Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 FryEntropy Feb 16, 2015 15:38:48	Trying to think up a Gnome character that uses a greatsword.  Kinda picturing him wielding it like a busterblade from FF7.  Is it a possibility for gnome to wield a greatsword?
#2 warpiglet Feb 16, 2015 16:04:54	I think with disadvantage...
#3 Kalani Feb 16, 2015 16:11:13	Small creatures have disadvantage when using weapons with the heavy property - including greatswords and many other traditionally "large" weapons.
#4 bawylie Feb 16, 2015 17:30:07	Who cares? Do it!
#5 JohnLynch Feb 16, 2015 22:20:11	Halflings have never (barring some type of ability/feat like "overgrip" or "jotungrip") been able to wield a human's greatsword effectively. In 1st ed/2nd ed/3rd ed weapons sized for smaller creatures used a smaller a damage die. So a "halflings greatsword" might deal 1d10 instead of 2d6. In 4th ed and 5th ed WotC has taken the stance of "there's no real difference between using a longsword in two hands and using a "small" greatsword, therefore small weapons no longer exist and small characters are restricted from effectively using two-handed heavy weapons."   Mechanically it makes no difference and it makes a certain amount of sense from a narrative purpose. If you want to have a "halfling" sized greatsword then use a longsword, scribble out the name "longsword" and replace it with "small greatsword" and scribble out the "versatile" property on your character sheet.   Or play a halfling barbarian who always uses reckless attack and use a human sized greatsword.
#6 Kalani Feb 16, 2015 22:07:31	JohnLynch wrote:
(Reply to #6) JohnLynch	Kalani wrote:
#8 LuisCarlos17f Feb 18, 2015 5:08:30	Almost off-topic. Smaller doesn´t mean weaker. A chimpanzee from real world is strong as two humans.   * If there is a D&D equivalent one to the real world graphene the giant swords like ones from Final Fantasy videogames could be possible.    * I imagine little humanoids (gnomes, halflings, goblins..) with halberds to fight againts bigger enemies like ogres.
#9 MrHotter Feb 18, 2015 8:22:02	The first house rule I have in any edition is to remove the penalties for being small. I don't want players to avoid a small race because it's the 'wrong' choice for the class they want to play.    A simple house rule is to change the 'heavy' property for weapons to say that the character will have disadvantage on attacks unless their strength ability is 15 or higher.    I don't see any reason why an 80 pound human with an 8 for STR should be able to weild a greatsword without disadvantage but a halfling with 20 strength could not.
#10 pauln6 Feb 18, 2015 11:52:12	Nah a small dude wielding a massive weapon just looks silly.  I'd keep the limitation.    However, one ability we've added to gauntlets of ogre power is that the PC is treated as large when attuned.  In fact you could reduce the strength bonus to +2 and +4 for girdles with large and huge respectively.  Flat 19 strength is boring compared to being able to wrestle a hill giant to the ground.  A halfling wearing a girdle of giant strength could then wield the greatsword, looking silly or not and a +4 strength bonus would not need to be as unbalancing as the flat bonuses become because you could set an upper limit based on giant type and it would max at 24 for PCs rather than 30.
#11 FryEntropy Feb 18, 2015 16:14:22	I think my plan is to stick with how the rules are and just let him wield a longsword with two hands.  It is still just as big as a gnome but itsnt considered a "heavy weapon"