Halflings, the ninjas of the Known World?

[alicedavignon]

It's common knowledge in Zalanthas that one shouldn't go into the Grey Forest without antitodes, no spoilers there, which makes perfect sense. Poisons, hiding in the growth and sneaking up on an unsuspecting grebber are all aspects that aren't hard to understand when picturing a typical halfling. A 40-inch scout that can kill an inix, something a good deal of larger hunters can't claim about themselves, and take on a bulky, fully armoured human warrior in fair combat at the same time is something that seems a little odd to me though.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding the meaning of the word "scout" and they are really a hybrid of the KGB and the Navy Seals of the Grey Forest, but, taking the human out of the equation, shouldn't an inix to a halfling be like a mekillot to a human? Doesn't sound quite right to be honest.

[SMuz]

Inix aren't exactly the toughest creatures. Try killing one yourself and it'll be surprisingly easy I do not take responsibility for any characters lost in this way.

Makes sense to me, though. It's actually easier to fight something bigger than you. If I had a 7-foot spear and had to fight a 10-foot tall person, I'd be able to get some nice hits in. Hell, if I had a dagger, I should get some nicer hits in.

Maybe you did come across a ninja halfling? Most of the halflings I've found are far from ninjas

[alicedavignon]

Makes sense to me, though. It's actually easier to fight something bigger than you. If I had a 7-foot spear and had to fight a 10-foot tall person, I'd be able to get some nice hits in. Hell, if I had a dagger, I should get some nicer hits in.

Can't say it does to me. A halfling is roughly the size of an 8-year-old child with a sharp stick. Sure, he might have years of training (though didn't make it further than a scout), but an inix is a RL equivalent of three fat, armoured giraffes bound together by belt. I certainly wouldn't dare attacking them. I could easily imagine that halflings would be incredibly strong when in numbers, or using the usual methods, but this is simply not the case.

[Nyr]

Halflings appear to other races as children with very wise faces. Standing between 36 and 44 inches in height, halflings are indeed the smallest of the humanoids. Skin and eye colour among halflings tends to vary between a pale cream and a muddy brown, although other colour- ations are not uncommon: pale blue, greenish, or coppery skin can all be found. Halflings are virtually hairless except for the typical unruly mane of hair which tops their heads.

Halflings are often far more agile than other races (assuredly moreso than humans and dwarves), and their peculiar culture renders them somewhat more wise as well. Due to their diminutive size, their strength is much lower than human norms, and their endurance is somewhat lacking as well. After existing for centuries alongside poisonous forest creatures, halflings have developed an extremely high resistance to poison. In addition, possibly due to the nature of halfling culture, they are highly resistant to magick. The halfling diet consists primarily of fresh kills from the hunt (halflings regard all animal species as potential food stock, including the other intelligent races but excluding other halflings), but they are well able to subsist on food which humans, elves, and dwarves find palatable as well.

Roleplaying: Halfling culture is extremely different than the societies of elves, dwarves, and men. Among the attributes stressed in halfling society are tolerance, learning, and a oneness with nature. Aggressiveness, a desire to steal, or a will to decieve would be foreign qualities to a typical halfling. While seemingly an eminently desirable race to befriend, there are several aspects of halfling life which set them forever apart from other races. Foremost, halflings are extremely carnivorous and will readily consume nearly any freshly killed creature--a practice which tends to turn the stomach of others. Also, by the standards of other races, halflings are a backward and savage people (not to mention dangerous). Finally, halflings do not learn the languages of other races very well, as the concepts contained within the tongues of others are foreign to the halfling.

They're far more agile, and they view all animal species as food.  That bulky warrior they are taking on is no more strange than a human taking on a scrab, carru, or a tembo--the proportional sizes are different, but the underlying concept is the same:  smaller doesn't necessarily mean "not dangerous."  The bulky warrior is just occasionally encased in a more difficult-to-pierce skin that they will have to find a way around--they want to get to the tender juices inside.  That "full armor" is really just a nicely arranged package for a three-course halfling delicacy.  Sometimes these tasty meals-on-inix manage to kill the halfling, and that's unfortunate.

That inix is just a big stupid animal that is incredibly slow and supremely delicious.

("Scout" isn't exactly a military term.  Halflings don't have military rank or anything.)

[Bushranger]

The young halfling couldn't understand it, if human's didn't want to be eatten, why were they made out of meat and carrying unusual and interesting toys?

[Qzzrbl]

I wanna see a halfling solo a mek.

That would be awesome.

[shadeoux]

I wanna see a halfling solo a mek.

That would be awesome.

Hum, Would be interesting, had a dwarf duo able to do it, halflings, THAT would rock, but would be kinda a waste of time I mean he would get what 2 bites an MAYBE be constipated for 3 weeks

[Ramblingman]

Also, read the height... 36-44 inches. 3ft to almost 4ft.

The average human is anywhere above 5ft, but no country has an average height higher than 5'10-11 (60/70 inches respectively).



So the last guy on the left vs the last guy on the right in terms of Human vs Halfling. Yes, that is the average height of a six year old, but its only the HEIGHT. They are far more stronger I'd say, even if weaker than humans, and many many times quicker.

If a fairly unskilled human can take down an inix without being touched, even once. A halfling should be fine... since fighting an animal is more about dodging (agility), than other tactics.

I find it fine how halflings are now.

