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Ok, first things first - I'm well aware of the profusion of thinly disguised, adolescent 'reproduction' questions that crop up in here. That isn't the tone of this question and I'd like to keep it strictly academic. Rather, I was thinking about the interaction between Elves and Men in the likes of Lord of the Rings and Skyrim and it struck me that seeing how the two can can interbreed in both those settings, despite being separate species, I got to wondering if the same is true of 40k Eldar and Humans? My reason being, is that I thought it may prove to be an interesting concept if a character was half Eldar, half human - a pariah in both societies, it would make for an interesting Pirate/Corsair, Warlord or even an Inquisitorial Henchman (It would have to be a radical Inquisitor mind you). Obviously, GW doesn't really go into specifics about reproduction, but it does often shed light on biology. As the two species look similar, is there a biological precedent for some sort of Half-Eldar?

I seem to recall there were some Rogue Trader time "half Eldar" humans, even a Librarian, but there hasnt been any references to compatibility in a while, at least 20 years. I would imagine its a no, but theyve never stated that. Certainly you could use it as personal fluff, because Eldar would view it as an abomination and Humans would see it as corrupt and impure.

The Dark Eldar breed with human slaves. If anything the resulting half Mon'keigh is superior to the dark eldar as its human blood gives it much more brute strength, and its not slower enough for it to really to be an issue.
As to how they're treated? I believe they're full citizens. For all that means in the Dark City.

Huh, I didn't actually expect there to be any basis to this. It's not a concept I'll be using in personal fluff anytime soon, but I just wondered if Half-Elven was as much of a 'thing' in 40k as it is in fantasy settings. I wonder if it happens much on Exodite worlds, where Eldar rule over feral human populations (Vulkan Lives by Nick Kyme featured a world such as this)? Might make for an interesting IG regiment, sort of like beastmen - Elf-men.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
Huh, I didn't actually expect there to be any basis to this. It's not a concept I'll be using in personal fluff anytime soon, but I just wondered if Half-Elven was as much of a 'thing' in 40k as it is in fantasy settings. I wonder if it happens much on Exodite worlds, where Eldar rule over feral human populations (Vulkan Lives by Nick Kyme featured a world such as this)? Might make for an interesting IG regiment, sort of like beastmen - Elf-men.

The only instance of it happening in modern fluff is with the Dark Eldar where I believe its not all that uncommon.

As far as any semblance of actual realism is concerned: nil.

Not only are they different species, but they're different species from different planets with completely different biological evolution that evolved millions of years apart (if the eldar even evolved properly at all). It'd be like there being a dinosaur that looked vaguely humanoid, and wondering whether we could produce viable offspring with it (except even more farfetched, as at least Dinosaurs share an ancestor with us however many millions and millions of years ago, whereas the eldar almost certainly do not).

Their physical similarities are misleading, and are likely due to them both being engineered in some way by the Old Ones (all the Old Ones species seem to follow the same physical template: 2 legs, 2 arms, separate head with 2 eyes, a mouth and a nose). It's a neat way of explaining the usual sci-fi issue of why everyone in space looks vaguely like us

If you look into Xenology at all, you'll see that their internal structure is radically different to ours, as is their genetics.

I think the only example I know of of a named human/eldar hybrid was an Ultramarines Librarian way back when, which has subsequently been retconned/never ever talked about again.

I think the closest you'd be able to come is some freaky Dark Eldar gene-splicing experiment...and I'm not certain it'd look like the 'half-elf' thing you're imagining...

Oh, just to nail the concept home. We are 98.8% genetically identical to Chimpanzees, and we cannot produce hybrids with them. We don't even share the same genetic structure as eldar, let alone any of the same genes. Eldar have 20 base nucleotides. All life on Earth has 4 base nucleotides. We're more closely related to sea slugs, giant sequoias and the flu virus than we are to the eldar.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
Huh, I didn't actually expect there to be any basis to this. It's not a concept I'll be using in personal fluff anytime soon, but I just wondered if Half-Elven was as much of a 'thing' in 40k as it is in fantasy settings. I wonder if it happens much on Exodite worlds, where Eldar rule over feral human populations (Vulkan Lives by Nick Kyme featured a world such as this)? Might make for an interesting IG regiment, sort of like beastmen - Elf-men.

Don’t get too excited now the concept of half Eldar hybrids went out the window a long time ago. They were introduced in Rogue Trader and filled the D&D half-elf position. The only named character was Illiyan Nastase who worked for the Dark Angels before he was made the chief librarian of the Ultramarines. Illiyan Nastase would be overwritten by Varro Tigurius who shares the characters affinity for psychic powers.


The original explanation was that both species had a common ancestor but this went the way of the dodo almost twenty years ago and has been heavily retconned by later fluff to the point that it simply doesn’t make sense anymore.

The idea has pretty much disappeared from the Fluff entirely but a lot of people still want it to be a thing. There is no mention of the Dark Eldar actually producing half human offspring in the fluff itself, but if it was possible then the only place it would likely happen would be the Dark City.

At the end of the day it’s your story and as long as you’re having fun then so what .

Oh by the way if you are looking for a story of romance in 40k then remember this is also from the Rogue Trader era .

No. Heresy.
Eldar have quadrahelix DNA, and radically different chemical structures than humans. This alone makes Human/Eldar reproduction impossible.
I forgot if the "requiring multiple injections of DNA to actually reproduce" is still canon, and I am not googling "Eldar Reproduction"

Also, they're different species. Certain kinds of birds with almost identical structures cannot reproduce if mated together. Do you really think that two different species from other planets can?

 ThePrimordial wrote:
The Dark Eldar breed with human slaves. If anything the resulting half Mon'keigh is superior to the dark eldar as its human blood gives it much more brute strength, and its not slower enough for it to really to be an issue.
As to how they're treated? I believe they're full citizens. For all that means in the Dark City.

Source please.

For me it seems like it's a "can be made to work" but not at all likely out side of a dark eldar plain for shock troops

Oh by the way if you are looking for a story of romance in 40k then remember this is also from the rouge trader era .

What.
The Fething Hell.
Is this heresy.



I need Cato Sicarius doing this, now.

Can only be made possible with incredible genetic alterations. Eldar and humans have radically different DNA. It would be easier to surgically turn humans into (superficial) Eldar than breed them.

As with anything else in 40k if you want to have it be a thing, then have it be a thing in your headcanon. I personally wouldn't mind it (as it could make for some really interesting fluff if done right).

It's sci fi fantasy, so yeah it's completely possible.

Brother-Redemptor wrote:


Don’t get too excited now the concept of half Eldar hybrids went out the window a long time ago. They were introduced in rouge trader and filled the D&D half-elf position. The only named character was Illiyan Nastase who worked for the Dark Angels before he was made the chief librarian of the Ultramarines. Illiyan Nastase would be overwritten by Varro Tigurius who shares the characters affinity for psychic powers.



Oh by the way if you are looking for a story of romance in 40k then remember this is also from the rouge trader era .

Like most of the RT characters, the name of this character came from someone real in the day. Ilie Nastase, A tennis player (#1 ranked Romanian player in the 70s) and referred to as "Nasty" Nastase on account of his temper.

Oh, and it's ROGUE trader. Although that dance-off wouldn't be out of place in that other game, the one about makeup salespeople in the 41st millennium (ROUGE trader).

Different species are unlikely to produce an offspring. It works in fantasy worlds because of magic.

In a sci-fi setting, it shouldn't.
But you could have some type of genetic experiment that aims at introducing eldar DNA into human children to make them faster/more psychic.
Just picture a dark cell in the basement of a secret research lab, instead of a romance between a blond long-haired slender elf male and a shy woman (which fits the grimdark setting a lot better).
And it would be best if the half-bred has some type of malformation, or sometimes goes crazy because he/she can't control his/her psychic powers very well, that sort of things.

Well that pretty much answers my question - thanks all. I'm not too fussed as to whether it's feasible or not as I have no plans to actually make any Half-Eldar themed characters or armies, I was more just curious as to whether it was a real concept in 40k, as it is in Skyrim or LotR. Seems it once was, when 40k took more inspiration from fantasy settings, but now it's purged itself of more fantastical elements like Half-Elven (Which to be honest I'm fine with) I had forgotten that the Eldar were potentially constructs of the Old Ones, which would definitely go a long way into explaining how they would be majorly incompatible.

Oh, and that pic of Dancing Astartes - total Heresy. My eyeballs are now scarred for life.

No "potentially" about it.

They WERE a creation of the old ones.
Designed the way they are. One of the weapon races (psychic ones).
The Orks were likewise created by the old ones - as the muscle (but stuff happened and their brainboyz controllers died out - and they regressed somewhat).

Humans are the freaks of random mutation and chance evolution.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
Well that pretty much answers my question - thanks all. I'm not too fussed as to whether it's feasible or not as I have no plans to actually make any Half-Eldar themed characters or armies, I was more just curious as to whether it was a real concept in 40k, as it is in Skyrim or LotR. Seems it once was, when 40k took more inspiration from fantasy settings, but now it's purged itself of more fantastical elements like Half-Elven (Which to be honest I'm fine with) I had forgotten that the Eldar were potentially constructs of the Old Ones, which would definitely go a long way into explaining how they would be majorly incompatible.

Oh, and that pic of Dancing Astartes - total Heresy. My eyeballs are now scarred for life.

I know what you mean - *passes out the sanctified eye bleach*

Has anyone been able to find that Dark Eldar reference? Like an exact quote?

I'm curious...

Because, as we can see from a real world historical perspective, GW has pretty much done what it usually does - go back and forth on the matter.

One minute its True, Next Minute its Not, wait a little while longer it will be True again...

Its why arguing over "canon" is at times, a fools errand because everyone is pulling from a source at a different time period in 40Ks history..

Even if it worked that person would be shunned by both worlds.

To eldar. There a human Half breed that's not a full eldar.

To humans. There xeno half breed and not suffer the alien to live. Outcast at best.

So.. There stuck. Hated by both worlds. Left to survive on wits and probbly psyker powers.

