Are small characters under powered?

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Dwarves are only good at being fighters and clerics? What's wrong with dwarven wizards, rangers, barbarians, rogues, and monks?

Dwarven wizards aren't actually that bad (no real penalties), but rangers, barbarians, rogues and monks all need speed, which dwarves don't have. This is especially a big deal for rogues, who need mobility but have nothing to enhance it (beyond Tumble, which forces you to move at half speed, and dwarves are slow as it is).

A bonus to Constitution is good for pretty much everybody, while Charisma is D&D's traditional dump stat. Plus you get darkvision and a grab bag of random bonuses (+2 to save vs. spells is nothing to sneeze at!). The slow movement is a minor-to-moderate nuisance.

+2 to save is pretty sweet, but that's good for every class. Contrast with speed, which affects some classes hardly at all (fighters, for instance) but affects some classes quite a bit.

All that said, halflings make better rogues and gnomes make better wizards. But dwarven rogues and wizards are still good.

I'm going to have to say "no" to dwarven rogues being "good". You can optimize one, of course, but I can't just see one outperforming a human.

 

[amerigoV]

Dwarven wizards aren't actually that bad (no real penalties), but rangers, barbarians, rogues and monks all need speed, which dwarves don't have. This is especially a big deal for rogues, who need mobility but have nothing to enhance it (beyond Tumble, which forces you to move at half speed, and dwarves are slow as it is).



+2 to save is pretty sweet, but that's good for every class. Contrast with speed, which affects some classes hardly at all (fighters, for instance) but affects some classes quite a bit.



I'm going to have to say "no" to dwarven rogues being "good". You can optimize one, of course, but I can't just see one outperforming a human.

I think you are selling dwarven rogues short (ha! pun intended). Anytime you get into these types of discussion, "it depends" pops up as situations warrant. So if you are running your rogue as the classic party scout/trapfinder, then they are very strong especially in Ye Olde Dungeon

Consider (this is 3.5e):

• The stonecunning helps with finding secret doors
• Darkvision is huge - no light to give away position while scouting/hiding
• +3 saves vs. Poison when the rogue "oops" (+2 for poison resist, +1 for Con)
• +2 vs. spells for again if there is an "oops" in finding a magical trap
• +2 Appraise when assessing loot
• Speed not reduced further when carryout all the Phat L00t out of the dungeon.
• Extra HP are nice when your fighter losses aggro and the critter turns on you
• Dwarven rogues love Giants

Sure, there are plenty of situations where human rogues are better. But Dwarven rogues are very strong in a classic dungeon crawl campaign and are more survivable than most of the other races (fast is meaningless if you are dead)

As always YMMV.

 

[Celebrim]

No, they are overpowered.

Just examine what small gets you:

+1 to hit
+1 to AC
+4 to hide
Depending on the realism demanded by the DM, assorted minor advantages in squeezing through tight spaces and avoiding certain sorts of traps (like thin ice, weight sensitive pits, or decapitating sythes).

For this they receive the penalties:

-1 to weapon damage (roughly)
somewhat reduced carrying capacity, generally mitigated by equipment that weighs less
-4 to grapple

+1 to hit is generally better than -1 to weapon damage (power attack, spell rays, etc.)
+1 to AC is generally better than reduced carrying capacity.
+4 to hide is somewhat worse than -4 to grapple, but against really big grapplers you aren't getting out that way anyway

Now, that doesn't necessarily prove that the small races are very attractive to play, but being small sized is probably slightly better than being medium especially if you are a spell-caster.

 

[Walking Dad]

Is this discussion only 3.5?

If yes, why is it not in D&D Legacy Discussion?


If not:

In 4e small is more often bad than not.

In all D&D editions, many small races are also slow, which is the most negative aspect besides the smaller weapons.

In anime d20, being small costs you 3 CP.

In the WoD games, being small is a character flaw.

In GURPS (3e), being small is a disadvantage. Tall is one, too.

In L5R, being small is a disadvantage.

In M&M, it costs PP (is considered positive) and is a power.