3.5 Smaller is better?

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

heavywolf

Aug 08, 2011 14:47:55

I have been trying very hard to find a way to make character smaller characters able to fight toe-to-toe in melee combat with much larger enemies. The idea is to make a character that gets stronger and more dangerous the smaller it gets, or at least to a size of diminutive. My initial goal was to utilize trip attacks with feats such as "Confound the big folk", "Elusive Target", and "Giant Bane". As it turns out, you can only trip an enemy one-size greater than you, so being of a diminutive size, you would only be able to trip tiny sized creatures or smaller. There does seem to be an exception to this in "Confound the Big Folk" which requires you to trip a creature of at least two sizes greater, and does not state a maximum size. There are also some feats, though I can't remember if all of them are third party, that let you use your dex (Like with "Confound the Big Folk") to trip rather than Strength. Do you think by using Dex instead of Str a character should be able to trip larger foes because he is not forcibly trying to unsteady a creature's footing?

Another method was because of a smaller creature's size it gains bonus to attack and dex (usually) So I looked into feats or other attacks similar to the Maneuver  from "Tome of battle", the "Fool's Strike". Since big creatures usually dish out more damage, and small creatures get better attack, it seems like a good idea to go for this. All the maneuvers in the same discipline also state you can use your dex for trips, so would they follow the size limitation as well?

So, what I'm asking for is any advice at all (Except for the hide bonus smaller creatures gain) on how to make a diminutive, tiny, or even fine character to be a decent melee fighting machine?

#2

Tempest_Stormwind

Aug 08, 2011 15:03:11 		I'll see your advice and raise you a build guide.

Plus, while you can use Dex to trip a target if you're using a Setting Sun throw (Tome of Battle), I think normal size maximums still apply since they're resolved as trip attempts.