GrapeApe wrote:
Has anyone been able to find that Dark Eldar reference? Like an exact quote?

I'm curious...

Because, as we can see from a real world historical perspective, GW has pretty much done what it usually does - go back and forth on the matter.

One minute its True, Next Minute its Not, wait a little while longer it will be True again...

Its why arguing over "canon" is at times, a fools errand because everyone is pulling from a source at a different time period in 40Ks history..

No, the guy just made it up.

It could work if a human and a eldar mated in front of a bunch of Orks that thought it could work, since everything they believe works regardless of natural laws.

So...Much... HERESY! But seriously, in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium there are no fact-checkers. "Facts" about 40k change based on who is doing the telling and have for the entirety of its existence. If you want a half-elven character, I don't see any reason why you can't have one. Except of course...that it is obviously HERESY! and the Inquisition will likely purge you when you least expect it.

 Iron_Captain wrote:

GrapeApe wrote:
Has anyone been able to find that Dark Eldar reference? Like an exact quote?

I'm curious...

Because, as we can see from a real world historical perspective, GW has pretty much done what it usually does - go back and forth on the matter.

One minute its True, Next Minute its Not, wait a little while longer it will be True again...

Its why arguing over "canon" is at times, a fools errand because everyone is pulling from a source at a different time period in 40Ks history..

No, the guy just made it up.

Well, one less Heresy


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 brushcommando wrote:
So...Much... HERESY! But seriously, in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium there are no fact-checkers. "Facts" about 40k change based on who is doing the telling and have for the entirety of its existence. If you want a half-elven character, I don't see any reason why you can't have one. Except of course...that it is obviously HERESY! and the Inquisition will likely purge you when you least expect it.

Well there are some small "hard" limits... Changeable of course, but due to accumulated lore and company policy, it tends to be a little more difficult to overturn.

For instance, Squats are Erased from the Universe. Heck - even BL novels mentioning Squats have been pushed into the Heresy Section - ie: Not True.

Its kind of funny, while there are of course contradictory visions in every BL novel, GW isn't willing to tell you what's True.

But they are willing to say what is No Longer True.

Squats aren't erased from Universe, the BRB box specifically mentions them when listing non-extinct abhumans... I don't think they were ever extinct in the fluff, were they? Homeworlds decimated, perhaps.

On topic, I recently either read or listened to a 40k book that included a human character that was described as having the appearance of an elder halfbreed, hybrid, something like that.

I think it was probably a shout out to this old RT piece of fluff, as even though it makes the hybrid comparison it quickly dismisses itself as too heretical to be possible.

nareik wrote:
Squats aren't erased from Universe, the BRB box specifically mentions them when listing non-extinct abhumans... I don't think they were ever extinct in the fluff, were they? Homeworlds decimated, perhaps.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Squat

 Breotan wrote:

nareik wrote:
Squats aren't erased from Universe, the BRB box specifically mentions them when listing non-extinct abhumans... I don't think they were ever extinct in the fluff, were they? Homeworlds decimated, perhaps.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Squat

i.e. the home worlds may have had a rough time but as a space faring race posted across the galaxy in conjunction with imperial guard regiments the squats extinction has never been canon, they've just taken a back seat in fluff because they are an unpopular studio concept.

 Warzoner wrote:
It could work if a human and a eldar mated in front of a bunch of Orks that thought it could work, since everything they believe works regardless of natural laws.

…according to one sentence of one report on an incomplete study run by a lunatic. And not even then.

If the effect Anzion described is even "real" in terms of canon, it's more likely to be limited to something like Ork weapons needing little in the way of regular maintenance like cleaning because that's scut-work and no self-respecting Ork wants to do that.

Plus I really like how so many people focus on that particular hypothesis over the others that Anzion proposed like red trukks going faster because the mek that built it knew it was a bit faster than normal so he painted it red.

 Mr_Rose wrote:

 Warzoner wrote:
It could work if a human and a eldar mated in front of a bunch of Orks that thought it could work, since everything they believe works regardless of natural laws.

…according to one sentence of one report on an incomplete study run by a lunatic. And not even then.

If the effect Anzion described is even "real" in terms of canon, it's more likely to be limited to something like Ork weapons needing little in the way of regular maintenance like cleaning because that's scut-work and no self-respecting Ork wants to do that.

Plus I really like how so many people focus on that particular hypothesis over the others that Anzion proposed like red trukks going faster because the mek that built it knew it was a bit faster than normal so he painted it red.

If i could put all of this in my sig i would. So much is attributed to that minor thing (if it's even a thing).

Saying that, the OP did make me laugh


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 chromedog wrote:
No "potentially" about it.

They WERE a creation of the old ones.
Designed the way they are. One of the weapon races (psychic ones).
The Orks were likewise created by the old ones - as the muscle (but stuff happened and their brainboyz controllers died out - and they regressed somewhat).

Humans are the freaks of random mutation and chance evolution.

Yeah it's this that I believe is key to understanding the arrogance of the Eldar.

The form they are in was specifically designed exactly that way by their creators, while humanity stumbled its way from animals to the form they're in through random happenstance. No wonder they think that they're the superior race...