I pity the poor Halfling

[henebry]

So I'm sitting here pitying Hobbits, sorry, Halflings. Gnomes too for that matter. Both races lose 2 str AND get a lower die of damage on weapons. The Halfling sorta makes up for the loss of str by gaining Dex, which helps ranged attacks and melee attacks if you burn a feat on weapon finesse. But Weapon Finesse only works on lame weapons like (at the upper end of the range) rapiers, which do only 1d4 damage, 2d4 if you get a crit.

Here's my radical thought (okay, full disclosure: my 11 year old son's idea): let the little guys apply weapon finesse with any and all melee attacks, right on up to Greatsword and Greataxe.

[Dhavaer]

I think the +1 to hit and to AC makes up for it. It's part of the reason why gnomes are the best mages.

[Zagreen]

Halflings and gnomes aren't great melee combatants. So what? Half orcs aren't great wizards and dwarves aren't great bards. Make a halfling thrower (that is, a halfling who using throwing weapons, not someone who uses halfling as throwing weapons... although that would be good too!) and/or be a rogue. It doesn't matter if your dagger does 1d3 damage when you can top it off with lots of sneak attack dice.

[MeklorIlavator]

Or make a halfing rogue/mage. +4 to hide is awesome for stealth.

[Aximili]

+2 Dexterity, -2 Strength.
Small: As a Small creature, a halfling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Halfling base land speed is 20 feet.
+2 racial bonus on Climb, Jump, and Move Silently checks.
+1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
+2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear: This bonus stacks with the halfling’s +1 bonus on saving throws in general.
+1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons and slings.
+2 racial bonus on Listen checks.

Fair atribute modifiers
+1 on all saving throws.
+2 on 4 skills
All the bonuses from a small size.
+1 to thrown attacks...

I'm sorry, but I fail to see what's to pitty.

[Da Beast]

Halflings roxorz hard. If your going to pitty someone pitty the poor half elves and half orcs.

[jjpickar]

I wish I could think of a good way to bring MR. T into this equation.

Oh yeah DON'T PITY THE HALFLING SUCKA! PITY THE GUY THAT MESSES WITH THE HALFLING. SO ENOUGH OF THIS JIBBER JABBER!



That was... strangely cathartic.

[Ulzgoroth]

Being smaller is almost pure win. You lose a little on any weapon damage dice...how awful. You still Sneak Attack/Power Attack/cast for full effect. Going from Medium to Small doesn't impact your reach any, so no loss there. The bit that really stings is the 20ft. land speed...

[Zagreen]

Which is why goblins are awesome!

Of course, then they had to invent Whispergnome cheese.

[Lord Tataraus]

Halflings are amazing, not to be pitied (Sp?). +1 to all saves, huge bonuses to hide and move silently (on top of the size bonus). You just have to play their strengths, just as you play the strengths of every other race. As for gnomes, I do not know of such creatures (I hate gnomes). But the half-orc and half-elf? They need to be pitied (though I like the Dragonlance version of Half-Elves).

[Wystrell]

The bit that really stings is the 20ft. land speed...

We have it set up in my campaign that, any time the shortness gets in the way, my gnome hops up in the saddlebags and shoots things from there. Then, the land speed becomes something like... 50ft?

[ocato]

Another trick is to use shortswords instead of daggers. They're light martial weapons, and the small ones deal 1d4 (just like big boy daggers!).

Had a halfling rogue in a campaign with me that did that. Celina Undercobble, better known as the deadly Leeny Longknives. Ankles beware.

[henebry]

I wish I could think of a good way to bring MR. T into this equation.

Oh yeah DON'T PITY THE HALFLING SUCKA! PITY THE GUY THAT MESSES WITH THE HALFLING. SO ENOUGH OF THIS JIBBER JABBER!



That was... strangely cathartic.

I'm glad someone got the reference. It went right over my son's head, of course. I wonder whether the A-Team is available on DVD...

[Ulzgoroth]

Get permanencied Reduce Person and a spiked chain (assuming you were already small) and you get even better attack bonus (with Weapon Finesse, obviously), more size bonus to AC, keep your land speed...

Huh. Is that actually a great idea for a rogue, or am I missing something? Ditching the chain would make it better, but you need both reach and weapon finesse...

[Annarrkkii]

Mhm, but Ulzgoroth, Getting grappled would suck hard, though. helpme! helpme! heeeeelppmmeeee!

Anyway, halflings do not suck. You can make halfling barbarians that can chuck around some significant die of damage, if you really want, but they truly excel as rogues and throwing builds. I have two or three really choice halfling throwing builds, the one of which I am most proud, by far, is my most recent Warblade/Halfling Paragon/Swordsage/Bloodstorm Blade. Very exciting stuff. Giant Killing Stance + small size = WIN.

[Kultrum]

Mhm, but Ulzgoroth, Getting grappled would suck hard, though. helpme! helpme! heeeeelppmmeeee!

Anyway, halflings do not suck. You can make halfling barbarians that can chuck around some significant die of damage, if you really want, but they truly excel as rogues and throwing builds. I have two or three really choice halfling throwing builds, the one of which I am most proud, by far, is my most recent Warblade/Halfling Paragon/Swordsage/Bloodstorm Blade. Very exciting stuff. Giant Killing Stance + small size = WIN.

