Halflings in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes for Dungeons & Dragons

[@SuperWoodgod]

Loving these. I wouldn't mind a weekly show where Mike Mearls just talks about D&D lore for 20-30 minutes.

[@Bluecho4]

I also imagine that, if orc raiders did manage to find the village, they'd be more inclined to just bully the halflings into giving them tribute. They say "you give us a part of your harvest every year, and we leave you little things alone". The halflings, being small, may not put up enough of a fight for the orcs to bother sacking the town, and so the community caves instantly. That becoming the new status quo, of the orcs getting tidy kickbacks from the local halfling village in exchange for "protection". Up until that one halfling that went off adventuring comes home, sees the state of affairs, and decides to go bring his adventuring buddies along to... _take care of_ the orcs.

[@LozMCR]

Bluecho4 I like this, got a couple halflings in my campaign atm, might have to have an orc invasion in their home town...

[@jenprochatful]

That is basicaly what happens at the end of the LotR trilogy, when the 4 hobbits return to the Shire occupied by bandits led by Saruman. Loved that part so much, the level 12 hobbits just laugh at them :) The books I mean, not the movies

[@doctornorth6419]

Oh that so deep Friend: Why you play halfling again? Me: What did the dm do to you the last time you got a natural 1?

[@Checknerd]

Red Leader i

[@olive985]

make me miss an attack?

[@pranakhan]

Inaccurate. p.28 PHB; " attack roll, ability check, or saving throw "

[@RatchildUK]

You are correct, misread it recently.

[@ATMOSK1234]

My first roll as a halfling was a natural 1, I smiled and said halfling luck let me reroll it. I then rolled another 1.... Just because your character is lucky doesn't mean the player is.

[@Abelhawk]

This is amazing! I never knew any of this about halflings, but it makes so much sense. Makes me really want to play a halfling character now. I hope there'll be a video about gnomes soon!

[@br0adsw0rd65]

So you want to play a halfling now? I call that the "Mearls effect"

[@rpgjames]

If gnomes can be redeemed to me, that'd be impressive -- but cool! Maestro Mearls, c'mon man...c'mon! (:

[@spicymarine7232]

Another one joins our halfling party!

[@PixPunxel]

I almost exclusively always play Halflings. Dont know what attracts me to them so much. Perhaps my love for Hobbit. But thanks for this. One of the best pieces of lore on Halflings i heard in a long time.

[@magicmike540]

I love it! Kinda makes me want to run an all halfling campaign: a group of halflings decide to explore the world beyond their valley having no idea what's out there except for what they have heard in stories.

[@andurion]

The Horn of Valhalla hanging in the halfling tavern is a really cool idea!

[@LadyLaVelleFilms]

Its so endearing the way you speak of halflings. Love it

[@TerrorBlades]

I have loved Halflings for many years now, gotta love these guys. It started when heard a guy in a RPG store say that he loved Halflings and I began asking my self why anyone would like Halflings... and then I found my self getting engrossed by them. Now my fav to play is a Halfling Cleric of Arvoreen, Sadly Halflings have gotten the short (no pun intended) stick for a long time. like with Luiren.

[@jessewalter3332]

My halfling barbarian has had his lucky moments. From setting off powerful ice magic trap and not feeling the effect, To getting thrown onto a dragons back and not falling to his death as he tried to get it to land. This more reinforces my idea that after this all he went home and just taught anyone that was small how to protect yourself no matter who comes.

[@seanboyd2898]

I like this, as I think it really brings the Hobbit origins of the halflings into D&D with their own sort of niche. I would still call the adventurer halflings "Tookish", but I can understand why WotC cannot do so.

[@dsimsr1]

Jeff Haley kinder and halfling are different races.

[@joluoto]

It's Kender, I think. Kinder is German for children

[@warlock1080]

welp, you aren't wrong

[@zombielizard218]

Well... Technically they could. They took "Orc" straight out of LOTR. (Tolkein was the first to call them "Orcs" in a published work)

[@cbeaird52]

Makes me love my halfling character concept so much more.

