?s about Small Races [Archive] - Wizards Community

?s about Small Races [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
khyron1144
02-23-07, 12:28 PM I have two questions about small creatures:

1) Is a Strength penalty mandatory when designing a new small race?

2) Could a Small race have the powerful build feature? Every published example I've seen, puts it on Medium creatures to make them Large for certain effects. Could you put it on a Small creature to make it Medium for certain effects? Could you put it on a Large creature to make it Huge for certain effects?
PolasKasDorion
02-23-07, 12:34 PM Redcaps are small creatures with Powerful Build... they also have a level adjustment.

Negative strenght isn't a necessity. Their size already plays a roll in how "strong" they can be... as in how much they can life and the size of weapons they can use. Granted, it seems natural for a small creature to seem weaker... but doesn't mean they can't hit, jump, climb, or swim as well.
JarionSilverblades
02-23-07, 12:38 PM Good ?'s
Huzzah!
02-23-07, 12:46 PM Some would argue that a dwarf is a Small creature with Powerful Build. :)

Powerful Build is a racial feature that you could apply to any homebrewed race that you want. Goliaths were the first with PB and being Small would have conflicted with their Conan-esque flavor, hence the Medium status.

In the PHB, halflings are described as weight roughly between 30 to 35 lbs, while gnomes are 40 to 45 lbs. This means that a halfling is the size of a human 4-year-old, and a gnome is a 5-year-old.

http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_kids_centils.htm

If you imagine a warrior in fullplate with a bastard sword against a 5-year-old armed with anything less than a lightsaber, a -2 to Str is being generous. :)
khyron1144
02-23-07, 09:53 PM Thank you all. This is very helpful and inspirational.
AMGriffin
02-23-07, 10:23 PM 1) Is a Strength penalty mandatory when designing a new small race?

Nope. They could be really strong for their size, much in the same way that an orc is really strong for it's size. Also consider the fact that they're going to suffer grapple checks, carrying and lifting limits, and all that stuff.

2) Could a Small race have the powerful build feature? Every published example I've seen, puts it on Medium creatures to make them Large for certain effects. Could you put it on a Small creature to make it Medium for certain effects? Could you put it on a Large creature to make it Huge for certain effects?

Yes.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
khyron1144 02-23-07, 12:28 PM	I have two questions about small creatures: 1) Is a Strength penalty mandatory when designing a new small race? 2) Could a Small race have the powerful build feature? Every published example I've seen, puts it on Medium creatures to make them Large for certain effects. Could you put it on a Small creature to make it Medium for certain effects? Could you put it on a Large creature to make it Huge for certain effects?
PolasKasDorion 02-23-07, 12:34 PM	Redcaps are small creatures with Powerful Build... they also have a level adjustment. Negative strenght isn't a necessity. Their size already plays a roll in how "strong" they can be... as in how much they can life and the size of weapons they can use. Granted, it seems natural for a small creature to seem weaker... but doesn't mean they can't hit, jump, climb, or swim as well.
JarionSilverblades 02-23-07, 12:38 PM	Good ?'s
Huzzah! 02-23-07, 12:46 PM	Some would argue that a dwarf is a Small creature with Powerful Build. :) Powerful Build is a racial feature that you could apply to any homebrewed race that you want. Goliaths were the first with PB and being Small would have conflicted with their Conan-esque flavor, hence the Medium status. In the PHB, halflings are described as weight roughly between 30 to 35 lbs, while gnomes are 40 to 45 lbs. This means that a halfling is the size of a human 4-year-old, and a gnome is a 5-year-old. http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_kids_centils.htm If you imagine a warrior in fullplate with a bastard sword against a 5-year-old armed with anything less than a lightsaber, a -2 to Str is being generous. :)
khyron1144 02-23-07, 09:53 PM	Thank you all. This is very helpful and inspirational.
AMGriffin 02-23-07, 10:23 PM	1) Is a Strength penalty mandatory when designing a new small race? Nope. They could be really strong for their size, much in the same way that an orc is really strong for it's size. Also consider the fact that they're going to suffer grapple checks, carrying and lifting limits, and all that stuff. 2) Could a Small race have the powerful build feature? Every published example I've seen, puts it on Medium creatures to make them Large for certain effects. Could you put it on a Small creature to make it Medium for certain effects? Could you put it on a Large creature to make it Huge for certain effects? Yes.