"I think Hydrogen is a rare element" and other science facts.

[Micah Sweet]

Play 3e. Note that while Halfings do have -2 Strength and are half the size, their carrying capacity is not halved compared to a human, but their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.

Thus, a Strength 10 human has a heavy load of up to 100 pounds, and a Strength 8 Halfling has a heavy load of 60.

Ok, so humans are stronger, no big deal, but wait! According to the random height and weight charts in the PHB, an average human male is 5' 9" and weighs 175 pounds. The average halfling male is 3' 3" and weighs 35 pounds.

A character can lift and press weight equal to their maximum load over their head. Thus the male human's max press is less than 60% of their body weight. The male halfling can lift 185% of their body weight.

Physically weaker or super strong for their size?

Yeah, the logic there doesn't hold up either. Halflings in most circumstances should be terrible D&D adventurers. By the rules they aren't. I've learned to live with it.

 

[Staffan]

Yeah, the logic there doesn't hold up either. Halflings in most circumstances should be terrible D&D adventurers. By the rules they aren't. I've learned to live with it.

Ah yes, completely unsuited to any sort of grand quests or anything of the sort. They'll never amount to anything.

Play 3e. Note that while Halfings do have -2 Strength and are half the size, their carrying capacity is not halved compared to a human, but their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.

3e halflings were also penalized in combat due to smaller size, which mattered a lot to various combat maneuvers and forced them to use smaller weapons. So in 3.0 a human could use a longsword with a shield and deal 1d8+mods damage, while a halfling who wanted to use a shield would have to settle for a shortsword and deal 1d6 (in 3.5, the halfling would use a Small longsword for the same 1d6).

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yeah, the logic there doesn't hold up either. Halflings in most circumstances should be terrible D&D adventurers. By the rules they aren't. I've learned to live with it.

Well, in "Must kill six encounter's worth of enemies per day" adventuring parading realistic halflings would suck. But I think they would be pretty decent in "Avoid fights if at all possible and just get the treasure/macguffin" paradigm.

 

[Bohandas]

Play 3e. Note that while Halfings do have -2 Strength and are half the size, their carrying capacity is not halved compared to a human, but their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.

Thus, a Strength 10 human has a heavy load of up to 100 pounds, and a Strength 8 Halfling has a heavy load of 60.

Ok, so humans are stronger, no big deal, but wait! According to the random height and weight charts in the PHB, an average human male is 5' 9" and weighs 175 pounds. The average halfling male is 3' 3" and weighs 35 pounds.

A character can lift and press weight equal to their maximum load over their head. Thus the male human's max press is less than 60% of their body weight. The male halfling can lift 185% of their body weight.

Physically weaker or super strong for their size?

Wait!? Are you measuring strength as lifting capacity divided by body weight??????

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Wait!? Are you measuring strength as lifting capacity divided by body weight??????

Well, it is a well known fact that that due its enormous strength an ant can easily punch a human to death whilst the opposite is complexly implausible...

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well, in "Must kill six encounter's worth of enemies per day" adventuring parading realistic halflings would suck. But I think they would be pretty decent in "Avoid fights if at all possible and just get the treasure/macguffin" paradigm.

Sure. That would be the circumstances I'm thinking of.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Wait!? Are you measuring strength as lifting capacity divided by body weight??????

I don't think he is - he's pointing out that relatively, pound-for-pound, even a -2 STR halfling is incredibly strong, which means any idea that they have same exact composition as a small human is patently ludicrous. It also means, as I pointed out, suddenly finding this objectionable and "unrealistic" or "anti-science" because they have 2 more STR is obviously silly shenanigans.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Well, it is a well known fact that that due its enormous strength an ant can easily punch a human to death whilst the opposite is complexly implausible...

An ant that was the size of a halfling and still possessed the same strength relative to its size could certainly bite an adventurer's leg straight off, probably through full plate. So not sure about your point there. A being that only weighs 35lbs but can lift 180lbs above its head ain't nothing to mess with.

If anything the real issue is that D&D is wildly inconsistent, because halflings should incredibly good jumpers, climbers, etc. given their strength/body weight issue. Or maybe we should just not try and apply science to D&D's fantasy races. Tolkien sure wasn't with his.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

An ant that was the size of a halfling and still possessed the same strength relative to its size certain could certainly bite an adventurer's leg straight off, probably through full plate. So not sure about your point there.

Yes, but a normal ant couldn't even though relative to its size, it is way stronger than human. Also, of course a 35 pound ant would not have such relative strength, it probably would not be strong enough to stand.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Yes, but a normal ant couldn't even though relative to its size, it is way stronger than human. Also, of course a 35 pound ant would not have such relative strength, it probably would not be strong enough to stand.

E pur si muove says D&D though, re: both halflings and giant ants.