The GURPS hobbit

I wonder if there are apple pies East of the Misty
Mountains

Overview

The hobbit needs no introduction. It is a mysterious Middle-Earth creature, and an interesting kind of folk to roleplay. There used to be three kinds of hobbits: the stoors, the harfoot and the fallohide. Today, they are all known as Shire-folk or Bree-folk, although each hobbit has to select one of three sets of character traits which relates to these distant ancestries.



Hobbits are fond of food and drink [-1], they have an knack with anything that grows (Talent (green thumb) [5]). They are small, slightly over 1 yd in height (SM-1 [0]), but tend to be overweight [-1] and unfit [-5], although they are really encouraged to buy back unfit with the first few characters points gained in adventuring. They can move silently, and almost melt in the dark when still (Silence 4 [20]). Hobbits are very resilient to trauma (hard to kill 3 [6]). They are particularly resistant to magic (Magic resistance 4 [8]), and are in fact denying the existence of anything supernatural such as dragons, magic and mysticism (Mundane Background [-10]).  In the 4th age, all hobbits have are respected (Reputation 2 [2]) because of the work done by the four hobbits involved in defeating Sauron. Although hobbits revere elves (Like, elves [1]), they are otherwise somewhat suspicious of foreigner and outsiders (Dislike-level xenophobia [-1]).

All hobbits have the following attributes: ST-4 [-40], HT+1[10], HP+4 [8].  There are three archetype of hobbits, and each hobbit must belong to one of them:

• The Fallohide descent [15] : IQ+1 [20], curious [-5]
• The Stoor descent [4] : ST+1 [10], stubborn [-1], Pacifist (self-defense only) [-5]
• The Harfoot descent [4]: HT+1 [10], chummy [-5], Shire-bound (Dislike traveling) [-1]

Skill Profiles

Here are some suggestion to help create a baseline hobbit at different stage of life. These are guidelines, not rules.

• Early Childhood (0-12) : writing [1], History (Shire) [4], Area Knowledge (Shire) [2], Naturalist [1],  Hiking [1], 
• Apprenticeship years (12-20) : Carousing [2], Singing [2], Area Knowledge (Shire) [4], History (Shire) [4], some level on a profession of some kind.
• Professional progression (20-80) : Most hobbits reach the expert level 14-15 by the 30th year. 
• Interesting professions
• Bounder: Stealth, Hiking, Observation, Tracking, Survival (woodand), Area Knowledge (Shire), Area knowledge (Arnor), bow, staff.
• Sheriff: Law, interrogation, adminstration
• Craftman: Professional Skill, merchant, teamster, Animal handling
• Farmer: Farming, Animal handling, naturalist, quaint trades
• Apothecary: Hiking, Naturalist, Herb Lore, merchant

Why are they awesome

Hobbits have emerged from being unknown to the world to celebrities. When a hobbit is seen in the kingdoms of men, they are often well received.  The relation of each hobbit traveler to any of the the four great hobbits has to be established. They merely need to start signing and carousing, and they can get pretty much anywhere with it.

This version of the GURPS hobbit is particularly slippery. They are predisposed to be stealthy (Silence 4 means +4 to be silent while immobile, +2 while moving), they resist magic very strongly and will survive trauma that would otherwise leave other race characters for dead. Their ST is very low, and that makes them a marginal threat as melee fighters, or even as marksmen with muscle powered weapons. Many hobbits will avoid initiating combats. This mix gives a unique fantasy roleplay opportunity to be one of them small folk, and see how far that they can go... and far they can.

If a hobbit takes on the quaterstaff, decrease the reach to C,1 instead of 1,2, downgrade damage to SW+1 and ST to 6.

Acknowledgements 

Thanks to +Jason Packer, +Jason Woollard  and jeffro for their input.