D&D General My Problem(s) With Halflings, and How To Create Engaging/Interesting Fantasy Races

[Paul Farquhar]

I'll be the first to admit, I've never even looked at the module. I was just going by the fact that you said there were two named halflings in a module for 1st to 12th level. That doesn't seem like there's a whole lot.

So, which is it? You've got a 320 page module. Do halflings have a significant presence in the module or is it just two?

I edited my post, there are actually 3, or 4 if you count Nimsy's named child Scoop - more with her other kids. Are they "significant" - depends what you mean - she is the Mayor of a small town. She gives out a quest and bakes halfling shaped cookies. There are certainly a lot more halflings than there are elves. If there are any elves in the Ten Towns they keep a very low profile. Rinaldo is also involved with a quest, and Perilou indicates the presence of halflings amongst the adventuring population.

 

[Yaarel]

Similar to the Halfling hiding behind someone larger, I want the Halfling to hide in any kind of room, or similar artificial structure.

If magical, maybe even meld into the floor surface and reappear elsewhere in the room.

More house sprite themes. But powerful.

 

[FrozenNorth]

I will play the "elves are generic" game though.

Let's see racial features:

• Medium size - sounds pretty human to me
• Long Life - The number of campaigns that span a time frame greater than a human life has got to be incredibly small. As such, Elven characters don't really ever get a chance to feel old. Time passes for them the same as every other character. In fact, they likely get to feel old less often than halflings get to feel lucky or brave.
• Perception proficiency - Humans can have this
• Trance - Roleplaying how the party sleeps is boring. How often are we acting out long rests?
• Some weapon proficiencies - humans can get these.
• A cantrip - humans can get these
• Slightly faster move speed - humans can get this
• Dark vision - you got me

Still.. what do we have? Elves are basically just humans with darkvision

I mean, @Hussar and @Chaosmancer entire argument is that the LORE is weak, and in your parallel argument you only compare elf mechanical features…

The conclusion I’m drawing is that even without taking into account elven lore, elves are more realized than halflings.

 

[Yaarel]

I mean, @Hussar and @Chaosmancer entire argument is that the LORE is weak, and in your parallel argument you only compare elf mechanical features…

The conclusion I’m drawing is that even without taking into account elven lore, elves are more realized than halflings.

I consider the Wood Elf to be the most conceptually and mechanically complete lineage. (4e even better, but 5e good too.)

 

[Krachek]

How to make the phb disappear!

Races, as we seen here, setting book.
Background, setting book.
Equipement, armor, weapons, setting book.
Feat, what if there is no tavern in my setting, Tavern brawler is a setting matter! Setting book.
Spells, low magic, high magic setting, spells belong to setting. setting book.
Skill. What if my setting don’t have enough technology to afford a medecine skill? Again skill belong to setting too. Setting book.
Generating ability score and power of character a first level if a setting matter. setting book.
Alignement, even if there is only a half page for this, obviously it goes to setting book.

maybe we can keep ability score, and general info on how to play the game. But the phb can be shrink to a small booklet and be available for free!

if I was in charge DnD would go to bankruptcy!

 

[Oofta]

How to make the phb disappear!

Races, as we seen here, setting book.
Background, setting book.
Equipement, armor, weapons, setting book.
Feat, what if there is no tavern in my setting, Tavern brawler is a setting matter! Setting book.
Spells, low magic, high magic setting, spells belong to setting. setting book.
Skill. What if my setting don’t have enough technology to afford a medecine skill? Again skill belong to setting too. Setting book.
Generating ability score and power of character a first level if a setting matter. setting book.
Alignement, even if there is only a half page for this, obviously it goes to setting book.

maybe we can keep ability score, and general info on how to play the game. But the phb can be shrink to a small booklet and be available for free!

if I was in charge DnD would go to bankruptcy!

We do already have a free version of the PHB, although it does include some stuff you don't want.

 

[Krachek]

We do already have a free version of the PHB, although it does include some stuff you don't want.

Damn we are even more screw than I thought!

 

[Yaarel]

How to make the phb disappear!

Races, as we seen here, setting book.
Background, setting book.
Equipement, armor, weapons, setting book.
Feat, what if there is no tavern in my setting, Tavern brawler is a setting matter! Setting book.
Spells, low magic, high magic setting, spells belong to setting. setting book.
Skill. What if my setting don’t have enough technology to afford a medecine skill? Again skill belong to setting too. Setting book.
Generating ability score and power of character a first level if a setting matter. setting book.
Alignement, even if there is only a half page for this, obviously it goes to setting book.

maybe we can keep ability score, and general info on how to play the game. But the phb can be shrink to a small booklet and be available for free!

if I was in charge DnD would go to bankruptcy!

Actually, I agree with this 100%.

But the only change needed is to rename the title of the Players Handbook: "Forgotten Realms Players Handbook".

Other settings can have their own versions of the Players Handbook.

 

[Krachek]

Actually, I agree with this 100%.

But the only change needed is to rename the title of the Players Handbook: "Forgotten Realms Players Handbook".

Other settings can have their own versions of the Players Handbook.

And then just wait till people realize that they pay for magic missile in all their new setting book. 100+ pages thread will be busted in a day!

 

[Gammadoodler]

I mean, @Hussar and @Chaosmancer entire argument is that the LORE is weak, and in your parallel argument you only compare elf mechanical features…

The conclusion I’m drawing is that even without taking into account elven lore, elves are more realized than halflings.

That is not their entire argument. The two of them have very different arguments. And either could be argued to have more than one.
@Chaosmancer and @doctorbadwolf and @Oofta engaged in vigorous discussion regarding how distinct the halfling racial features are. As it relates to @Chaosmancer , my understanding is that the sum of lore and mechanics results in "short humans". Notably, @Chaosmancer has advocated for "something more/better" for halflings

@Hussar s argument has 2 components, not enough lore published for halflings, and a level of halfling popularity that they are unsatisfied with. @Hussar has advocated for halflings' removal from the PHB.

My argument does not address @Hussar s point in any real functional way, and it isn't really intended to.

As to relates to your conclusion, assuming I agree with you, I don't see how it matters unless "as fully realized as elves" is intended to serve some kind of useful proscriptive purpose.