Why are they making demi-humans taller?

[Michele Carter]

What's a demi-human?

Halflings are still Small, btw.

 

[Aenghus]

I think there is a number of reasons. Removing small size PCs is probably one of them - with gnomes tabled, halflings were the only small size PC race left, and removing the distinction will simplify the rules a little.

Also with minatures and computer game tie-ins, visual representations of the PC races are more common. I think 3 foot halflings always looked too small. This was easier to ignore in older editions of the game.

 

[Guild Goodknife]

What's a demi-human?

Halflings are still Small, btw.

So there goes my theory. Thanks for the info

 

[RPG_Tweaker]

My theory:

Halflings are growing to further differentiate them from Hobbits... which are about 3ft.

Elves are growing to bring them more in line with Nordic/Tuatha elves... which are human-size.

Dwarves... not sure.

 

[Rechan]

In the case of halflings, a three foot tall human child can't even hold a pencil with one hand. (Well, that's what one developer said, back before 4e was announced.)

A three foot child isn't a fully developed adult, either.

"This puppy, the size of a jackal, can barely bite anything! So this jackal here must be utterly weak."

 

[Doug McCrae]

To give you the opportunity to ask this question.

 

[Rechan]

My theory?

So you don't feel like a pervert when you fancy them.

 

[Aeolius]

Personally, I envision all D&D elves as Pini elves:

...and gnomes are 2' tall, not counting the pointy red cap.

 

[Klaus]

What's a demi-human?

Halflings are still Small, btw.

I'll throw my theory:

To make it easier to adapt them correctly to other (live-action) media.

4' tall is still quite small. Not 3-year-old small, but still 8-year-old small.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

A three foot child isn't a fully developed adult, either.

"This puppy, the size of a jackal, can barely bite anything! So this jackal here must be utterly weak."

I would expect a three-foot tall adult's hands to be about the size of a three-foot child's hands. Then again, I don't have kids, so maybe they've got really small hands.