Halfling strength

[Klorox]

https://www.facebook.com/dorksofyore/videos/387210331402800/

Some fun stuff in this 2 minute video.

[Dalebert]

Interesting video. I would have assumed them to be MUCH weaker just based on the geometry of being 1/8th the mass of a human. Of course I assume we ignore math and science in favor of fun and balance.

[Theodoxus]

Was it 1st or 2nd Ed that played around with combined scores, so dex was split between aim and balance, and strength between endurance and power (or something along those lines). You could have a 16 Dex, but have a 20 in aim (so a great archer) but a 12 in Balance, so a crappy second story thief...

Sounds like in this case, the halfling would natively have a 6 Power and a 20 Endurance, for an average of 13 Strength... it'd be pretty neat if 5E had a UA about that... being old school and all...

[mgshamster]

Was it 1st or 2nd Ed that played around with combined scores, so dex was split between aim and balance, and strength between endurance and power (or something along those lines). You could have a 16 Dex, but have a 20 in aim (so a great archer) but a 12 in Balance, so a crappy second story thief...

Sounds like in this case, the halfling would natively have a 6 Power and a 20 Endurance, for an average of 13 Strength... it'd be pretty neat if 5E had a UA about that... being old school and all...

2nd edition, introduced in the Skills & Powers splat book. It was a fun concept, and I thought I saw a homebrew or DM guild that did it for 5e as well, but I could be mistake.

And yes, that was a cool video.

[Giant2005]

That isn't what I expected.
I assumed the video would have had more to do with DnD's rules rather than just replacing the rules (like saying the Halfling had a strength of 6).
I was hoping it would compare a Halfling's actual strength in DnD (not the 6 he replaced it with) as a lifting capacity, to his body mass and then multiply that to see how much stronger it is relative to a human and its body mass.

[smcmike]

I always have a problem imagining the little races. I have a four-year-old, and she is approximately the size of a halfling. I cannot imagine a scenario in which a person of her size would be significant physical competition to an adult of average physical condition, even allowing for the fact that mature muscles and coordination would make her much stronger and quicker.

[dickerson76]

I always have a problem imagining the little races. I have a four-year-old, and she is approximately the size of a halfling. I cannot imagine a scenario in which a person of her size would be significant physical competition to an adult of average physical condition, even allowing for the fact that mature muscles and coordination would make her much stronger and quicker.

I have a four-year-old. Imagining the prospect of approaching him while he was wielding a knife is scary enough without improving his muscle tone and coordination.
Assuming:

halfling weapons are sized for halflings
smaller weapons have a finer edge (slashing/piercing), or reduced surface area to impart their energy (bludgeoning)
the damage to weapon relationship is analogous to power and bat speed in baseball

I have no issues with halfling damage being equal to larger creature damage.

[Theodoxus]

I just figure they've the same muscle composition as a bonobo, which is just slightly larger than a halfling at an average height of 3.8 and 60 lbs. You certainly don't want to wrestle one... and giving it sapience, weapon use and stealthy behavior? Halflings are perfectly fine as is... They're not small humans, even if they look like it :smallwink:

[R.Shackleford]

I just figure they've the same muscle composition as a bonobo, which is just slightly larger than a halfling at an average height of 3.8 and 60 lbs. You certainly don't want to wrestle one... and giving it sapience, weapon use and stealthy behavior? Halflings are perfectly fine as is... They're not small humans, even if they look like it :smallwink:

Exactly.

Hell, a chimp have been shown to literally rip a person's face off... So I don't think size should equate strength.

I believe it has to do with stronger bones which allow for stronger muscles.

[smcmike]

I have a four-year-old. Imagining the prospect of approaching him while he was wielding a knife is scary enough without improving his muscle tone and coordination.
Assuming:

halfling weapons are sized for halflings
smaller weapons have a finer edge (slashing/piercing), or reduced surface area to impart their energy (bludgeoning)
the damage to weapon relationship is analogous to power and bat speed in baseball

I have no issues with halfling damage being equal to larger creature damage.

Obviously a four year old with a knife is terrifying... But mostly because I really don't want to hurt a four year old. Would you rather face a four year old with a knife or an adult with that same knife?

Smaller weapons don't necessarily have a finer edge. My paring knife is no sharper than my chef's knife. More importantly, they lack mass, and mass matters. A lot.

That being said, I really don't have as much problem with halflings using sharp weapons. It's more picturing one, say, grappling a half-orc into submission that I find ridiculous.


I just figure they've the same muscle composition as a bonobo, which is just slightly larger than a halfling at an average height of 3.8 and 60 lbs. You certainly don't want to wrestle one... and giving it sapience, weapon use and stealthy behavior? Halflings are perfectly fine as is... They're not small humans, even if they look like it :smallwink:


Exactly.

Hell, a chimp have been shown to literally rip a person's face off... So I don't think size should equate strength.

I believe it has to do with stronger bones which allow for stronger muscles.

But nothing in the actual fluff suggests that halflings are shaved super-strong apes. They are usually fat little domestic sneaks. Further, a significant part of the reason that I don't want to wrestle a 60 lb. ape is that apes have claws and teeth, the same reason I don't want to fight a 60 lb pit bull.

It's interesting how you guys went from halfling (40 lbs?) to bonobo (+50% weight for the smallest adults, + claws and teeth), to chimps, which are as big as people.

[R.Shackleford]

Obviously a four year old with a knife is terrifying... But mostly because I really don't want to hurt a four year old. Would you rather face a four year old with a knife or an adult with that same knife?

Smaller weapons don't necessarily have a finer edge. My paring knife is no sharper than my chef's knife. More importantly, they lack mass, and mass matters. A lot.

That being said, I really don't have as much problem with halflings using sharp weapons. It's more picturing one, say, grappling a half-orc into submission that I find ridiculous.





But nothing in the actual fluff suggests that halflings are shaved super-strong apes. They are usually fat little domestic sneaks. Further, a significant part of the reason that I don't want to wrestle a 60 lb. ape is that apes have claws and teeth, the same reason I don't want to fight a 60 lb pit bull.

It's interesting how you guys went from halfling (40 lbs?) to bonobo (+50% weight for the smallest adults, + claws and teeth), to chimps, which are as big as people.

Its also a fantasy game with a fantasy race.

Small creatures can have great strength, fluff your individual character however you want.

I personally hate racial ability score bonuses. Class should have more to do with it than race