[d20r, Race] Halfling

[Fax Celestis]

Halflings stand about 3 feet tall and usually weigh between 30 and 35 pounds. They have brown or black eyes. Halfling men often have long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and mustaches almost unseen. Halflings prefer simple, comfortable, and practical clothes. Unlike members of most races, they prefer actual comfort to shows of wealth. Halflings reach adulthood in their early twenties and generally live into the middle of their second century. Halflings speak Halfling and Common.

• -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity
• Small size: As Small creatures, halflings gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
• Halfling: Halflings are humanoids with the (Halfling) subtype.
• Speed: A halfling's base land speed is 20 feet.
• Athletic: Halflings, being generally nimble creatures, receive a +2 racial bonus on Athletics and Acrobatics checks, and can use their Strength or Dexterity modifier for either skill, whichever they prefer.
• Fearless: Halflings are remarkably stoic in the face of fear. They receive a +2 morale bonus versus fear effects.
• Keen Senses: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Awareness checks.
• Sharpshooter: Partially due to their keen senses, halflings receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls made with ranged weapons.
• Natural Talent: A halfling has a small pool of reserve energy from their natural luck they may tap into daily. A halfling has one charge per three class levels, minimum one. A charge may be spent to activate one of the following abilities as an immediate action or to power a feat with the [Halfling] descriptor:
  
  • Burst of Speed: +10' insight bonus to land speed for a number of rounds equal to his Dexterity modifier.
  • Lucky Dodge: a halfling can spend a charge to activate this ability as an immediate action to force an opponent that has just attacked them in melee to reroll their attack roll and use the new result. This reroll must be used after the die result is seen but before the total result of the effect has occured.
  • Lucky Streak: +1 luck bonus to saving throws for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma. This bonus increases by +1 for each five levels they possess (to +2 at 5th, +3 at 10th, +4 at 15th, and +5 at 20th).
• Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.
• Favored Class: Luckthief.

[Cute_Riolu]

Does the Sneak Attack ability granted by the race stack with that the Rogues get? Also, I keep forgetting to ask; Do racial charges increase by level at 3, 4, or what? An example would help.

[WaterTengu]

If they are predisposed to magical forces, why do they get a bonus to Reflex and Fortitude saves too?

[Fax Celestis]

Does the Sneak Attack ability granted by the race stack with that the Rogues get?

Yes, but it won't stack with itself.

Also, I keep forgetting to ask; Do racial charges increase by level at 3, 4, or what? An example would help.

Charges at 1/3 levels would essentially come out like this:

{table=head]Level | Charges
1 | 1
2 | 1
3 | 1
4 | 1
5 | 1
6 | 2
7 | 2
8 | 2
9 | 3
10 | 3
11 | 3
12 | 4
13 | 4
14 | 4
15 | 5
16 | 5
17 | 5
18 | 6
19 | 6
20 | 6[/table]

Remember, racial feats add extra charges, so if you take a racial feat at every opportunity, you'll come up with charges that look like this:

{table=head]Level | Charges
1 | 2
2 | 2
3 | 3
4 | 3
5 | 3
6 | 5
7 | 5
8 | 5
9 | 7
10 | 7
11 | 7
12 | 9
13 | 9
14 | 9
15 | 11
16 | 11
17 | 11
18 | 13
19 | 13
20 | 13[/table]

...and that's not potentially counting something like a racial paragon class or racial template class that could give more charges.

[Fax Celestis]

If they are predisposed to magical forces, why do they get a bonus to Reflex and Fortitude saves too?

That's worded poorly. Lemme see about fixing it.

EDIT: Fixed. Luck-based, now.

[WaterTengu]

ahh, luck makes more sense.

[MammonAzrael]

That's assuming that each race will have that many racial feats to select, of course!

It feels solid, but a bit like you're holding onto the 3.5 version almost too much. You gave them everything the 3.5 version had, and added in the Athletic Penchant ability. I was under the impression that Halflings were generally considered pretty solid in the first place? And the variety of small bonuses feels off when compared to the races you've rebuilt, which generally offer less, but scaling bonuses.

Personally, I feel like the only ability granted by Athletic Penchant is the speed bonus. The Slight Build ability seems a product of their stature, not their physical capability, and the Sneak Attack seems tossed in purely because they tend to be rogues. Perhaps they can:

• Gain a bonus or reroll on an attack
• Force an opponent to reroll an attack
• Take 10/20 on an Athletic or Acrobatic check when they normally couldn't
• Hustle/Run longer without taking damage, kinda like the Endurance feat
• Gain a bonus to being tripped/bull-rushed
• Gain Evasion

Why are you specifically calling them out as generally athletic? Is this to further differentiate them from Hobbits, since they're generally heavy?

My other concern is that Athletic Penchant is yet another charge-based ability. So far you have multiple races with Natural Magic, then the others all have unique abilities, which gives the races with Natural Magic greater synergy with various other parts of d20r, like your template/classes. Perhaps instead of getting so specific with the non-Natural Magic abilities, they should all be under a broader name, like Inborn Gifts, or Natural Talent, or something. That way they would all fall under a more physical origin and have synergy, without being magic. Heck, you could even change the Onori to add it's charge to that instead of Natural Magic, to increase the feel of it's martial/physical focus.

[Fax Celestis]

Personally, I feel like the only ability granted by Athletic Penchant is the speed bonus. The Slight Build ability seems a product of their stature, not their physical capability, and the Sneak Attack seems tossed in purely because they tend to be rogues. Perhaps they can:

• Gain a bonus or reroll on an attack
• Force an opponent to reroll an attack
• Take 10/20 on an Athletic or Acrobatic check when they normally couldn't
• Hustle/Run longer without taking damage, kinda like the Endurance feat
• Gain a bonus to being tripped/bull-rushed
• Gain Evasion

...ooh. Lucky instead of Athletic. That's a good idea.

Why are you specifically calling them out as generally athletic? Is this to further differentiate them from Hobbits, since they're generally heavy?

Yup. Also, most of the halfling-themed stuff I've seen represents them as athletic, rather than sedentary.

Natural Talent

GENIUS. Natural Magic, Inborn Psionics, Natural Talent.

[MammonAzrael]

Ooh, I like this. Looks great. a good feel that makes them seem both athletic and lucky.

GENIUS. Natural Magic, Inborn Psionics, Natural Talent.

Glad you like it.

[Lappy9000]

Halflings still look solid, and now make better rogues. I remember how everyone used to argue that goblins make better rogues 'cause of the faster speed and darkvision. And I love the Natural Talent over Natural Magic for halflings (although Natural Magic works for races like gnomes).