Half-giant 'Powerful Build' from XPH

[Goblyn]

What point are you trying to make?

A Medium creature can wield weapons designed for a Large creature, with a -2 penalty.

A Medium half-giant can wield weapons designed for a Large creature, with no penalty.

-Hyp.

Well, I'm fuzzy on the 3.0 vs 3.5 weapon-penalty/size thing. I thought that the penalty suffered by a medium sized creature holding an oversized weapon is -2 to attack, and if the weapon is a Large weapon to begin with, then the penalty includes the medium-sizer to use two hands(say that Large-sized greatsword).

That is thought-ness. Feel free to perforate it for I don't have the 3.5 PHB, justy the srd to go by.

Oh, and

If a weapon's category is changed to something other than light, one-handed, or two-handed, it's too big to use.

Does this apply to the medium size creature with a -2 penalty, or the medium size creature with powerful build, or both?

Edit:

I think he is suggestiong that a weapon's handedness being shifted for being a size larger could be considered a "penalty" even though not "A negative modifier to a die roll."

I think the intent of the ability was to allow half giants to use weapons as through they were large creatures (or medium).

D'Oh, I could have saved myself a whole bunch of typing. Mr MatthewJHanson has it.

 

[Goblyn]

By 'What point?" I meant "Are you highlighting that sentence as support for interpretation 1 or interpretation 2?"

To me, that sentence is exactly what I1 says. So if he's highlighting it as support for I2, it would be amusing to me

-Hyp.

First: Sorry for all my blather; I'm catching up to the thread.

I meant it as a support for number 2 and am doubly glad that I am able to amuse you

However I will state my argument which then may be subject to perforation:

The description says that the half giant is considered large size whenever it is advantageous for him. Okay, this is in the srd. It doesn't prove anything on it's own in this respect, but is RAW nonetheless.

1:"A half-giant can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size."

These are consecutive sentences. The first states what the ability can do; the second places limitations on that ability. In these limitations it does not say that a medium char with powerful build must consider itself a medium creature for further weapon properties. It is more advantageous for the char to be considered a large creature; thus, from above, (1 the char is considered a large size creature.

I think the real crux of this problem is the fact that the word 'penalty', while defined as a numerical negative, has not been limited to that use in the various books.

Anyway, I'm done. Deconstruct and invalidate but please, be gentle ... I've been drinking.

Edit: spelin'

 

[3d6]

The ability doesn't say that the half-giant is "considered Large size whenever it is advantageous for him". It says that he is considered Large size "whenever a half-giant is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier" and "when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him". That's it.

 

[Goblyn]

The ability doesn't say that the half-giant is "considered Large size whenever it is advantageous for him". It says that he is considered Large size "whenever a half-giant is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier" and "when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him". That's it.

D'Oh. Bloody perentheses teaming up with beer to make me the fool.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

The redcap in MM3 has Powerful Build. It's a Small fey that wields a Medium scythe in two hands, so it looks like "intent of the ability was to allow half giants to use weapons as through they were large creatures (or medium)."

 

[moritheil]

I concur that the thing is just not well-written, and apparently the intent was to make it so that the character is treated as one size larger for the purposes of wielding weapons.

Rule it how you want for your campaign. I had a half-giant cleric in mine and it wasn't imbalancing (of course, when you're LA+1, and thus level 1 when everyone else is level 2 . . . )

The redcap in MM3 has Powerful Build. It's a Small fey that wields a Medium scythe in two hands, so it looks like "intent of the ability was to allow half giants to use weapons as through they were large creatures (or medium)."