D&D General why do we have halflings and gnomes?

[JiffyPopTart]

They are unplayable as heroes and the units are jokes. That's when they aren't discontinued.

Sir Stripeypants, my ratling sniper squad leader begs to differ. He has at least one Greater Demon notched on his rifle.

 

[Voadam]

Some may like silly Halflings. Halflings as presented in the PHB and Mordenkainen's aren't silly, though. People who like silly Halflings can change them to be that way.

Official D&D can support silly halflings alongside other silly D&D.

(technically that's Indiana Gnome, unfortunately they did not have a picture of the halfling Professor Why (Who is not a Doctor)).

 

[Maxperson]

Official D&D can support silly halflings alongside other silly D&D.


View attachment 131820(technically that's Indiana Gnome, unfortunately they did not have a picture of the halfling Professor Why (Who is not a Doctor)).

This is true, and then of course there are Kender.

 

[Mind of tempest]

This is true, and then of course there are Kender.

the forbidden small folk.

 

[Minigiant]

And many don't see D&D as LotR with more monsters and are fine with the fully integrated and lore of Halflings. Halflings are treated equally. They have a lot of lore, equaling the lore of others. They are in the top 4 for adventuring races.

The lore has a different flavor than the other races, but that isn't the same as unequal

It's not a different flavor but a different focus.

I haven't seen this. Can you name some names here who have taken this position

Well I've seen a lot of homebrew about removing Halflings Luck and the Lucky feat when 5e was published.

They did put in the same work. More actually, since it's harder to make a race with a different flavor than to take the lazy way out and just make more of the same. Halflings also do in fact fit into the fantasy D&D setting just fine

It's easier to have DMs do the work of explaining things than you the designer doing it. Halflings do fit the D&D setting. However the differing foci leaves gaps that other icon races lack.

Or maybe, Halflings don't need to be more of the same and are just fine to us as they are. If you want to change them to be more warlike, go for it, just don't expect us to side with you if you say that they need to be changed and/or aren't integrated.

I don't want Halflings to be more warlike. I want to know why dwarves and elves are ever watchful and prepared for racial enemies whereas halflings can sit around doing nothing until someone threatens the world with apocalypse.

 

[Minigiant]

Sir Stripeypants, my ratling sniper squad leader begs to differ. He has at least one Greater Demon notched on his rifle.

Ratings are ratings not halflings. Brave abhumans who fight with the Emperor's blessing.

 

[Maxperson]

It's not a different flavor but a different focus.

Focus = flavor. Lore wise and mechanically, they are every bit the equal of other races.

Well I've seen a lot of homebrew about removing Halflings Luck and the Lucky feat when 5e was published.

Not because of Halflings, though. The luck ability and feat are very strong, especially together. Combine that with many tables liking 1s to be fumbles and you have a recipe for change.

It's easier to have DMs do the work of explaining things than you the designer doing it. Halflings do fit the D&D setting. However the differing foci leaves gaps that other icon races lack.

This is where you seem to be completely alone. It's not a gap or problem at all for them to have a different focus/flavor. In fact, it's a bonus because it gives players who want something different an option.

I don't want Halflings to be more warlike. I want to know why dwarves and elves are ever watchful and prepared for racial enemies whereas halflings can sit around doing nothing until someone threatens the world with apocalypse.

The 5e rules explain that. You don't like the explanation. That's fine. You aren't getting pushback because of your preferences. You are getting pushback because you are presenting your preferences as some sort of universal deficiency.

Edit: corrected some odd word cuts, because phone.

 

[Maxperson]

Ratings are ratings not halflings. Brave abhumans who fight with the Emperor's blessing.

Pretty sure he has a Halfling hero leading the ratling group. Otherwise that didn't make sense to me, either.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Ratings are ratings not halflings. Brave abhumans who fight with the Emperor's blessing.

How is this not a halfling? He's short, sneaky, and has bare feet?

I should have specified Warhammer 40k, not straight Warhammer....slightly different universe. In that game ratlings=halflings.

 

[Oofta]

How is this not a halfling? He's short, sneaky, and has bare feet?

View attachment 131826

I should have specified Warhammer 40k, not straight Warhammer....slightly different universe. In that game ratlings=halflings.

Haven't you been paying attention? It can't be a halfling because it's using a weapon that looks like it could be effective in combat. Everybody knows that halfling ever has any offensive or defensive capability!