What's a kender?

[Stalker0]

I hear it all the time on the boards...what's a kender exactly?

 

[Mercule]

What halflings were in the DragonLance setting. Short gypsy-like kleptomaniacs with no real concept of fear.

That's the nickel version. I was always indifferent to DL, but maybe a fan can give you something better.

 

[Crothian]

I never say them as halfling like, but otherise I agree with above. Interesting concept that fails drastically on any real level.

 

[Nightcloak]

What halflings were in the DragonLance setting. Short gypsy-like kleptomaniacs with no real concept of fear.

That's the nickel version. I was always indifferent to DL, but maybe a fan can give you something better.

Throw in their taunt ability and a child-like innocence and you pretty much got it.

They are fun to read about in the novels, but to DM is quite a different story. Whether it is due to the racial design being to linear or everyone wanting to basically copy Tasselhoff from the novels I do not know. But trust me, they are a pain to let lose in the game.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I hear it all the time on the boards...what's a kender exactly?

Dragonlance book 1 - Comic relief.
Dragonlance books 2-∞ Tired and repetitive
In the hands of a player - a reasonable excuse for physical violence upon thier person

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

www.kencyclopedia.com

 

[Nightfall]

Kender = A way for DMs to test out Grimmy's new book.

 

[kenobi65]

I never say them as halfling like, but otherise I agree with above.

The first time kenders were ever revealed to the public was in a DL short story in Dragon, before the release of any of the DL novels or modules (it was about Tasselhoff, naturally). And, in the preface to that story, IIRC, they did refer to them as DL's equivalent to halflings.

 

[SpringPlum]

In one word: annoying.

No offense to anyone who can play one well but I've never seen it done.

Q. How many kender does it take to light a candle?
A. You mean you'd trust a kender with your candle?

Q: What's nine feet long, has six legs, and flies?
A: Three dead kender!

Q: What's the brown stuff between dragons' toes?
A: Slow kender.

 

[Dragonhelm]

www.kencyclopedia.com

Kencyclopedia.com is a great site, run by Sean Macdonald, the cartographer for Tas' Map Pouch: The Age of Mortals. He did a fantastic job. If you're into Dragonlance maps, and especially the best map of Ansalon EVER, then check it out.

No offense to anyone who can play one well but I've never seen it done.

The problem comes, I think, when players focus solely on their handling, stealing things for no reason, and being purposefully annoying.

I've had a lot of success playing kender. I think one of the keys to playing a successful kender is to not do a "Tas clone". I had a lot of fun once playing a kender handler/cleric of Mishakal (goddess of healing). There were fun times, silly times, and some serious times. He was a lot of fun.

I'd highly recommend looking at Nightshade Pricklypear, a kender nightstalker from Amber and Ashes, as an alternate kender type.

It is unfortunate that there are those horror stories out there. Rest assured, though, there are those people who have played them well. It can be a rewarding role-playing experience.