Favorite Fantasy Race: Dwarves, Hobbits or Elves?

[awayfarer]

Dwarves because

1: They're often vaguely norse.
2: They're a tough, long-lived race but are flawed.

I dislike elves because they're largely portrayed as perfect, pretty humans.

Hobbits? Meh. Hobbits have the kind of simple, gluttonous life I wouldn't mind living but they're kind of boring as a fantasy race.

 

[Hairfoot]

Hobbits? Meh. Hobbits have the kind of simple, gluttonous life I wouldn't mind living but they're kind of boring as a fantasy race.

Base members of all races are boring, risk averse, and live in as much luxury as they can attain. Unfortunately for the hobs, Tolkien chose to portray a community of them which had the good fortune to have settled somewhere with fertile farmland and an absence of enemies, and they've been portrayed as bourgeois bucolics ever since.

If J.R.R had focussed on some of the other communities, or even the Shire hobbits as they fled westward centuries earlier, they might be considered a more adventurous fantasy race.

I'm not singling you out awayfarer, but you expressed this common theme most recently, so it's you I'm quoting.

 

[Merkuri]

I picked hobbits because I've always been partial to the short folk, and I like the D&D representation of them (halflings) where they like hiding and sneaking around and throwing things.

I would never take dwarves out of a fantasy setting, but they never really appealed to me as something I'd want to play. I really don't know why.

Elves I have a problem with, because as Away said, they're often portrayed as just pretty, perfect humans. I nearly put down the Eragon series of books when they started getting into the elves and just how much better they are than humans to the point where (spoiler from the second book!)

Spoiler

the main character has to become an elf to have a chance at fulfilling his destiny.

People in D&D often play elves as pretty humans, and it makes me wonder why they were given such long lifespans if people never take that into an account. Apparently elves are really slow to learn, because it takes them 200 years to reach the same maturity level as a 25-year old human.

 

[Aeolius]

I would never take dwarves out of a fantasy setting, but they never really appealed to me as something I'd want to play. I really don't know why.

I'll second that. I've played D&D since 1979 and have yet to create a dwarven PC.

Of the three choices, I picked elves, but if a write-in option is allowed I'd pick hags... go figure.

 

[Blackrat]

Absolutely Dwarves. Only the "Stout-folk" can make true stout.

 

[Tonguez]

Gnomes. I even own a pointy hat.

Amen, Gnomes rock

but in all Fantasy sign me up for fraggles

 

[Mallus]

Ayn Rand's industrialists.

Or maybe Melniboneans.

Or Belgians.

 

[Desdichado]

Or Belgians.

I can dig it. They have cool names like Richard 23 and 99 Kowalski and sing songs about bounty hunters.

One you lock the target. Two you bait the line. Three you slowly spread the net... and FOUR you catch the man!

 

[sckeener]

1) Elves
2) Hobbits
3) Dwarves

Though I like dwarves' attitude, I'd hate to be one. They sound too much like my life minus the physical fighting. I'd rather escape into the flighty Elves or have a more enjoyable time with Hobbits.

Now if I could be any race....I'd be Brian Lumley's Wamphyri or Michael Moorcock's Melniboneans....

I've also liked Shades since 1st ed.

 

[Clavis]

I can dig it. They have cool names like Richard 23 and 99 Kowalski and sing songs about bounty hunters.

One you lock the target. Two you bait the line. Three you slowly spread the net... and FOUR you catch the man!

You must be looking for a man, to sell him to other men, and then sell him to other men, at ten times his prize.

Belgians: Odd songs, but great beer.