Eldar race

Are Dark Eldar and Craftworld Eldar still the same race? Is it only ideologies that distinguish them? Can a DEldar become an Eldar and can an Eldar become a DEldar?

Are there examples of this happening?

yea it happens just not all that often. there aren't many examples i think it happens in one of the books

Nothing really stops it, but I'm guessing their ideologies and disconnect from one another makes it harder. I think both are far more likely to join corsair fleets than each other. Don't harlequins recruit from both sides?

I would have thought that vat-grown Dark Eldar wouldn't be the same as true born and regular Eldar. So they don't manipulate their genes at all?

Could be pure elitism.

Aren't like 99.99% of the dark eldar genetically altered clones?

I'd assume so, doesn't seem likely that dark eldar would go in for that much genetic manipulation of the self, too proud. Minus the bird people etc.

One has to understand that the term "race," has less absolute meaning with the Eldar than it does with humanity as we think of it today. Genetic alteration and enforced mutation has been a part of their society for millennia, including slight bodily alterations via psychic means. From a purely natural standpoint, Eldar are actually incredibly resistant to change and mutation, but this means little when places like Commoragh and people like Haemonculi exist.

Something similar can actually be said about Humans in 40k. Between mutation and genetic engineering, it's safe to think that the DNA of humanity in one Segmentum would be varied enough to another for them to be considered distinct sub-species of the same race.

No, there's nothing really separating them aside from ideology. The biggest indicator of this are the Eldar Corsairs, who often have members who were both once from a Craftworld and once from Commoragh.

But aside from that, there's been little genetic drift. At best, the Dark Eldar have managed to dampen their natural psychic abilities. And before the Fall, some of the Eldar who managed to escape on Craftworlds were of the same stock as those who would become Dark Eldar, since there were a few last-minute rescues.

Yes and no.
Craft world Eldar refer to them as erstwhile cousins for a reason. As psychically strong as the Eldar are the differing dogmas and lifestyles have caused a divergence. DEldar actually HAVE to inflict suffering in order to maintain themselves. They wither otherwise. The CW Eldar do not require this sustenance.

It's more of a different "soul species" than a genetic one.

Path of the Warrior iirc had a former Comorrite training in a Scorpion aspect shrine. It should be possible, DE have been their own thing about as long as the craftworlds have existed, and the Eldar of the different craftworlds are still considered as one group for most purposes.

IIRC there was a mention in an old eldar codex that the young ones often take the path of wandering and the path of damnation. Now, I have not heard anything explain what the path of damnation is, but my first guess would be the DE are where it is headed.

BTW, another distinction - Dark Eldar have suppressed their psychic powers so much there is no known case of them ever manifesting, while Craftworlders are innately psychic to the point many of their weapons and armor work on psychic link.

I think they are grown in artificial wombs, but I don't remember them being clones. I think the genetic material of both parents is still involved, just mixed and maintained artificially.

They aren't clones.
They are speed grown test tube babbies.

Untrue.
Craftworld Eldar can develop the thirst if they live in Deldar lifestyle for too long, and the Deldar can escape it by adopting the rigors of the Craftworld Eldar path system.
In the books, there has been a former Deldar who became a Striking Scorpion, and also, in the path of the Dark Eldar books, a craftworld eldar outcast, who had been living in Commoragh for a while, was slowly starting to feel the effects of the thirst.

>So they don't manipulate their genes at all?

There is no actual difference between Trueborn and Halfborn Dark Eldar. Halfborn aren't clones, they aren't genetically tweaked or manipulated - they're all conceived normally, then the embryo removed and speed-grown to adulthood. There's no actual reason for them to be looked down upon outside of snobbery. Vect, for example, is Halfborn, and it sure didn't stop him.

There seems to have been a tiny amount if genetic drift, but it's minor.

DEldar have lost most of their psychic potential, save for the slightly precognitive reflexes all Eldar have and the ability to feed empathically. Conversely, the harsh existence of life in Commoragh seems to have made DEldar a little faster and stronger on average.

