Halfling

The comforts of home are the goals of most halflings’ lives: a place to settle in peace and quiet, far from marauding monsters and clashing armies; a blazing fire and a generous meal; fine drink and fine conversation. Though some halflings live out their days in remote agricultural communities, others form nomadic bands that travel constantly, lured by the open road and the wide horizon to discover the wonders of new lands and peoples. But even these wanderers love peace, food, hearth, and home, though home might be a wagon jostling along a dirt road or a raft floating downriver.
Small and Practical The diminutive halflings survive in a world full of larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding offense. Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds.
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. They like to wear simple, comfortable, and practical clothes, favoring bright colors.
Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering.
Kind and Curious Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds of family and friendship as well as the comforts of hearth and home, harboring few dreams of gold or glory. Even adventurers among them usually venture into the world for reasons of community, friendship, wanderlust, or curiosity. They love discovering new things, even simple things, such as an exotic food or an unfamiliar style of clothing.
Halflings are easily moved to pity and hate to see any living thing suffer. They are generous, happily sharing what they have even in lean times.
Blend into the Crowd Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to avoid unwanted attention.
Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or communities are threatened.
Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings 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. They typically don’t recognize any sort of halfling nobility or royalty, instead looking to family elders to guide them. Families preserve their traditional ways despite the rise and fall of empires.
Many halflings live among other races, where the halflings’ 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.
AFFABLE AND POSITIVE
Halflings try to get along with everyone else and are loath to make sweeping generalizations—especially negative ones.
Dwarves. “Dwarves make loyal friends, and you can count on them to keep their word. But would it hurt them to smile once in a while?”
Elves. “They’re so beautiful! Their faces, their music, their grace and all. It’s like they stepped out of a wonderful dream. But there’s no telling what’s going on behind their smiling faces—surely more than they ever let on.”
Humans. “Humans are a lot like us, really. At least some of them are. Step out of the castles and keeps, go talk to the farmers and herders and you’ll find good, solid folk. Not that there’s anything wrong with the barons and soldiers—you have to admire their conviction. And by protecting their own lands, they protect us as well.”
Exploring Opportunities Halflings usually set out on the adventurer’s path to defend their communities, support their friends, or explore a wide and wonder-filled world. For them, adventuring is less a career than an opportunity or sometimes a necessity.
Halfling Names 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
Subrace The two main kinds of halfling, lightfoot and stout, are more like closely related families than true subraces. Choose one of these subraces or one from another source.
Halfling Traits Your halfling character has a number of traits in common with all other halflings. Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Age A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century.
Size Halflings average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Lucky When you roll 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 You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Halfling Nimbleness You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Languages You can speak, read, and write Common and Halfling. 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.
Lightfoot Halfling As a lightfoot halfling, you can easily hide from notice, even using other people as cover. You’re inclined to be affable and get along well with others. In the Forgotten Realms, lightfoot halflings have spread the farthest and thus are the most common variety.
Lightfoots are more prone to wanderlust than other halflings, and often dwell alongside other races or take up a nomadic life. In the world of Greyhawk, these halflings are called hairfeet or tallfellows.
Ability Score Increase Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Naturally Stealthy You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Mark of Healing Halfling What’s the price of a life? Well, I’ve got a rate sheet right over here. I’d be happy to discuss it.
—Bessi d’Jorasco, Fairhaven healer
A halfling with the Mark of Healing can save a life with a touch, restoring vitality and the will to live. When dealing with mundane medicine, the mark helps its bearer sense the nature of maladies, aiding them in finding a cure. When equipped with dragonshard focus items, the mark can even draw the dead back from the depths of Dolurrh.
House Jorasco Leader: Ulara d’Jorasco
Headquarters: Vedkyar Enclave (Vedykar, Karrnath)
The Healer’s Guild provides a vital service to Khorvaire, and the Last War ensured there was great need for healers. The leader of the guild, Baron Ulara d’Jorasco, is much beloved in northwestern Khorvaire for her instrumental role in combating an epidemic in that region a decade ago, and Jorasco medics served in every nation’s army during the war.
