I would like to see sub-races return to the "races" in 5e.
Center in point: Please bring back the Grey elves and High elves. Please. While there is nothing wrong with the 4E "Eladrin" it isn't an Eladrin (as defined in previous editions) but more of a styled grey elf. I want my grey and high elf back to join the "wood elf" (the default elf in 4E). In fact I want my valley elves, drow elves, and aquatic elves. And I am not just talking about elves. I want the old "sub-races" or races of the species back. I want old school halflings: tall-fellow, hair-foot, stouts, and also light-feet (from 3e/4e). Would it hurt to pay a little fee and call them Hobbits again? It would be awesome I think and well worth a couple of disclaimer lines in the Player's Handbook. Hobbits!
D&D won't be calling them hobbits until tolkein's estate is ok with it or the copyright terms expire. Supposedly Tolkein's estate sent threatened TSR about it back in the early 70's. And the late 70's editions got rid of them along with Balrogs and Ents.
D&D won't be calling them hobbits until tolkein's estate is ok with it or the copyright terms expire. Supposedly Tolkein's estate sent threatened TSR about it back in the early 70's. And the late 70's editions got rid of them along with Balrogs and Ents.
You miss my point entirely. You see where I said they could pay a fee and call them Hobbits? Hasbro has money and connections and they are way more business savvy than the late Gary Gygax. Hasbro could make a deal with either the new Tolkien estate or even the new film producers and call them Hobbits. Having hobbits in the player's handbook doesn't mean that anyone would have to rewrite "The Hobbit" again. It would be a small thing in the big picture but very welcome to some of us. Could also be great for cross promotions.
Hobbit is the In-Tolkein-World version of Halfling. It is their specific title. All Hobbits are Halflings, not all Halflings are Hobbits.
Correct as far as D&D goes. What I am suggesting is that hair-foot halflings could be acknowledged as Hobbits in the Player's Handbook (with appropriate permissions naturally). Light-feet certainly don't fit into the Hobbit mold while Tallfellows and Stouts are based on renamed Tolkien hobbit variants it doesn't necessarily have to be so acknowledged. Long live the Kuduk! Bring back Grey Elves!
D&D won't be calling them hobbits until tolkein's estate is ok with it or the copyright terms expire. Supposedly Tolkein's estate sent threatened TSR about it back in the early 70's. And the late 70's editions got rid of them along with Balrogs and Ents.
You miss my point entirely. You see where I said they could pay a fee and call them Hobbits? Hasbro has money and connections and they are way more business savvy than the late Gary Gygax. Hasbro could make a deal with either the new Tolkien estate or even the new film producers and call them Hobbits. Having hobbits in the player's handbook doesn't mean that anyone would have to rewrite "The Hobbit" again. It would be a small thing in the big picture but very welcome to some of us. Could also be great for cross promotions.
Or not. It's just a name. There is no reason to pay money just to use a name unless that name is going to draw in extra money. You can change the name yourself. There's no reason for WotC to spell everything out for you.
Owner and Proprietor of the House of Trolls. God of ownership and possession.
It's just a name. There is no reason to pay money just to use a name unless that name is going to draw in extra money. You can change the name yourself.
The reason is immersion. It has very little to do with money. If such a deal was struck it likely wouldn't involve much money at all. All that is required is some very basic permission and a disclaimer. WotC isn't spelling anything out to anyone. We all know where halflings came from. It would just be a nice acknowledgement and fun bit for the Player's Handbook and also helpful for fantasy newcomers.
