RATLINGS NOT HALFLINGS: Or Why Beast Folk Are Better Than Demihumans

I bought some tengu from Reaper the other day just because I've always enjoyed corvid-folk and thought they would be a good miniature to have on hand. I even had a half idea about a "cleric" for these crow folks. For quick use in BX D&D, I might just stat as a halfing.

But the minatures really got me thinking about how much I like beast-folk over demi-humans in terms of class alternatives to humans for fantasy adventure campaigns. In fact, I think beast-folk have three specific advantages over humans because animals are: familiar & symbolic, mortal, and have extraordinary (but not supernatural) abilities.

Familiar & Symbolic

In terms of roleplay, its going to be easier understanding animals or animal-folks, than to imagine and role-play an immortal elf.  Animals occupy our homes, surround us, and have been with most of us throughout many aspects of our lives. 

Humans also have centuries of animal worship, either as god figures themselves, or as something adjacent to. They are central to our fables, parables, and tall tales. They are used to embody the qualities of our sports teams, from the strong to the ferocious to the quick. And they continue to be stand-ins for human personalities and class positions in pop culture, especially in animation or puppetry.

This all means that most humans can see an animal and describe its symbolic qualities, goals, and weaknesses far quicker than most any other non-human representation. For instance, if you show someone the picture of a lion, they most likely will list symbolic qualities: brave and strong, but also prideful and arrogant, with a desire to be king. Or at least give you very well-known characteristics of the literal animal itself.

Mortality & Other

Easy to sleep all day when your lifespan is 500+ years

The biggest issues for me with two common demi-human races, elves and dwarves, is that each is near-immortal or at least have increadbly long life spans. This singular facet would radically change one's stance on almost every problem. Immortality lends itself to patience, thoughtfulness, and overplanning. Years can be spent in pondering and consensus-making. For human players, time-as-a-factor is baked into all of our lives. D&D itself, these days, is a 2-4 hour, once-weekly game because time is a factor. So, I don't think human players can truly can model this behavior arising from immortality, consistantly, in a game. Animals on the other hand, are mortal and actually often more short-lived. But on the relevant timeline to fictional elves/dwarves, humans and animals are practically the same. 

Short lives promote: action, risk-taking, decisiveness, and impulsiveness. All of which makes for a good session of dungeon crawling and D&D in general.

Extraordinary, But Not Supernatural, Abilities (Maybe)

Most animals have senses and abilities that far exceed those of a human. And because many of them evolved for survival, they often are oriented around solving an environmental problem- avoiding detection, and/or tracking prey- so very gamable! For instance, a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times greater than a human's. A cat cannot see in total darkness, but requires only 1/6th the light of a human to see their surroundings and can survive falls up to 30 stories, versus a human's 4 stories.

Now, sure, it's not like players really understand what it's like to see through a hawk's eyes. But these abilities are not supernatural at a base level and so can easily be understood in fictional situations e.g. a dog can smell through a door, but may not smell the ghosts on the other side as they are incorporeal.

However, looping back to the familiar symbolism, some animal qualities could be cast on a "mythic" level, such as a salamander's fire resistance or foxes' natural ability to lie. Yet, again, these are abilities are still well understood by human players.

But I Like Beast-headed Humans Even More

Fortunately, there are some great beast folk already out there. Miranda of In Places Deep has some wonderful froglings. Carcass Crawler #5 has ratlings, which are cool and have a prehensile tail! And even Dolmenwood has a sorta cat and bat class in the grimalkin and woodgrue. Although the last two are technically fay and might bring on the problems above.

I have personally always enjoyed the idea of beast-headed humans. In particular, when the transformation is a curse bestowed on a human by the fay for some justified or trivial transgression. To me, this bestows the PC with a goal- to undo the curse. But it is also a very visible mark that the fictional world can react to. Which is often neglected in D&D, how your PC appears should affect how NPCs react to them. Much like it would in the real world.

And again, its even easier to role-play than a human-sized animal. What if you were you, but cursed to wear the head of an animal? You gain some abilities due to this new transformation, but also a set of assumptions and are an outcast.

Beast-headed Humans Or The Fay-Cursed

Too boorish, too clever, too desperate, and/or too ignorant to understand what you were agreeing to, who you were talking back to, or who you were stealing from, so you now wear a heraldic animal head as a mark and punishment.

