D&D 5E Halfling "Monster" Stat-block

[aco175]

I cannot quite remember the 1e write up as well, but I thought they were more fighter/thief. Not sure if giving them a couple base skills is needed. Maybe leave it for the halfling sheriff who may have a few more levels or the halfling outrider or such.

 

[NotAYakk]

I cannot quite remember the 1e write up as well, but I thought they were more fighter/thief. Not sure if giving them a couple base skills is needed. Maybe leave it for the halfling sheriff who may have a few more levels or the halfling outrider or such.

Good point. I gave the Deputy stealth training. This is a callback to Tolkien, where he mentioned that Halflings are naturally stealthy.

And a +2 bonus won't break anything.

It does mean that Halfling law enforcement might involve a lot of sneaking around watching people break rules to catch them. Which I think is awesome. The Deputy would hide themselves in a good spot to watch (+4 stealth) where the carrot-thief might strike, but then might doze or get distracted (+0 perception) before they come.

As a guard against attackers of the town, the Deputies would hide and do a mass-sling stone ambush, using advantage of hiding to cancel out long range penalty. If this didn't stop the attackers, the halflings would form up into a shield wall (ideally at a choak point) with slingers inside. Front-line troops would rotate back and sling and recover when winded or wounded.

 

[Azzy]

I cannot quite remember the 1e write up as well, but I thought they were more fighter/thief. Not sure if giving them a couple base skills is needed. Maybe leave it for the halfling sheriff who may have a few more levels or the halfling outrider or such.

No, they're pretty much straight fighters with no thieving ability. They wear padded or leather, and for weapons, the MM breaks down by percentage what the halfling it likely to be armed with:

small sword and short bow 10%
small sword and spear 10%
short bow 10%
sling 20%
small sword 10%
spear 20%
hand axe 20%

Note that "small sword" is apparently the pre-PHB term for what was later called a short sword.

For a 5e stat block, I'd echo Laurefindel advice and limit them to two weapons (one melee and one ranged). Then have a sidebar for mentioning other weapon load-outs and how they might affect the halfling's CR.

This low-level halfling entry shouldn't be called a sheriff as it's more in line with being a levy. The 1e MM also notes higher-level halflings (up to 4th-level fighter) with better armor classes (exact type of armors is not listed) and with a potential for having magic weapons. Also not that the entry is specifically for hairfeet halflings—tallfellows "use more armor, ride ponies and carry more spears", and stouts "use more armor also, and employ morning stars in addition to the usual halflingish arms".

I have (most of) my 1e material on a self in the same room as my desk, so it's easy for me to look up. ( ͡• ͜ʖ ͡• )

 

[MatthewJHanson]

There's a difference in the way 5E treats the two things. An NPC is more of a template while a monster is the finished product.

I don't see any distinction between the them (other than where they appear in the book). I regularly modify monster stats to fit my needs (my kobolds use crossbows) and play with NPC stats just as they are (and vice versa).

 

[Hriston]

only criticism, the plethora of weapons is superfluous. Keep two, three at max. If this Halfling is supposed to represent a typical Halfling farmer, then keep the spear and sling. If it’s supposed to be a fighter of some sort, keep shorts sword and bow.

Yeah, I recognize this doesn't follow the typical presentation for 5E. My intention was to make the stat-block capable of handling any of the weapon load-outs that @Azzy quoted just up-thread from the 1E MM, so each individual would only have one or two of these weapons. As far as what it's meant to represent, the idea is that it's the "regular" combatant. I think non-combatants would be better represented by applying the Halfling race to the Commoner NPC.

 

[Laurefindel]

Yeah, I recognize this doesn't follow the typical presentation for 5E. My intention was to make the stat-block capable of handling any of the weapon load-outs that @Azzy quoted just up-thread from the 1E MM, so each individual would only have one or two of these weapons. As far as what it's meant to represent, the idea is that it's the "regular" combatant. I think non-combatants would be better represented by applying the Halfling race to the Commoner NPC.

It isn’t so much about a Halfling carrying too many weapons, it’s about cluttering the stat bloc with too much/superfluous information.

i appreciate the 1e reference, but Im not sure if the effort and space is justified in a 5e format where humanoid « monsters » like goblins and orcs are stated out with one or two attack options, usually one ranged and melee. If your intention is to make it in a 5e monster bloc, rather than a generic NPC bloc, following the monster template and precedents would give you a better approval.

that being said, it’s a rather small irritant altogether

 

[NotAYakk]

And really, a DM who wants to mess up which weapons the halfling carries can do the tiny bit of math for the extra bit of crunch.

Meanwhile, every other DM has to wade through the extra text to figure out how to use the halfling.

I'd also tear out the resistance to fear; it is too much of a niche ability for a CR 1/8 creature (monster block text has cost, and a CR 1/8 monster should be really cheap in terms of cost). The "reroll on 1s" I'd keep, because DMs deserve to have some fun too. I'd be on the fence about the nimbleness ability; it is also really niche, but also active and evocative. The fear ability, meanwhile, is passive, and niche.

 

[MarkB]

@DM Dave1 , thanks. The Guard's definitely in the direction I was going for, but it's an "NPC" rather than a "monster", and while I usually put those in the same NPC/monster category, there's a difference in the way 5E treats the two things. An NPC is more of a template while a monster is the finished product.

It really isn't. You can add some racial traits to the NPC statblocks for specific flavour, but you can just as easily not do that, and just run them right out of the book. I've used them that way innumerable times.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Should be pointed out that the terms "monster" and "NPC" are not mutually exclusive in 5e.

"NPCs can be enemies or allies, regular folk or named monsters " DMG p 88

 

[GreenTengu]

You should do the same thing that was done for the Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold and Orc in the book-- give them some sort of battle ability that is similar (or even identical) to a 1st/2nd level PC class ability, whichever class they are would most likely be.

Otherwise-- its just not really all that much of a challenge-- they are just a 7 HP sponge that can't really utilize any useful or meaningful tactics.