Skip to main content
Role-playing Games

Return to Question

Question Unprotected by user-781943
Question Protected by Brian Ballsun-Stanton
Restated original question in slightly different language to aid understanding
Source Link
Ananisapta
Ananisapta
  • 2k
  • 1
  • 15
  • 21

Small characters face a number of disadvantages. They can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon DDI.

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

I am looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Put another way -

If the penalties applied to small characters were removed altogether, is there anything that would make small characters unbalanced/more favoured compared to medium-sized characters?

Small characters face a number of disadvantages. They can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon DDI.

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

I am looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Small characters face a number of disadvantages. They can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon DDI.

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

I am looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Put another way -

If the penalties applied to small characters were removed altogether, is there anything that would make small characters unbalanced/more favoured compared to medium-sized characters?

Edited to integrate the EDIT: FURTHER EDIT: sections into the actual post itself
Source Link
doppelgreener
doppelgreener
  • 36.6k
  • 16
  • 162
  • 255

Small characters face a number of disadvantages. They can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon DDI.DDI

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

EDIT:

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

FURTHER EDIT:Are there any benefits to make up for this?

I probably should have been quite clear that I wasam looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe'sJoe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Small characters can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon.DDI

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

EDIT:

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

FURTHER EDIT:

I probably should have been quite clear that I was looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Small characters face a number of disadvantages. They can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon DDI.

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

I am looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Point of clarification
Source Link
Ananisapta
Ananisapta
  • 2k
  • 1
  • 15
  • 21

Small characters can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon.DDI

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

EDIT:

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

FURTHER EDIT:

I probably should have been quite clear that I was looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Small characters can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon.DDI

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

EDIT:

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

Small characters can't use two-handed weapons, and have to use two hands to wield a versatile weapon.DDI

Are there any benefits to make up for this?

EDIT:

Further disadvantages include:

  • The inability to Grab Large creatures (medium creatures can).
  • The inability to Bull-Rush Large Creatures (medium creatures can).
  • A shortened vertical reach when jumping (one-third of the creature's height is added to athletics checks; the smaller the creature, the shorter the reach).
  • Very limited options for 'Change Self' type rituals and powers, as they specify the new form must be your size category.

FURTHER EDIT:

I probably should have been quite clear that I was looking for benefits specifically supported by the rules, rather than anything that relies upon the DM being amenable to particular interpretations. Joe's answers are useful for the latter purpose, but were not what I was looking for clarification on.

Tweeted twitter.com/#!/StackRPG/status/214622217076604929
added additional disadvantages
Source Link
Ananisapta
Ananisapta
  • 2k
  • 1
  • 15
  • 21
Source Link
Ananisapta
Ananisapta
  • 2k
  • 1
  • 15
  • 21