Halflings: An Identity Crisis

[Sadrik]

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

EDIT: Or "river gnome."

You know what I was all for getting rid of the gnome but I think I am reversing myself. Halfling is a stupid derogatory name for an entire race, I would have changed their name. I would have also as Mr. boots says put the gnome into the halfling or the halfling into the gnome and make a single cool race that embodies both the gnome and the halfling.

They would be: slimy demeanored, river going, lucky, illusion, tricksters with an odd sense of humor, originally lived in a hill but now live in the shadow of humans and other races, shrewd traders, techies, scribes and excellent crafters, knowledge seekers, often deal in high tech parts, garish dressers and eaters and proud of their sense of smell. Basically stereotypical french

Gnome-Halfling blend
+2 dex
+2 int
Size small
Scent ability
+2 Swim, +2 Craft

 

[Steely Dan]

Basically stereotypical french

Are your garbage cans empty and your dog pregnant after they come around your abode?


Sorry, just kidding, it was a film reference; I have nothing against the French.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

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

Well, I've never cared for the name "halfling" either, so that would be fine. I wouldn't mind having both in a game, but that seems to go against the trend of simplifying 4E from 3E that WOTC is shooting for.

Swampling doesn't have much of a ring to it. How about "Drifter," reflecting their lifestyle, their homes, and how they travel.

 

[Wolfspider]

I suspect it's a money issue over anything else. Halflings, having to be differenated from Hobbits due to intellectual property rights, have finally gained their own identity (or borrowed identity from Kender). There is nothing wrong with bringing back your furry footed Hobbit in house rules... that way D&D doesn't have to pay royalties to the Tolkien heirs.

William Holder

Halflings as blatant ripoffs of hobbits have existed for decades, and Tolkien Enterprises hasn't come knocking yet, so I doubt that it's a matter of intellectual property. I think it's rather odd, in light of the great success of the Lord of the Rings films, to start changing halfings now to make them different from hobbits. I would think that they would want to associate with something so popular.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Basically stereotypical french

I see them more as Cajun than French, but I wouldn't want to go too far in that direction. Maybe 30% cajun/30% gypsy/40% unique

 

[Sadrik]

Well, I've never cared for the name "halfling" either, so that would be fine. I wouldn't mind having both in a game, but that seems to go against the trend of simplifying 4E from 3E that WOTC is shooting for.

Swampling doesn't have much of a ring to it. How about "Drifter," reflecting their lifestyle, their homes, and how they travel.

Well, we have dwarves so why not midgets? :\

 

[Steely Dan]

I call them humans with primordial dwarfism in my campaigns.

I saw a fascinating documentary about primordial dwarfism over here in the UK last year – perfectly proportioned extra small little people (sadly they don't live that long).

 

[Steely Dan]

Well, we have dwarves so why not midgets? :\

Yeah, people seem to often forget when playing D&D that humans run an incredibly diverse physical gamut - 2 ft. tall to 8 ft. tall, and every weight and shape in between.

 

[Bishmon]

You know what I was all for getting rid of the gnome but I think I am reversing myself. Halfling is a stupid derogatory name for an entire race, I would have changed their name. I would have also as Mr. boots says put the gnome into the halfling or the halfling into the gnome and make a single cool race that embodies both the gnome and the halfling.

They would be: slimy demeanored, river going, lucky, illusion, tricksters with an odd sense of humor, originally lived in a hill but now live in the shadow of humans and other races, shrewd traders, techies, scribes and excellent crafters, knowledge seekers, often deal in high tech parts, garish dressers and eaters and proud of their sense of smell. Basically stereotypical french

Gnome-Halfling blend
+2 dex
+2 int
Size small
Scent ability
+2 Swim, +2 Craft

I'm completely on board with this.

 

[Dausuul]

I think it's rather odd, in light of the great success of the Lord of the Rings films, to start changing halfings now to make them different from hobbits.

It might be, if the change hadn't happened a year before the first LotR film came out. Hobbit-style halflings got axed with the release of 3E.