D&D 5E Darwin & Dragons, or the evolution of the halfling race!

[Strider1973]

Hi everybody,

Once upon a time, back in the Red Box days, and maybe even earlier, there was a race of small, round - bellied, peaceful, farming people called Hobb... ahém, Halfilings. They had furry feet, jovial smiles, and couldn't wield anything larger than a short sword.

Over the course of the decades, and of the editions (particularly 4th and 5th) of our beloved game, they became cool, slender (almost all of them...), the fur fell out their feet, and... they became able to wield any weapon, facing just some real problems (I know ... Disadvantage is the equivalent of a -4/-5...) if they try to wield Heavy Weapons.... And the same is true even for Gnomes and each Small Race...

Am I missing something?

Is this the Darwin's theory applied to D&D small races?

Many thanks!

 

[TheSword]

I think you’ll find everyone is descended from Halfllngs. Though evolution has nothing to do with it. They used the power of the Pristine tower to alter themselves and turn themselves into the races we know and love today.

If some dude shows up offering to teach you magic, ignore him, or better still kill him and dump his body in the sea. Plus it’s worth building a 50’ tall wall in a 5 mile radius circle around the Pristine Tower.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

A gnome with a crossbow can't be a serious menace

Halflings wear shoes and boots because dungeon floors and some forest zones are too dangerous to be barefoot.

Not only sci-fi but also fantasy changes with the time. Now new generations miss a lot of things from Asian MMOs. Halflings have changed because somebody like things from kenders and the "wise wild child" halflings from Dark Sun. Sometimes the retcon is necessary.

Smaller sometimes is a evolutionary advantage to hide in the wild vegetation.

The peaceful and fat version of the halflings are perfect to be the characters from an innocent cartoon show (like Trolls: the beat goes on, Trollz, Pop Pixie or Monchhihi tribe) but not to be heroes who face undeads and hobgoblins. If you want to be David killing Goliath you can't look as Sancho Panza.

 

[TheSword]

If you want to be David killing Goliath you can't look as Sancho Panza.

I’m pretty sure Mirt the Moneylender looked almost identical to Sancho Panzo. He survived Undermountain!

What a character looks like is not a problem. Anybody can choose to look like anyone else. Though all halflings look like hairy fat little men is a problem. The revolution started with Elija wood. Let’s just hope we don’t ever get half-halflings.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

You realize 5e halflings (some questionable artistic interpretations notwithstanding) have more or less reverted to old school appearance and concept, right?

They've added a bit to their lore to make it distinctive, but they haven't stuck with the 3.5 and 4e concepts that you are taking about.

 

[Bitbrain]

IMO, "Hobbits" are just Stout Halflings living in the extremely underpopulated world of Middle Earth.

Their round-bellied appearance is just the result of an excessive amount of gluten in their diet.

 

[Morrus]

IMO, "Hobbits" are just Stout Halflings

No, “Stout Halflings” are just Hobbits. Important difference.

 

[darkbard]

XP for a clever thread title!

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

My image about Sancho Panza is from a 80's Spanish cartoon adaptation.

The change about the look is for marketing reasons. Do you remember the fantasy MMORPGs with little races? They are usually "chibi"/cute babeface/like-children, sometimes with some furry/animal traits (bunny ears, for example). And don't you remember the "child superhero" from any shonen manga-animes? Would you buy a shirt with the image of Betty (halfling from the comic "Rat Queens") or like Willow from the George Lucas's movie?

* Can halflings be good characters for no-stealth classes? Maybe somebody wants a halfling monk like a D&D version of Krilin, Goku's friend.

* My bet is in the next years gnome PCs will be Tyrion Lannister's clones.

 

[Hriston]

No, “Stout Halflings” are just Hobbits. Important difference.

Stout halflings are Stoors. Lightfoot halflings are Harfoots and Fallohides.