Lineages Inspired: Halflings

 

Today is September 22nd, so it seems only appropriate that the discussion for this blog post be Halflings. In The Lord of the Rings it is established that September 22nd is the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and many fans of the works of Tolkien (including myself) call it "Hobbit Day" and use it as an opportunity to celebrate the Professor's work. So as a nod to this celebration, we'll be talking about Halflings.

Halflings are far and away my favorite fantasy lineage - particularly as expressed in the works of Tolkien. I deeply identify with them on a personal level. I have a personal love of rural living, an untroubled life, a good and simple meal, and smoking my tobacco pipe. But more than the surface things that are often identified with halflings, I love their often forgotten strength of spirit. Halflings have heart and when they were updated for THJ2e, I wanted to reflect that.

Why call them "Halflings"?

Well, that's easy. That's because its a shorthand (pun intended) that has existed in the roleplaying game industry since 1974. Even those who haven't played a roleplaying game but are familiar with fantasy are quite likely to know exactly what a halfling is. No need to call them "Little Folk" or something just for the sake of being different.

Why include them in the game?

As mentioned above, I deeply identify with them and when I write a game I want it to be a game that I want to play - and I almost always want to play a halfling. On a more general level, some would claim that given THJ2e is a fantasy RPG that their presence is obligatory or mandated. Not so. Halflings are important to THJ2e because they are, in both stature and in how the rest of the world views them, the underdog. They're small in size, generally rather docile, and do not at all seem prone to go on adventures. Generally speaking, if they do go off on an adventure, it's for a specific reason.

The halfling's love of friends, family, and the comforts of home is truly critical to the themes of THJ2e. They, more than any other lineage, are a physical representation of why those who choose to go off into the dangerous and wild places of the world do so. They go off into the dark places of the world to protect the light, to protect what they love - and more over they remember the simple joys of life even in the darkest of places so that hope is not lost. They do not get caught up in the grandness of a cause. They simply want the little things to remain as they are - and if that means facing down an Elder Wyrm to make sure that little Bingo can still celebrate Autumn Harvest in oblivous happiness and the company of his family - well, someone's got to do it.

What do they contribute to the group?

As mentioned above, they can keep a group grounded through roleplay - but from a rules standpoint, halflings have a lot to offer. Sure, their Might restriction means they'll never be superior melee combatants, but they're dead-eyes in ranged combat and combine that with their truly ridiculous stealth abilities and you've got a character that can slip past all but the most wary of eyes and deal a surgical strike like no other.

Halflings, both from a roleplaying and mechanical point of view, act as the heart of the group. They receive Advantage on all fear-based Saving Throws, including Despair. This means that when everyone else is panicked while facing down a terrible Death Knight or awe-inspiring Fey Queen, a halfling is far more likely to keep a straight head on their shoulders. Combine this with their increased likelihood of having a high Weal (which can grant Advantage on any roll) and you have a character that's quite capable of turning the tide in a terrible situation.

Like most other Lineages, Halflings have only one Archetype where they are permitted to advance to 10th level - the Yeoman. A lot of folks were surprised by this given the stereotype of the "halfling thief" that pervades the fantasy RPGs out there. Sure, they're stealthy and make great Burglars, but that's not who they are. Halflings are all heart and reach their true potential when defending the people and places they love. Their Lineage abilities compliment those of the Yeoman on a very effective level and it takes an already unexpectedly powerful Archetype and maximizes its effectiveness in a thematically appropriate fashion.

Customizing the Halfling

If you want to make changes to the Halfling, it's pretty easy. As long as you keep that core value of a love of the simple joys of heart, home, and family, there's a lot to go on. An obvious choice (to me at least) is to alter them into rustic river-folk who are primarily fishermen. Turn their skill with thrown weapons into something more focused, such as it being tied directly to spears (to reflect being spear fishermen) and give them a bonus to swimming instead of having sharp senses and you're good to go. Or maybe they grew up as miners in a far-removed mountainous community? Swap out their stealth for a dwarf-like ability to navigate underground or detect unsafe stone work. 

The key with halflings is to remember not necessary what they can do but why they do what they do.

What do you think? How do halflings function at your table? What do they represent thematically and how do they fit into the narrative of your legendarium? Sound off in the comments below and let me know what you'd like to hear me discuss in future posts on this blog!