Half human... but a bit shorter.

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'm putting together a campaign at the moment. Part of the setting is that halflings and humans make up the 'city folk'. They trade, work and live alongside each other.

Now, I figure, that at some point they're going to interbreed. Poor taste jokes aside, what sort of offspring would they produce?

Basically, has anyone got any ideas/published material about what a 'half-halfling' would be like? What would you call them?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Vaxalon]

Why do they have to interbreed? Intermarry, yes, but you can easily say that a halfling and a human can no more interbreed than a lion and a bobcat can.

 

[Ahrimon]

Well, as long as the two races are genetically compatible then it's possible. While I probably could explain it in a way that Eric's grandma wouldn't be offended by; I'm just not going to go there.

Ahrimon

 

[Voadam]

Use the half human template from the Book of Templates and apply it to a halfling. Stat adjustments get reduced, they get a few human traits, and keep most of the base traits.

 

[Buttercup]

I'd guess they would be about as tall as dwarves, but less massive. Thus they would lose the benefits halflings get for being small rather than medium creatures, but would still have a base movement of 20 ft. I guess I'd give them Favored Class-Any from their human side, or if you generally don't bother with favored class then how about the extra skill point per level. From their halfling genes, I'd give them the +1 bonus to saving throws and perhaps the +2 bonus to listen and a +1 bonus to climb, jump and move silently.

Looking at this, I'm not sure why any player would want one. Sort of like a half-elf these days.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Why do they have to interbreed? Intermarry, yes, but you can easily say that a halfling and a human can no more interbreed than a lion and a bobcat can.

I figured there are half orcs and half elves already... IMO, halflings seem far more similar to humans than either of those?

Although, there are definite possibilities to the idea that they marry, but the stork doesn't deliver any children, as it were.

As for genetic compatability: I prefer to remove science from the game as much as possible, as it allows me to 'explain' to scientifically minded players why 'real world' things don't work. For example: I say that disease really is caused by demons, curative spells just banish them, antibiotics would be a waste of time.

Use the half human template from the Book of Templates and apply it to a halfling. Stat adjustments get reduced, they get a few human traits, and keep most of the base traits.

I havn't got that book. Is it worth picking up for the rest of the contents?

 

[Buttercup]

Oh, and how about calling them "midlings?"

 

[Voadam]

I havn't got that book. Is it worth picking up for the rest of the contents?

If you like templates it is the best book out currently on the topic, even though it is currently 3.0 (I believe there are promises of an upcoming free upgrade to 3.5 but doublecheck on that). It has an inordinate amount of templates. It is by Silverthorne games and available at www.rpgnow.com I highly recommend it.

Check out psion's sig for a link to his rogue's gallery which I believe has some with templates from it applied.

 

[Oni]

Give them +4 to ride checks, and tell your players that area is known for producing the finest jockies in the land.


Seriously i'd just use either halfling or human stats, and say they favor one side or the other.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'd guess they would be about as tall as dwarves, but less massive. Thus they would lose the benefits halflings get for being small rather than medium creatures, but would still have a base movement of 20 ft. I guess I'd give them Favored Class-Any from their human side, or if you generally don't bother with favored class then how about the extra skill point per level. From their halfling genes, I'd give them the +1 bonus to saving throws and perhaps the +2 bonus to listen and a +1 bonus to climb, jump and move silently.

Looking at this, I'm not sure why any player would want one. Sort of like a half-elf these days.

Thanks, that sounds like a good starting point... although you're right, crunchwise there's something lacking. Not too sure what it is though?

I agree that no-one is likely to want to play one, but I like to make the stats consistent for playable races... just in case. Someone may take temporary leave of sanity, or have been a hiding a secret yearning to play one of these

Oh, and how about calling them "midlings?"

I do like that. Obvious and easy to remember, but it should be