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

[Zubatcarteira]

Shelob's skin was so tough that not even Beren or Túrin could have pierced it, iirc, and those are some of the best human warriors in history. Sam did get lucky that he basically made her stab herself, but she wasn't weak by any means.

 

[Yaarel]

Shelob's skin was so tough that not even Beren or Túrin could have pierced it, iirc, and those are some of the best human warriors in history. Sam did get lucky that he basically made her stab herself, but she wasn't weak by any means.

Heh. Sounds like DM fiat to me.

 

[Cadence]

A giant spider isnt necessarily a high level opponent.

In D&D, a "Giant Spider" is CR 1 (200 xp). That sounds appropriate for zero level Hobbits. To them, this is a serious threat.

We are talking about Shelob, right? Thousands of years old? The last child of Ungoliant? (How many can claim their mom went on a road trip with Morgoth and killed the two trees?) Who was big enough for Sauron to notice and who Sauron thought made a better guard for the pass than an orc battalion? "[H]is cat he calls her". Who regularly preyed on the orcs in the nearby tower with total impunity?

The 1988 Creatures of Middle-Earth notes...

 

[Oofta]

In addition, Shelob was a lot more than just a giant spider, she was effectively part demon as well.

But ... it was a book, not D&D. A book that glossed over most combat at that.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Heh. Sounds like DM fiat to me.

You could say he was . . . Lucky.

 

[Yaarel]

In addition, Shelob was a lot more than just a giant spider, she was effectively part demon as well.

But ... it was a book, not D&D. A book that glossed over most combat at that.

In this case Tolkien is relevant to the question of whether his Hobbit is suitable for a D&D lineage.

You could say he was . . . Lucky.

Heh. Far luckier than the Players Handbook pitiful Lucky trait.

 

[Cadence]

In this case Tolkien is relevant to the question of whether his Hobbit is suitable for a D&D lineage

Maybe after messing around with all kinds of high level stuff in his Silmarillion campaign, he thought the e8 version of the Hobbit and LotR was a lot more fun to bring out in public first. Not everyone likes the high level stuff.

 

[Yaarel]

Maybe after messing around with all kinds of high level stuff in his Silmarillion campaign, he thought the e8 version of the Hobbit and LotR was a lot more fun to bring out in public first. Not everyone likes the high level stuff.

I like the idea that each tier has its own distinctive feel: 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-20. So if a Tolkien setting wants to stop at 8, that is fine. And if a superhero setting wants to start 9, that is also fine.



The Hobbit is problematic tho. Its lack of ambition and lack of advancement are a plot device for Tolkien. It was what allowed the ring to be destroyed when other wise it was impossible to do so.

But D&D is all about ambition and advancement. Someone like a Hobbit would be more like an NPC that high level characters need to protect and keep alive in order to complete an otherwise impossible epic task.

 

[Cadence]

The Hobbit is problematic tho. Its lack of ambition and lack of advancement are a plot device for Tolkien. It was what allowed the ring to be destroyed when other wise it was impossible to do so.

But D&D is all about ambition and advancement. Someone like a Hobbit would be more like an NPC that high level characters need to protect and keep alive in order to complete an otherwise impossible epic task.

The Dwarves weren't just 1st level though (although certainly not near 8th or the limit) and definitely had ambition (reclaiming their lands).

Maybe Bilbo's player's first character died and he was a new 1st level character being put in.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Well, while Hobbits prefer a simpler life, they can spend some time adventuring and enjoy it, The Hobbit and LoTR both happen in the span of less than a year, after that they go back home and settle down.

In D&D you can have several adventures, get to level 20 and kill half a dozen gods in that timespan, so I'd say it's fair enough for a Halfling to do all that then chill out at home afterwards.