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

[Mind of tempest]

You could say much the same about Rangers.

Some stuff is just because it was; the game has a history, and people want parts of that history honored.

Most of the other small race choices you list weren't original.

Gnomes weren't core playable until 1989; halflings were core playable from 1978 if not before. Goblins (1993) and Kobolds (1993) were much later.

blind honouring of history rarely gets you anywhere and let's face it the ranger has some deep fundamental identity problem hence id does not work well to give it subclasses or get it to fit in the setting. so why not rework, move to a lesser position or cut that which does not work well?

Goody for you. Why do you want to stop the rest of us who are enjoying our halflings?

I want to remove it so you can get something better? why would I want you in a grey one-room cell when you could be living it up in a mansion?

That's the race I would adjust, but the adjustment would to be to put the forest gnome as a type of halfling and the rock gnome as a type of dwarf. I would do this because the gnomish subraces have almost nothing to do with each other.

that just removes the gnome not fixes the halfling.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

That's the race I would adjust, but the adjustment would to be to put the forest gnome as a type of halfling and the rock gnome as a type of dwarf. I would do this because the gnomish subraces have almost nothing to do with each other.

Good call. I also feel that giving the 'tinker gnome' archetype two dwarfs would help to broaden their conceptual space from the perpetual stout axe-wielders.

 

[bedir than]

that just removes the gnome not fixes the halfling.

I remain steadfast in my position that cheese is good, coffee is good, a warm fire is good, books are good, friendship is good, the outside world is scary, and halflings are good.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I want to remove it so you can get something better? why would I want you in a grey one-room cell when you could be living it up in a mansion?

This is just incredibly condescending. Some of us like halflings.

 

[Mind of tempest]

This is just incredibly condescending. Some of us like halflings.

what is so enchanting about them, can you articulate it?

 

[Doug McCrae]

Gnomes weren't core playable until 1989; halflings were core playable from 1978 if not before. Goblins (1993) and Kobolds (1993) were much later.

Halflings, as hobbits, are as old as D&D. They first appear in D&D (1974) Book I Men & Magic. Gnomes, as monsters, are also in 1974 D&D. As PCs, they go back to the 1e AD&D PHB (1978). Gnomes and hobbits also appear as troop types in the fantasy supplement for Chainmail (1971), which was written by Gary Gygax and was a major influence on D&D.

 

[jayoungr]

I want to remove it so you can get something better? why would I want you in a grey one-room cell when you could be living it up in a mansion?

Why do you assume you know what will make us happy?

 

[Faolyn]

Fey Elves = Eladrin
Fey Halflings = Gnomes

I'd prefer if gnomes were fey dwarfs.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

what is so enchanting about them, can you articulate it?

I already did a while back. They're small, cute and plucky. What's not to like?

 

[Faolyn]

If elves split long ago, went underground, completely changed appearance, gained magical abilities, and even increased their ability to see in the dark....there really isn't any reason that humans couldn't have done the same...

Well, drow are still elves, and humans that went underground, completely changed appearance, gained magical abilities, and, well, lost their ability to see altogether, became grimlocks.