D&D 5E D&D Inclusivity for People with Disabilities

[Dannyalcatraz]

Thinking back on my own gaming history, I’ve only played 2 PCs with “classic” disabilities. One was a blind martial arts master in a “heroic” level HERO campaign, the other was a multiclassed spellcaster in 3.X who was mute.

While each was arguably “superior” to a normal RW human or a comparable NPC, relative to other PCs, they were definitely paying a higher mechanical cost to be similarly competent. In each case, neither PC would be quite as powerful or flexible as their party mates that lacked similar strictures.

 

[Orius]

Y'know, this is an excellent point and something that gets glossed over far too much. A halfling (and 3 feet tall is actually a tall halfling) should be at all sorts of disadvantages all the time living in a human sized world. But, IME, this gets completely ignored almost all the time.

This may be because they're probably following the Bree model where humans and halfings are integrated together. Until 3e, halfings were just standard hobbits anyway, and they either lived in Bree-like communities with humans, or had their own homeland like the Shire.

Thinking back on my own gaming history, I’ve only played 2 PCs with “classic” disabilities. One was a blind martial arts master in a “heroic” level HERO campaign, the other was a multiclassed spellcaster in 3.X who was mute.

Unfortunately, there's no amount of magic that can help a multiclassed spellcaster in 3.x overcome the disadvantages he must face.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Unfortunately, there's no amount of magic that can help a multiclassed spellcaster in 3.x overcome the disadvantages he must face.

Multiclassing is its own reward.

 

[MGibster]

Y'know, this is an excellent point and something that gets glossed over far too much. A halfling (and 3 feet tall is actually a tall halfling) should be at all sorts of disadvantages all the time living in a human sized world. But, IME, this gets completely ignored almost all the time.

I've given it some thought from time-to-time, especially when it comes to combat. I used to wrestle and box in my younger days (when I was actually physically fit), and I can scarcely imagine an opponent who I had three feet and 130 pounds on. At three feet and 35 pounds, that halfling is the equivalent of a pudgy three year old human. But who would want to play such a character if they had a huge disadvantage against humans?

 

[Orius]

Multiclassing is its own reward.

Ah. A mystic theurge.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I've given it some thought from time-to-time, especially when it comes to combat. I used to wrestle and box in my younger days (when I was actually physically fit), and I can scarcely imagine an opponent who I had three feet and 130 pounds on. At three feet and 35 pounds, that halfling is the equivalent of a pudgy three year old human. But who would want to play such a character if they had a huge disadvantage against humans?

But they’re NOT equivalent. An adult halfling will be disproportionately strong and agile for their size- not like a toddler at all- but not quite so formidable as a small simian. (Even a bonobo is stronger than a human.)

I mean, HTH fighting a halfling, your best bet is probably to keep them at arm’s reach, pummeling and kicking. If they get inside your guard, the adult-human strength in a toddler-scale body could have unexpected consequences.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ah. A mystic theurge.

Among others. Probably 85% of my D&D characters across all editions are multi classes in some way.

 

[MGibster]

But they’re NOT equivalent. An adult halfling will be disproportionately strong and agile for their size- not like a toddler at all- but not quite so formidable as a small simian. (Even a bonobo is stronger than a human.)

Sure, as the game is set up you're right. But this is one of those D&Disms I just have to turn my brain off and accept. Just like when someone with a sword takes on an ancient dragon. And the bonobo and halfling comparison isn't particularly apt here. The chimpanzee is a brachiator with a very different build from that of a human or a halfling.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Sure, as the game is set up you're right. But this is one of those D&Disms I just have to turn my brain off and accept. Just like when someone with a sword takes on an ancient dragon. And the bonobo and halfling comparison isn't particularly apt here. The chimpanzee is a brachiator with a very different build from that of a human or a halfling.

Can’t say I’ve ever seen a treatise in halfling musculoskeletal anatomy, sooooo...

But here’s the thing: halflings aren’t brachiators, for sure. If anything, they’re descended from burrowers. And borrowers are very strong per pound. You wouldn’t want to tangle with a 35lb badger*, even if it didn’t have claws.

* roughly honey badger sized.

 

[Hussar]

But they’re NOT equivalent. An adult halfling will be disproportionately strong and agile for their size- not like a toddler at all- but not quite so formidable as a small simian. (Even a bonobo is stronger than a human.)

I mean, HTH fighting a halfling, your best bet is probably to keep them at arm’s reach, pummeling and kicking. If they get inside your guard, the adult-human strength in a toddler-scale body could have unexpected consequences.

The problem with that model is that a full grown bonobo is three times the mass of a halfling. According to Wikipedia anyway, they're weighing in at 75 to 130 some pounds. So, no, that whole "well simians are super strong so halflings are okay, doesn't really hold a lot of water. Any similarly sized simian (around that 2 1/2 foot to 3 feet tall mark) is about two to three times bigger than a halfling.

If we're playing the realism card, halfings would get crushed by any normal sized human. They would be frail, weak, and about as strong as a 3 year old human.