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

[Crimson Longinus]

The 3E halflings were really close to kender who'd been to therapy.

Yes. That's what I think when I think about D&D halflings. I don't much care for reintroducing the hobbity elements.

 

[Mercurius]

This shows a misunderstanding of the realities of the situation.

Halflings are a gonzo race. Tieflings and Dragon born are the norm. Literally - the most detailed evidence we has, has the top four as humans, combined elves, tieflings, and dragonborn (I think combined dwarves are the fifth, but it might be half-elves). I think as long as the list of PHB races only grows, it's fine to include halflings, but if they start cutting, halflings need to be one of the first to go.

This shows a misunderstanding of what I wrote .

The word "gonzo" originates from journalism, and basically means hyperbolic and overly exaggerated. In RPGs, it generally refers to gaming that is far beyond realism - like Exalted. So it has nothing to do with what the norm is. Or at least that's not how I used the word. In the way I'm using them, tieflings and dragonborn are more "gonzo" than halflings because they diverge further from realism and traditional fantasy.

And yes, I realize that tieflings and dragonborn are more popular than halfings. I think a lot of it has to do with newer generations of D&D players being more influenced by video games than they are fantasy literature, for better or worse.

Assuming we get some kind of new PHB in 2024, I highly doubt they'll cut halflings, tieflings, or dragonborn. My guess is that they'll include orcs as a PC race, and adjust the existing ones to include current ideas and preferences.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

(By the way, if you're having extreme recurrent problems with the same handful of posters, stop responding to them or, if you have trouble with that (I sometimes do), block them.)

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I agree.

Despite devilish flavor not being my thing, the "domestication" of devilish flavor is what many newer players want to explore. The Tiefling is less than 10% of the characters, but is a more significant player interest than other lineages. Keep in mind too, that once upon a time, genies, vampires, goblins, and even elves were taboo, but now are thuroly domesticated.

Ironically tieflings are less interesting when they are not rare. Mistrusted devil-blooded outcasts doesn't work so well if they're super common. In one long campaign I played our tiefling was literally the only known tiefling in the entire world and that was pretty cool.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Despite devilish flavor not being my thing, the "domestication" of devilish flavor is what many newer players want to explore. The Tiefling is less than 10% of the characters, but is a more significant player interest than other lineages. Keep in mind too, that once upon a time, genies, vampires, goblins, and even elves were taboo, but now are thuroly domesticated.

It's also a generational thing. The gamers raised on manga, anime and videogames have a different take on player character races than the ones raised on Lord of the Rings, Shannara (Lord of the Rings for people who enjoy lawsuits) and Willow.

Neither are wrong to like the things that mean "fantasy" to them.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Ironically tieflings are less interesting when they are not rare. Mistrusted devil-blooded outcasts doesn't work so well if they're super common. In one long campaign I played our tiefling was literally the only known tiefling in the entire world and that was pretty cool.

The drow nod knowingly.

 

[Yaarel]

And yes, I realize that tieflings and dragonborn are more popular than halfings. I think a lot of it has to do with newer generations of D&D players being more influenced by video games than they are fantasy literature, for better or worse.

"... or worse."

I am less sure how "worse" is possible. If earlier generations are often influenced by Tolkien and Moorcock, and younger generations are more influenced by video games and comics, how could that be any "worse"?

Possibly the folkbeliefs of various cultures influence both generations equally? It is hard to say who remixes and reinvents more.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Assuming we get some kind of new PHB in 2024, I highly doubt they'll cut halflings, tieflings, or dragonborn. My guess is that they'll include orcs as a PC race, and adjust the existing ones to include current ideas and preferences.

I think the half-races thing also stands a good chance of being cut, as it represents some very dated thinking. Once upon a time, the United States rigidly measured how much black blood a person had, both to determine legal rights and social standing.

Very few people are interested in playing Elrond today. Half-elves can be in a supplemental player-facing book, but overall, the notion is not great, nor necessary.

The "I'm good with people" ability could be given to another race instead, maybe, say, halflings.

 

[Yaarel]

I think the half-races thing also stands a good chance of being cut, as it represents some very dated thinking. Once upon a time, the United States rigidly measured how much black blood a person had, both to determine legal rights and social standing.

Very few people are interested in playing Elrond today. Half-elves can be in a supplemental player-facing book, but overall, the notion is not great, nor necessary.

The "I'm good with people" ability could be given to another race instead, maybe, say, halflings.

All that Charisma stuff of the Half-Elf belongs to Elf! Whether charming or pursuasive or diplomatic or artistic, these are Elf traits.

 

[Faolyn]

@Mind of tempest, perhaps the problem is that you're having trouble seeing halflings in military uniforms. Which I can understand. Maybe you should think of them as being more like the plucky townsfolk who rally to a cause when necessary. Like minutemen or guerilla fighters, not career soldiers.

After all, they're Brave, so they're not going to bow down from a fight. While they don't get a mechanical bonus this edition, they're historically good with slings and thrown weapons. They're sneaky and have agile fingers, so they're good with traps. Halflings don't need to be in the army to fight; they're effectively a militia ready to fight when needed.