Small characters and weapons

[Negflar2099]

i agree that small races are a tad sub-optimal for weapon using builds but Martial Power has plenty of feats for hallfings that help counteract that and I'm sure PHB II will have the same type of feats for gnomes. Kobolds and Goblins on the other hand are just SOL.

 

[mlund]

Halflings are the only Small PC Race. Kobolds, Gnomes, and assorted sundry other Small races are Monster Races. Only Halflings have a full set of PC abilities and Feats designed to compensate for their stature. Their racial features and feats do a fair job making up for their -1 average damage on weapons. The other, Monster Race, Small Characters don't have these features and thus suffer for it.

The Half Elf is pretty bad at fighting with Weapons compared to most other races too (Con and Cha bumps as opposed to Str or Dex). The only Weapon powers he can employ to full efficiency are the Paladin's, similar to how the Halfling's relationship with the Rogue.

- Marty Lund

 

[RedBeardJim]

Halflings are the only Small PC Race. Kobolds, Gnomes, and assorted sundry other Small races are Monster Races.

Right now. Gnomes are coming in the PH2, who knows what might show up in later volumes.

 

[Baumi]

I love playing Halflings and in 4E I might have not as many weapons as the big 'umans but at least the ones I can use, are not inferior, thanks to the light blades (no versatile and all one-handed) and the scimitar.

But I do have to agree that the supplements did support the big ones quite well (superior, double-weapons) but seemed to forget the the small.. ähmm normal sized weapon wielders.

I do understand that double-weapons don't fit (like polearms), but there should have been one or two superior weapons with small users in mind (like Scimitar versus longsword), also a superior small bow would have been nice.

 

[Starfox]

My personal opinion is that Gnomes should be able to use picks as if they were medium-size. Not that it would make many gnome warriors, but it would be nice flavor.

Maybe a Gnome Weapon Mastery feat that grants proficiency with all picks, lets you use picks as if you were medium-sized, and adds some nice damage on top.

Also Gnome Pick Finesse that lets you use picks as if they were light blades (but does not combine with the above).

I also kind of miss the halfling's old affinity for slings and thrown rocks, that could also be made into skills à la Martial power.

 

[Nytmare]

I would also like to lodge a complaint that small characters make for lousy fire breathers and fey stepping super elves. Totally unfair.

 

[Lojaan]

Two words: Tempest Style. It's almost built for halflings. The limit of only using off-hand weapons is no limit for a halfling, plus their high dex can easily allow them as good an AC in hide instead of chainmail.

 

[Smeelbo]

Halfling singing da blues:

"Oh when you is small,
Don't trust them that is tall,
No not big folk at all,
When you is small..."

Freeble Weeble-Took
Formerly of Weebledown

 

[deleteme123456]

Might as well argue that Tieflings make lousy fighters, because guess what, they do! For that matter, Dragonborn are terrible Wizards! The whole system must be flawed.

Some race/class combos work better than others. There are (esp with the addition of PHB2) enough CHA or DEX based spellcasting classes (Warlock, Bard, Sorc, even Druid is doable), plus the rogue, tempest fighter, etc. that I'm not really worried about the small classes getting screwed.