Halflings: An Identity Crisis

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I honestly don't get why they leave the name the same. It's not like LotR fans are going to pick up the PHB and think they're going to be able to play a hobbit with a 3E/4E halfling. I think making them kender would be more likely to please someone (the kender fans, naturally).

(Of course, my strategy would be just to dump halfies in favor of gnomes ...)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I emphatically disagree. After looking at the preview books, I love the new halflings. I'd far rather play one of these guys than a hobbit.

Would you care if they were called something other than "halflings?" "Swamplings," perhaps?

 

[Klaus]

Would you care if they were called something other than "halflings?" "Swamplings," perhaps?

Please drop the "-ling". It's hell to translate!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'd of rather seen the effort put into gnomes and drop the halflings. At least gnomes are real.

Shhhh! You're going to blow it for all of us!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Please drop the "-ling". It's hell to translate!

"Swampfolk," then. Or "Wetfeet." Or something that's not trying to relate the 4E race to hobbits.

EDIT: Or "river gnome."

 

[Agamon]

Tolkienesque hobbits are COOL...

Seriously? Frodo and Bilbo may have been somewhat cool, but that was the idea, they were very much the exception to the rule. Tolkien hobbits need to stay in Middle Earth.

While, I didn't think much of the 3.x halfling, the 4E version has some flavor. A halfling clan campaign is on the horizon for me, I'm certain.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I strongly suspect WotC's market research indicates precisely the opposite.

I suspect that most of the things the designers are doing in 4e are motivated mostly or entirely by their own preferences and prejudices, not market research.

But yes, I agree with the OP. Hobbits are cool. I don't see why they are so hellbent on distancing themselves from Tolkien when it comes to halflings but have kept dwarves and elves almost identical to what they were in Tolkien's world. D&D was heavily inspired by Tolkien. There's no denying that. And I don't think there's any reason to be ashamed of that, either. And speaking of "market research", perhaps the folks at WotC should consider the enormous popularity of the Lord of the Rings. I think it would be better if D&D embraced its Tolkien roots, rather than tried with every new edition to distance itself further from it.

 

[Steely Dan]

D&D 4e: They are now nomadic river gypsies who specialize in animal training.

...With mullets, wearing wife-beaters and beer in hand.

Seriously, I wish they would finally ditch these annoying little Tolkien hanger-ons.

 

[Klaus]

I suspect that most of the things the designers are doing in 4e are motivated mostly or entirely by their own preferences and prejudices, not market research.

But yes, I agree with the OP. Hobbits are cool. I don't see why they are so hellbent on distancing themselves from Tolkien when it comes to halflings but have kept dwarves and elves almost identical to what they were in Tolkien's world. D&D was heavily inspired by Tolkien. There's no denying that. And I don't think there's any reason to be ashamed of that, either. And speaking of "market research", perhaps the folks at WotC should consider the enormous popularity of the Lord of the Rings. I think it would be better if D&D embraced its Tolkien roots, rather than tried with every new edition to distance itself further from it.

Dwarves I'll grant you, they're still close to their Tolkien roots (even if they're now capable of becoming wizards, sorcerors, bards, etc, unlike 1e/2e).

But elves? Since the dawn of D&D, elves have been the race most house-ruled by those wishing to play Middle Earth with D&D's ruleset. From making them aasimar to celestial elves to half-celestials to eladrins, Tolkien's ubermenschen have always been difficult to reflect.

 

[zacharythefirst]

I agree wholeheartedly with the OP here. I know there are many who don't like the traditional halfling or many of the traditional fantasy tropes, but I enjoy them. My halflings are always going to be hobbits. I like hobbits and if I'm running the world that's how it's going to work. I think that WotC should have ditched halflings if they disliked their concept so much and come up with something they enjoy more.

Yeah, I really would have to agree. I like the more traditional halflings, and I really dislike the move we'd seen towards "kenderish" halflings. And now, with the move towards dreadlocked (as one person I saw put it) Vietnamese (or Tanka , more properly, I think) Boat People, I'm really not digging it.

I really wish they hadn't made the change, but I very well could be in the minority. Not arguing its wrong, just wrong for me. It would have been nice, though, to keep the halfling, and invent the dreadlockboatling, if that's what they wanted.