tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post2407561544672252904..comments2024-03-28T09:41:39.187-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Halflings in HolmesJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-35769535203918516562010-07-06T11:00:15.185-04:002010-07-06T11:00:15.185-04:00In my B/X campaign, "Bullroarer" is a Ha...In my B/X campaign, "Bullroarer" is a Halfling level title.Jaysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03652611193354218021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55740838124837369212010-07-06T04:42:32.265-04:002010-07-06T04:42:32.265-04:00Well, even a 4th level character is an Hero, so Ha...Well, even a 4th level character is an Hero, so Halflings can definitely be heroes.<br /><br />@AWJ: I suppose the idea is that, by putting constraints on some scores, you may be forced to trade points from other abilities to reach those minima.Antoniohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17258180992723371727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-64680416993692078372010-07-05T16:36:26.224-04:002010-07-05T16:36:26.224-04:00There are no "great halfling warriors<
Wh...There are no "great halfling warriors<<br /><br />What about the great Shire hero "Bullroarer?" He rode horses and cracked orcish cabasas'.Kevin Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-26225248813019939042010-07-05T14:28:20.526-04:002010-07-05T14:28:20.526-04:00"In addition, by biasing halflings upward on ..."In addition, by biasing halflings upward on DEX and CON while working with 3d6 roll in order chargen, you likely wind up with halflings that have lower than average in the remaining scores"<br /><br />Gambler's fallacy? DICE DO NOT WORK THAT WAY.AWJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13729562595081825281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-45508270795149646582010-07-05T14:08:53.954-04:002010-07-05T14:08:53.954-04:00Yeah, I think it's part game balance and part ...Yeah, I think it's part game balance and part Tolkien theme. There are no "great halfling warriors" in Tolkien, which is why all pre-20 editions of D&D stunt the halflings ability to advance (B/X stops 'em at level 8). To counter-balance this (i.e. make it a viable class compared to others) a number of suitable "special abilities" are provided to give them advantages that still echo the Tolkien books: they're small and quiet and concealable and hearty and good shots and don't need to buy boots, etc.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-24769771369847977052010-07-05T11:42:45.734-04:002010-07-05T11:42:45.734-04:00High requirements also ensure that races/classes w...High requirements also ensure that races/classes with few special features are still viable matches to the rest of the party.<br /><br />In addition, by biasing halflings upward on DEX and CON while working with 3d6 roll in order chargen, you likely wind up with halflings that have lower than average in the remaining scores - weaker and perhaps a bit naïf.Vincent Diakuwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12176340701893887319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-45964086123856720672010-07-05T10:02:27.429-04:002010-07-05T10:02:27.429-04:00Allandaros:
I've heard for years that the Ha...Allandaros: <br /><br />I've heard for years that the Halfling is a poor Fighter / Thief, but I disagree. Halflings are best played as scouts and rangers. They are perfectly equipped for the roll. In addition to superior initiative, and hiding Halfling's also benefit from the best THAC0 possible with ranged weapons (at low levels) for those moments when escaping isn't an option, not to mention amazing saves to survive any traps that they stumbled upon. <br /><br />Holme's additional requirements fit this model quite well. Not only making Halfling's hardy, but it even assures they are even more deadly in ranged combat.<br /><br />I've once said Oe Haflings take after Hobbits, AD&D Halflings take after Gollum, but Basic Halflings take after the shireling's mentor, Aragon.BlUsKrEEmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05050270487818381832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-14710631074842676982010-07-05T09:09:12.611-04:002010-07-05T09:09:12.611-04:009 Con presumably comes from hobbit toughness (as N...9 Con presumably comes from hobbit toughness (as Nick said); Frodo resists the Ring, and more pertinently, the splinter of the Nazgul knife (which Gandalf says would swiftly have overcome many warriors of the Big Folk). 9 Dex presumably comes from Bilbo's skill at throwing stones.John Harper Brinegarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17592827787099084705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-91802797419351029772010-07-05T08:23:04.798-04:002010-07-05T08:23:04.798-04:00I always felt that a Con requirement for Halflings...I always felt that a Con requirement for Halflings came from Tolkien, whose Hobbits were presented as a "hearty" folk, if only because of Frodo's ability to withstand the evil of the Ring upon his soul (this requiring the interpretation of Con to mean having a "strong soul", which I feel is supported by other things in oD&D, such as System Shock).Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09358099916267465455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-81953825017375272652010-07-05T02:57:19.058-04:002010-07-05T02:57:19.058-04:00Frodo-deterrent, perhaps?
I'm not going to l...Frodo-deterrent, perhaps? <br /><br />I'm not going to lie, I don't have that much experience with Holmes/Mentzer/BECMI or before, but the impression I always got is that playing a halfling wound up being inferior to a fighter - small, lower hit points, limited level advancement, etc. <br /><br />So even with Frodo-deterrent as an objective, I can't really figure out what's the point of having halflings presented as they are.<br /><br />(if this is incoherent, I apologize; I haven't had my morning coffee yet)Allandaroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01046079318999891967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76803594868849703132010-07-05T02:02:59.553-04:002010-07-05T02:02:59.553-04:00A house rule in his campaign reflecting his interp...A house rule in his campaign reflecting his interpretation of Tolkien?Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01254215329246851683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-88845080914414665542010-07-04T23:44:58.328-04:002010-07-04T23:44:58.328-04:00Tolkien!Tolkien!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-7043810806238250442010-07-04T23:24:06.159-04:002010-07-04T23:24:06.159-04:00A desire to have halflings be rare?A desire to have halflings be rare?BigFellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03052419088140204154noreply@blogger.com