Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
Halflings are one of my favorite races in any edition of D&D. I've played at least one halfling in every edition of D&D since Red Box Basic. I identify with their default Tolkien-inspired role as a bunch of well-fed friendly and community-focused homebodies that can be reluctantly plucked from their comfortable surroundings by fate to go on high adventure and show pluck and Batman-like levels of determination. That even the universe smiles on them and gives them a little break from bad luck.
In some ways they are the underdog you cheer for, and the everyman you can identify with personally.
All of that said, that's just the default. Assuming lore is flexible as it can change per setting (Dark Sun cannibals, anyone), what we "know" of them is based off their mechanical expression.
They are uniformly brave and lucky - though more in avoiding the worst then getting the best. Every single one of them. The are smaller than most and that slows them but they also know how to take advantage of it. They have their own language - they aren't just part of other's cultures. The lightfoot are good at hiding behind people, and the stout share resilience vs. poison with the dwarves.
(I'm ignoring ability score modifiers since they can go anywhere post-Tasha's. Also not folding in the Ghostwise as a setting specific subrace.)
That can paint a number of different pictures. The default still fit, but the homebody and the social aren't enforced mechanically anywhere. There can be a lot of expressions of them. 4e Points of Light positioning them as river traders living in boats works fine. but they could be intrepid explorers one and all, in some ways that fits their Brave feat better then the default flavor. How about Lucky - are their sayings "never play cards with a halfling" in your world, and if so why not. They literally as a race are just a touch better at every possible activity vs. someone from another race of equal skill, unless it's something their small size/low speed detracts from, or it's a specialty of that other race.
In some ways they are the underdog you cheer for, and the everyman you can identify with personally.
All of that said, that's just the default. Assuming lore is flexible as it can change per setting (Dark Sun cannibals, anyone), what we "know" of them is based off their mechanical expression.
They are uniformly brave and lucky - though more in avoiding the worst then getting the best. Every single one of them. The are smaller than most and that slows them but they also know how to take advantage of it. They have their own language - they aren't just part of other's cultures. The lightfoot are good at hiding behind people, and the stout share resilience vs. poison with the dwarves.
(I'm ignoring ability score modifiers since they can go anywhere post-Tasha's. Also not folding in the Ghostwise as a setting specific subrace.)
That can paint a number of different pictures. The default still fit, but the homebody and the social aren't enforced mechanically anywhere. There can be a lot of expressions of them. 4e Points of Light positioning them as river traders living in boats works fine. but they could be intrepid explorers one and all, in some ways that fits their Brave feat better then the default flavor. How about Lucky - are their sayings "never play cards with a halfling" in your world, and if so why not. They literally as a race are just a touch better at every possible activity vs. someone from another race of equal skill, unless it's something their small size/low speed detracts from, or it's a specialty of that other race.