D&D General D & D height comparison

[mariajame]

Human: Typically range from 5 to 6 feet tall.
Elf: Around 5 to 6 feet tall, usually slender.
Dwarf: Short and stocky, usually between 4 to 5 feet.
Halfling: Small and nimble, standing around 3 feet tall.
Gnome: Also small, around 3 to 4 feet tall.
Half-Orc: Often taller and bulkier, around 6 to 7 feet.
Dragonborn: Towering, often between 6 to 7 feet.
Tiefling: Usually similar to humans, around 5 to 6 feet tall.
These are the averages .

 

[Shiroiken]

I really hate the fact that all elves became tall in 5E. That was a realms specific thing that bled into the core rules.

 

[Oofta]

I really hate the fact that all elves became tall in 5E. That was a realms specific thing that bled into the core rules.

It changed with 4E for some reason. In 3.5 they were still 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 foot tall.

I assume it's because elves became the "cool" race and short doesn't equate to "cool" because of height bias.

 

[TwoSix]

It changed with 4E for some reason. In 3.5 they were still 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 foot tall.

I assume it's because elves became the "cool" race and short doesn't equate to "cool" because of height bias.

Probably a combination of LotR and WoW imagery, based on the timeline.

Although I remember not liking 5’ elves when I was introduced to the idea of 2e, so their current presentation feels more “correct” to me.

The general lack of popularity of short races makes me believe such trends will continue.

 

[sevenbastard]

I firmly believe halflings are too small. I would go around 4 feet for them. Also think that they should have a maximum strength score of 15, but I get that's an unpopular opinion. I also understand small primates like chimps are strong but I don't see halflings like that.

The kindergarten sized halflings with a 20 strength just seems unrealistic to me.

 

[ezo]

I really hate the fact that all elves became tall in 5E. That was a realms specific thing that bled into the core rules.

Ditto. Elves in my games are still AD&D heights. Tall elves!?! Hmph! (Rattles cane).

Half-Orcs average 5.5 ft and are fat!

 

[Morrus]

The kindergarten sized halflings with a 20 strength just seems unrealistic to me.

But at least elves are realistic, right?

 

[ezo]

Also think that they should have a maximum strength score of 15, but I get that's an unpopular opinion

Yeah, there should be carry limits, but since Strength is how well you use the strength you have, not simply how strong you are, it doesn't bother me if a halfling has a Strength 20--they are just very good as utilizing their strength to near-maximal effectiveness.

However, small PCs should have (at minimum) half the carry capacity of medium. But that creates issues with equipment weight, etc. For any sort of "simulationism", there are a lot of issues in 5E design--but that wasn't the intent.

 

[TwoSix]

I firmly believe halflings are too small. I would go around 4 feet for them. Also think that they should have a maximum strength score of 15, but I get that's an unpopular opinion. I also understand small primates like chimps are strong but I don't see halflings like that.

The kindergarten sized halflings with a 20 strength just seems unrealistic to me.

I don’t generally present halflings in general population as having high strengths. But a halfling PC with 20 Str almost certainly has some protagonist rationale for their capabilities.

 

[Oofta]

In a world with flying dragons, I don't have a problem with 20 strength halflings because strength is an abstraction anyway. A 20 strength halfling can still only carry half the weight of a 20 strength human and a 20 strength ogre can carry twice as much as that human.

Because it's an imperfect abstraction, it really just measures how well you apply the strength that you do have, mostly when it comes to combat. Children aren't strong in large part because their muscles haven't developed yet. That and chimpanzees are quite short but also stronger than most humans (how strong they are in comparison kind of depends who you ask). Then throw magic into the mix and Bob's your uncle.

A more realistic system would give grizzly bears a far, far higher strength score than any human could hope to achieve. But it's the system we have, because there's no way to really represent stuff like this at the level of oversimplification we have with D&D.

EDIT: small species don't have 1/2 carrying capacity, that's reserved for tiny.