[Sokotra]

In my opinion, they always were sort of like ninjas of the forest.  Think about a very smart monkey that can use weapons like a master hunter.  They can be very acrobatic and deadly.  Not to mention being a smaller target that is quick enough to strike you or avoid your blows before you can react.

[Qzzrbl]

I want halflings to automatically be moved a room upon having a successful kick landed on them.

Code Select Expand

In The Forest[NESW]
This is somewhere in the middle of the forest. It's hot,
and there's trees all over the place, as far as the eye
can see.
The short, muscular halfling is standing here, minding his own business.
The tall, towering human is standing here.

Trotting over to the tall, muscular halfling, the tall, towering man says, in sirihish:
     "Hut hut!"

The short, muscular halfling doubles over in pain from a well-placed kick!

The short, muscular halfling is swept off his feet and thrown north.

[Jdr]

Halflings remind me of those weird spider things that latch onto your back in Dead Space.

[alicedavignon]

I want halflings to automatically be moved a room upon having a successful kick landed on them.

Code Select Expand

In The Forest[NESW]
This is somewhere in the middle of the forest. It's hot,
and there's trees all over the place, as far as the eye
can see.
The short, muscular halfling is standing here, minding his own business.
The tall, towering human is standing here.

Trotting over to the tall, muscular halfling, the tall, towering man says, in sirihish:
     "Hut hut!"

The short, muscular halfling doubles over in pain from a well-placed kick!

The short, muscular halfling is swept off his feet and thrown north.

That reminds me of a half-giant bashing a rat. There really should be some sort of PC alternative for the carru-like charge.

[RogueGunslinger]

Maxed bash?

[Aruven]

Halflings remind me of those weird spider things that latch onto your back in Dead Space.

Nice.

...AND, I think this shows how agility can be a very powerful asset for races. I've seen a single halfling do... some terrible things against a handful of seasoned, 20+ day old warriors and hunters.

[5 day lifespan]

I know same classes and cultures are very ecologically aware, not wanting to hunt an area too much for fear it will destroy the population.  So do halflings see humans in the same light?  Humans are just another prey animal, so does that mean if humans get too overcrowded the halflings do a culling?  Certainly not in the cities, but perhaps the smaller tribal communities, or whichever groups that are doing the over hunting.  They are hunters by nature, so even if they dont understand what "Salarr" means, they surely can notice that it's the humans with orange markings that are the problem, so they hunt them especially.

Anything like that?  Same with any other predator in the wild.  I guess my question becomes, just HOW ecologically aware ARE halflings and what do they DO about it?

[staggerlee]

I know same classes and cultures are very ecologically aware, not wanting to hunt an area too much for fear it will destroy the population.  So do halflings see humans in the same light?  Humans are just another prey animal, so does that mean if humans get too overcrowded the halflings do a culling?  Certainly not in the cities, but perhaps the smaller tribal communities, or whichever groups that are doing the over hunting.  They are hunters by nature, so even if they dont understand what "Salarr" means, they surely can notice that it's the humans with orange markings that are the problem, so they hunt them especially.

Anything like that?  Same with any other predator in the wild.  I guess my question becomes, just HOW ecologically aware ARE halflings and what do they DO about it?

You'd need to play one to find out.
IMHO they have some of the coolest documentation in the game... but it'd really, really retract from certain parts of the game if it was open to people that didn't play them.

[Kryos]

So a friend of mine once asked me how many 12 year-olds I could take on at once.  I hedged a bet at about 12.  As a big guy, this thread basically makes me laugh out loud, as it mocks everything life has taught me.  Smaller != better off.  There's pros and cons to each side of the coin, and the code handles it all right. 

Something about these mystical scouts aside from their race is the trouble of the OP though.  Think on it, OP, a bit harder.

[SMuz]

I could take on a 10-footer if I had a proper sword. Wanna bet?

I would have to fight like a ninja, though.

[Synthesis]

I think halflings should have about 50 max hp to reflect their size.

Some of those little bastards seem to be able to take a ridiculous amount of punishment.

[Eloran]

So the bigger you are, the more constitution you should have? That doesn't make a lot of sense.

If that's the case, we should throw dwarven documentation out the window and give them 70 hp to reflect their size.

[RogueGunslinger]

Size and height are not the same thing. Dwarve are massive, but short. Halflings are puny, and short.

[Synthesis]

So the bigger you are, the more constitution you should have? That doesn't make a lot of sense.

Yes, actually.

Dwarves aren't small.  They're more massive than humans, which is why they have a higher max weight, they're stronger, and have more HP.

This is a pretty standard fantasy gaming principle--get with the program, geeeeez.

[Eloran]

Yes, I'm aware of that. Dwarves are generally as wide as they are tall.

I think it's a big ignorant to assume, however, that the smaller you are the less of a punch or chop to the chest you can take.

Halflings if I remember correcctly are a pretty hardy race.

[RogueGunslinger]

I'm sure I could get all technical and say that a smaller surface area to hit = more chance to hit a vital location. Or that the muscle and bulk on a dwarf could damper(I've said this word so many time I'm not sure it exists) damage done. But I'm not one of those douche bags.

Hell I'd rather a more parry/dodge based system where one or two good hits on any pc could kill.

[Synthesis]

Yes, I'm aware of that. Dwarves are generally as wide as they are tall.

I think it's a big ignorant to assume, however, that the smaller you are the less of a punch or chop to the chest you can take.

Halflings if I remember correcctly are a pretty hardy race.

There's a reason they have weight classes in combat sports.  (Hint: it's not to protect the big guys from the little guys.)