Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 moonbeast Jul 12, 2015 23:05:57	I've noticed that the different editions (and publications) of D&D have been inconsistent with respect to the Fey trait of elvish pointy ears.     Yes, of course elves and half-elves have pointy ears. And so do gnomes in most TSR/WotC/Pathfinder illustrations and books. Gnomes have been described as a Fey-originating (i.e. originally Feywild) race in later editions of D&D.    Dwarves and humans have round ears.  But Halflings?  I've seen about 50-50.  Some "official" D&D illustrations show them with human-like round ears.  But then we have other official illustrations showing them with pointy ears.  What gives?
#2 moonbeast Jul 12, 2015 23:21:44	Exhibit A:  5th Edition Players Handbook Halfling image, Halfling Round-ears         Exhibit B:  Also from 5th Edition book (I don't remember which one...). Halfling tavern bard with pointy-roundy ears.
#3 OrwellianHaggis Jul 12, 2015 23:22:00	Artist's preference, probably, and a lack of solid decision/direction from the people commissioning the artwork.
#4 rookrock Jul 13, 2015 3:29:49	Come on guys, clearly the first halfling is a stout halfling, with traits reflecting some dwarven heritage, and the second one is a lightfoot, showing off his fey heritage. I mean really, isn't it obvious?   /sarc
#5 Delazar78 Jul 13, 2015 4:00:35	must not... look... tiny feet... *argh*
#6 Hebitsuikaza Jul 13, 2015 8:59:37	Depends on the region or genetics or whatever...   Sort of like some humans have earlobes attached to the head and others have earlobes that are unattached.
#7 arnwolf666 Jul 13, 2015 9:29:13	Maybe it's like hair and eye color.  Some halflings have pointy ears some don't.
(Reply to #7) AaronOfBarbaria	arnwolf666 wrote:
#9 Grazel Jul 13, 2015 19:28:13	Gnomes are also inconsistent across editions. They aren't always with pointed ears either, despite almost always being of fey origin (DL and then FR with tinker gnomes created the non-fey gnomes).   Even elves have been showing with varying degrees of pointy ears ranging from Vulcan to Elfquest levels of poininess and length.   Only dwarves and humans have been pretty consistent with having round ears.   Half-elves can have round or pointed because "slightly pointed" is really hard to represent visually.   In most cases though it's artist's pergogative and like female dwarven beards has mostly been left up to the player to decide, though female dwarves were "encouraged" to be beardless in 4e and were always drawn beardless. 5e at least made it optional while 3e and earlier female dwarves were assumed to have beards just like the males.
(Reply to #8) OoftaMeg	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#11 Wuzzard Jul 14, 2015 7:49:29	Which ones have the pointy heads?
(Reply to #10) AaronOfBarbaria	OoftaMeg wrote:
#13 moonbeast Jul 14, 2015 10:34:06	Wuzzard wrote:
#14 moonbeast Jul 14, 2015 11:12:06	Grazel wrote:
#15 Marandahir Jul 14, 2015 11:25:09	Or maybe the artist wasn't given proper direction. The world will never know.
(Reply to #12) OoftaMeg	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#17 moonbeast Jul 14, 2015 13:08:32	Marandahir wrote:
#18 Istbor Jul 14, 2015 13:23:27	Just remembered how much I had the wee folk...
#19 Grazel Jul 14, 2015 18:59:43	moonbeast wrote:
#20 dmgorgon Jul 14, 2015 20:16:35	Istbor wrote:
#21 dmgorgon Jul 14, 2015 20:18:58	Delazar78 wrote: