What's a kender?

[Dark Jezter]

ken·der
n. pl. kender

1. The halflings of the Dragonlance setting, known mainly for their kleptomaniacal tendencies.

2. A buzzword used by those who dislike the fact that 3e halflings are more than just hobbits with the serial numbers filed off.

 

[trancejeremy]

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

A lot like Gilbert Gottfried, only shorter and more annoying.

 

[diaglo]

3.11ed for Workgroups halflings are the new kender.

 

[Ravellion]

3.11ed for Workgroups halflings are the new kender.

And you have just proven Dark Jezter right

Rav

 

[Mercule]

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

I think they're technically some oddball variant of elf -- at least I've heard them called "kender elves". If you're coming from the PHB of any edition, though, they fill the "short, natural thief" role that halflings often occupy. It's a good shorthand way to draw a picture of kender for someone.

 

[Quasqueton]

Which came first in the design stage? The kender race or Tasselhoff's personality? Was Tas a normal example of the race, or did the racial characteristics come about as a result of Tas' personality?

Quasqueton

 

[Klaus]

From The Art of the Dragonlance Saga (Penguin Books, 1987)

One discussion centered around the halfling character class and went something like this:

"Should we have halflings?"

General cries of "yes" and "no".

"Our players like them. I say we leae them in."

"I say they go. Too Tokien."

"Let's come up with a new race then."

"Small, childlike -"

"No furry feet!" General consensus.

"Let's make them natural-born thieves."

"Hey, I object to a race of thieves!"

"What if they steal just because they're curious? They don't really *mean* to take anything, and they don't steal for gain."

And so the race of the kender - and the character of Tasslehoff Burrfoot - was born.

 

[MetalBard]

It can be a rewarding role-playing experience.

No it can't, at least from my experience. The only time kender were fun to role-play with was when they were played as halflings. I've played in a few Dragonlance campaigns and the kender that have actually been played as kender (and I'm not talking Tas clones) have always added extra aggravation and party-conflict where it impeded the story and the fun of the game. Even those playing the kender would feel bad and just dump the character for something more workable.

2nd edition or d20 (I've played with both types) Dragonlance kender are just a bad idea. I'd much rather see people playing tinker gnomes or even gully dwarves.

 

[jonesy]

Kender have a bad reputation because of players who make Tas clones, just like drow get bad rep because of Drizzt clones.

Really, not all kender are innocent crazy kleptomaniacs. You have to remember that most of the kender in the stories have been young and inexperienced. Rarely do we get to see the mature experienced ones whose wonderlust is fading and who have learned self-control. The kender from the excellent novel Spirit of the Wind should be the poster models for the race, not the eternally childish Tas. There we have kender who refrain from pickpocketing everything, who understand their own actions, and who aren't goofy all the time.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

I love Kender, however I can see how DMs can get highly irritated by having one in their games. Kender never grow up - they always see the world with a childlike sense of wonder and curiosity. They also have very peculiar concepts of ownership... as in they have NO concept of ownership really. If something isn't in your hands, it can and very likely will be picked up by a kender and carried off. Now, later they might return it to you, assuming of course they: a) remember that they have it, b) remember that it isn't theirs, and c) remember that it was found in the vicinity of you and/or your stuff.

They are immune to fear, and any fear effect (IIRC). That's what I love about them personally... little people who don't give a rat's ass about that dracolich and his evil plans - they will be the first ones to cross the threshold into its lair.

Every kender weapon serves at least 2 purposes, and nearly all have 3 purposes. Normally a kender weapon is a weapon, a tool, and a musical instrument.

IMHO people that hate kender have just had bad experiences with people playing them poorly; always trying to steal from party members and whatnot.

I remember years and years ago when I was ohh probably about 17 I had a low-level kender (around 7th or 8th I think) that I was playing at a FLGS in an open game (one where people could pretty much walk in and play). In a previous session, I had "escaped" a rope of entanglement by somehow getting one end of the rope into one of the pockets on my Vest of Many Pockets (BTW a kender with a Vest of Many Pockets and a Girdle of Giant Strength is NOT to be trifled with LOL).Anyway, I was the only one playing at the time, and this other guy comes in. He had some crazy high level vampire character. Well, next thing I know the Vamp has my kender by the throat, my little feet dangling a ways off the ground. He was attempting to steal all of my goodies! Thinking fast, I wrote a note to the DM that I was opening a pocket in my vest and summoning forth that Rope of Entanglement. I wish I had a picture of the look on that guy's face The Vamp is now entangled AND has a kender rifling through HIS pockets LMAO it was awesome.