Weapons & Armor: As Dwarf HD: At level 1, roll 2d8 and take the highest die; 1d8 per level there after Saves: As Dwarf Experience: As Dwarf Special Abilities:

Animal Senses: All beast-heads have a 2-in-6 to listen and smell, and a candle can provide as much light to see as a torch, but they cannot see in total darkness.

Curse: During character creation, roll 1d12 to determine what fate has befallen your PC.

1. Lion- Once a month, you may command a number of normal man-types (half your CHA) that will perform, with great bravery, one task. Afterward, they become lazy, indolent, and rest on their laurels, telling grand tales about what they did.
2. Stag- You can sleep in the woods as comfortably as you can in an inn. If you do so, the animals of the forest will tell you rumors of what is happening in all directions. Hunters believe your heart will grant them a wish.
3. Wolf- If you are clad in the skin of a sheep or the clothing of a grandmother, people will believe you are that until you attack. Children and dogs will have their deep suspicions. Abandoned by humans, you are embraced by the pack, you may call for a number of wolves equal to your hireling count by CHA
4. Fox- You can lie with ease. But no one will believe you when telling the truth. Any lie told in the service of the truth will backfire (e.g. Telling people there is gold in the well to rescue a trapped baby will delay rescue of the baby as people ask more about the gold).
5. Eagle- You are vigilant and a fierce guardian, if you fill 3 slots of encumbrance with the object/person you are in charge of protecting, you gain the ability to interpose between them and a threat as well as gain +2 AC when defending; if in a room for a week, you are only surprised on a 1 there. Horses hate you and your presence.
6. Pard- All royalty will be willing to believe you are a lost heir (3d6 under CHA). Their current children will think the opposite, and it's difficult to erase this suspicion.
7. Rat- Any item a normal rat can carry can be brought to you in roughly 3 moons, provided it is something left unattended and you are in a location with rats. Mice are too provincial and Giant rats too unruly to command. Most people will assume your presence naturally fouls the air.
8. Bull- Duplicate your highest ability score in STR or if it is highest, add 1. No normal dungeon door can impede you and you are good at mazes. However, you are easily goaded into a fight (Save vs spells to avoid), and you will break anything delicate.
9. Boar- You require twice as much food, rest, poison, or potion. Even a basilisk must look at you twice. And by that same token, demand twice as much reward, gratitude, or grace. However, you are twice as generous than most. And require twice as many buttons to keep your shirt on.
10. Raven- You wear the head of a bird that exists both here and beyond; as such, you can sense the undead as others can hear noise (2-in-6). And a good mimic, you can cast first-level non-divine spells you see and hear.
11. Goat or Donkey- Contrarian as a profession. You can never be commanded and infact, if commanded, you will refuse to do it. Even a harpy’s song, a siren’s call, or a wizard's charm will not get you to move.
12. Tygr- If you declare "I strike!", then you may move up to 20' and make a free melee attack at advantage, criting on a 19-20. If you discuss the use of this ability in the open, you must attack at disadvantage. You must then remain engaged with the target until you or it dies. People fine your gaze unnerving as if you are always on edge.

Stronghold: At 8th level, if you occupy a ruined keep deep in the woods, you will attract the following:

• Stronghold Lieutenants (roll 1d6): 1-2. Giant Talking Animal of Head-Type 3-4. Chaotic Figher (level 4 + 1d4) 5-6. 2d4 Fay Rakes (Hardly lift a hand, but throw good parties)
• Stronghold Guard: 3d6 x10 1HD brigands (75% human and 25% hound-headed)
• If there are 3+ levels, Stronghold Residents (roll 1d6, assume number as lair of monster type): 1. Werewolves 2. Hill Giant 3. Purple Wyrm 4. Minotaurs 5. Questing Beast 6. Wicked Trents

DECLARE ACTIONS: Communicating The Stakes For Interesting Combat Choices

DECLARE SPELLS & RETREATS

A funny little rule that always trips up MUs, neophyte and acolyte alike, is the need for spells (and retreats) to be declared before initiative is rolled. A runner-up, especially for players new to old-school games, is that MUs cannot move while casting a spell.