[@mudshrooze]

Stout Halflings aka the Chunky Hunky Halflings are my favorite core race. Always have been. Course I like to play as monster races and such but like I said of the core races

[@JohnDoe-xv9du]

The interview: Almost heaven, West Virginia The lore: YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT ME OFF (remix)

[@PartridgeQuill]

This is such wonderful world building! I love these videos so much!

[@animefreakly4734]

I love this so much, simply because now my Lucky Halfling called Lokie, who's a flavoured Monk who uses coins as his unarmed Strikes! And depending on the coin he uses (usually bronze) the luckier he feels just feels so much more real! ;3

[@StevetheWizard2591]

Personally, I like Halflings as spies, assassins, etc. The assassin is a character that can easily take advantage of the fact people tend to underestimate Halflings, or view them as people incapable of malice. No race is incapable of evil, just like no race is incapable of good. A Halfling assassin with a grudge against the party is a force to be reckoned with... especially if "assassin" is just their job, and they're something along the lines of a Diviner or Illusionist.

[@KRIMZONMEKANISM]

Even though you can indeed make a halfling assassin and he'll probably be very good at it, I personally feel like it detracts a little from their charm. A halfling rogue would be more of a charismatic individual, along the lines of a Swashbuckler, a Mastermind/Inquisitive or at worse a Thief. A halfling spy, with any of these classes does sound good.

[@spicymarine7232]

Hi! I wish the creative developers for Forgotten Realms had made canon the origin of halflings from Greyhawk, wich is so much more interisting, where Yondalla created the halflings from the best parts of every other race and had another identity as "Dallah Thaun", that is a god of halfling thieves with a darker personality. Instead in Forgotten Realms, what I have found, was that Yondalla is just a manifestation of Chauntea and that's pretty boring, like people didn't want to invest time developing that aspect of the halflings. In my campaings, I use the Greyhawk version, because it's so much more engaging.

[@spicymarine7232]

...or am I wrong, it's actualy cannon and Mearls didn't want to tell everyone abouth the greatest secreat of the halflings?

[@Celticassassin23]

gnomes arnt involved in cosmic struggles i know some kobolds who might diagree

[@samuelancer6649]

Celticassassin23 exact same thought when I heard that

[@cosmicparticles9658]

You describe NZ so well.

[@rotuno6029]

My Halfling wasn’t lucky, he died at level 2.

[@Bluecho4]

Sounds like he was extremely lucky. Not all luck is good, after all.

[@proudpapaprick]

That's less about luck and more about level 2.

[@rotuno6029]

Jacob Lyon I rolled a nat 1 on my death save, got to reroll because of Lucky and rolled a nat 1. Can’t out level that... lol

[@rotuno6029]

Bluecho4 Incorrect. Luck is neutral but Lucky specifically is good luck, Unlucky is version aligned with bad.

[@hexpectrum]

It happened the same to my level 3 halfling, The DM even allowed me to use my inspiration point but then I rolled like a 4 :(

[@toshomni9478]

I prefer the idea that Halflings are such ferocious fighters that everyone is afraid of them just because it's hilarious. Honey badgers have nothing on them.

[@rotuno6029]

Tosh Omni I think it might be because they’re bloodthirsty cannibals, but I may be confusing my settings...

[@marcloure]

In Eberron, some clans of halflings are nomadic dinosaur riding barbarians

[@DavidCruickshank]

I can't wait for the one on gnomes.

[@propanedaddy5577]

The first gnome was born after a dwarf had sex with a halfling

[@blakebrockhaus347]

my two favorite halflings in 5e have been a diviner with the lucky feat, and a str. battlemaster

[@fastjimmy6167]

...except Dark Sun halflings...

