Longswords for Halflings in SRD?

[Hypersmurf]

If the previous system were as broken as one would be led to believe, original design team members wouldn't have used a nearly identical system in AU/AE.

I don't think the previous system was broken; but neither do I think the current rules are broken, and they make more sense to me.

I didn't have any problem with the 3E rules, but I wouldn't use the variant in 3.5.

-Hyp.

 

[Storyteller01]

I don't think the previous system was broken; but neither do I think the current rules are broken, and they make more sense to me.

I didn't have any problem with the 3E rules, but I wouldn't use the variant in 3.5.

-Hyp.

Fair enough. The 3.0 and AU versions works for me.

 

[Dracorat]

We do. As it stands, I don't see it as an elegant solution. It adds another layer of math that most players ignore or are forced to go out of their way to negate. If the previous system were as broken as one would be led to believe, original design team members wouldn't have used a nearly identical system in AU/AE. My opinion though.

And if they are weilding an inappropriately sized weapon, why *shouldn't* they have to go out of their way to negate a penalty to weild it?

 

[Sledge]

Halflings are chimpanzees now?

Look at this video. Third one from the bottom:

http://xo.typepad.com/blog/2005/12/14/index.html

We established earlier that a chimpanzee qualifies as a small creature. Per the video, it's definitely as strong as a human in combat, even though it can't carry as much.

While a halfling or other small creature can't carry as much, they can hit just as hard with a weapon, represented by the fact that they gain the same damage bonuses as humans with equivalent strength.

As for using western weapons, you'll run into the same problems. A roman gladius and european short blade (IE: big knife) was made to fit hands of similar size.

That video only establishes that chimpanzees are strong for their size. Despite that they couldn't maintain a grapple with someone that was deliberately not trying to hurt them back. Also a chimpanzee is around 100 lb. Light for a medium creature but very heavy for a small creature. The fact that there are strong smallish creatures that could possibly be medium if standing does not bear on the ability of average small creatures to hold weapons.

The question for size isn't whether a child could hold the weapon, but is instead whether an adult could hold it better. because I can certain hold objects that are too large for me to effectively use them. But still this is easy to test. To effectively wield the pictured wakizashi (which is small already for a short sword) it needs two hands apparently. The assertion that the size categories don't make sense requires the child to fully and effectively wield that weapon, or a weapon significantly larger with just one hand and as well as an adult.

I do see that the granularity of the size categories is not perfect, but it is far better than having categories like: medium, slightly less medium, moderately less medium, slightly smallish, moderately smallish, small, etc etc

If this granularity becomes irritating, perhaps rather than using the old 3.0 system with its known flaws it would be best to use the 3.5 system and make some exceptions for some light weapons.

 

[Storyteller01]

And if they are weilding an inappropriately sized weapon, why *shouldn't* they have to go out of their way to negate a penalty to weild it?

You have yet to establish that it is inappropriately sized, besides pointing to the RAW. Go back to the derringer. Does a medium creature take penalties to use it?

 

[Storyteller01]

That video only establishes that chimpanzees are strong for their size. Despite that they couldn't maintain a grapple with someone that was deliberately not trying to hurt them back. Also a chimpanzee is around 100 lb. Light for a medium creature but very heavy for a small creature. The fact that there are strong smallish creatures that could possibly be medium if standing does not bear on the ability of average small creatures to hold weapons.

Established earlier, a chimp averages between 2.29 to 3.29 feet in height. Fits for a small creature. Heavy or not, it's a small creature that can grapple a nd medium creature. If the medium creature thought he wasn't going to be harmed, he wouldn't have run. If you listen to the commentator, the human suffered some extensive damage.

The question for size isn't whether a child could hold the weapon, but is instead whether an adult could hold it better. because I can certain hold objects that are too large for me to effectively use them. But still this is easy to test. To effectively wield the pictured wakizashi (which is small already for a short sword) it needs two hands apparently. The assertion that the size categories don't make sense requires the child to fully and effectively wield that weapon, or a weapon significantly larger with just one hand and as well as an adult.

The pic is to show that a small creature can hold the weapon. As Hype pointed out, halflings are not the same as human children. Give the weapon to a small creature with near equivalent strength, and the situation changes.

Also keep in mind that in the pic, the child is posing. There's nothing in the pic that indicates he HAS to use both hands.

 

[starwed]

So clearly... chimps have powerful build. ^_^

 

[Storyteller01]

So clearly... chimps have powerful build. ^_^

As would the halfling with the 16 str.

A funky concept, but it is a fantasy game.

 

[Dracorat]

I fail to see how a modern day firearm helps you in your argument, but regardless, if that's what you want...

I fail to see how the halfling would be able to weild that without penalty, especially if he doesn't use two hands. The normal sized person can weild it fine.

 

[Storyteller01]

I fail to see how a modern day firearm helps you in your argument, but regardless, if that's what you want...

I fail to see how the halfling would be able to weild that without penalty, especially if he doesn't use two hands. The normal sized person can weild it fine.

Now use proper proportions. A derringer is barely lager than a human palm. It barely fits in a human hand.