Dungeons and Dragons

Are you making a character and don’t know what race to pick? There are a lot of options in the Player’s Handbook, but where do you start? Unless you’re trying to make the most optimal character, race and class combinations don’t matter. Pick something that you like the sound of or are interested in playing. It’s your character after all. If you’ve never played before, here’s a brief explanation of Halflings (without all the confusing numbers attached to it).

What can you expect from a Halfling?

Halflings are one of the most jovial and fun-loving races within D&D. The comforts of home, settling down in the peace and quiet is the end goal for most Halflings. They love the thought of a good meal, excellent conversation and the bouncing beat of merry music. They are known for their love of agricultural pursuits, whether it’s tending to a field of crops or looking after rows upon rows of flowers. Halflings are short in stature, most standing at around three feet tall, making them one of the shortest races you can choose. Due to their nature, most Halflings don’t pursue adventure the same way the other races do. While others would look for treasure and quests of lofty heights, Halflings go out into the world looking for community, new friendships, wanderlust and of course, curiosity. Halflings easy fit in within crowds of dwarves, elves and humans, and they are always ready to work alongside others, showing great loyalty to their friends. They have been known to show unrivalled ferocity towards anyone who threatened their communities or friends.

How does this translate to your character sheet?

In terms of base stats (I will go into the extra stuff that you get with Subraces in the next section), you have a variety of wonderful traits to begin with. Much like the elves, Halflings are dexterous, being both swift and nimble. Although due to their shorter stature, they have a lower walking speed compared to other races, but this isn’t something that will affect your character dramatically. (Using the scary numbers for a moment. Halflings have a base walking speed of 25ft, whereas most races have a walking speed of 30ft). On the plus side, because of your size, you are able to run through and around the legs of anything bigger than you. Even though Halflings are short, they are revered for being brave, making it much harder to scare them away. Not only that, but they are very lucky compared to any other race; able to turn a situation on its head, even when it looks dire. In terms of lifespans, Halflings are considered to be adults around the age of twenty and can live up to two hundred and fifty years. When it comes down to languages, they know Common and Halfling.

Subraces:

There are two types of subraces for Halflings. Starting with the Lightfoot Halflings, who – as their name eludes to – are a little stealthier than the other types of Halflings, and they are able to use their size to their advantage, hiding behind companions taller than they are.

Stout Halflings are built hardier than most Halfling, almost taking after Dwarves. This hardiness has translated to having resistances to poisons, meaning that you’d have to work hard to poison a Halfling’s meal.

What class should I pick for a Halfling?

Halflings make great Rouges due to their dexterous abilities and short stature, allowing them to find the best places to hide and get the jump on enemies whenever needed. Alternatively, given their fun loving nature and their need for community, Bards also make an excellent choice for a Halfling. This doesn’t mean that you can’t pick any other classes. A Halfling Barbarian or Paladin are just as valid of an option as any other.

Does that mean there are more varieties of Halflings?

Yes, there are a couple more Halflings within the world of D&D, and unlike the other races, they don’t just have new names depending on where they come from. There are the Anadian Halflings who are native to the plant Anadia. They are a people of extreme emotions and attitudes – great for making a Barbarian. There is also the Ghostwise Halflings, who are the rarest subrace amongst all Halflings. They are a reclusive bunch and have been known for their talent for communicating without speech.