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

[Cadence]

Seems like the answer is no. Humans, Elves, and Dwarves are going out there getting involved in "world altering events" and building cities capable of holding back that evil and scary darkness. So, it seems like it isn't relatively few people. Seems like it is most people except for halflings.

It sure is nice of the other races (and a few halfling adventurers) to draw all the attention while the secret multiversal cadre of halfling assassins do the needful that can't risk attention or an unlucky break.

 

[Oofta]

So, to look towards the actual question I was asking, halflings are overlooked because no one expects anything from them?

Again, why? What makes you quiet guy who was happy to be a dishwasher more underestimated because he was a halfling instead of a Genasi? Or a human, or a half-elf?

And, you gave a sort of answer to that, halflings "act like Switzerland" they don't get involved... but look at the type of things we are talking about getting involved in. We are talking about things like being attacked by raiders who may want to kill everyone. About Giants rampaging over the countryside. About Dark Gods being summoned to destroy the world. You can't just "act like Switzerland and not get involved" with stuff like that. But those are exactly the scenarios where we are pointing to and asking "where are the halflings?"

And if halfling adventurers are out there dealing with these problems... who is going to underestimate and overlook the halfling people? There is no reason for them to be less important than humans, unless you are only looking at humans who go looking for trouble. Because when trouble comes looking, there should be a fair number of halflings stepping up like you say the fantasy is, and they don't. Unless it is the PC.


I get that I don't need to understand it to hear you saying you like it, but you don't seem to understand why I am confused. And you have no interest in trying to do anything to make sense of this, you are just presenting it as true even though it doesn't match up to the reality of the game.

The fact that you don't accept the reasons that multiple people have explained is not my problem.

It's pointless to repeat because you just reject it out of hand.

Have a good one.

 

[Mecheon]

Face it, Lizardfolk are chumps, Dragonborn are rad. I’ve got hard evidence on my side and you’re grasping at straws. The facts don’t lie.

Consider however: Lizardmen in other settings tend to ride dinosaurs, and dinosaurs are even more rad than dragons.

Truely, the Saurials are the best of all races (just let me at them, FR lore guys. I'll do it. I'll introduce the sauropod and therapod ones we should have of them by this point. Where's the longnecks? Where's the largejaws or the clawfeet?)

 

[Gammadoodler]

So, to look towards the actual question I was asking, halflings are overlooked because no one expects anything from them?

Again, why? What makes you quiet guy who was happy to be a dishwasher more underestimated because he was a halfling instead of a Genasi? Or a human, or a half-elf?

And, you gave a sort of answer to that, halflings "act like Switzerland" they don't get involved... but look at the type of things we are talking about getting involved in. We are talking about things like being attacked by raiders who may want to kill everyone. About Giants rampaging over the countryside. About Dark Gods being summoned to destroy the world. You can't just "act like Switzerland and not get involved" with stuff like that. But those are exactly the scenarios where we are pointing to and asking "where are the halflings?"

And if halfling adventurers are out there dealing with these problems... who is going to underestimate and overlook the halfling people? There is no reason for them to be less important than humans, unless you are only looking at humans who go looking for trouble. Because when trouble comes looking, there should be a fair number of halflings stepping up like you say the fantasy is, and they don't. Unless it is the PC.


I get that I don't need to understand it to hear you saying you like it, but you don't seem to understand why I am confused. And you have no interest in trying to do anything to make sense of this, you are just presenting it as true even though it doesn't match up to the reality of the game.

This is a sentiment I actually more or less agree with.

At least in that I have no especial need for an entire race to play the disregarded underdog.

My preference would be for halflings to be inscrutable rather than insignificant.

 

[Bardic Dave]

Consider however: Lizardmen in other settings tend to ride dinosaurs, and dinosaurs are even more rad than dragons.

Truely, the Saurials are the best of all races (just let me at them, FR lore guys. I'll do it. I'll introduce the sauropod and therapod ones we should have of them by this point. Where's the longnecks? Where's the largejaws or the clawfeet?)

Dinosaurs? Lame! Dragons? Rad! Your assertion that dinosaurs are cool is factually wrong. If dinosaurs are so great, why’d they go extinct, hmm? I rest my case.

 

[Cadence]

If dinosaurs are so great, why’d they go extinct, hmm?

::: Looks at the two birds sitting on the cage across the living room :::

Extinct?

 

[Bardic Dave]

::: Looks at the two birds sitting on the cage across the living room :::

Extinct?

Wrong again. Everyone knows birds aren’t real. Also, dinosaurs are lizards and lizards are lame (as I’ve already established with my brilliant powers of deduction). It’s basic science.

 

[Mecheon]

Also, dinosaurs are lizards. It’s basic science.

Look, going down that path is pointing out we're technically reptiles as well. Also technically fish.

also they're not lizards anyway you slice it becaues lizards are lepidosaurs, the sister-taxon to archosaurs

 

[Don Durito]

I had a setting awhile back which had just recovered from a generational long war.

The halflings were not called upon to go and fight because they were considered to small and not effective soldiers, so while everyone else was gone they basically bought up all the businesses and taverns and became a wealthy urban middle class - to much resentment from humans.

 

[Bardic Dave]

Look, going down that path is pointing out we're technically reptiles as well. Also technically fish.

also they're not lizards anyway you slice it becaues lizards are lepidosaurs, the sister-taxon to archosaurs

Taxon? What do my taxes have to do with this? Are you the guy who tipped off the IRS? I assure you: all those miniatures were a legitimate business expense!

Anyway, I’m glad you’ve come around and that you can see the cold hard objective truth: dinosaurs are lizards and are therefore lame.