Weapons doing greater damage to Large Sized Creatures...why?

[Aaron L]

I always reasoned that it was to represent that some weapons had more "piercing" ability, or whatever, and when you attacked something that had more mass the weapon could sin' deeper into it and cause more damage. Thus, a chopping broadsword or battleaxe did the same damage to all sizes, while a longsword that you could also conceivably pierce with you could sink deeper into a dragon's belly and cause more damage.

I think it was really just some random game element that people tried to rationalize, much like demi-human class restrictions and level limits.

 

[Celebrim]

Why do bucklers cost so much more than small shields?

 

[T. Foster]

I had this settled in my mind at one time, something involving IIRC damage to horses, but I no longer remember what the reasoning/logic I used was, and I was probably full of crap anyway...

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

Did Col_Pladoh explain his reason in one of the Q&A threads and I missed it?

I asked Gary this very question in August 1983 at WorldCon in Chicago. I was especially interested in knowing why broadswords did less damage versus large as well as why spears do more.

His response was that piercing weapon do more damage versus large and weapons that do not do piercing at all do less damage (club, mace, broadsword, &c.) The rationale was that piercing weapons do not inflict their full potential versus man-sized creatures [visualize that scene in Excalibur when Arthur impales Mordred with a lance]. Bludgeoning weapons do less damage versus large creatures because these creatures have larger and thicker bones and muscles.

Personally I agree completely with piercing weapons doing more. I'm a little ambivalent on the whole bludgeoning weapon doing less. But broadswords should inflict the same for large and man-sized since they are slashing (hacking) weapons rather than bludgeoning.

At any rate, this is an area that’s easy to house rule if you don’t agree with EGG.

 

[diaglo]

The pointy end goes in the other man.

If he's a giant, you can fit a whole lot more of the pointy end in him

ditto.

plus remember what hit points represent. they aren't health points mostly. only con has an effect on hit points for health reasons.

they are training points. ways to avoid vital damage.

so an Ogre.. 4 hd + 1 hp. means his size give him a bonus to attacks ( he attacks as someone trained like a hero) but he isn't necessarily trained to avoid the damage as well as a hero would be. he is just a big bruiser. not a trained fighter.

so while the size gave him a bonus to attack and he did more damage (1d10). he was still clumsy in a fight. the extra damage to large represents the Ogre exposing more vital areas.

this is why called shots should never have been added to the game.

 

[Piratecat]

The short answer is that 1 and 2e D&D rules make no sense. Play the game and leave your logic at the door.

Perhaps you missed the edition wars debacle, which triggered because people started stating their opinions as absolutes and bashing other editions. Let's not do that. "1 and 2e rules make no sense to me" is a legitimate gripe; stating that they make no sense whatsoever as "teh troof!" is not. Please stay far, far away from these pronouncements, everyone, because they only start fights.

If this is unclear for anyone, please feel free to email me.

 

[rossik]

that was a good point. (about hp not being "health points")

maybe kobolds can duck better than giants, in order to avoid hits :\

 

[Mercule]

The pointy end goes in the other man.

If he's a giant, you can fit a whole lot more of the pointy end in him

That's pretty much the rationale I always accepted. You can get more business out of the business end.

Customer service, baby!

 

[diaglo]

that was a good point. (about hp not being "health points")

maybe kobolds can duck better than giants, in order to avoid hits :\

1d4 hps. i don't think so.

if they get hit. they pretty much die.

don't forget i quoted Umbran too.

there is no one answer. it is a combination of mechanics and fluff.

 

[rossik]

1d4 hps. i don't think so.

if they get hit. they pretty much die.

don't forget i quoted Umbran too.

there is no one answer. it is a combination of mechanics and fluff.

....point taken

maybe i was too extreme in sizes, but i got the idea.

so, whats a "large" anyway?
2,10m?