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

[Gammadoodler]

Okay, a tone issue I can see.

A cottage industry is fine. In fact, I've been picturing this as starting and snowballing from exactly that. They end up getting asked, being good at it, and they keep getting asked and it builds up into something they do.

I never really thought about it as them setting out to force peace on people, but just going out and being available.

Fair enough. I think presentationally, it read like halflings were peace crusaders driven to sweep in and solve interpersonal conflicts. That's not for me.

Having a few halflings who like helping people, on the road offering to serve as counselors or arbitrators could be kind of cool though.

 

[Yaarel]

just the ability for three elven "scouts" to cast sleep on the platoon at night and slit their throats changes a lot about the war.

Heh. You are finally understanding elven military units!

They arent humans.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Absolutely nobody is saying halflings don't use money or won't have a militia.

What people are saying is that halflings prefer treasures that have sentimental value rather than treasures that are worth a lot of gold. And that halflings would have a militia instead of standing army. I mean, they have a canonical god of defense! Of course they would have a militia!

Gammadoodler literally argued with me on the opposite point for multiple posts. So, now we have people who are defending halflings once more giving conflicting points for us to debate. They don't use money, that makes them unique, but at the same time they'd use money to hire mercenaries to defend them.

What does that have to do with them getting a bonus to Charisma? The exact same level of bonus that halflings gain in Dexterity.

Exactly, the exact same level, and we don't expect Tielfings to do with charisma what you expect halflings to achieve with dexterity.

Really? So there are no halflings with class levels in a halfling village. Really? Do you have anything to back that up, or are you just deciding that because it fits your narrative?

1) You have equally no proof that there are any halflings with any class levels.

2) Let us say there are two... against a band of orcs, which will be what, 20 orcs? Who have a wagon they loaded up. So, these halflings who might have a +3 stealth, against 20 orcs with darkvision who can see in the dark... and the halflings are going to sneak in, and steal it all back, without any of them noticing?

 

[bedir than]

There are some odd assumptions that NPCs carry the traits that the PHB races do. This isn't backed up by the lore, the writers, nor the books as written.

Not all elves can cast magic.
Not all halflings are more dexterous.

These and similar claims show a fundamental misunderstanding of 5e that I'm starting to understand why these same people are claiming that halflings have no lore.

 

[Yaarel]

There are some odd assumptions that NPCs carry the traits that the PHB races do. This isn't backed up by the lore, the writers, nor the books as written.

Not all elves can cast magic.
Not all halflings are more dexterous.

These and similar claims show a fundamental misunderstanding of 5e that I'm starting to understand why these same people are claiming that halflings have no lore.

Every High Elf can cast magic. Every single one.

 

[bedir than]

Every High Elf [player character] can cast magic. Every single one.

Fixed it to match the rules as written and the rules as intended.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Yeah, that is way too magical for how DnD portrays them (maximal vs minimal). Elves make mundane gear. Otherwise they'd never use mundane gear.



Next one? The king is right there, and making decisions, why would you replace him? If you mean that he died of old age, then sure the next one comes, and the elven glamour bard ambassador comes, plays a dirge and then talks to the new king about continuing the status quo.



Nope, it is simply the options available to both. When dealing with soldiers who have between 11 and 20 hp, just the ability for three elven "scouts" to cast sleep on the platoon at night and slit their throats changes a lot about the war. A front-line of archers who thunderwaves an approaching Calvary unit. Two casters to send out fog clouds to cover their escape from under fire.

Magic is solutions, and having it when the other side doesn't gives you a massive advantage. And when reminded that elves do indeed have the same martial traditons on top of that? It becomes a joke.



Which brings me back to my original point.

If you start having elves using magic in statescraft, then everyone needs to use it, because otherwise the advantage is too huge.

I don't really have a horse in the whole "just how magical are elves" race unless we get to the conclusion that you can dispel them (which I'm for).

That said, I'd expect widespread, profligate use of magic would lead to quite a number of "normal" mundane responses to it through alterations in tactics, social mores, etc.

Things like confiscating component pouches and focii, requiring exposed hands, designing spaces such that parties can communicate while neither has line of sight on the other. People assigned to guard things, would be expected to bring multiple animals (to prevent sleep shenanigans).

It's like any other weapon. You can get your own or you can adjust the battlefield to make the weapon less effective.

 

[Minigiant]

Absolutely nobody is saying halflings don't use money or won't have a militia.

What people are saying is that halflings prefer treasures that have sentimental value rather than treasures that are worth a lot of gold. And that halflings would have a militia instead of standing army. I mean, they have a canonical god of defense! Of course they would have a militia!

someone did say halflings would not have an organized militia.
And someone else or possibly the same person said halflings don't value wealth, barely have any wealth, and their villages have little of value.
That's what I'm pushing against.

What on earth makes you think their homes aren't fortified? They'd have to be, if only to prevent them from caving in whenever a cow walked over them.

Makes sense.

What does that have to do with them getting a bonus to Charisma? The exact same level of bonus that halflings gain in Dexterity.

Because their charisma isn't what people are claiming makes them dangerous. Halfling dexterity is being touted as high when it's only +2. If it were +4 or +5...

Really? So there are no halflings with class levels in a halfling village. Really? Do you have anything to back that up, or are you just deciding that because it fits your narrative?

I said not in the number. Of course there would be halflings with class levels. My point is the average village would not have enough high level halflings of class levels and appropriate skills to succeed in that mission.

It's litterally what a wandering PC party would have to handle.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Gammadoodler literally argued with me on the opposite point for multiple posts. So, now we have people who are defending halflings once more giving conflicting points for us to debate. They don't use money, that makes them unique, but at the same time they'd use money to hire mercenaries to defend them.



Exactly, the exact same level, and we don't expect Tielfings to do with charisma what you expect halflings to achieve with dexterity.



1) You have equally no proof that there are any halflings with any class levels.

2) Let us say there are two... against a band of orcs, which will be what, 20 orcs? Who have a wagon they loaded up. So, these halflings who might have a +3 stealth, against 20 orcs with darkvision who can see in the dark... and the halflings are going to sneak in, and steal it all back, without any of them noticing?

In fairness, I'd also argue that they wouldn't hire mercenaries. So we at least disagree symmetrically.

 

[Minigiant]

These and similar claims show a fundamental misunderstanding of 5e that I'm starting to understand why these same people are claiming that halflings have no lore.

We aren't saying halflings has no lore.
We are saying the lore they do have doesn't match how D&D, 5e, or their mechanics work.