Eternity Does Anyone Even Like Halflings?

[DannyRope]

I don't just mean the "sexy factor". I mean the whole atmosphere of these two pictures, the difference between a representative of a small people robbing a European estate and this deformed they/them straight from the manifestation. This is a general change in fantasy. Things will NEVER be the same again. It will only get worse.

While I'm not a fan of the design of 5th edition halflings and I like Elmore's fantasy illustrations as much as the next guy, can you even tell that the first woman is a halfling? She looks like the short women at my gym.

 

[Gargaune]

I've long thought Halflings and Gnomes have too much conceptual overlap, should just have one and make them a subset of Dwarves. I could see myself making room for a Halfling in a custom party but not as a solo protagonist, I just don't find the concept of stereotypically-cheerful-tiny-thief-man all that appealing for a leading role. Hell, even watching LOTR I felt like Frodo and Sam were the B-plot to Aragorn and Gimli, that's where the real action was.

Montaron was okay, though. He had that Joe Pesci thing working for him.

Halfling paladins

Nice try, Mazzy.

OP's question is "who wants to play as one?", and clearly lots of people want to play as a tiefling

Thanks for making Halflings look good in comparison. And I ain't talking about Tieflings, they were actually okay character material back when they were merely fiend-tainted, with a built-in drive for discretion, rather than the edgelord hellspawns 5E made them into. No, I'm talking about Dragonborn, that shit outright shouldn't exist. If you absolutely must play a scalie, you can roll a Lizardfolk with the Half-Orc stat block, otherwise just get the fuck out.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

While I'm not a fan of the design of 5th edition halflings and I like Elmore's fantasy illustrations as much as the next guy, can you even tell that the first woman is a halfling? She looks like the short women at my gym.

This Larry Elmore illustration appears to have been created specifically for the cover of Dragon Magazine #285, an issue focusing on halflings, though in a different context the character might be assumed to be human.

 

[Lyric Suite]

All plane touched suck.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

In NWN, a friend and I would join hardcore rules RP servers as a duo of halflings with thievery maxed, feats and all. We'd then pickpocket and steal everything we could until we got caught and killed or booted from the server. It was a lot of fun. We'd create ruses of all sorts. One of us would distract while the other robbed someone blind. Some high quality servers even had jails. One of which I genuinely busted my friend out of once. Players never knew if we were a DM, so we used that to our advantage leading people on "quests".

Other than being such a menace, I don't see the appeal of playing a halfling. There were some players who made halflings work, but the concepts would have worked fine as other races too.

 

[rubinstein]

when i want to play as an arcane trickster type, or when i want to create such character for the party, i usually make him halfling. i like this trope of an urbanite halfling starting as a rogue, then learning some wizardry, and finally combining both crafts to become an ultimate thief. however i would never play pure warrior type halfling, they are just too ridiculous.

 

[Nikanuur]

One would say, even with much alcohol in their veins, that Halflings are *always* superior to Gnomes in all but bottled-up contempt against other races and the levels of mind-addling because of all the closeted, gripping love for jewelry!

 

[Glop_dweller]

Only people below 5'7 play/like Halflings, Gnomes or Dwarves.

A principle aspect of roleplaying is to play something that you are not—IE. from a different perspective than typical. Why play from the same perspective you see everyday? What kind of escapism is that?

*(In this context —perspective— is not just about shoulder height.)

BTW... it was interesting to me that they cast Peter Dinklage to play a giant in Avengers: Infinity War; predictable, but still kind of neat IMO. (Though he obviously strains much to give deep voice.)

 

[Sotomonte]

I'm a militant traditionalist... there's always a halfling thief in my party, just as there's always a dwarven warrior or a human paladin.

 

[Habichtswalder]

No. I don't like Halflings or any other short race besides dwarves. I don't want to play as them and I dislike if major roles in the plot are given to short races.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

No, I'm talking about Dragonborn, that shit outright shouldn't exist. If you absolutely must play a scalie, you can roll a Lizardfolk with the Half-Orc stat block, otherwise just get the fuck out.

Sorry but Shadowheart is a WEYRED girl and there's nothing you can do about it.

Dark Urge with a genuine friendly smile is a bit unsettling.

 

[Bruno]

I think the halfling race in Master of Magic is a good take on halflings, basically friendly farmers. They also have no heroes.

 

[Demo.Graph]

The point of hobbits in Tolkien's work was that they were the last folk you'd expect to go on a grand adventure.

Exactly. Halflings are prime material for unlikely heroes and "a strained innocence" type of stories, if you're heavy into character development.

Also, hoburgs from Dominions and halflings from AoW2 are fine murderhobos.

 

[Ol' Willy]

Obligatory

 

[Old Hans]

I had a Halfling D&D character named Jinglebells who did cartwheels.

 

[Skinwalker]

In Tolkien, yes. In D&D and derivatives, no, but then, D&D elves, dwarves and humans are also not very likable.

 

[Kruyurk]

All I get from this thread is that Santa's assistants did not bring anything to Butter this year, so he is butthurt towards them.

 

[Roguey]

In D&D games where you create a party I will make a halfling thief/rogue for the 20 dex and other bonuses. I have no interest in playing a halfling main character.

In the Pillars games my main character was an Orlan because I find them cute (also the bonuses).

 

[lukaszek]

i expect that halfling are not popular in bg3 due to size penalties. Cant jump far, nor run, nor throw enemies.
Nor you are encouraged to have pure thief with max dex. Kind of kills that archetype from min-max point of view

 

[Beastro]

Also, Dark Sun got it right: little people are funny when they are xenophobic cannibals.

Bosmer are Halflings.

So that's why they're so hated...

 

[Gargaune]

Sorry but Shadowheart is a WEYRED girl and there's nothing you can do about it.

1. Clockwork Knight

 

[Butter]

Also, Dark Sun got it right: little people are funny when they are xenophobic cannibals.

Bosmer are Halflings.

So that's why they're so hated...

Bosmer have perpetual meme status. Even Argonians are more dignified. I thought it was hilarious that Oblibion gave Bosmer a Charm Animal ability that becomes literally worthless a few hours into the game because of the level scaling.

 

[Hellraiser]

I fucking hate halflings.
I fucking hate gnomes.

I fucking hate dwarves.

 

[Shaki]

All the halflings, gnomes, dwarves, and other manlet races are retarded. Dwarves are the worst because we're supposed to believe that they're somehow good warriors, when in reality their range disadvantage should make them easily owned by any normal sized humanoids. Halflings and gnomes at least acknowledge reality, and are supposed to use shit like slings or illusion magic to make up for being weak pathetic manlets, but dwarves are so ridiculous they're immersion breaking. Without agility of halflings and wits/magic talent of gnomes, with being basically retarded muscle manlets, they're fit only for most basic physical labour, and should be at the bottom of the society. Any other depiction of them is is pure stupidity.They're literally the worst sin of classic fantasy, far worse and even more unrealistic than girlboss fighters.

 

[NJClaw]

I'm sure that while fighting colossal dragons and storm giants, those 30 cm are really going to make a difference.