The guild runs schools that teach medicine, as well as houses of healing that provide both mundane and magical services. If it could save a life, it’s probably marked by the House Jorasco griffon emblem, and it will come with a cost. If you have the gold, Jorasco healers can remove a disease instantly with lesser restoration. If you can’t afford such a service, they will treat you with mundane techniques. House Jorasco is also the source of potions of healing. While many criticize Jorasco’s demands for payment, the house maintains that it’s not about greed; it’s about ensuring the prosperity of the house, so they can continue to help future generations.
While the public face of Jorasco is that of the healer, there are rumors that the house engaged in disturbing experiments during the Last War, working with House Vadalis to develop biological weapons and new creatures. A Jorasco heir has to decide if they want to investigate these rumors.
Ability Score Increase Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Medical Intuition When you make a Wisdom (Medicine) check or an ability check using an herbalism kit, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
Healing Touch You can cast the cure wounds spell with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast lesser restoration with it. Once you cast either spell with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Spells of the Mark If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Healing Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.
Spell Level Spells 1st cure wounds, healing word 2nd lesser restoration, prayer of healing 3rd aura of vitality, mass healing word 4th aura of purity, aura of life 5th greater restoration Mark of Hospitality Halfling Welcome, welcome! So good to see you again. Let me get your drink—blackroot tal with honey, yes? And then you have to listen to this story I’ve heard about the strange things going on in the Cogs.
—Alara d’Ghallanda, halfling bartender
They may not always have gold, but a halfling with the Mark of Hospitality is sure to be rich in friends. The magic of the mark allows the bearer to keep a place clean, and to heat, chill, and season food. But it also helps the bearer connect with others.
House Ghallanda Leader: Yoren d’Ghallanda
Headquarters: Gatherhold (Talenta Plains)
The majority of inns, taverns, and restaurants in the Five Nations are either directly owned by House Ghallanda or licensed by its Hosteler’s Guild. Most people give little thought to House Ghallanda; when compared to the soldiers of House Deneith and the factories of House Cannith, an alliance of innkeepers seems harmless and inconsequential. But Ghallanda’s strength lies in charm and connections. A Ghallanda innkeeper hears many things—if you want to know what’s really going on in a community, talk to the halfling bartender. The leaders of House Ghallanda don’t sell information; they prefer to build friendship and deal in favors. But should a Ghallanda baron ever truly need something, they likely have a favor they can call in.
Ghallanda has a number of “bound businesses”—franchises run directly by the house. The Gold Dragon Inn is such a business, with Gold Dragon Inns being found in every major city, each serving a familiar menu and providing similar services. But many Ghallanda heirs take pride in creating their own unique businesses. There are also many independent restaurants, inns, and taverns licensed by House Ghallanda. The blink dog emblem is an assurance that a locale meets Ghallanda standards of health and quality—but not every inn is run by a halfling.
House Ghallanda’s mandate extends beyond providing creature comforts to travelers. Every one of the house’s enclaves—which are more numerous than those of any other dragonmarked house—is a sanctuary beyond the legal reach of any government or dragonmarked house. Baron Yoren and his daughter Chervina have greatly expanded the house’s presence even in remote areas such as the edge of the Demon Wastes, guided by their study of the Draconic Prophecy.
Ability Score Increase Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Ever Hospitable When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check or an ability check involving brewer's supplies or cook's utensils, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
Innkeeper’s Magic You know the prestidigitation cantrip. You can also cast the purify food and drink and unseen servant spells with this trait. Once you cast either spell with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Spells of the Mark If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Hospitality Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.
Spell Level Spells 1st goodberry, sleep 2nd aid, calm emotions 3rd create food and water, Leomund’s tiny hut 4th aura of purity, Mordenkainen’s private sanctum 5th hallow Stout Halfling As a stout halfling, you’re hardier than average and have some resistance to poison. Some say that stouts have dwarven blood. In the Forgotten Realms, these halflings are called stronghearts, and they’re most common in the south.
Ability Score Increase Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Stout Resilience You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
(Description courtesy of D&D Beyond)