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

[Faolyn]

I singled out the elf because it looks human, but is otherworldly, thus feels nonhuman.

That kinda depends on the interpretation. I mean, 5e elves can be blue or green. That's pretty inhuman-feeling.

But the halfling feels indistinguishable from a short human ethnicity, or a precocious human child of any ethnicity.

I just never get that feeling from looking at halflings. They have a very different build than humans, even humans with dwarfism. Very different faces, to my eyes.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I wouldn't make iron weapons too hard to make. Lycanthropes can be taken down by silvered weapons, and silver's pretty common. Making a silver weapon is costly, yes, but not super-difficult. Fey-killing iron should be about the same. (Also demon-killing iron; they used to share that weakness in earlier editions.)

Perhaps the simplest way to go about it is to just add something to the metal as its forged. @Yaarel suggested that Feywild and Shadowfell are parts of the Etheral. Perhaps... add ether?

But lycanthropes are a lot more powerful and a lot less common than PC races. If their weakness is too common, it’s debilitating.

 

[Yaarel]

I just never get that feeling from looking at halflings. They have a very different build than humans, even humans with dwarfism. Very different faces, to my eyes.

Except for the small feet (which make sense physiologically and I like), the halfling is otherwise human in every way, especially culturally.

 

[Yaarel]

Well, if the starmetal is forged with elemental forces, it might damage Fey because elemental Earth is not being used in the creation process. That means that it has sort of a mystical ”square peg forced into a round hole” character. It’s very presence might be detectable by Fey as giving them a taste of iron in their mouth, or a ringing in their ears.

All of which opens the door for OTHER exotic material types, each made with 3 elemental materials and one unusual non-elemental material.

IOW:

Elemental _________ + Elemental _________ + Elemental _________ + Non-Elemental _________ = exotic crafting material

Maybe Ether (force) replaces one of the four elements? Or negativity? Negativity might explain "cold" to the touch.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hmmm...

Elemental _________ + Elemental _________ + Positive/Negative Energy + Non-Elemental _________ = exotic crafting material

In the case of “Cold Iron”, the Negative Energy replaces the fire of the forge.

 

[Yaarel]

Hmmm...

Elemental _________ + Elemental _________ + Positive/Negative Energy + Non-Elemental _________ = exotic crafting material

In the case of “Cold Iron”, the Negative Energy replaces the fire of the forge.

Oppositely, Positive Energy "hot iron" might be effective against Shadowfell,

while, Negative Energy "cold iron" is effective against Feywild.

 

[Hussar]

Sure. Let's get into this.

What specific phrase of yours did I use that ascribed a motive to you specifically? How did my choice of words indicate you specifically and ascribed a motive to you.

Wait... what? How do you use a phrase of mine? It's something that I said, not yours. So, why would something that I said be used by you to ascribe a motive? You ascribed a motive in the quote I provided - anyone who "only object to halfling lore because it's "too human" merely hate halflings and aren't having an authentic debate." - these are your exact words. You are directly ascribing a motive to anyone who objects to halfling lore because it's too human. How is this unclear?

So, basically, you are flat out stating that @Yaarel is not having an authentic debate. After all, a couple of lines up he says this:

Except for the small feet (which make sense physiologically and I like), the halfling is otherwise human in every way, especially culturally.

Be quite specific, as you've described me as unable to understand English.

Do all of this while treating me with the respect and dignity I've treated everyone in this conversation.

I would say that ascribing motives to others for holding a different opinion is hardly treating people with respect and dignity. But, hey, what do I know? I'm apparently not having an authentic debate because I think halflings are too human.

Is that clear enough?

 

[bedir than]

I would say that ascribing motives to others for holding a different opinion is hardly treating people with respect and dignity.

I asked you for a specific phrase where I ascribed motives to you. You are unable to do so.

The phrase you claim where I'm ascribing a motive to you literally doesn't mention you. It would only be talking about

Any race's lore can be replaced with a human. Those that only object to halfling lore because it's "too human" merely hate halflings and aren't having an authentic debate.

That's the original quote which was replied to be people who are explicitly not you and yet your claim is that I'm claiming your motives. Neither English nor logic work that way.

I'm competent enough that if I wanted to talk to you about your motives I would quote you and reference you. I am not a complete buffoon who is incapable of using these tools, nor I am the complete idiot you make me out to be.

 

[Hussar]

Heh. For all your protestations @bedir than I would point out something you missed.

I asked you not to ascribe motives to people. I went on to specify why I didn't hate halflings, but, that was a somewhat separate point. You've ascribed motives - anyone who believes X is arguing in bad faith. That's pretty much undeniable. That you didn't ascribe it specifically to me doesn't really matter.

 

[Mind of tempest]

maybe cold iron just literally meant any pure solid iron as opposed to molten iron, just have elves use magic to make titanium swords.