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

[JiffyPopTart]

@AcererakTriple6

In reference to your post asking about why non FR halflings are lucky....

Why are Drow like they are in settings without Lloth? Does the inclusion of PHB standard Drow imply a setting has a Lloth or similar higher power? Does the inclusion of lucky halflings imply a Yondalla or similar higher power?

 

[Don Durito]

Halflings are stated as common races and pushed as being in most D&D settings. (PHB 17)
Gnomes aren't (PHB 33)

An utter triviality.

It binds no one and I suspect most people ignore it.

Earlier in the thread people were at least arguing about whether they should be in the PHB or not.

Are we now supposed to care about how they're classified?

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

@AcererakTriple6

In reference to your post asking about why non FR halflings are lucky....

Why are Drow like they are in settings without Lloth? Does the inclusion of PHB standard Drow imply a setting has a Lloth or similar higher power?

In Eberron, IIRC, it's because the Dark Elves are the Elves that the Giants used as Shadow Assassins and experimented on to grant magical powers. They then fled underground after the Giant Empire collapsed (thus granting them superior darkvision and sunlight sensitivity), and they were still all helpful underneath the jungle canopy.

In Ravnica, they're still like Drow because they live under the surface world and are magical. Elves are fey-descendants, which makes it easier to excuse their abilities than just "lucky/brave" on a nonmagical race.

Does the inclusion of lucky halflings imply a Yondalla or similar higher power?

It implies that they're supernaturally lucky. Yondalla is the excuse in FR, but Eberron doesn't have one.

 

[Minigiant]

An utter triviality.

It binds no one and I suspect most people ignore it.

Earlier in the thread people were at least arguing about whether they were in the PHB or not.

Are we now supposed to get care about they're classified?

That's the argument though.

Thats halfings get to be in the front of the race section of the PHB whereas orcs are rewritten 3 times in supplements eventhough orcs are more important in D&D than halflings and have more and richer lore.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Halflings are stated as common races and pushed as being in most D&D settings. (PHB 17)
Gnomes aren't (PHB 33)

WOTC is encouraging worldbuilders and DMs to include halflings at the same rates as dwarves and elves but giving them the same attention and resources.

Because D&D fans like Tolkien but Tolkienesque element don't match how D&D works. So WOTC is giving us Halflings but doing nothing to make them not feel out of place. And ironically some fans like that halflings don't fit.

1. If you had to guess a percentage....what number of DnD players are aware the choices as presented in the PHB are two different tiers of commonality instead of just 7-8 different options.

3. If you had to guess a percentage...what number of DnD GMs who have a custom built world for their campaign have included halflings against their preference because they were under the arbitrary "core" descriptor?

My answers are 5% and Rounding-To-Zero%

Getting hung up on the concept of what's "core" seems like tilting at windmills because the only people that even notice it are people who know to ignore it of they wish.

 

[Minigiant]

1. If you had to guess a percentage....what number of DnD players are aware the choices as presented in the PHB are two different tiers of commonality instead of just 7-8 different options.

3. If you had to guess a percentage...what number of DnD GMs who have a custom built world for their campaign have included halflings against their preference because they were under the arbitrary "core" descriptor?

My answers are 5% and Rounding-To-Zero%

Getting hung up on the concept of what's "core" seems like tilting at windmills because the only people that even notice it are people who know to ignore it of they wish.

Presentation,baby.

Things presented first and prominently will be seen as normal.

This will influence subconsciously what people's preferences are.

Hobgoblin's stats are in VGTM. Not being in the PHB will cause many designers and DMs to not have gobliniods as a player race just from less exposure.
Many people ban all the uncommon races or make them minor in their settings.

It's absurd to think presentation wont affect the fanbase.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

In Eberron, IIRC, it's because the Dark Elves are the Elves that the Giants used as Shadow Assassins and experimented on to grant magical powers. They then fled underground after the Giant Empire collapsed (thus granting them superior darkvision and sunlight sensitivity), and they were still all helpful underneath the jungle canopy.

In Ravnica, they're still like Drow because they live under the surface world and are magical. Elves are fey-descendants, which makes it easier to excuse their abilities than just "lucky/brave" on a nonmagical race.

It implies that they're supernaturally lucky. Yondalla is the excuse in FR, but Eberron doesn't have one.

If a passing grade for origin story is "they went underground....then got all spidery and learned to see in the dark" or "long ago they were fey, so when they went underground they got all spidery and learned to fart darkness spells" then I figure WoTC could tweet something official to tide everyone over for halflings.

The world spirit appreciated someone who didn't exploit her so the halflings started to get lucky as she protected them. That should do the trick.

 

[Faolyn]

This thread is 144 pages.
We obviously care.

The whole discussion is whether halflings belong in the beginnings box over orcs or dragonborn due to how little D&D cares about the former in lore and mechanical diversity.

How much lore is actually needed in a beginner’s box versus in a setting book, though?

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Presentation,baby.

Things presented first and prominently will be seen as normal.

This will influence subconsciously what people's preferences are.

Hobgoblin's stats are in VGTM. Not being in the PHB will cause many designers and DMs to not have gobliniods as a player race just from less exposure.
Many people ban all the uncommon races or make them minor in their settings.

It's absurd to think presentation wont affect the fanbase.

I'm not seeing a percentage guess here from you....

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So people are always tripping over them and getting their foot caught in their mailboxes.

And breaking legs, yeah.

What do you think second breakfast is made from?


“SECOND BREAKFAST IS MADE OF PEOPLE!!!”