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

[Mind of tempest]

We just look at different things and have different ideas of what makes a race interesting. To me genasi are just "let's through things in a blender and see what comes out". They don't represent anything, they just happen to be a rando combination. My campaign doesn't need an ambassador to the djinn any more than they need a half dwarf or half dragonborn. As I said earlier, the fact that some people think gnomes and halflings are effectively the same shows how we think about races completely different. That's fine.

I think that one of the strengths (and for some, weaknesses) of D&D is that it's a big tent. So, as I said before, it's okay to agree to disagree. Sometimes it's the most reasonable response of all.

then what does in your eyes make a race interesting?

 

[FrozenNorth]

I have to say, I have always thought it was a mistake to ditch infrevision/low-light vision and just use darkvision. To me, darkvision only makes sense for those species that are largrly sub-surface dwellers- dwarves, Drow, etc. The need it.

The other races- Halflings included- should only have low-light vision or just be like humans. Seeing fine in total darkness makes less sense for them.

I kind of disagree. Given 5e’s stated objective of simplifying the rules, you pretty much had to collapse three types of vision into 2. Where they made their mistake is giving darkvision to too many races that don’t live underground. Elves don’t need darkvision (and already have lots and lots of traits to distinguish them from humans).

Of the PHB races, the only races that should have gotten darkvision are dwarves, rock gnomes, drow and half-orcs.

 

[Cadence]

then what does in your eyes make a race interesting?

There's a plus thread going about halflings now on here that probably has a lot of answers, but no interrogations as it.is a plus thread.

 

[Mind of tempest]

There's a plus thread going about halflings now on here that probably has a lot of answers, but no interrogations as it.is a plus thread.

what was it call as I did not notice it?

 

[FrozenNorth]

You think that if we had an "I hate elves" thread there wouldn't be more people chiming in? Rather than a few people displaying their passionate loathing with at least two people writing literally hundreds of comments about how they hate halflings.

And I don't think an "I hate gnomes" thread would go on half this long because gnomes don't strike anywhere near the same deep chord with people.

I think you mean a “I don’t think elves as currently written are particularly engaging” thread”. I believe both elvish and gnomish threads would peter out quickly. Halfling defenders seem to be particularly defensive about the race.

I find that the gnomish lore in the PHB distinguishes them better as a race than halflings, but I can’t imagine devoting hundreds of posts to that fact.

Also, I like to hope that a elvish or gnomish thread wouldn’t devolve into multiple posts of “you just hate elves” and “you are destroying my existing characters”.

 

[Cadence]

I kind of disagree. Given 5e’s stated objective of simplifying the rules, you pretty much had to collapse three types of vision into 2. Where they made their mistake is giving darkvision to too many races that don’t live underground. Elves don’t need darkvision (and already have lots and lots of traits to distinguish them from humans).

Of the PHB races, the only races that should have gotten darkvision are dwarves, rock gnomes, drow and half-orcs.

Part of me isn't sure even fully underground humanoid races need vision in complete darkness (dimly glowing fungus, a slightly burning ember, etc...) unless there's some justification like there own body heat gives off enough infrared to make it vaguely confirm to physics. (Multiple eye lids to protect from having the night vision destroyed by a sudden flash of light?)

 

[Cadence]

what was it call as I did not notice it?

https://www.enworld.org/threads/halfling-appreciation-and-development-thread.681476

 

[Mind of tempest]

Part of me isn't sure even fully underground humanoid races need vision in complete darkness (dimly glowing fungus, a slightly burning ember, etc...) unless there's some justification like there own body heat gives off enough infrared to make it vaguely confirm to physics. (Multiple eye lids to protect from having the night vision destroyed by a sudden flash of light?)

or you use it as a plot point with drow for example being super weak to flash-bang grenades.

 

[Oofta]

then what does in your eyes make a race interesting?

The niche that they fit. For halflings, see my post in this thread.

Quick take on races I've played over the years in no particular order:

• Dwarves are extremely practical with bad pseudo-Scottish accents, gruff and blunt to the point some people will find them insulting.
• Gnomes are hyper and bounce off the walls while trying to get out a flood of thoughts all at once. I admit though that I have a hard time with forest gnomes.
• Elves come off as better-than-thou but are really just reluctant to get too close to people that will just be around for the blink of an eye. Unfortunately I never get to play them long before they die.
• Half-orcs lean into the barbarian nature, gruff and bad mannered. Also fun to subvert the trope and have a half-orc that actually quite intelligent that just pretends to be a dumb brute.
• Warforged is one that I had fun with just the caricature of someone who does not understand biological beings at all. As in "So you do this thing to reproduce, but you don't really want to reproduce now? Why do something that does not achieve the desired function? Can I observe this ritual?"
• Gnoll in 4E was fun because I played an anthropomorphic Scooby-Doo. Kind of dissapointed there are no more dog-related playable humanoids, why do cats get all the love?
• Dragonborn are outgoing, proud and boastful of their draconic ancestry while being dedicated to family and heritage.

It has very little to do with mechanics for me. In fact, I'm kind of dissapointed that in AL my mountain dwarf wizard is no longer playing against type any more. It has to do with what aspect of personality they can represent, what "hook" I can either build on or subvert.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yeah.

But this isn't even a "I hate halflings" thread. It's more a "I think D&D misuses halflings" topic with many discussing whether or not it does.

Personally I don't think a "D&D misuses elves" or "D&D misuses gnomes" thread would go as long because common issues with those races is not poor usage.

I would get the gnome hate thread to 200 pages alone and I would openly admit I hate them page 1.