This is a very easy step to overlook, but it becomes important when high damage, long-range spells like fireball and lightning bolt (or earlier with sleep) appear. This is because if an MU is hit while casting a spell, the spellcasting is ruined and the spell is lost until memorized again. If the MU is not required to declare they are casting a spell, then it is possible for the spell to always be deployed optimally with little risk.

I like this rule, even though I screw it up all the time, for three reasons: (1) primarily it places any MU as a temporary "objective" in the combat space, (2) secondarily, while frustrating when trying to cast magic missle, it is an important limitation when casting fireball or disintegrate (on a failed save, target [any] is instantly destroyed), (3) finally it pulls away from a "optimal course of action" preserving an un-optimal state is importatnt in preserving some of the tension of old-school dungeon crawling

But much like the overloaded encounter die or random encounters as RAM, what if we broadened the declarations under this step to include other special actions/effects/events?

DECLARE ACTIONS

A big aspect of DMing today's old-school games (and really most RPGs in general) is to give the players more information rather than less. Into the ODD, for instance, extols: "The more dangerous something is, the more obvious it is." But a conundrum might be when does a DM signal something? How do we prevent a maneuver, environmental effect, or spell-like effect from being a "gotcha!" by only triggering it during the monster's turn?

By co-opting the "declare spells" portion of the encounter, we can load useful & open information into stake-setting before the initiative die roll. A byproduct is that we further increase the tension around the initiative die, drawing in player attention. The players are then required to make an important decision based on the enemy's actions.

Classic examples of things we might want to declare beyond spells:

• Breath Attack: The dragon inhales, its throat and chest glowing a fire red
• Sound Alarm: Captain of the Guard raises the horn to his lips
• Charge Attack: Scenting you, the minataur bellows and drops its head
• Set Spears: "We if that thing is gonna charge, I'll set my spear"

The classic examples above are expected actions from monsters are well known to players. Where I think "Declare Actions!" could be more useful is when a DM wants to use something from a novel monster or make up something on the fly:

• Designating a PC as a target or perhaps their backpacks
• Signaling that the area the PCs are currently standing in is changing
• Alerting PCs that reinforcements are arriving through a particular entrance
• Show that a monster/NPC will initiate a phase (either attack/defence)

In each of the instances above, the PCs will have an interesting choice to make, assuming they win the initiative roll. Do they choose to protect the PC who drew the monster's ire? Will they remain in place or opt to not to cast spells and move? Do they now move toward the sorcerer or do they guard against this gnoll guards coming through the arcway? Finally, do they proceed with the same attack or do they try to prepare for a new form?

So, while not ground-breaking in concept, this small modification or codification to a procedure you are already doing might help provide more dynamic space to your old-school games.

PONDER THY BLOG(GIES): Thoughts On The 2026 BLOGGIES

THOUGHTS U: Search the top half of your Draft pile.
Select one topic to post. Shuffle your Draft pile.

2026 BLOGGIES

Well, 2025 was a banner year for I CAST LIGHT! given that I won an unprecedented two Bloggies for GAMABLE post, WHY MEGADUNGEONS?, THEORY post, RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLES AS ADVENTURE RAM, and an additional one with co-author with Josh at Rise Up Comus Bloggie for BEST SERIES with the Designing Dungeons course. 

With great relief, the TOP POST went to elmcat for the Mapping the Blogosphere. This blogger is a far, far better candidate to lead the 2027 BLOGGIES, as measured by the substance of the mapping project which encapsulated the WHOLE blogosphere, but also the technical ability. It's a post that will help not only the hobby but the scholarly study of RPGs as oral folk art. Extremely well-deserved top win!

Clayton, of Explorers Design, did a fantastic job on MCing the 2026 BLOGGIES. I think, by collapsing the format into two weeks, he set a great bar going forward. He also did a lovely job keeping everyone updated on the progress and getting the word out.

WRITE THY BLOG- FOR THY SELF!

YOU should start your own blog. I really can't expand much more than I did when I originally posted on the topic in 2022 with the purchase of Twitter by Elon. Nor, can I write better than when I argued in KNOCK #5 that blogs are a slow, thoughtful medium that leaves ruins, as False Machine put it, for others to dig through.

