D&D General My Problem(s) With Halflings, and How To Create Engaging/Interesting Fantasy Races

[Cadence]

Also if you want lizards that aren’t as cool as dragons, the Kobold is right there!

Are Kobolds to Lizardmen as Halflings are to Humans, or are Kobolds to Dragonborn as Gnomes are Elves?

 

[Bardic Dave]

Are Kobolds to Lizardmen as Halflings are to Humans, or are Kobolds to Dragonborn as Gnomes are Elves?

I think Kobolds are to Lizardmen as bears are to beets, but that might just be me.

 

[Faolyn]

not just number presence that does not feel utterly replaceable with any other race, if saltmarshes hill had orc or Dragonborn villages would it change anything? not really,

Actually, it probably would. Dragonborn have very little lore beyond "proud warriors that are actually a lot like beardless dwarfs" and orcs are still a monster race you can use as a PC. I think that if you replaced halflings with either of those, the Saltmarshes would end up more violent.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Actually, it probably would. Dragonborn have very little lore beyond "proud warriors that are actually a lot like beardless dwarfs" and orcs are still a monster race you can use as a PC. I think that if you replaced halflings with either of those, the Saltmarshes would end up more violent.

that is a possibility but it would impact the module in about the same amount which is zero.

 

[Faolyn]

that is a possibility but it would impact the module in about the same amount which is zero.

True. That'd be up to the DM.

 

[Yaarel]

Are Kobolds to Lizardmen as Halflings are to Humans, or are Kobolds to Dragonborn as Gnomes are Elves?

Heh.

Kobold : Dragonborn :: Gnome : Half-Elf

 

[Chaosmancer]

You’re conflating disparate elements. They try to avoid being the focus of major events, and are lucky enough to mostly succeed.

But they are affected by them. Ten Towns has a significant Halfling population and several named NPCs.

But you seem to be somehow putting forth the idea that they can actively try and avoid being the focus of most adventures, which all usually start with "this unexpected bad thing is happening and we don't know why" or "we were completely caught by surprise by this bad thing"

The vast minority of published adventures as those that involve the PCs choosing to go and get themselves in a major event. Heck, even the classic "stranger in the tavern" is someone coming to you with a problem and asking you to fix it.

And it gets really weird when you start looking at the "major events" that they could be choosing not to be involved in. Like... they chose not to go and help protect the world from the Demon Lords? They chose not to lend their support to preventing the Rise of Tiamat and her conquest of the world?

Look, I'm glad to here that halflings exist in the Ten Towns... but were any of them actually doing things to try and help the situation? I'm not trying to apply some double standard because most of the humans weren't trying to help either, but it seems like over this entire edition, and a lot of previous editions, unless it was a PC, there were no halflings involved in trying to protect the world or even the targets of a disaster. Drow slavers never target halfling shires. Hobgoblin armies never target halfling shires. Dragons never terrorize halfling shires.

We can chalk it all up to luck, but that ends up being exceptionally weird when we know their luck is magical in nature and coming from a goddess, meaning that we know there is an external force manipulating massive powers for the sole purpose of making halflings... not get involved.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Every race reflects some fairly narrow aspect of humanity as the default. You want to make halflings "Important" and think they should have an "Impact" on the world.

For me? One of the reasons I like halflings is because they represent the overlooked, the quiet ones who don't want to be noticed. But when the time comes? When heroes are needed? That's when the "regular Joe that nobody even notices" has a chance to shine. Give them kingdoms or important roles in society at large and you lose that, you lose the essence of what it means to be a halfling. No halflings are not the jocks, the school presidents, the popular person. They're not even the technical guru or the emo kid that some people think ooze personality. That's why I like them.

P.S. As far as the majority, I'm going by the number of posters that I see that don't have an issue with it, the fact that despite there being dozens of races to play they're still relatively popular, the fact that the people I actually interact with around the gaming table have no problems with them.

Let me try and come at this from another angle.

Why are they more overlooked?

Because they don't have wizards and warriors? Well, they do, the same way that every other races does. Halfling PCs existing proves this fact. A halfling has just as much potential to be a powerful individual force as anyone else.

Because they are short? Anyone who believes that in the worlds of DnD is an idiot. Full stop. Not only are they just as capable with weapons as many other people, but magic exists. Being short doesn't affect your fireball.

And so the only reason I can think of is becuase they "don't get involved" they avoid conflicts... except when "things get serious" when "a hero is needed". And that's a bit weird. Because if they have never trained or studied or done anything at all to make themselves ready to "step up" then they aren't going to make a difference.


I can't wrap my head around this idea that they are somehow "unexpected" or "underestimated" because the only reasons that make sense to underestimate them involve them literally hamstringing themselves to the point where isn't that they are secretly able to step up, but that they literally don't have the skills to help. And somehow this applies to an entire race of people, because none of them are in a position where they actually have to step up and defend themselves on a regularly basis.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

We can chalk it all up to luck, but that ends up being exceptionally weird when we know their luck is magical in nature and coming from a goddess, meaning that we know there is an external force manipulating massive powers for the sole purpose of making halflings... not get involved.

After reading Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, which describes halflings in great deal, it actually does kind of equate halfling villages to this; they're only rarely attacked for exactly that reason.

 

[Oofta]

Let me try and come at this from another angle.

Why are they more overlooked?

Because they don't have wizards and warriors? Well, they do, the same way that every other races does. Halfling PCs existing proves this fact. A halfling has just as much potential to be a powerful individual force as anyone else.

Because they are short? Anyone who believes that in the worlds of DnD is an idiot. Full stop. Not only are they just as capable with weapons as many other people, but magic exists. Being short doesn't affect your fireball.

And so the only reason I can think of is becuase they "don't get involved" they avoid conflicts... except when "things get serious" when "a hero is needed". And that's a bit weird. Because if they have never trained or studied or done anything at all to make themselves ready to "step up" then they aren't going to make a difference.


I can't wrap my head around this idea that they are somehow "unexpected" or "underestimated" because the only reasons that make sense to underestimate them involve them literally hamstringing themselves to the point where isn't that they are secretly able to step up, but that they literally don't have the skills to help. And somehow this applies to an entire race of people, because none of them are in a position where they actually have to step up and defend themselves on a regularly basis.

First level PCs are hardly powerhouses. But, yes, halflings as a group generally do the best they can to emulate Switzerland and not get involved. You may not be able to "wrap your head" around the concept of the quiet race that nobody expects much from having the rare few heroes rise up, and that's fine. Don't use them, but leave the archetype for those that want to roleplay the PC no one would expect. Not because their dark or edgy, not because there's prejudice against them because people fear them, but just because it's the quiet guy who up until that point was happy being a dishwasher.

Different strokes for different folks and all.