In Tolkien's mythology elves can be slain, but won't die from sickness or age.

No.

But they do live to be hundreds, even thousands of years old, yes?

[img]graemlins/whackya.gif[/img] whats with the minamilist answers :D

If not imortal than what is the avarage lifespan?

Yes ;)

I don't know about the proper D&D ruleset, but in BG2 they are immortal, as this comes up several times in the main plot IIRC.

Spoilers


Then why can you slay Drow, and even the Warelves that are down fighting the Drow when you exit the Underdark? Much less the Elves inside Suldenessalar that have died fighting to stop Irenicus?

They're not immortal, but they have extremely long lifespans.

/me raises glasses at Faceman.

Elves are not immortal in Faerun, unless they have had divine interaction. However, this divinity is not limited to Elves.

To put it simply. Immortality is not one of the Elves' natural traits (in AD&D).

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Ares, there is a difference between Immortality and Invulnerability. Immortality merely means that the person will not die of old age.

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Trau and wellard, the average lifespan is 600 years.

Elves can gain like, something of 2000 years, but they can die.

And as the main character starts off as a 20 year old in BG 1... it's ever so slightly unrealistic. Elves don't really get out of adolescence until they hit about 90 years of age ;)

Some AD&D Elves are, Forgotten Realms Elves don't actually die, they jsut leave for the outer planes and the homes of their gods when they tire of the world, usually anywhere from 1200-2500 years old.

In Greyhawk elves are nearly the same.

In Dark Sun, elves live to be around 200, a youth by the measure of other worlds, but nigh immortal compared to the lifespans of other creatures.

In Dragonlance elves can and do die of old age, but their lifespans are so immensely long(1200+ years) they may seem that way.

In Birthright elves reach maturity and stop aging, in fact they gain wisdom/intelligence as other elves as they age, but they suffer no negative effects from it and will live until they die by violence, or disease.

Ravenloft elves vary based on the world they came from (and generally follow the rules for that world)

Planescape works the same as Ravenloft

SpellJammer works the same as Ravenloft