[@billyrigby4839]

As a halfling myself, I support this video. :)

[@tahinaandale3197]

Interesting video, but without having seen Mordenkainens entry on them yet, from what I heared here, it sounds like you left the former version of the dnd halflings behind? Which saddens me, as I loved the "races of the wild" book of the older edition that depicted them as more of a traveling folk. For me there was always a difference between hobbits and halflings, so... just like the dnd elves are distinct from the lotr elves. Also I still prefer to call them Hin - because no halfling is ever "half" of anything ;)

[@gypsywolf9145]

Tahina Andale they are the Hin for me as well. About to unleash a ghostwise kensei monk in an up coming campaign and I can't wait.

[@mechanussunrise]

The traveling halflings is a product of 3rd and 4th edition. In 1st and 2nd edition, halflings are more like this or like Hobbits. Check out the 2nd edition Complete Book to Halflings and Gnomes. The 3rd and 4th edition of halflings draw on the kender of the Dragonlance setting.

[@misterdonwaters]

I was just thinking of starting a Halfling for DDAL. Mainly my question is “If Halflings are so naturally stealthy, why don’t they get proficiency in the Stealth skill?”. My only real option is to background it in, at least for a Druid. Half-Elf I can choose any two extra skills plus have darkvision. Also, only one sub-race of Halfling gets “Naturally Stealthy” and it doesnt so much help your Stealth check but instead makes it easy for you to claim some cover to hide behind. Just an observation.

[@baltsosser]

I would like to play a Halfling Dragon slayer, or Halfling Paladin. I think either one would be great fun.

[@tommyz3779]

Halflings are the GOAT. Fight me.

[@billyrigby4839]

Tommy Z okay, but I’m using my halfling barbarian lol 😂

[@nehelek]

loved this video

[@KMoveMaster]

I just cant stop looking at the nose hair hanging off Mike's nose in this video...

[@boozamnboozamnin6816]

I know... I had to look in the comments and see if I was the only one... but now I feel bad because everyone is just praising the video, with good reason. Still, that singular nose hair just needs a quick pluckin'. He might want it for style points though, so whatever floats his boat I'm cool with.

[@Core1138]

I have this idea for a great movie...

[@ollininvincible]

So, glad that Theo Fatefountain got an accidental mention on DND Beyond. Jk. Jk. (One of my players is a halfling with the Horn of Valhalla. He stumbled upon it and nearly gave the item away. He's used it many times to assist his fellow adventurers in the fight against That Which Lurks. Maybe some day he'll retire from adventuring and set up a tavern in Secomber where his brother, Alphonse, is mayor. That is, if Secomber still stands after the orc invasion.)

[@ixcxe6663]

