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

Yaarel · Jul 21, 2021

Cadence said:
There's a long history of a lot of the races being very similar...

"The demi-human races are cousin species to humans." - Moldvay, B9

"All of the non-human or part-human races closely resemble humans in many aspects." - 1e PHB, pg. 15

"Similar to their cousins, the dwarves, gnomes are..." - 1e PHB, pg. 16

As far as 5e...

The 5e PHB's entire quote from the human point of view about halflings is: "It's hard to beat a meal in a halfling home, as long as you don't crack your head on the ceiling - good food and good stories in front of a nice, warm fire. If halflings had a shred of ambition, they might really amount to something."

About human's in general: "Everyone's second-best friends. Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds."

These "races" as actual human ethnicities, are Tolkien-dependent racism, and are problematic.

Cadence · Jul 21, 2021

Yaarel said:
These "races" as actual human ethnicities, are Tolkien-dependent racism, and are problematic.

In Tolkien, the Elves, Dwarves, and Men have entirely separate origins.

My point in the post was to argue the 5e quote about humans and halflings being similar was a whole lot of nothing burger, because they've all always been described in D&D as being pretty similar in spite of being different species.

Casimir Liber · Jul 21, 2021

Wasn't it in 1E where humans and halflings had souls and other races had spirits?

Neonchameleon · Jul 21, 2021

Minigiant said:
2) I still dream of a proper D&D 4X or strategy video game and wonder would the halfling faction would field.

Does Warhammer count? They normally work as scouts or cooks for the army, but have their own rangers, archers, and slingers - and the Hot Pot artillery piece. Total Warhammer modders have implemented the halflings in OVN Lost Factions. (And no, neither GW nor the mod are entirely serious).

Cadence · Jul 21, 2021

Casimir Liber said:
Wasn't it in 1E where humans and halflings had souls and other races had spirits?

Wasn't it just elves that were different?

Casimir Liber · Jul 21, 2021

I don't have a 1E book handy to check sadly....

Cadence said:
Wasn't it just elves that were different?

Cadence · Jul 21, 2021

Casimir Liber said:
I don't have a 1E book handy to check sadly....

Apparently Humans, Halflings, Gnomes, Dwarves, and.Half-Elves had souls.

D&D 3.5 – Elves don’t have souls!

Even after all of the years that I have been a Dungeon Master I am still being surprised by how much I never knew about this game. For instance, I recently learned that in AD&D a r…

olddungeonmaster.com

carkl3000 · Jul 21, 2021

Chaosmancer said:
Seen plenty of humans smile all the time.

Pretty much never seen a smiling dwarf.

How dare you stereotype dwarves that way! You should be ashamed!

Oofta · Jul 21, 2021

Minigiant said:
1) hyenas are neither cats nor dogs. Hyenas would be closer to cats

Technically you are correct, which is the best kind of correct.

Yaarel · Jul 21, 2021

5e continues the 1e concept, via Fey Ancestry. Despite a body of flesh and blood, the Elf really is a Fey spirit. A nonhuman nature being.

For 5e, I prefer the Gnome and Goblin to be similarly Fey.