Halfling

Innate Abilities

• Mutation Resistance 1: Halflings resist 66.6% of all mutation effects (even beneficial mutation effects). This innate mutation resistance stacks with other sources of mutation resistance.
• Halflings are small creatures. The following weapons are too large for them: bardiches, battleaxes, dire flails, executioner's axes, glaives, great maces, great swords, halberds, longbows, scythes, triple swords, giant clubs, giant spiked clubs, and javelins. One-handed weapons like magical staves, broad axes, tridents, demon tridents and double swords are two-handed weapons to them. They have more trouble with bucklers and kite shields, and can't use tower shields.
• Halflings, due to their small size, get bonuses to evasion and stealth (beyond just having good aptitudes in the relevant skills).

Halflings have a base Strength of 8, Intelligence of 7 and Dexterity of 9 (before Background modifiers) and have normal base magic points.

Preferred Backgrounds

• Warriors: Fighter, Hunter
• Zealots: Berserker, Abyssal Knight

Level Bonuses

• +1 dexterity every 5th level.
• 10% less hit points than average.
• +3 willpower per level.

Starting Skills and Equipment

Halflings start with all the equipment and skills listed for their background, with the following exception:

• Javelins are replaced with boomerangs.

Difficulty of Play

Halflings are a fairly easy species to play due to the fact that they have many benefits from their small size, with few drawbacks. As far as the small species go they are robust (only -10% HP) but still receive bonuses to EV and stealth, while also having fine aptitudes in dodging, stealth, and armour skills, among others. Halflings' innate mutation resistance occasionally comes in handy, as well, though it is far from the main draw of the species.

History

• Halfings were removed in 0.27, removing the last major Tolkienian species.
• Prior to its removal in 0.26, Halflings had a +1 aptitude for the Charms school.
• Halfling aptitudes were rebalanced yet again in 0.19. Prior to this change, they had: Short Blades +3, Maces & Flails -2, Axes -1, Polearms -3, Throwing +3, Bows +2, Crossbows -1, Hexes -1, Summoning -1, Air Magic +1, Poison Magic -1, and Evocations +1. All other aptitudes were unchanged.
• Halfling stealth aptitude changed from 1 to 2 in 0.16.
• Halfling stats and aptitudes were rebalanced in 0.15. They also had Slow Metabolism prior to that version.
• Prior to 0.14, halflings could not use throwing nets.
• Halflings were much improved in 0.6. This update improved their Shields proficiency and HP/level, and also made slings more useful through the addition of branded bullets.