In my games the entire "halfling luck" thing is actually more about perspective, their conservative cultural ways, and a strong (as well as shrewd) tenacity of will. Which has little to nothing to do with any form of "divine favor." Halflings need LESS than taller folk to sustain themselves and are thus not in direct competition for land (a mega important factor) or other resources. They also have generational understandings that certain LIBERAL choices of action incur bad if not horrid short &/or long-term consequences (individually as well as communally), so they simply CHOOSE to make better choices. Which is especially easy as (or when) they see the chaotic or strife-ridden lives of other races play themselves out. In game terms they simply pay better attention to what matters most (in a form of situational awareness), like not standing directly in front of a line of archers or "where the situation/gun is pointed". Though again, they may seem to be in the same or direct peril as others. After all, being "sneaky" often has little to do with not being seen at all. And to deal with the "bullying" from larger races/persons they've simply adopted a cunning method for making it SEEM that their adversaries win or get what they want (often at the halfling's expense). Which is seldom if ever true because the VALUE SYSTEMS of halfling culture are (again) far more conservative and thus, VERY WELL PROVEN over the span of countless generations. So many of the supposedly "Lawful Good" human &/or other settlements (or people) can often be proven to be MORE LIBERAL as well as LESS EXPERIENCED than their halfling counterparts. Thus, they tend to stray toward excesses &/or behaviors that halflings ABANDONED long ago. Think of it as a "reverse" con game they are always playing, in which they enable themselves to remain true to their ABJECT/OBJECTIVE MORALS as opposed to simply fulfilling or getting any immediate or long term (aka baseless) "wants" met. Unlike liberals (aka criminals) they have little to no need for such things, and thus remain abjectly OPPOSED to incurring the loss of personal GRACE that such actions will always, invariably, and inevitably lead to. So, they simply CHOOSE not to soil themselves by acting as rashly/poorly as many of the taller persons or races they meet. As for/within more physical confrontations, one thing that most "tallfolk" have never bothered to notice is that most halflings are southpaws, if not completely or functionally ambidextrous, though they've adopted favoring use of their right hand most of the time when around others. This is because they believe working off their weaknesses are just as (if not more) important than bolstering one's strengths. But this is just one of many things that give them the tactical/situational "luck" that others observe. So again, to outsiders they only SEEM lucky... when in fact they are simply more MATURE. Since their own priorities/morals enable them to mitigate numerous forms of strife that most of larger folk seem to actually seek out (or simply allow for) in comparison. Again, it's about perspective, preparedness, self-knowledge, etc. Not some ephemeral external/divine force that simply aligns or twists the world to their favor. Because they actually WORK HARD as well as SMART. More so than just about any other race. And they simply do so for the RIGHT REASONS. Thus (being minimalists by nature) they also have little to no need for many of the "excesses" common to taller folk, so are thus happy with things that TRULY MATTER. Such as home, family, etc. to which they INVEST EVERY EFFORT. Thus... they are more MOTIVATED to come home from (aka survive) any journey than most of the other people or races they will eventually meet. Their honesty (as well as overall affable personalities) are stalwart foundations (as well as extensions) of the very same MORAL/CULTURAL ALIGNMENT that they teach their young and live daily, among one another and as their own INDIVIDUAL MERIT allows. So again, luck has next to nothing to do with it. They're simply THAT GOOD, both as individuals, within the bounds of their various communities, and within the world's lager expanse as well. HuGGz

[@rallaa]

Praise Yondalla!

[@eugenio5774]

I'd like really much a video about how a character chooses a human deity over the deities of their racial pantheon, and wether this brings religious conflict in non human communities

[@Iryklathagra]

The halflings call it "Fancy Feet." The kender call it "Wanderlust."

[@jgr7487]

but what about the Yondalla - Dallah Thaun split?

[@vegasnite]

They gonna do anything with the off the book races like gensai or goliath?

[@ittyandpocky]

Not in any published books, if that's what you mean. They have said they don't want to release a supplement, which is a bonus book for extra stuff, that requires you to use yet another bonus book. That ends up building these chains of books that you need to actually play the game the way you want, which causes issues.

[@christianturley1701]

You don't need all the books to play?

[@Scorpionisthebomb23]

They should have put freaking Genasi in Volo’s....

[@farinal]

Mike Mearls look like the Halfling Thief from old Gamers movie

[@warlock1080]

Halflings are the best

[@micahiwaasa9304]

Weak? Lack of a strength penalty to me suggests adult halflings are powerful like chimpanzees! No tradition in spellcasting? They have a bonus to charisma, the ability score most adventurers and monsters seem to use for magic! No, the reason why halflings are vulnerable is that there about the only thing that can't see in the dark.

[@sillvvasensei]

Halfling named Clint Eastwood. "Do you feel lucky, punk?"

[@RomanKlein414]

Just for Funzies one time I made a Halfling Wizard and chose the school of Divination to cap it off I took the lucky feat cuz it just felt like the right thing to do and low and behold this combo of things let me almost and damn near stumble and bumble my way to level 10 what was this Halfling's name you ask it was Marty McMagicington the rolliest polliest most luckiest Halfling I ever griped a D20 for so next time you see someone play a Halfling ask them this by they way what class are you playing if they say Wizard you know your DM is in for a spin and experience like no other

[@PeterPottorff]

Are you going to reintroduce the Kinder or what?

