Forum

Trying to prepare for the 3rd adventure in the 5e Shire book, I see that Balin offers to join the company for the adventure. One path (the natural end to finding Lotho) has the company engaging a veteran gray orc in the mines in combat. But I can't find any stats for Balin in either of the Core or Shire books. The Core books lists him as a Patron with calling as Adventurer, Envoy. Obviously I could do some research and figure out how to flesh him out with game stats, but I'm wondering if someone else has already done this, at least as a point of reference.

Balin's stats should come alongside the pre-generated Hobbit characters as a sheet (rather than in the rulebook), along with Bilbo's character sheet.

5e or TOR?

In TOR at least, you should have had a character sheet for him in the Starter Set and, if you got it through FL, a PDF copy as well. He's intended to be played by a player.

I imagine 5e would be similar, but I don't have that so I can't be sure.

It's probably an oversight that Balin is missing in the Shire 5e book- the text says there are 8 pre-generated characters, but there are only 7 in the appendix. Even the downloadable pdf from this website has the exact 7 in the book's appendix.

Yes I have checked all my copies and you are right, he's not there. Maybe we can persuade Free League to update the pdf. They must be planning to include him in Moria as well, but it would be an updated character. Or maybe he will just be a patron.

Here's what I came up with, may need him tomorrow, since Bilbo is level 6, I made Balin level 7, anything less just doesn't make sense to me. I also used the 15 14 13 12 10 8 (not in that order) starting scores but I subtracted 2 from strength for advanced age. According to my research, he lived to over 250 years old (and apparently used a sword, not an axe). I'm expecting to use Balin as a tag-along / sidekick for flavor rather than let a player upgrade from level 1 hobbit to the one-dwarf wrecking crew below, the company would be quite unbalanced otherwise.

Balin son of Fundin born 2763 in Erebor, prosperous, (home-brew stats based on details from books)
Warden 7, Dwarf (Bitter Exile), saves: str/wis, size:small, speed:25, proficiency +3, 7D10 hit dice, Fierce/Proud
AC:11, HP:67, STR 12+1, DEX 10+0, CON 15+2, INT 8-1, WIS 18+4, CHA 13+1
proficiencies: Mason's Tools (double), Explore, Old Lore, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Hunting, Clarinet, Sword (+7 1d6+6), Great Bow/quiver(+3 1d8 150/600), Shadow-Lore(Orcs), Warded Lands(Rhudaur, Eregion, Cardolan, Arthedain), Weapon-Craft(Sword), Fighting Style(Duelling), Warden Oath(Hunter, Goblin-cleaver, Swift to Fly), Rumor of the Earth, virtue:Prowess, Extra Attack, virtue:Dark for Dark Business

input welcome