Reimagining the Hobbit

[Sketchpad]

I don't see how it's extreme. Halflings are "supposed" to be *weak*. Plus, isn't there supposed to be a balance between negative and positive modifiers in order to avoid a level adjustment?

I've never seen Hobbits as "weak" per se ... take a look at Samwise's portrayal ... it's just that they aren't typically thought of as warriors. There are still farmers and workmen that work the fields and build things. I think, at most, a -2 is the most I would use for Hobbit strength

 

[Sketchpad]

Halflings in my setting:



Aquerra's Halflings Cultural Info

That's not too far off from 1e/2e versions of the species, correct? I actually kind of like those

 

[pawsplay]

just a quick side track... why are +1 racial stat boosts bad? I have heard this before but not why this is.

Race-maxing.

 

[pawsplay]

They need to have good Fort saves - not necessarily a high Con or a bonus to Con. It's one of those things that D&D just doesn't handle well - as tough as Hobbits are for their size, Tolkien never tries to suggest that they'd stand a chance in a melee with the "big folk". They are the size of 8-9 year old kids, after all.

I suppose it's best left alone, considering that plenty of small and tiny creatures walk around with decent Con scores, but in a perfect world, they should not have the same Con score as humans. Better Fort saves, than humans, sure - same Con and comparable HP, definitely not.

They are described as "tough as tree roots." Frodo shrugged off a successful attack by a troll that beat his AC in LOTR.

 

[Herobizkit]

I've never seen Hobbits as "weak" per se ... take a look at Samwise's portrayal ... it's just that they aren't typically thought of as warriors. There are still farmers and workmen that work the fields and build things. I think, at most, a -2 is the most I would use for Hobbit strength

Perhaps Samwise had a higher strength than average... but you can't judge the whole of the race on a PC-level NPC. You can be a farmer and build things without a high Str score... you're just not that GOOD at it. This, to me, would predicate magic use... +2 Wis and Cha would make for a decent Druid.

Heck, to add to my argument, let's quote some stuff from the SRD:

Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power. This ability is especially important for fighters, barbarians, paladins, rangers, and monks because it helps them prevail in combat. Strength also limits the amount of equipment your character can carry.

You apply your character’s Strength modifier to:

* Melee attack rolls.
* Damage rolls when using a melee weapon or a thrown weapon (including a sling). (Exceptions: Off-hand attacks receive only one-half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks receive one and a half times the Strength bonus. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus, applies to attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.)
* Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. These are the skills that have Strength as their key ability.
* Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like).

Strength represent raw physcial power and muscle. Typically, halflings aren't buff. They're supposed to be good with hurled weapons. Sure. They're ACCURATE (because of their original bonus to Dex) but they don't HURT that much. Even if they keep their +1 to damage with hurled/thrown weapons, that would help off-set their Str penalty. And with re: to Climb, Jump, and Swim... the "traditional" Hobbit (not D&D Halfling) is portrayed as being lazy, frumpish, and chronically hungry -- not the athetic hero-type that D&D has made them appear to be.

... as it turns out, it seems that Pixies also get -4 to Strength. :X

 

[EditorBFG]

... as it turns out, it seems that Pixies also get -4 to Strength. :X

Am I crazy for thinking halflings should be stronger than Pixies?

 

[Quartz]

How about -2 Str, -2 Con, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Small size?

 

[Herobizkit]

Am I crazy for thinking halflings should be stronger than Pixies?

Not at all. I think it's crazy that a "typical" pixie has a 7 Str and a "typical" Halfling has an 11 Str (as per the monster listings in the SRD), even with the Halfling's -2 to Str in consideration.

I mean, the Pixie as a PC race has stat adjustments of -4 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +6 Intelligence, +4 Wisdom, +6 Charisma; sure its LA is +4, but what would an array like this be worth without any of its spell-like abilities? Suddenly, my halfling's -4 Str, +2 Wis, +2 Cha looks mighty attractive. Or does it?

 

[Herobizkit]

How about -2 Str, -2 Con, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Small size?

I'm gonna assume you mean +2 Con; having a Great Fortitude feat with a -2 Con merely cancels out the Fort save penalty for a reduced Con. I'm not against the Iron Will, either, especially if you add it in with my array of +2 Wis... suddenly the Halfling becomes nigh uncorruptible.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

In Urbis, I've made the hobbits the Swiss.

No, seriously. They live in a mountain region and seem fairly harmless for the most part. But every male adult halfling has a crossbow in his home, and practices with it regularily.

(The gnomes run the banks in that country, though...)