Talk:Aen Elle/@comment-82.132.233.136-20160701131305/@comment-163.150.167.78-20170428184856

some points-

1.) Outside of fantasy gaming, elves are traditionaly a step between moral and supernatural; much like their real world myhtological counterparts. (Fantasy elves have typically been inspired by Tolkien, who like Sapowski developed his elves from indoeuropean cultures.)

2.) Strength is VERY important in normal combat; but it is far from the only concern. Despite fantasy depicting the the strong being super muscle bound, most warriors tend to be a bit more "normal" shaped if maybe a bit more robust. Body builders also have strength but the focus is on sculpting muscle mass more then developing strength. Assuming elves have similar biology it is not outside the realm of possibility for an elf to develop considerable muscle mass.

3.) Metal is actually typically lighter then people expect. Most fantasy swords weigh greatswords around 30 pounds but historical examples are MUCh lighter. Additionally Rapiers, commonly thought of as light, arent much lighter then a normal sword. 2-3 vs 3-4 pounds). Factoring in magic and elements that dont exist in the real world; as far as we know a baby could do jumping jacks in even Imlereth's armor. Also it is a common theme in fantasy of armor made from a material that is much lighter but just as strong. Which does mirror historical trends favoring lighter and more resilient metals (Such as damascus and Ulfbert swords which had amazing flexibility). It can even be seen in cinema such as "A Knight's Tale" where the main characters skills in jousting are further complimented by armor which is exceptionally light.

4.) Witchers arent quite superhumans. They are stronger and faster, but extra strength doesnt count for a lot unless you are hacking through a carcass or carrying something. And elves are typically depicted as being very dexterous, light footed and graceful in a way humans cant duplicate. And as some foes in the books demonstrate normal humans can out fight a Witcher. Ciri, despite having no mutations has achecied a level of swordsmanship that does rival a Witcher, and Bonhart; a psycopath but certainly a normal human has defeated and killed many Witchers.