It's also notable that DEldar are kinda like vampires in that they get stronger with age, as the constant diet of psychic energy makes them more personally powerful (but also increases their hunger). This is why archons and wytch HQs are such powerhouses. This would probably work for CWEldar too, they just don't do it because they have the Paths.

>DEldar have lost most of their psychic potential

This isn't quite true. DE retain most of their psychic potential, but use drugs and surgery to suppress it. There are illegal DE psykers who eke out a living in the bowels of Commoragh, acting as soothsayers and fortune-tellers for those willing to take the risks involved with seeking them out.

>So they don't manipulate their genes at all?

Also keep in mind that Eldar are an artificial species created by a race whose genetic tech is still better than Eldar even at their height. If there had been much room for further genetic enhancement, it would have already been done by the Old Ones.

So yeah you'll see tweaks-- fashions and affectations, mostly-- but few real changes to the core chassis.

WRONG

Trueborn get an extra attack and +1LD

In one of the Path of the Eldar books, a Striking Scorpion Exarch kicks a Deldars' ass and captures him. Afterwards he got a spirit stone and joined that guys temple, so yes its possible to go from one to another.

Are those books good?

Thats a lie; the book clearly states that their pyschic powers have literally died of atrophy. Psykers are a absolute no go, and that is basically the one true law of commoraugh.

That is purely BL tier fluff; there has never been a documented occurance of in fluff where a Eldar has changed from craftworld to dark, and that fluff is basically on the Ork diplomats tier of stupidity. There is simply far too big a gap physically and spiritually for one to change to another.

>There is simply far too big a gap physically and spiritually for one to change to another.
According to whom?

I recommend the path of the dark Eldar books. The second one is my favorite. The Masque of Vyle, a harliquin book, is good as well. I have not read the path of the Eldar books but Ive heard the dark Eldar books are better.

>Thats a lie; the book clearly states that their pyschic powers have literally died of atrophy.

which book? one of the 3 mentioned by other anons that you consider to be "not real fluff?"

if Deldar psychics are 100% extinct, then why would Comorragh need laws against being psychic? obviously those in the know DO still think psychic deldar exist, or could exist.

>the one true law of commoraugh.

the one true law of comorragh is that there is no 'one true law of comorragh.' see also: fight club

I was more interested in CWE but thanks.

Dark Eldar have slaanesh constantly drinking at their soul
Craftworld eldar do not, this is the biggest difference, theyre the same race

That is mostly a side effect of the lifestyle DE live in. They don't shield their minds away from Slaanesh via rigorous mental dicipline, and refuse to abstain from the excesses and pleasures their keen senses can grant them like the craftworlders do, which in turn, allows Slaanesh to slowly leech their soul away.

...am I going to have to be the one to point out that that isn't actually a picture of an Eldar, it's a picture of a Callidus assassin masquerading as an Eldar?

Thanks for letting me know, I deleted it from my folder.

No problem. What is Veeky Forums for if not pedantry?

I thought they resurrected dead members by rushing their bodies to the hospital to have a new body cloned to them and their souls transferred to it.

No, they take bits of the fucker back, throw them into a sarcophagi in a Haemonculi lair, provided he has made a deal with the Haemonculi, and then let him regenerate from the pain energies emanating from the fucked up shit the Haemonculi do daily in their lairs.

Well, the Eldar do job in it. Thanks to fucking farseers and their desire for doom and confirmation bias.

But Path of the Warrior is really quite good. the other's aren't great, but they're at least interesting to see. Plus, you get a look at Eldar bars in Path of the Exile

>Path of the Warrior is really quite good
>That awful chat up scene while they're sparring
>The entire exarch process, which should be the core conflict of the book, takes place in a single chapter after one battle
>Everyone is an unlikeable jerk except Min and waifu
>Build up to the big suit up sequence where he finally puts on the war-mask and becomes his warrior self
>He acts EXACTLY THE FUCKING SAME AS BEFORE

Don't lie to the poor boy. Only good bits where the battle scenes. The pacing and character development was all over the damn shop. That said, it's the best of a bad bunch.

>Plus, you get a look at Eldar bars in Path of the Exile

There's a bit like that in Valedor, complete with a jaded ex-Aspect Warrior drinking his troubles away.