Medium Two-handed Weapon can be used one-handed by Large PC's? Anyone familiar with this rule?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Mass isn't neccessary. Small, sharp slashing weapons can be just as dangerous- at least to the unarmored foe- as any other. A scalpel or razor to a major artery (femoral, carotid) will kill you quite quickly and effectively, especially in the hands of a trained combatant.

I once saw a trained knife fighter demonstrate a "carving" type counter strike to a blow from a right hand: this involved a block/grab followed by a shallow tracing up the arm, across the shoulder/neck, down the ribs and leg. It took less than 2 seconds. The resultant wound would have been very shallow, but because it crossed several major blood vessels, it probably have been fatal in minutes.

And as he also demonstrated, his knife was sharp enough to cut through a couple layers of clothing at that speed.

 

[delericho]

Mass isn't neccessary. Small, sharp slashing weapons can be just as dangerous- at least to the unarmored foe

Perhaps, but the vast majority of foes our tiny swordsman will meet are going to be armoured.

And as he also demonstrated, his knife was sharp enough to cut through a couple layers of clothing at that speed.

My understanding is that most longswords weren't actually all that sharp, and that they were hugely dependent on punching through, rather than cutting through, any protections.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Perhaps, but the vast majority of foes our tiny swordsman will meet are going to be armoured.

Not if they're the aggressors.

As in, it is a fundamental principle of combat- as conducted by intelligent warriors- that you only attack when it is to your advantage. Smart pixies on the attack wouldn't be meleeing armored opponents virtually impervious to their blades, they would only use those blades when they had a decent chance of harming their foes. IOW, when they're sleeping or otherwise vulnerable.

If attacked, they'd rely more heavily on their invisibility and other abilities to avoid the worst assaults until, as above, their offensive abilities had the greatest chance of success.

 

[delericho]

Not if they're the aggressors.

As in, it is a fundamental principle of combat- as conducted by intelligent warriors- that you only attack when it is to your advantage. Smart pixies on the attack wouldn't be meleeing armored opponents virtually impervious to their blades, they would only use those blades when they had a decent chance of harming their foes. IOW, when they're sleeping or otherwise vulnerable.

If attacked, they'd rely more heavily on their invisibility and other abilities to avoid the worst assaults until, as above, their offensive abilities had the greatest chance of success.

Okay, fair enough.

 

[epicbob]

Personally, I'm more partial to the original 3E rules. While it's admittedly not as realistic as 3.5E, I prefer its more straight-forward nature.

 

[Argyle King]

Not if they're the aggressors.

As in, it is a fundamental principle of combat- as conducted by intelligent warriors- that you only attack when it is to your advantage. Smart pixies on the attack wouldn't be meleeing armored opponents virtually impervious to their blades, they would only use those blades when they had a decent chance of harming their foes. IOW, when they're sleeping or otherwise vulnerable.

If attacked, they'd rely more heavily on their invisibility and other abilities to avoid the worst assaults until, as above, their offensive abilities had the greatest chance of success.

Unfortunately for the pixie, the likely very low damage they would inflict even with a coup de grace forces a relatively low fort save for me to survive, and I likely then just wake up and kill the pixie.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Unfortunately for the pixie, the likely very low damage they would inflict even with a coup de grace forces a relatively low fort save for me to survive, and I likely then just wake up and kill the pixie.

Again, not if they're the aggressors and played as befits their average intelligence of 16. Once you're down- assuming they don't secure you a la Gulliver- they can do a coup De grace. This, by rule, is an auto hit with auto crit, forcing you to make a Fort Save D10+ damage (assuming regular armament, that will be DC14).

Odds are decent that you'll make that save, and awaken.

But again, if they're being smart, once you wake, you'll be hit by another volley of sleep arrows from the pixie archers who had you covered while the CDG was being attempted, and subject to another CDG strike.

Wash, rinse, repeat until all the bigguns are dead or they're out of sleep arrows...

Of course, if they DID secure you, well, then it's time for the death of 1,000 cuts.

Besides, its not like killing a pixie is that easy- you have to find them, first. Not easy to do that for a foe with greater invisibility.








(For Elves and other enemies, they'd have to use other tactics, of course.)

 

[Argyle King]

Again, not if they're the aggressors and played as befits their average intelligence of 16. Once you're down- assuming they don't secure you a la Gulliver- they can do a coup De grace. This, by rule, is an auto hit with auto crit, forcing you to make a Fort Save D10+ damage (assuming regular armament, that will be DC14).

Odds are decent that you'll make that save, and awaken.

But again, if they're being smart, once you wake, you'll be hit by another volley of sleep arrows from the pixie archers who had you covered while the CDG was being attempted, and subject to another CDG strike.

Wash, rinse, repeat until all the bigguns are dead or they're out of sleep arrows...

Of course, if they DID secure you, well, then it's time for the death of 1,000 cuts.

Besides, its not like killing a pixie is that easy- you have to find them, first. Not easy to do that for a foe with greater invisibility.








(For Elves and other enemies, they'd have to use other tactics, of course.)

I see. So, we've discovered that, realistically, a horde of super-intelligent and violent commando pixies could easily kill and unarmed solo farmer who has neither friends nor armor. I completely agree.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I see. So, we've discovered that, realistically, a horde of super-intelligent and violent commando pixies could easily kill and unarmed solo farmer who has neither friends nor armor. I completely agree.

Or anything else subject to Sleep spell effects.

It isn't their only tactic, though. And I wasn't suggesting that they're über-foes, just that Int 16 critters with greater invisibility and other combat resources will tend to use those resources well. IOW, if hey intend to CDG foes, they're going to do so when, where & how it makes sense for them to do so.

In most situations, Pixies would be more inclined to make you forget your ill intentions towards them, or otherwise make it more trouble than its worth to mess with them.

OTOH, undead would be unaffected by most of their abilities, so unless they're cornered, pixies facing attack by the unliving would probably opt to flee and evade unless forced to fight.