But I can add now that by writing a blog, people will read your blog, and people will revisit your blog. Your thoughts are valuable in this hobby space, and you should not be shy about sharing them. Shockingly, your blog will be picked up by all sorts of people. But not shockingly, it won't happen overnight (or hell, it could), but in either case, the blog must be started and maintained. Often it's because folks will find one post, think its cool, then read through the rest of your stuff and find other posts that resonate with them.

I can also say only write for yourself! Seriously. Don't chase a perceived blog ideal. I don't say this to be condescending, putting on airs, or holding "office hours". I say this because it's a mantra I repeat constantly to myself as an antidote to the (strong) pull that social media has. It is one thing to mimic the focus of a particular blog, but another to want to copy the eyeballs-on or pull of another blog.

To me, when you write for yourself, your authenticity shines through, but far more importantly, your idiosyncrasy shines through. And it's that individual, in-grown, feedback loop fermentation of ideas that gives blogs the pungent flavor people love. Are these tastes for all people, hell no! Are these flavors intended to appeal to all, hell no! Are they good- yup! "Good" here being distinct with a discernible intent, even if not "liked".

Blogs are like cheese- the one that smells like feet is better than the unoffensive Kraft single. Be the feet cheese.

PONDER THY BLOG- I CAST WRITE!

If three BLOGGIES are proof of good feet-cheese, here is how those posts got written and a little bit on the origin of the blog itself.

I CAST LIGHT! was originally going to be a micro-blog with a post word-count equal to the light spell from D&D. More notes to myself rather than full posts. I thought I didn't have a lot to say-- this lasted all of ~3 posts and would show up in a smattering of posts since. I pivoted instead to trying more to write about the practicalities of playing D&D. Everyday DM-level stuff that arises from trying to run D&D in addition to trying to implement concepts other people blogged about. 

WHY MEGADUNGONS?: This post arose from a comment in a Discord, but I think what drove me to write it especially was (1) the connection between megadungeons as a historical D&D aspect, an interesting resurgence in popular media, and a D&D game structure that supports ~4-hour game once a week that doesn't require the exact same players every time; (2) convey the enjoyment of my own experience in the Nightwick megadungeon.

I think by taking time to discuss some common misconceptions of the megadungeon I hopefully was able to draw a line between what they might be seeing in popular media (eg Dungeon Meshi) into actual play that was easier to pull off than one might think.

RANDOM ENCOUNTER AS RAM: This post is a great example you should just blog on what you want and hit "publish". The idea arose out of trying to figure out how not to have "scripted events" but figure out how to store information outside of just notes. Again, this is a problem that arose from me playing my own dungeons. I wanted to remember player impact but also have it feed directly/immediately into the game. It is also an example of me trying to modify old-school procedures beyond their initial presentation into something more modern without changing it too much.

I would have never guessed this post would be up for any sort of award. But it also demonstrates that sometimes the things you blog about, which you think the fewest people care about, can be things that a lot of people care about. Or enjoy. Or didn't realize they cared about until you posted it. So to repeat, write what you want, hit "publish", and play your game.

DESIGNING DUNGEONS: I have to give Josh a lot of credit for the energy here. So I was lamenting out loud on Discord that while there are several books on running fantasy RPGS, several of them don't really go step-by-step into building a dungeon. These books are often both too brief on dungeon design and too long to help a DM get going. Also a lot of modern dugneons are quite small, which really doesn't give the format a chance to breath. Nor a lot of fantasy adventure games, dungeon rules a chance to be impactful. Yet, the old-school answer is to read like 20 blog posts scattered over a decade of OSR writing-- also not helpful.

So Josh agreed the idea was solid and was like "let's write this". The final document seems to have worked out really well. And it's nice to have something out there folks can easily have access too to start building their own dungeon AND megadungeon. The document also pulls together several other very helpful posts on dungeon design which people can reference before or after they build any particular part of the dungeon. The writing reinforced to me the value to me of a writing partner to help maintain energy, consistency, and quality. So try out a two-headed blog. That's something I've not seen a lot of.

FIN

I'll stop here and hit publish because the risk of navel gazing is that one gazes too long and finds one's head up one's own arse. I'm thankful for my readers, my hobby friends, and the blogging community that has allowed my growth in gaming. Blog. Do it.