[@ChaseTheChamp11]

Forgive me for doing this...but am I the only person who immediately noticed the "thing" sticking out of his nose?

[@Mazzy774i]

Bilbo Baggins baby

[@TrapTrixDM]

Tieflings pleeeaaasse

[@connerzed3588]

But will we get the Gith as playable races?

[@yatiyeets4180]

Mearrrllllssss !

[@Enn-]

These last few videos... I just can't unsee that hair sticking out of his left nostril.

[@tamahiro7343]

Why would you do this?! Now I can't unsee XD

[@matteoboldizzoni9870]

First thing I do when I master is ban the gnomes and take rhem out of the multiverse. Halflings instead, I love!

[@terryfan15]

Dude no offence but isnt that a bit harsh? You might not like Gnomes but denying your players the opportunity to play them, if THEY find them cool is quite restricting, isn´t it? I´m not a huge fan of Gnomes or Halflings but I´d at least say "Yeah they are around. Somewhere..."

[@matteoboldizzoni9870]

terryfan15 Yes, you're totally right but I just think gnomes aren't "fantasy" in the way I intend fantasy. I try hard not to let any technology in my campaign as I prefer a high medieval setting as much as possible.

[@mechanussunrise]

In fifth edition, gnomes have three subraces and only one is technologically-inclined. You could just ban rock gnomes. In 1st and 2nd edition most gnomes were not associated with invention. Only the tinker gnomes of the Dragonlance setting were. I think Dragonlance had an influence on MMOs and that reshaped people's idea of gnomes, which led to that becoming image of the gnome in later editions.

[@eblancho871]

Anyone notice the nose hair or booger hanging by mikes nose?

[@swiggityswank9459]

Eric Blancho was looking to see if anyone else noticed 😂

[@MrKingJace]

How can you not? Someone should have let him know before "Action!"

[@HMPetersen]

Hi

[@noonenowhere877]

But if they don't value magic items why do their enemies keep losing to magic items? BOOM! Didn't think of that did he?

[@ChaosNe0]

No treassure, nothing interesting, but filled with items like horn of valhalla and a vorpal sword. 😂

[@l3lackhusky]

I still hate halflings :'D Thanks to the Image in the PHB D: I'm a bad Person I know I know :D

[@TheNo15]

I try to forget the pain of those images every day :P

[@johnypanta6208]

Yeah no matter what they say Halflings are Hobbits. Does no change the fact that they are an unessential filler race because of Tolkien's success. They have no identifiable trait other than the most repulsive one: giant hairy feet (both men and women). The only reason they still exist in D&D is purely because of force of time and the fact that D&D creators wanted to take advantage of people who read Tolkien's books to make more money. Thare are far more interesting races in D&D for Halflings to be among the "common" ones...Did we really needed another "stout" race?

[@TheNo15]

So sad their canon art is so bad... ;-;

[@Eldagusto]

I was never fond of each "race" has a different founder god. It doesn't really feel like a Pantheon that way. Why not just have halfings be offshoots of Humanity and something else? Or some such. Also they feel like too much of an artifact of looting from Tolkien. Seems redundant to have halflings and Gnomes... and Dwarves... Notice games like World of Warcraft don't have them and games like Dragon Age flat out only have Dwarves.

[@evildaemo]

world of warcraft doesnt have what? theres dwarves, gnomes, goblins, kobolds...

[@Eldagusto]

Halflings. You don't have Halflings in WoW. The subject of this video.

[@YMasterS]

D&d was based on Tolkien originally, the whole thing is the product of looting.

[@evildaemo]

the subject of this video... is halflings in D&D, not WoW. games like WoW and DA, and all the others, pick and choose races to make their worlds/games unique. not every game has worgen like WoW. nor golems like DA. it would get very boring if every game was exactly the same