When it comes to halflings, there are two almost diametrically opposed ways that they've been portrayed in RPGs: fat, naive babes-in-the-woods and sneaky kleptomaniacs. I dislike both.

I like the concept that halflings are something of a miniature reflection of human society. But halflings don't see themselves as "half" of anything. They see themselves as the main race in the world, while all the others - except gnomes - are at best vaguely threatening due to their size. In effect, humans are among the folk halflings would consider giants.

Unlike Tolkien's hobbits, halflings as I envision them have never been coddled by more physically powerful races. They've had to take their knocks, and have become more militant and quick to respond to threats. This is modeled on Tolkien's hobbits also, but it happens near the end of the story when the hobbits have to take back the Shire from Saruman and his thugs.

Imagine these halflings a few centuries down the road. They've found that keeping scouts constantly vigilant beyond the borders of their homelands allows them to respond to threats before they reach those borders. They can't physically hold up against the "giants" (anything bigger than them and the gnomes), so their forces are more fluid, more stealthy, with storms of arrows and sling bullets catching enemy forces in choke points. Hit-and-run pony and dog cavalry harries enemies towards these choke points. Specially trained "giant slayers" deal with enemies that don't succumb to such attacks.

But it's not all about the military. Halflings only go to war to defend themselves. In their homes, they're much like Tolkien's hobbits...except that they are more self-confident, less likely to back down when threatened, much more knowledgable of the world.

Maybe not exotic enough for some, but it's how I see 'em.

I just gotta second Col. Hardisson's take on the Halflings.  One does wonder just what they call themselves if not half?

Lings?

Halflings would obviously be the name appended to the little blighters by the races of Man.  Like every other intelligent species, in the end I'm sure their own self name translates to more or less...

Us.

I once had halfings based on a wizards experiment to merge his cat familiar and his best servant...to have a magical useful with hands servant..so all the subraces are also similar to house cats.

Tallfellow=Siamese cat.
Stout=Manx


Of course I'm still using this for a sillier dungeon crawl game I'm working on (more D&D as in BASIC D&D, than not.)

don't everyone take this the wrong way- but why bother? If'n you're looking for a different feel than vanilla/tolkeinized frpg provides why not make up your own races, or borrow from different sources? Is it that players or maybe gms) need these fixtures in order to feel like they're playing a fantasy game?

Quote from: Aosdon't everyone take this the wrong way- but why bother? If'n you're looking for a different feel than vanilla/tolkeinized frpg provides why not make up your own races, or borrow from different sources? Is it that players or maybe gms) need these fixtures in order to feel like they're playing a fantasy game?

Well, maybe because of time pressures you are planning on relying heavily on published modules (which use the 'standard races'), but nonetheless want to 'spice things up'?  Some (mainly aesthetic) changes to the standard races might accomplish this.

Also, taking something familiar and making it slightly different can often be more effective in evoking a sense of novelty (and even strangeness) than simply coming up with something entirely different.  For example, a game in which halflings are violent, barbaric cannibals (as in Dark Sun) might strike players as more creepy than simply inventing a new race of diminutive barbaric cannibals.

The problem with races in most FRGP's is that they are too uniform and homogenous.  It has always struck me as somewhat odd that in most settings all elves act a certain way but there maybe dozens of different human cultures.

I think the solution to keeping demihumans interesting is to give them different national cultures.  For example, the elves of the Green Wood maybe caste based and city dwelling while the elves of the North Wood are matriarchal, tribal, and semi-nomadic.

So to keep things interesting in my games I don't tweak the elves once but break them up and tweak them up to a half dozen times.

One thing I do find pretty strange, at least in D&D, is that every time there's a culturally significant difference among demihumans they're made into a sub-race.  That just strikes me as odd.  Like anytime a dwarf becomes too different from the norm there suddenly spawns a new subrace.

How many different subraces of elves are there in all editions D&D anyway?

Quote from: AkrasiaWell, maybe because of time pressures you are planning on relying heavily on published modules (which use the 'standard races'), but nonetheless want to 'spice things up'?  Some (mainly aesthetic) changes to the standard races might accomplish this.

Also, taking something familiar and making it slightly different can often be more effective in evoking a sense of novelty (and even strangeness) than simply coming up with something entirely different.  For example, a game in which halflings are violent, barbaric cannibals (as in Dark Sun) might strike players as more creepy than simply inventing a new race of diminutive barbaric cannibals.

Okay, fair enough. I never use published stuff- I find that it takes longer for me to use than coming up with my own thing; but I do see you point. As for cannibals, though, I've just spent a little time studying them for an anth course on the south pacific- and, dude, it doesn't matter what size they are the creepy volume goes instantly to 15.

Following the example of 100 Fantasy Kingdoms, is there a "100 fantasy races" book of variants for the classic races?

Quote from: JongWKFollowing the example of 100 Fantasy Kingdoms, is there a "100 fantasy races" book of variants for the classic races?

I'd like to see that, provided it was something more than just "Tiger-men", "Frog-men", "Lizard-Men", "Slug-Men", etc.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstI'd like to see that, provided it was something more than just "Tiger-men", "Frog-men", "Lizard-Men", "Slug-Men", etc.

Or worse: "wood elf", "forest elf", "coffee lounge elf", "tree elf", "sylvan elf", etc etc.

RPGPundit

Haven't done the elves yet, but there are two major kobold populations on Dragon Earth. The original, Indian population consists of nomadic hunter/gatherers, with a few bands having taken up life in the cities.

The European kobold is either a settled farmer, or a city dweller. The latter are merchants, engineers, and small time bankers.

In both cases they get along famously with gnomes. The European kobold hates the French (long story), and a number hire out with the dwarfs as miners. The Indian kobold has no special animosity towards anyone, but tends to be wary when dealing with the native-born rakshasa community.

Quote from: JongWKFollowing the example of 100 Fantasy Kingdoms, is there a "100 fantasy races" book of variants for the classic races?

Where to draw ideas from?

Apocryphal Jeudochristian myth would be a nice place to start...

Nephillim... Lillin...

Uh...

Oh, and genies! And... uh... Help me out here...

Dwarves and elves are merely the males and the females of the same species. (Which also explain why they're always bitching at each others, yet aren't actually enemies.)

Halflings don't really inspire me. I see them mostly as sort of gypsies.

Gnomes, on the other hand, are monastic. Valuing wisdom and knowledge, seeing through the illusions of lives, and able to speak with animals. They live on high hills lost in the mist, or in cloudy mountaintops, and keep many secret libraries and temples. Beware the Shaolin Gnome! Ooooommmmmmmm...

Quote from: beejazzWhere to draw ideas from?

Apocryphal Jeudochristian myth would be a nice place to start...

Nephillim... Lillin...

Uh...

Oh, and genies! And... uh... Help me out here...

How about Pre-Columbine cultures?

Quote from: RPGPundit"coffee lounge elf"

This one actually has some amusing potential...