Are strongheart halflings unbalanced?

Corlon · May 31, 2003

strongheart halflings are from forgotten realms and basically they're the same as halflings except more courageous and stuff and in game terms they replace the +1 to all saves with a bonus feat.

Depending on the time of day, this seems balanced or unbalanced to me.

any thoughts?

Corlon · May 31, 2003

oh whoops, this should really be in DND rules, but oh well.

Technik4 · May 31, 2003

If youre playing in the realms they only come from one area and have less options at level 1 for things like regional feats and equipment packages. If you aren't starting at level 1, the difference of 1 feat makes little enough difference. After all, it seems that lightfoot halflings are just assumed to have "Luck of Heroes". Mechanically, since saves are one of the most important survival gauges to a PC and the two races are therefore equivelent, there is no difference.

At least, thats my opinion.

Technik

Andion Isurand · Jun 2, 2003

#1) First-level Only Feats

the Strongheart Halflings can get two... and then just take Luck of Heroes later on... thus, comming out ahead.

First-level Only Feats definatly brought more flavor back to playing a human.

However... help prevent Stronghearts from out doing the Lightfoots by NOT allowing their "racial" bonus feat to be a First-level Only Feat.

#2) PrC Prerequisites

Strongheart Halflings can meet PrC Prerequisites faster than the Lightfoots, and take Luck of Heros later on if they so desire.

#3) Luck Bonuses

Luck of Heros provides a luck bonus.

I am not sure whether or not this stacks with the bonuses provided with having a Luck Stone. If they do not stack, the Strongheart halfling can magically obtain the same benefits of the feat.

However, I would let the bonus... that the Lightfoots get and the Luck of Heros feat provides... stack with any magical Luck bonuses.

****************************************

As for qualifying for regional feats not from your original region..

By taking 2 ranks in Knowledge (local) for a specific area, you may take the feats specific to that region.

**Thus, I think that Knowledge (local) should be available to all classes as a class skill. ( i.e. The warrior traveled to the far away land. After earning their trust and respect, he was taught a few of thier closely guarded fighting techniques. )

Dragon Child · Jun 2, 2003

Luck of Heros provides a luck bonus.

Right. And the Lightfoot Halflings bonus is racial. Which means it stacks with Luck of Heroes or the Luckstone.

The Luck of Heroes feat, granting a +1 luck bonus to all saves, is easily duplicated in a slotless item costing 5,000 gp... plus, the item can improve over time.

Lightfoot Halflings are better if you want a bonus to saves, and Strongheart are better if you want to qualify for a PrC that takes a huge amount of feats (which is actually pretty rare). I'd say they are both pretty well balanced, personally.

Jeph · Jun 3, 2003

Given that the bonus feat replaces +1 to all saves, and the save enhancing feats give +2 to one save, I'd say its balanced. Actually, IIRC and IDHTBIFOM, there's a feat in OA (one of the clan 1st-level-only feats) that does give +1 to all saves.

Overall, I think its balanced, but slightly stronger than the standard lightfoot, due to increased flexibility.