Halfling
Basic Information
Biological Traits
In many ways, halflings resemble small humans and usually have the same proportions as the typical human adult. Halflings’ skin ranges from tan to pale with a ruddy cast, and their hair is usually brown or sandy brown and wavy. They have brown or hazel eyes. Halfling men often sport long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and mustaches even more so. A halfling was typically considered an adult in their early twenties and some lived into their 150s.
Basic Traits
Ability Score Increase: Dexterity score increases by 2.
Speed: Base walking speed is 25 feet.
Lucky: When rolling a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Brave: Advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Halfling Nimbleness: Can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Language: Speak, read, and write Common and Halfling.
Subrace Traits
Lightfoot Halfling
Lightfoot halflings (also known as hairfeet or Luiren halflings) are the most common type of halflings seen in the world, in large part due to their famous wanderlust, which set them apart from the relatively sedentary ghostwise and strongheart halflings. For lightfoot halflings, neither the journey nor the destination matters more; the important thing is to keep moving. The life of a lightfoot is one long exploration with each new horizon, new town, or new face a chance to find something delightful. Lightfoots are most comfortable living alongside other cultures, even adopting their cultural practices, right down to their deities. Lightfoot halflings can easily hide from notice, even using other people as cover. They share the skin, hair, and eye tones of humans, but most lightfoot halflings have hazel or brown eyes and brown hair. Lightfoot halflings don’t grow facial hair except that males and females typically grow short sideburns.
Ability Score Increase: Charisma score increases by 1.
Naturally Stealthy: Can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Source: Player's Handbook
Strongheart Halfling
Creatures of the earth who love a warm hearth and pleasant company, strongheart halflings are folks of few enemies and many friends. Stronghearts are sometimes referred to fondly by members of other races as “the good folk,” for little upsets stronghearts or corrupts their spirit. To many of them, the greatest fear is to live in a world of poor company and mean intent, where one lacks freedom and the comfort of friendship. Strongheart halflings are shorter on average than their lightfoot kin, and tend to have rounder faces. They have the skin tones and hair colors of humans, with most having brown hair. Unlike their lightfoot cousins, strongheart halflings often have blond or black hair and blue or green eyes. Males don’t grow beards or mustaches, but both males and females can grow sideburns down to mid-cheek, and both genders plait them into long braids.
Ability Score Increase: Constitution score increases by 1.
Stout Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Source: Stout Halfings in Player's Handbook
Ghostwise Halfling
Ghostwise halflings trace their ancestry back to a war among halfling tribes that sent their ancestors into flight from Luiren. Ghostwise halflings are the rarest of the hin, found only in the Chondalwood and a few other isolated forests, clustered in tight-knit clans. Because these folks are clannish and mistrustful of outsiders, ghostwise halfling adventurers are rare.
Ability Score Increase: Wisdom score increases by 1.
Silent Speech: Can speak telepathically to any one creature at a time within 30 feet. The creature understands you only if the two of you share a language.
Source: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Dietary Needs and Habits
Additional Information
Social Structure
Halfling communities are tightly knit groups found around the world, usually near the settlements of other races. They live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet shires. Most halflings don't recognize the claims of kings or nobles as sovereign rulers but instead, look primarily to their family elders to guide them. Families preserve their traditional ways despite the rise and fall of empires. This focus on bloodlines enables halfling traditions to continue for millennia relatively intact. Halflings also value a sense of community; halflings naming each other "halfling" is a salute of brotherhood.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The halfling race has many traditional homelands, though as a whole the race is typically nomadic. Many halflings who do not wander live primarily within human-dominated states. The center of halfling culture was, until relatively recently, the kingdom of Luiren. The land was devastated by the Spellplague however, as were other halfling homelands such as Arnrock and the Chondalwood. Since then the halflings become more displaced than before, though as a result they also come together in unity even more tightly than they are before. There is also a sizable kingdom of hin called Delmyr, located in the forest on the eastern slopes of the Glittering Spires mountain range in the Hordelands. The folk of Delmyr are isolationists and live much more in tune with nature.
Since then, halflings are found in their greatest concentrations within the nation of Amn. Though formerly met with prejudice, halflings earn acceptance through their skill as merchants and business partners. Halflings can also be commonly found along the Sea of Fallen Stars, particularly in human-dominated cities. In fact, human cities are often the most common place to find halflings, who frequently find ways to exploit the ever-changing climate of human societies, although dwarven cities are also accommodating.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
A halfling has a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname. Family names are often nicknames that stuck so tenaciously they have been passed down through the generations.
Male Names: Alton, Ander, Cade, Corrin, Eldon, Errich, Finnan, Garret, Lindal, Lyle, Merric, Milo, Osborn, Perrin, Reed, Roscoe, Wellby
Female Names: Andry, Bree, Callie, Cora, Euphemia, Jillian, Kithri, Lavinia, Lidda, Merla, Nedda, Paela, Portia, Seraphina, Shaena, Trym, Vani, Verna
Family Names: Brushgather, Goodbarrel, Greenbottle, High-hill, Hilltopple, Leagallow, Tealeaf, Thorngage, Tosscobble, Underbough
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The Halfling language isn’t secret, but halflings are loath to share it with others. They write very little,
so they don’t have a rich body of literature. Their oral tradition, however, is very strong. Almost all halflings speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
Common Dress Code
Although halflings have an affinity for collecting valuables, they do not prefer to wear these on their person, instead preferring simple, comfortable, and practical clothes, favoring bright colors.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. Their hard work and loyal outlook offer them abundant rewards and creature comforts. Some halfling communities travel as a way of life, driving wagons or guiding boats from place to place and maintaining no permanent home.
Halfling culture has a fondness for stories and legends and it is rich in oral traditions. So much care is put into the retelling of traditional stories and their preservation that halflings often unwittingly have access to lore about ancient and long-gone cultures or empires that others have long since forgotten about. Many halflings are able to recall some detail of the ancient past, though it is usually wrapped in the shrouds of legends.
Yondalla's Children is the collective name for the halfling pantheon, which is led by the greater deity Yondalla, a goddess of nature.
History
Halfling history is, by and large, like the race, unremarkable. With the exception of the Strongheart nation of Luiren, halflings do not even have a unified culture to call their own. Records and evidence seem to indicate that halflings, as a race, only appeared fairly recently, and after the appearance of the creator races, around the same time as dwarves, elves, and giants. The original homeland of halflings is uncertain, though it may have been within the area south of the Shaar and few are seen in the north until after the Hin Ghostwars, a tragic event that split the halflings into their current three branches.
Why go on an adventure?
- Do you simply like discovering new things, like exotic food or an exquisite new style of clothing?
- Is it to help someone in your family or community?
- Maybe pursuing some old-time legends?
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