D&D 5E why has none of the wisdom races caught on?

[Twiggly the Gnome]

interesting system what races do they presently have?

Adventures Guide:
Dragonborn
Dwarf
Elf
Gnome
Halfling
Human
Orc
Planetouched

Adventures in Zeitgeist:
Deva
Gnoll
Goblin
Kobold
Lizardfolk
Minotaur

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I have never seen halflings as wise more craft as let us face it they are a dex race made to be rogues.

But why? The lore, the pastoral way of life, the stout heart/bravery-in-a-pinch, the focus on community, acceptance and family of the Halfling as presented in most publication do not present them as rogue material. Just because Bilbo was a burglar in a book does not make all short kin rogues.

Sure, halfling have moved a long way from their Hobbit roots, but I think the crafty, cunning and quick witted small folk is better presented by the Gnome than Halflings.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Adventures Guide:
Dragonborn
Dwarf
Elf
Gnome
Halfling
Human
Orc
Planetouched

Adventures in Zeitgeist:
Deva
Gnoll
Goblin
Kobold
Lizardfolk
Minotaur

Gnoll! I knew I forgot one!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Just because Bilbo was a burglar in a book does not make all short kin rogues.

I thought Bilbo was chosen because hobbits made "natural" burglars. They may not have the mindset, but have the natural talent.

The Hobbit
There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off.

D&D rogues have numerous skills, Stealth just being one of them. Any random halfling should/would have a bonus to Stealth (due to their small size, if nothing else), but this doesn't necessarily apply to Acrobatics, Disable Device, and so forth. Of course this still gives them a competitive advantage against, well, human burglars.

I am not sure where hobbits being "brave" or having high Wisdom coming from. I think they had Charisma instead. Early in the journey they had to sing to each other for courage, which suggests both charisma and a lack of bravery. (Not a surprise, the four hobbit adventurers were essentially teenagers or young and sheltered adults. You don't expect inexperienced Frodo to be as brave as Gimli, Legolas, or Aragorn.)

 

[Mind of tempest]

But why? The lore, the pastoral way of life, the stout heart/bravery-in-a-pinch, the focus on community, acceptance and family of the Halfling as presented in most publication do not present them as rogue material. Just because Bilbo was a burglar in a book does not make all short kin rogues.

Sure, halfling have moved a long way from their Hobbit roots, but I think the crafty, cunning and quick witted small folk is better presented by the Gnome than Halflings.

rogue also tend to be towards the mundane and the skilful which halflings are they are kind of basic hence why they are so hard to fit into a setting with more mundane humans you are right in them not being fit for a rogue but I do not see them as natural adventure material.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

am not sure where hobbits being "brave" or having high Wisdom coming from

Well, it comes from the fact that they have the ''Brave'' trait. But in LotR, Frodo and Sam are the one who resisted best the corruption power of the Ring. Given, that's more willpower than wisdom as you and I would define it. Let's just say that the vagueness of the D&D's abilities are always a problem when trying to define a fictional creature.

 

[tomBitonti]

Well, it comes from the fact that they have the ''Brave'' trait. But in LotR, Frodo and Sam are the one who resisted best the corruption power of the Ring. Given, that's more willpower than wisdom as you and I would define it. Let's just say that the vagueness of the D&D's abilities are always a problem when trying to define a fictional creature.

Merry and Pippin would seem to be burglars. They weren’t particularly brave or wise. Frodo had the advantage of Gandalf’s tutelage, as well as a rather more learned upbringing. Samwise is the only one who seems to have exuded wisdom. But, his class seems to have been “stalwart companion”, with a bit of cook, handyman, and baggage carrier thrown in.
TomB

 

[Yaarel]

For me, the shifters feel lame because they are unable to transform fully into an animal.

I would find them more fun if the had three forms: human (or similar), Beast, and a medial form in between.

 

[Dausuul]

Well, it comes from the fact that they have the ''Brave'' trait. But in LotR, Frodo and Sam are the one who resisted best the corruption power of the Ring. Given, that's more willpower than wisdom as you and I would define it.

I don't think willpower is really accurate. Plenty of people in Middle-Earth had lots of willpower, but were implied or shown to be vulnerable to the temptation of the Ring. Denethor comes to mind.

Frodo and Sam resist the Ring more by humility and compassion than by mental strength. You could call that "wisdom," but I don't think it really maps to any particular D&D trait. Alignment comes closest, but not very close.

Back to the OP, others have gotten at most of the key points, but I'll add one more: Wisdom is the attribute that has drifted the most from its original conception. It is now a hodgepodge of intuition/insight, willpower, and keen senses; the last item having been stuffed into Wisdom because it had to go somewhere and Wisdom was the least bad (but still pretty darn bad) fit.

That being the case, it's a little hard to nail down what a +2 Wisdom race should even be. And none of those three meanings lends itself to a race "hook."

 

[Micah Sweet]

For me, the shifters feel lame because they are unable to transform fully into an animal.

I would find them more fun if the had three forms: human (or similar), Beast, and a medial form in between.

That's what I meant earlier by "werewolf-lite".