Little Guys

[Shadowdweller]

This isn't really intended as a rant about relative power levels, but has anyone noticed anything like the following?

Since the advent of 3.5, it seems like nobody in any of my campaigns are playing small races any more. And I do mean NOBODY. Which is striking because previously, both gnomes and halflings were highly prevalent.

 

[Darklone]

No such problem here. But I have to admit, the gnome bbn1/cleric has the travel domain and does not fear grapples, while he's pretty lucky with trip attempts so far...

The halfling druid... well, polymorphing into a Dire Wolf helps a lot with size problems, so he does not count.

 

[Nifft]

Since 3.0, I've noticed a preference for Humans, as opposed to distaste for "little guys".

-- N

 

[lacunae]

My current campaign has 4 halflings (druid, cleric, monk, rogue) and two humans (cleric, barbarian)...


so...No.

although many complaints have been registered regarding the new weapon size rules...

 

[Pax]

Smallfry have their uses as well as big guys. I had an idea, for the Exodus arena (see my sig, below), for a Kender Windrider/Dragonrider. Medium-sized copper dragon for a mount, thus, able to fly even in narrow underground passages. Heh.

 

[drnuncheon]

My players don't tend to play small races - I think they know how much I hate the creeping Dragonlance-ization of the short folk, and fear repercussions.

J

 

[The Souljourner]

I don't think the weapon size rules made much of a difference. It's kind of annoying that you can't have the halfling wield the +1 shortsword that no one else wants (or at least not effectively), but then again, they get to pick up all the kobold weapons.... and at higher levels, magic items generally are bought or made, in my experience, since it's so hard to simply stumble upon them (unless your DM creates the treasure specifically, in which case it's not a problem to be small).

I've seen small guys in a couple campaigns in 3.5. Of course, I don't think I've ever seen a fighter type small guy, except for a single halfling rogue, who hated his character because he couldn't do jack for damage.

So I think a better question would be - Do you play small races as fighter types in 3.5?

-The Souljourner

 

[diaglo]

3 outta 7 characters in our game are Small.

hin, gnome, kobold (reincarnated elf )

vs.

half-elf, elf, human, human (mostly absent)

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Small races usually do not make good grunts, and slightly less good archers. They are at no substantial disadvantage as spellcasters so it is purely an issue of style. I would dare argue that Gnomes make superior spellcasters -- more HPs are a big help to wizards/sorcerors. Halflings and Gnomes make superb sneaky Rogues.

I, too, have noticed the revitalized interest in Humans. In low level campaigns that extra feat helps a lot for focusing the character. The skill points are pretty attractive if you are playing a Ranger, Barbarian, Druid, or Monk.

 

[the Jester]

Eh, everyone in my campaign still loves the small races. Heck, we even decided to run with a halfling-themed party for our first low-level 3.5 stuff!