VirgilCaine
First Post
Arkhandus said:
...marshes?
Marshes?
D&D 4E Call a kender a kender? What should 4E "halflings" be called?
- Thread starter Whizbang Dustyboots
- Start date
...marshes?
Marshes?
Lurks-no-More
First Post
Halflings, thank you.
The name "kender" refers to a very specific, congenitally cleptomanic, stupidly fearless and generally horribly annoying variant of a halfling native to Krynn (where they mostly stay, thank all powers).
The name "kender" refers to a very specific, congenitally cleptomanic, stupidly fearless and generally horribly annoying variant of a halfling native to Krynn (where they mostly stay, thank all powers).
Mr. Wilson
Explorer
I agree. If they're gonna be Kenders in all but name, why not simply call them Kenders?
small pumpkin man
Explorer
Problem in, there's no real reason to call them Kender, it doesn't really bring anything to the table, whereas changing the name from Halfling to anything else will just annoy all of the Grognards, who'll complain about them "forcing flavor" or "change for the sake of change" (and they'd have a point with the second one), not to mention that they're called halflings in FR, Eberron, Darksun etc which means the settings would have to change them back.
Also, Halfling is known outside of D&D, Kender isn't, so it makes it that bit harder for new players to get in.
But mostly, saying that "4E Halflings are Kender with a fondness for rivers and other waterways" isn't really the case, it should be pointed out that they said that 3E Halflings are already based off of Kender, but with the annoying things removed. If you make them more like Kender (an call them Kender) you get the annoying players who use it as an excuse to steal everybody's stuff and and get the entire party killed through utter disrespect for danger because "that's what Kenders do".
And no-one wants to go back to that.
Also, Halfling is known outside of D&D, Kender isn't, so it makes it that bit harder for new players to get in.
But mostly, saying that "4E Halflings are Kender with a fondness for rivers and other waterways" isn't really the case, it should be pointed out that they said that 3E Halflings are already based off of Kender, but with the annoying things removed. If you make them more like Kender (an call them Kender) you get the annoying players who use it as an excuse to steal everybody's stuff and and get the entire party killed through utter disrespect for danger because "that's what Kenders do".
And no-one wants to go back to that.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
I clicked the button next to "halfling," but I really wish I could have voted for Hobbit.
RPG_Tweaker
Explorer
I don't fault WotC for trying to pry Halflings (the concept) away from Hobbits (the source). As such, Halflings really need their own identity. Making them a bit more Romani-like and boosting some Kender's traits is fine by me, but the name is too tied to Dragonlance.
I don't mind keeping the name Halfling, but changing their height makes that a tad silly.
My Halflings (who will remain 3ft) are a bit quixotic, proud of their height, and welcome the Human name for them. They have several names for themselves including Kobbit, Pooka, and Brounie. They are ususally gregarious and prone to tricksy behavior. They are generally big-boned for their size, but not fat. They have high metabolisms and eat human-sized portions. At about 40, they have a strong tendency to settle down, but since they still love to eat, they frequently become quite portly. They also have a knack for nature and beasts, stealing some of the 3E Gnome's niche.
Gnome is a slightly derogatory dwarven name for dwarves that live amongst humans and follow their traditions... like shaving.
I don't mind keeping the name Halfling, but changing their height makes that a tad silly.
My Halflings (who will remain 3ft) are a bit quixotic, proud of their height, and welcome the Human name for them. They have several names for themselves including Kobbit, Pooka, and Brounie. They are ususally gregarious and prone to tricksy behavior. They are generally big-boned for their size, but not fat. They have high metabolisms and eat human-sized portions. At about 40, they have a strong tendency to settle down, but since they still love to eat, they frequently become quite portly. They also have a knack for nature and beasts, stealing some of the 3E Gnome's niche.
Gnome is a slightly derogatory dwarven name for dwarves that live amongst humans and follow their traditions... like shaving.
Mighty Halfling
Explorer
If they changed their name, I'd have to change my name. Mighty Kender just doesn't have the same feel.
No to Kender, too tied to Dragonlance and to tied to Tasselhoff. Leave then as Halfling even if they are making them slightly more kinderesque. Only the general type gets more kenderesque I presume in Ebberon they stay the same.
All I know is, if Kender show up in the 4e game I will be playing in I am going to roll up a Paladin whose life purpose will be the eradication of the entire Kender species. Thats right, ethnic cleansing of Kender FTW.
Just doing what nature should have done in the first place.
Just doing what nature should have done in the first place.
I really dont think the new fluff for haflings makes them into kender. The new hafling fluff seems much more serious to me, than kender were, also less cleptomanic, less fearless and so on. If they resemble kender, they resemble kender but without being seriously annoying, which was like the main gimmick of kenders.. Hence, they're pretty far from being kenders 
