicorns answered her plea with thundering hooves. These friends of the forest, enchanted by the maiden queen of gentle virtues, have never left her side. Though their forests turn to ash and men deny magic, they continue in the sea foam, in the gentle breeze, in the golden glow of the setting sun to fight for their eternal queen. Watch them ride into fields of crimson, like a surging tide, moving quick as thought to any point on the battlefield with sword at the ready piercing enemy flesh like lightning--too quickly they strike before the enemy can wound.'
- --Leaf on the Wind: Poetry and Praise for the Rise of the High Elves, by Monsignor Rukrukmaguk
Unit: High Elf Unicorn Rider
Origin: High Elves Requires: War HallTier II: 55
36 11 11 Cost: 90 10 Upkeep: 8 /Abilities:
- Melee Strike (12 )
- Phase
- Armor Piercing
- Cavalry
- Charge
- Mounted
- Armored
- Walking
- High Elf
- Forestry
- 20% Weakness
- +1 Melee +4
- +1 Melee +4 +1
- +1 Melee +4 +1
- +1 Melee +8 +1 , Inflict Bleeding Wounds
High Elf Gryphon Rider
'The gryphon and its rider moved together on the battlefield like graceful dancers. When the rider struck the gryphon parried and when the gryphon struck the rider guarded its flank. The quick, sharp eyes of the gryphon enabled its rider to dive between the long spear of the pikeman and strike first. Each complemented the other, striking in perfect balanced efficiency until the battlefield was nothing more than a banquet table for crows and vultures.
- --Knocking on the Gryphon Door, Barrow Platte, Tactician
Unit: High Elf Gryphon Rider
Origin: High Elves Requires: Gryphon SpireTier III: 65
30 
12 12 Cost: 140 30 Upkeep: 16 /Abilities:Experience Ranks:
- +1 Melee +6
- +1 Melee +6 +1 , Inflict Bleeding Wounds
- +1 Melee +6 +1
- +1 Melee +12 +1 , Tireless
Racial Governance[]
Racial Governance is part of the 
expansion.
Note that only High Elf units and cities are affected
| Racial Governance | Military | Economic |
|---|---|---|
| Patron | High Elf Longbowman and Hunter gain +1 Physical ranged damage
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Shooting Grounds generates +50  PopulationShooting Grounds generates +30  Undead Population
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| Protector | High Elf Unicorn Rider now has a 1 Turn Cooldown on  Phase, so it can be used more than once during a battle.
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Public Baths provide +100  HappinessEmbalmers Guilds and Cathedrals of Bone are 50 cheaper
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| Champion | High Elf Storm Sister gets +1 Shock ranged damage and ignored range penalties.
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Laboratories and Observatories generate +7  Knowledge
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| Prophet |  Archers get  Arcane Arrows(2 6 )
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Mana Nodes of all kinds generate +8 Mana
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| Deity | Archer and  Support units ignore Line of Sight penalties.
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Great Temples provide +5 
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Gallery[]
_by_AgnessAngel.png "High Elf Storm Sister (from screenshot) by AgnessAngel.png (71 KB)")