A realistic view on Halflings

[mmadsen]

Is this more or less how others have imagined halflings, or have most of you seen them as they were portrayed in LotRs (books or movies) ?

D&D halflings have always been hobbits for many of us.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

D&D halflings have always been hobbits for many of us.

Short and fat — just the way my ogres like ’em.

 

[Hairfoot]

Probably the most realistic halflings were the real halflings.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Probably the most realistic halflings were the real halflings.

Yes halflings should be more like h. floriensis
Also that kid like a few other people has that genetic condition where their body produces less myostatin leading to very rapid muscle buildup.

 

[Felon]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ews.html?in_article_id=513820&in_page_id=1811

I came across this article today, and it occurred to me that his height and weight are quite close to that of halflings in 3.x Ed.

He is not quite 3 feet tall, weighs around 20 lbs, and typically weight-lifts around 3 lbs. In many respects he is far closer to how I have always imagined halflings - rather than how they were presented in LotR movies.

Is this more or less how others have imagined halflings, or have most of you seen them as they were portrayed in LotRs (books or movies) ?

When I saw those pictures...God help me, I think I'm turning into Eric Cartman.

I like the idea of halflings as being basically precocious preteens. Actually, I like elves to be more like that, but that doesn't mesh with everyone else's concept of elves as being either rugged and feral or ectomorphic and effeite.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

That guy's too skinny and a bit short compared to D&D halflings. Even compared to 3E halflings, he's scrawnier than any adult halfling.

A 3E halfling is at least 32 pounds (male) or 27 pounds (female), and at least 2'-10" (male) or 2'-8" (female). The smallest halflings are roughly the same height as him, but many pounds heavier in muscle mass and bone mass.

Also, I tend to think of halflings and gnomes as having musculature closer to orangutans and other apes, just somewhat less, making up for the fact that they're so much lighter-weight than humans. Their muscles are just very compact, but very powerful for their size.

And anyway, the average halfling is almost half a foot taller than that Indian guy, and almost twice as heavy. They may be childlike in size, but they're ape-like in muscle power.

Probably the most realistic halflings were the real halflings.

this is also they way i see halflings strong and combact ..small does not mean weak

 

[Jhulae]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ews.html?in_article_id=513820&in_page_id=1811

I came across this article today, and it occurred to me that his height and weight are quite close to that of halflings in 3.x Ed.

He is not quite 3 feet tall, weighs around 20 lbs, and typically weight-lifts around 3 lbs. In many respects he is far closer to how I have always imagined halflings - rather than how they were presented in LotR movies.

Is this more or less how others have imagined halflings, or have most of you seen them as they were portrayed in LotRs (books or movies) ?

In LotR, Halflings were ~4' tall, which is how I imagine Halflings. They were half the size of one of the old human races (forget the name) which were ~8' tall, hence 'half' the height.

 

[Klaus]

Yes halflings should be more like h. floriensis
Also that kid like a few other people has that genetic condition where their body produces less myostatin leading to very rapid muscle buildup.

... which can easily be translated as a racial trait for a fantasy race. After all, in 3.x, halflings are Small creatures with only -2 to Str (as opposed to -4 for a Small human), making them closer to Small half-orcs.

 

[BaldHero]

..small does not mean weak

I'm sure master yoda would agree.

I imagine halflings like tiny balls of fury, waiting to unleash tremendous energy on their enemies like a rabid badger...

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

I'm sure master yoda would agree.

I imagine halflings like tiny balls of fury, waiting to unleash tremendous energy on their enemies like a rabid badger...

this is also how i see them myself. often people think becasue they are the size of a human child they must be about as good at lifting and such,however a human child is not fully devleped member of his race where a halfing is. a race the size of a 3e halfling would be very very deadly id say they would have muscles that are very combact and strong not to even get into there speed and small size swords being crotch level is a scary thing.an avag halfling is slighty weaker then a avag human yet faster and it be damned easy to hamstring a human attacker .i love the size of the 3e halfling and have used a halfling fighter to effect many times ..master of ambush that he was. so stop thinking of halflings as weak child sized pitycases and see them for the small engins of death they often are and can easliy be.