Dwarf vs Gargantuan Great Axe

[Arnix]

Situation:
Dwarf with 21 Strength. Helps kill a Huge creature wielding a gargantuan great axe. The axe is damage 2d12, size gargantuan, somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 feet long with a head width of probably 12-15 feet, weighing approx 400 pounds.

Quandry:
Dwarf has the strength to carry the load. Not debated. Should he be allowed to carry the axe UNASSISTED. I told him (as DM) a simple no because of its shier bulk. He would need assistance to carry the item (not dragging it). Given that the item is over 5x the length of the dwarf I felt that this was appropriate.


Comments? Suggestions?


Arnix (tm)

 

[hong]

I wouldn't have a problem with disallowing it. Situations like this are what DM's discretion is for.

 

[0-hr]

The chart lists the maximum weight that a character can carry. It does not mention volume or length and so it is up to the DM to apply common sense in that regard.

If that were a ball of uranium the size of a bowling ball then yes, the dwarf could lug it around in his hands. But a 5ft dwarf carrying a 30ft long axe by himself is just silly. Properly balanced he could bench press it, and maybe take a few careful steps. If he tried to do anything more ambitious, I'd have him make some serious blance checks to keep it properly positioned. Otherwise it would just fall to one side or the other. To move something like that would really need at least two strong people.

 

[Mordeth]

Or how about at max load, and must make endurance checks to keep moving.

That way he could for awhile, but would eventually need to rest.

 

[AuraSeer]

I agree that your ruling was appropriate; the dwarf hasn't got enough leverage to lift the axe and keep it balanced. He could drag it around, but the nasty scraping noise would alert every monster within a mile, and he'd still have trouble fitting through doorways.

 

[Rel]

I think you are perfectly within your rights to say that he can't carry the axe (or make him make some Balance checks - those don't pop up all that often). My only issue is that I would submit that an axe of that size (assuming that the head is iron or steel)would weigh substantially more than 400 lbs.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

My only point is I don't think a guargantuan sized weapon is actually guargantuan in size. The great axe is a large weapon yet it isn't large in size.(it's 6' maybe, with maybe a 2' head in width though more liekly 1' to 1.5 foot in width) basically this thing is probably the same length as the creature wielding it is tall.

Still it would be likely 20' in length and the head width would probably be aorund 6-7'(I'd actually go with3-5). Still even at that level without some special rig being built to hold the head and have the handle shooting in the air, I still wouldn't see a way it could be carried.

And even with some special rig I'd likely consider it a heavy load for speed reduction purposes, with balance checks being made if you want to increase the speed any.

I think a great axe normal size weighs in around 20lbs so I'd put a 20' vesion in at 850lbs. If you want to stick with a 30' great axe it would weigh about 1 ton.(30'=x5 normal size but x5 size in all dimesnions so the weight would be normal great axe weight 20x5x5x5)

 

[Arnix]

Shard, the only problme I have is your measurements for the head of the axe. An axe of 6' in length would have a far large head than a mere 1-1.5' width. A great axe is similar to a large headsman's axe. It would have a width of close to 40-50% of its length. Or roughly the shoulder width of a 6' tall lineman (assumed at 2-3 feet).

Using that math, the head of a 25' axe would be in the range of 10-12.5 feet.

I think we are talking Paul Bunion (sp?) here. Well, minus the blue bull.


Arnix (tm)

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Do you realize how big a foot is. Take a piece of ordinary paper attach that to you imaginary 6' stick. That is a lot of metal jutting out there. Especially since it s an axe head and not some thin skinny blade. Put 2 pieces of paper together length wise and now we have an axe of prepostrous yet perhaps d&d art like in proportion. I think a relaistic great axe would have a1-1.5' head while a more anime/d&d raging barbarian art axe might have a 2-2.5' head.

 

[Umbran]

Whether or not the dwarf should be allowed to carry the thing depends on the conditions...

The thing is large, yes. But, even a man of normal strength can manage to carry an object many times his own size, especially if it is long and narrow. Bulk is an issue when you cannot actually get your arms around a thing, or it forces you to carry the object in a manner that forcesyour body to be unbalanced. This is not the case here.

You find the balance point (which will likely be near the head), but that point on your shoulder, and walk. Very simple.

Very simple, at least if the terrain is mostly flat, unobstructed, and no fancy footwork is called for. Yes, he'll have this very long pole sticking out in front of (or behind) him. But if all that's going to happen is a walk back to town, I see no reason why one should disallow it. If it's within his weight alloance, let him carry it. But be sure to inflict the appropriate poenalties on him for encumbrance if somethign should happen while he's got this thing on him.