Suggestions to replace Halflings

[Wightbred]

I don't want to include the 4E halfling in my upcoming campaign because:
1) The 4E halfling doesn't fit the dark, multi-racial feel I want fot this particular campaign; and
2) None of my players has ever played or will ever play a halfling because of how they look. Regardless of how powerful they are or how cool I try to make them (eg: not even the Darksun version). For me there is no point having them as a PC race as they will never be used.

However, I'm keen on the concept of a small race with an attachment to rivers and lucky Rogue-like style. In particular I want a race of riverfolk who trade between the the Orcish, Goblinoid, and Human lands. But having this race look like little (dreadlocked) humans doesn't work for me.

So I want to use all the rules of the 4E halfling, but make them look more monstrous. I'm posting here in the hope that EN World folks can give me some ideas.

So far I've thought of:
1) a Goblin sub-race that has adapted to life on the rivers; and
2) small cat-like people (an anthropomorphic cat race as per Savage Species).

I realise that this is a choice that not many people would make and that suggesting dropping halflings will agitate some people, so I expect suggestions like "I wouldn't do this". Feel free to post this if it makes you feel better.

 

[IanB]

Kobolds!

 

[captaincursor]

Kobolds!

Then everyone will be bellyaching that they messed up Kobolds.

 

[jdrakeh]

How 'bout just goblins?

 

[Mighty Veil]

Kobolds? I just suggest this since you say *you* want monsters as races. Of course D&D kobolds are tiny reptile men now. Already a lizard race with Dragonborn. How about a monkey race? Monkeys are mischievous like a rogue could be. Or frog-men, Bully-wugs! Like in the old D&D cartoon.

 

[Droogie]

Kobolds!

That's a good idea. Most people find kobolds endearing without being annoying.

Or instead of a goblin sub-race, you could just use proper goblins. You could break the "all goblins are evil" cliche and use the "un-aligned" goblins as opportunistic mediators between the orc and human lands.

If it's really just a matter of cosmetic fluff, you can use the new 4e gnomes as your small river race, at least when describing their appearance.

 

[JohnSnow]

However, I'm keen on the concept of a small race with an attachment to rivers and lucky Rogue-like style. In particular I want a race of riverfolk who trade between the the Orcish, Goblinoid, and Human lands. But having this race look like little (dreadlocked) humans doesn't work for me.

So I want to use all the rules of the 4E halfling, but make them look more monstrous. I'm posting here in the hope that EN World folks can give me some ideas.

So far I've thought of:
1) a Goblin sub-race that has adapted to life on the rivers; and
2) small cat-like people (an anthropomorphic cat race as per Savage Species).

Personally, I have no problem with changing the appearance of any race to work with your campaign. If just the dreadlocks, don't work, ditch the dreadlocks. But off the top of my head, if you're after a more "monstrous" race of riverfolk, you should probably base it after some kind of river critter.

For example:

anthropomorphic otters
an anthro amphibian race, like bullywugs.
short lizardfolk
river goblins sound kinda cool to me

There's a race in the Iron Heroes adventure Dark Harbor (called "skags") that's like a small version of Sahuagin. The other option is something more fantastical...maybe similar to short versions of Abe Sapien (the blue guy) from Hellboy.

It really depends what you're after.

 

[Wightbred]

I was worried about straight goblins, as R&C indicate some angst between Goblins and Elves. However I just read the Elf rules write-up and it doesn't look like the flavour transfers to the rules so it could be OK.

Unfortunatley I don't think Kobolds would fly as they have to much stigma for my particular group.

Some excellent suggestions so far - please keep them coming. Sahuagin-like, monkeys, otter-like, frogmen, etc are all really good ides.

Cheers.

 

[Quickleaf]

Otterfolk? I read an old graphic novel called "Raven Banner" based on Norse myth with an otter-man supporting character, and was surprised to see "otterfolk" as a race in the True20 Bestiary. Seems neat to me

 

[JohnSnow]

Otterfolk? I read an old graphic novel called "Raven Banner" based on Norse myth with an otter-man supporting character, and was surprised to see "otterfolk" as a race in the True20 Bestiary. Seems neat to me

The only, slight, issue there is that Allan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series featured an anthropomorphic river otter (named "Mudge"). If any players are familiar with that, there might be a giggle factor.

Other than that, I think otterfolk are pretty cool. Isn't that sorta like the "Selkie?"