Halfling + most stone dragon stances = Win

[Annarrkkii]

Halfling + most stone dragon stances = Win

I readily admit that Stone Dragon is not a route I have explored for halflings—yet—but it does certainly look to have a lot of potential. I dabbled in the Vise maneuvers from Stone Dragon, and considered Stonefoot Stance for my first-level stance, but the thing that really nawed at me was the move-5 ft-and-lose-benefits clause. My halfling needs his mobility. Of course, this guy is an Iron Heart specialist with a flavor of Tiger Claw, Desert Wind, Setting Sun, and some Diamond Mind. Actually, I think he has some of everything except Devoted Spirit...

[Mewtarthio]

Halflings are amazing, not to be pitied (Sp?).

Is it at all bad that I keep reading this as "Halflings are amazing, not to be pitied (spell-like ability)"?

[cupkeyk]

WHAT????

Halflings and gnomes are some probably the best caster options, particularly the Strongheart halfling from the FR Campaign Setting.

Small is the only way to go for mounted combat as well, since you can bring your medium mount into a dungeon.

[Morty]

Small is the only way to go for mounted combat as well, since you can bring your medium mount into a dungeon.

Um. You do realize of course, that many adventures take place out of dungeon? Just a note.
And I can't see how halflings deserve pity, really. Small size has its drawbacks, but benefits as well.

[selfcritical]

Check out the "I may be Tiny but You're Dead" Build on the wizards charOP boards. Your pity will disapear.(I'm at work so I can't get to those forums to link to them.)

[Starsinger]

Oh I have a friend who thinks Halflings and Gnomes suck because of the small and weak problem too, of course he thinks half orcs are amazing because of their strength bonus.

But honestly? Small characters were designed to do everything that isn't strength dependent. Although I have seen some halfling barbarians in my day.

[Lolzords]

Their lack of ability to do damage is made up for their high ability to avoid damage. Bonus to dex, makes them harder to hit. Bonus to con, gives gnomes more hp. Small characters also get that +4 to hide that Meklor mentioned.

[Ramza00]

WHAT????

Halflings and gnomes are some probably the best caster options, particularly the Strongheart halfling from the FR Campaign Setting.

Me <3 strongheart halfing getting a bonus feat similar to how humans get one

[Falconsflight]

Since everybody else has pointed out the greatness of Halflings, I don't feel I should. But I just want to Nitpick a little.

Halflings may have the look, but they aren't hobbits. Hobbits like staying in their own little world. burrowing under hilly areas. They don't really like nor trust big people. Heck, not many people have even seen a hobbit according to the books. Which would go against the whole "They are a group that likes to steal and run around the world in caravans."

But yeah. Halflings and Gnomes aren't to be pitied. Heck, I've made some decent fighter halflings and gnomes...

[Green Bean]

Check out the "I may be Tiny but You're Dead" Build on the wizards charOP boards. Your pity will disapear.(I'm at work so I can't get to those forums to link to them.)

Found it. Looks like it was created here.

[JackMage666]

I did some math for a friend of mine who was discouraged by the small races. It's comparing a 1st level raging Halfling and Human Barbarian (each base 16 Str, 14 Dex) weilding a Greataxe and a Chain Shirt

Human - Str 20, Dex 14 - AC 14 - Greataxe, +6 1d12+7 (avg 13.5)
Halfling - Str 18, Dex 16 - AC 16 - Greataxe, +6 1d10+6 (avg 11.5)

This is, of course is not real characters, but it shows the differences. A Halfling hits more often, and is hit less often. A Human does slightly more damage. Of course the Human gets the bonus feat, and can improve his chance to hit, as can the Halfling, but it's just a show of base stats.

Conclusion - Halfings can do it, if they're willing to do a little less damage.

EDIT - Mathematical correction

[Jack Mann]

Found it. Looks like it was created here.

Logic posted it in both places at about the same time.

[Flawless]

I did some math for a friend of mine who was discouraged by the small races. It's comparing a 1st level raging Halfling and Human Barbarian (each base 16 Str, 14 Dex) weilding a Greataxe and a Chain Shirt

Human - Str 20, Dex 14 - AC 14 - Greataxe, +6 1d12+7 (avg 13.5)
Halfling - Str 18, Dex 16 - AC 16 - Greataxe, +7 1d10+6 (avg 11.5)

This is, of course is not real characters, but it shows the differences. A Halfling hits more often, and is hit less often. A Human does slightly more damage. Of course the Human gets the bonus feat, and can improve his chance to hit, as can the Halfling, but it's just a show of base stats.

Conclusion - Halfings can do it, if they're willing to do a little less damage.

They both ought to have a +6 AB. The human is stronger but the halfling gets +1 size to hit.

[Merlin the Tuna]

Logic posted it in both places at about the same time.

Indeed, but the CharOp one has some edits in it, which I'd advise looking at. You'd have a heck of a time fitting it in there, but the PHB2 has a Combat Form feat that allows you to switch your Dodge target as an immediate action, as well, which could come in handy.