D&D 5E (2014) All character races are Medium-sized...why?

[James Gasik]

often i've stared at tiny dungeon rooms in confusion, wondering how it's contents got there. like a massive golden idol that can't fit through the rough hewn corridors of an ancient tomb.

 

[Umbran]

I'm pretty sure a 15-foot aura isn't gonna be game breaking.

"It doesn't break the game," is a pretty low bar, though.

 

[LadyElect]

often i've stared at tiny dungeon rooms in confusion, wondering how it's contents got there. like a massive golden idol that can't fit through the rough hewn corridors of an ancient tomb.

With a good enough investigation check, you discover the IKEA assembly instructions buried under some ancient tomes.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Because Large or larger makes life a lot more complicated for game designers. It's easier when everyone has the same size, and thus the same reach and area of effect for certain kinds of things.

Note, however, that this pattern is not totally inviolate, based on the recent UA. Barbarians with the Path of the Giant can rage to become Large or even Huge at high level. But this is an opt-in thing, rather than an always-on thing, and that makes a big difference. Or, if you prefer, this means being Large size is so good, having only a small number of rounds you can do that each day is a class feature all by itself.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Large weapon rules should be gone.

Large creatures should just be able to use two handed weapons in one hand. There are no small weapons either...

Maybe the might be oversized two handed weapons, but those should just do 2d8 damage. Probably scaling weapons upwards by stepping up the die should be the way to go.

As to narrow pathways. Yes, there should be narrow pathways.

Yes, this. Decouple reach and increased weapon damage from being large, and suddenly there's little reason to prohibit large sized races.

The only inherent benefit should be increased carrying capacity and maybe treating all weapons wielded by large creatures as having the heavy property. Everything else can be designed into the particular race.

Just because an ogre in the MM deals 2d8 damage with their great club doesn't entitle a PC ogre the same damage.

 

[James Gasik]

Yeah but we have Medium races that get the carry capacity benefit. So sure, we can have Large races but...what's the upside? If you have an aura? In exchange, you have difficulties with some adventuring, finding mounts you can ride, you weigh a ton....

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Yeah but we have Medium races that get the carry capacity benefit. So sure, we can have Large races but...what's the upside? If you have an aura? In exchange, you have difficulties with some adventuring, finding mounts you can ride, you weigh a ton....

1) It's fun.

2) Why does it need an upside? We have small races, and being small really only has disadvantages since they can't effectively use heavy weapons.

3) It opens up opportunities for PC races that include ogres, half-giants, true minotaur, ect.

 

[Ixal]

Thats the downside of bounded accuracy (and its obsession with it). It leaves no room for creativity.

 

[Stoutstien]

Thats the downside of bounded accuracy (and its obsession with it). It leaves no room for creativity.

I don't think bounded accuracy is designed to do what you think it does.

 

[Ixal]

I don't think bounded accuracy is designed to do what you think it does.

Bounded accuracy keeps the abilities of PCs within a verry narrow window. And being large, and many other things, is not inside it.