doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
I really don't understand why some folks think that halflings need to have a big impact on history in order to "deserve" their place as a common race in dnd. It's just a really strange notion, to me.
Why does it matter whether they have empires or great wars or move international politics?
Further, it's a good thing that there is a common race that doesn't do any of that. The game would lose a certain fullness, like mole without chocolate. Halflings are important because they're a large segment of the population, and they thus impact the broad culture of a given region, and help shape what a city or town looks like. They don't tend to insulate into exclusive enclaves within a city like dwarves and elves, instead being happy to live right alongside members of other communities. Their own villages tend to be out of the way, quiet, and easy to miss.
Halflings are like the broadly archetypal Canadians. No one puts Canada's army in the history books, because they don't start wars and no one starts wars with them, but when their allies go to war, especially when they go to war because someone else started it, they march with them, and they fight with a stunning ferocity and loyalty. The rest of the time, they're welcoming, they take care of their folks, and they don't try to push others around.
There are evil halflings out there, but they're fairly rare. It's also rare that a halfling lacks curiosity, or the ability to defend themselves. In past editions this was modeled by making halflings extra good with the ultimate simple weapon, the sling, and I think that should have been kept in some form.
They're fun to play, and they contribute to the world feeling real and inhabited.
Why does it matter whether they have empires or great wars or move international politics?
Further, it's a good thing that there is a common race that doesn't do any of that. The game would lose a certain fullness, like mole without chocolate. Halflings are important because they're a large segment of the population, and they thus impact the broad culture of a given region, and help shape what a city or town looks like. They don't tend to insulate into exclusive enclaves within a city like dwarves and elves, instead being happy to live right alongside members of other communities. Their own villages tend to be out of the way, quiet, and easy to miss.
Halflings are like the broadly archetypal Canadians. No one puts Canada's army in the history books, because they don't start wars and no one starts wars with them, but when their allies go to war, especially when they go to war because someone else started it, they march with them, and they fight with a stunning ferocity and loyalty. The rest of the time, they're welcoming, they take care of their folks, and they don't try to push others around.
There are evil halflings out there, but they're fairly rare. It's also rare that a halfling lacks curiosity, or the ability to defend themselves. In past editions this was modeled by making halflings extra good with the ultimate simple weapon, the sling, and I think that should have been kept in some form.
They're fun to play, and they contribute to the world feeling real and inhabited.