Are Small creatures at a disadvantage in battle?

[billd91]

On the flip side, large PCs (like half-ogres) gain a pretty nice benefit in reach as well as bonuses on bull rush, grapple, etc.
On the other hand, you end up using the squeezing rules a lot.

 

[IanB]

On the plus side, the scout class works really well for small folks - your damage comes mostly from added dice, being a primary ranged attacker means you stay out of range of grapplers most of the time, you get a movement speed bonus to offset your speed penalty, and the extra +1 to hit is handy for dealing with cover, etc., on your ranged attacks.

Same goes for warlocks.

 

[RangerWickett]

Warlocks should always be halflings or gnomes. The same goes for most other characters whose damage doesn't rely on strength. It sort of depressed me that one of the best tactical options for my sorcerer was to cast reduce person on himself. +2 to ray attacks, +2 to AC, which stacks with mage armor and shield? Amazing.

And also stupid looking. Behold my eldritch, travel-size fury!

 

[IanB]

Well, there's a pretty strong argument to be made for humans still, since it means precise shot earlier (if you're EB-focused.)

Of course if you're playing a FR game, then that halfling subrace that gets the bonus feat is looking pretty good.

 

[Darklone]

Small warlocks are asking for disaster, they can be easily grappled.

I had some small chars in my group who were going for melee builds... the higher the level got, the worse it became with grapple, disarm and other stuff.

One build I've seen here on the boards: Halfling fighter with spiked chain and power attack... due to his racial bonuses and to hit bonus, he actually causes more damage than his human counterpart.

 

[shilsen]

The Shadow Blade feat from Book of Nine Swords is handy. It applies Dexterity bonus to damage, and the only prerequisite IIRC is knowledge of one Shadow Hand stance.

You also have to be using a Shadow Hand weapon and be in a Shadow Hand stance while making the attacks.

Generally that means taking 1 level in a martial adept class (crusader, swordsage, warblade) or taking the Martial Study feat and then the Martial Stance feat (the former is a prerequisite for the latter). Other Shadow Hand-related feats from that book can also help some. Similarly, I think the Desert Wind-related feats help boost damage output, AC, and I think movement speed (don't have the book myself, and I'm not borrowing a copy at present). Really, 1 level of Swordsage alone would be great for a wee'un. Some maneuvers from the Setting Sun discipline also help small folks deal with larger folks in a fight.

All good points. The Bo9S can really help a small PC hold his own in melee combat.

 

[The Edge]

The lower speed is what puts off my players I think. They want to out manuever things and jump gaps and stuff.

In one game I had two rogue PCs, same level, a halfing and a goblin. The halfing player found it really irritateing that he was always left in the dust of the goblins 30ft spd. They were very much a duo, always working together and going in for nasty double team sneak attacks. But the halfing player was often forced to say "er, sorry, I can't tumble that far.". Or when they were pursued by the city guard in a market, while the goblin ran, jumped, and climbed his way to freedom, the poor halfling was left hideing under tables untill the goblin bailed him out by distracting the guards after already escapeing once.

It was supriseing when put together just how much difference the speed made in theese situations. :\

 

[Darklone]

Kobolds have 30ft movement as well. Kobolds rule! Goblins suck!

 

[Deset Gled]

Realistically penalized. A small creature should have a bitch of a time knocking over or shoving around a significantly larger one.

A small person should have a hard time pushing someone over or grappling them, but I would think they would have an easier time hitting someone in the knee to make them fall over. I guess that's more of a complaint about the tripping mechanics being soley based on strength instead of dex, though.

Small characters really got the shaft when it comes to melee fighting. They take a double hit: lowered strength and lowered weapon damage. It's sad.

 

[pawsplay]

A small person should have a hard time pushing someone over or grappling them, but I would think they would have an easier time hitting someone in the knee to make them fall over. I guess that's more of a complaint about the tripping mechanics being soley based on strength instead of dex, though.

I'd like to see you trip an elephant.

Not to prove any particular point, I'm just having a cruel impulse, teehee.