Elf FAQ
What is the difference between Elf and Astral Elf in D&D Portal?
The 2014 Basic Rules Elf and the 2022 Astral Elf from *Spelljammer: Adventures in Space* are separate species rule packages. Astral Elf keeps familiar elven traits such as Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, and Keen Senses, but adds Astral Fire, Starlight Step, and Astral Trance and uses the later flexible ability-score model.
Different sources
Elf baseline: Basic Rules (2014). Astral Elf: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space / Astral Adventurer's Guide (2022).
Different ability-score design
The 2014 Elf has fixed +2 Dexterity plus subrace increases. Astral Elf uses the later flexible increase model provided by its source.
Different Trance design
The 2014 parent Elf uses the original four-hour Trance. Astral Trance retains the four-hour rest idea but also grants flexible proficiency choices after the trance.
Astral-specific active traits
Astral Fire provides a cantrip choice and Starlight Step provides limited-use bonus-action teleportation.
Shared elven features do not make the records interchangeable
Darkvision, Fey Ancestry and Keen Senses appear in both, but the complete species packages are distinct.
Why the rule packages stay separate
High Elf and Wood Elf are 2014 subraces that build on the 2014 Elf package. Astral Elf is a later standalone species design. Sharing elven ancestry does not make those rule packages interchangeable.