Permanency: Enlarge

[Krel]

For a fighter-type PC, do the pros of Permanency: Enlarge Person, outweight the cons?

Here are the links:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/permanency.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/enlargePerson.htm

Thanks for the help!

-Krel

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Depends on the campaign you're running. It can be worth it if you are in combat with enough big creatures and especially if the setting is largely outdoors. But I thought of the same time in a game where I was a player and the DM pointed out before I decided to go ahead with it just how much trouble that can get you into in confined spaces. Essentially you become a giant (you end up about the size of a hill giant) and he mentioned he would have NPCs react to my character as if he were a giant (which were usually hostile in the setting).

Now I have as a DM seen a really interesting use of those spells. A halfling spellcaster who was short even for a halfling (right on the minimum racial height) and had a tremendous inferiority complex about it. Plus in the campaign the character ended up becoming involved with a half-dragon(human). So her player decided that she would take the permanent enlarge person as a way of making the relationship possible and to deal with the feelings of being uselessly short to the rest of the group.

 

[Deset Gled]

The bonuses you get from Enlarge Person definetally outweight the cons. The real problem is that Permanency costs XP, but can be lost with a simple Dispel Magic.

Only bother with a permanent Enlarge if you're starting a mission that is likely to be devoid of magic users for a long time.

 

[Dross]

The bonuses you get from Enlarge Person definetally outweight the cons. The real problem is that Permanency costs XP, but can be lost with a simple Dispel Magic.

Only bother with a permanent Enlarge if you're starting a mission that is likely to be devoid of magic users for a long time.

I wouldn't say definetally myself (although it can be). Any 5 foot corridor and you are squeezing, most ceilings would be too low. Most people would not easily/readily identify you as enlarged human but as a giant. Remember the extra costs of appropriately sized items (and no more comfy sitting or sleeping in medium sized furniture either, IF it can take the weight ).

Q: Does the Weapon Focus/SpecImproved Critical/etc feats apply to the weapon built for a medium sized being (when the feats were taken), or for one of appropriate size relative to the size of the wielder?

 

[Sejs]

Pros:

• 10' reach
• +1 or 1.5 to melee weapon damage from higher strength
• Increased base melee weapon damage from increased size: +2 to +3 damage on average.
• +4 bonus to certain checks like bull rush, grappling and trip resistance due to size.
• +1 to all str-related skills, such as swim, jump and climb.

Cons:

• -1 to reflex saves
• -1 to initiative
• -1 to all dex-related skills, such as balance, escape artist, and move silently.
• -2 to ac
• -2 to hit with ranged weapons
• No increase to ranged weapon damage
• -4 to hide checks
• Take up much more space making it difficult or impossible to move in tight or narrow terrain, such as tunnels, ledges, stairways or heavy woodlands. Normal doorways are now an ordeal, and you have to hunch down in most rooms. Furniture is not built to your scale: you can no longer sleep in most beds, sit in most chairs, etc.
• Weight multiplied by 8; someone who normally weighs 180 lbs now weighs 1440 lbs. Party members will have a difficult time moving you if you go unconscious. May be unable to perform certain tasks in which weight plays a factor such as climbing a rope or tree, crossing a bridge, or walking on ice.
• Finding transportation becomes difficult: you don't fit in a wagon, on a boat, anywhere belowdecks on a ship, and most mounts can't handle you.
• You are extremely conspicuous due to your size. Some people will be afraid of you, assuming you're a giant or similar. Everybody will remember you. Disguise or social subtlety is no longer an option.

Frankly, I would never get permanantly Enlarged. A lot of the drawbacks extend far beyond the benefits you'd gain solely in combat. I'd much rather just buy the wizard in the party a wand of Enlarge Person and have them use it on me when and where I need it. Walking around 10-12 feet tall and weighing around 3/4ths of a ton would make day to day life annoyingly difficult.

 

[Sejs]

Q: Does the Weapon Focus/SpecImproved Critical/etc feats apply to the weapon built for a medium sized being (when the feats were taken), or for one of appropriate size relative to the size of the wielder?

It's not size-speciffic. Weapon Focus (Longsword) applies to a small longsword, a medium longsword and a large longsword equally.

Doesn't apply to the enlarged person, however. Equipment resizes itself when in your possession: pick up a normal, medium longsword and it becomes large as long as its in your hands. Put it down, throw it at someone, etc and it becomes medium again as soon as you're no longer holding on to it.

That's one situation where they're not as hosed as a natively large creature. They can still use the bulk of normal-sized equipment they come across, due to the nature of the spell.

 

[Artoomis]

...Equipment resizes itself when in your possession: pick up a normal, medium longsword and it becomes large as long as its in your hands...

I don't know about that:

"...All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the spell..."

If you pick up a sword, it is NOW carried, but it was not when the spell was cast, so maybe it does not get enlarged.

 

[Stalker0]

I wouldn't, just because your going to get a dispel magic on you eventually, and then the xp you spent goes down the tubes.

The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for a melee fighter in most instances, imo.

 

[Wik]

Were it me, I'd get a special Ring made to bestow the enlarge effect upon the wearer (or an amulet, or whatever). There are all sorts of precedents for this in the game, so I can't see that being much of a problem (besides, if your GM is going to let you permanently enlarge yourself, he shouldn't have a problem with that). You spend a buttload of GP to get the ring made (just pester your caster to take craft ring!), and then you're enlarged for all those fun combats. But when you need to be smaller, you just take off the ring (no one wants to be the largest guy when you have to buy new gear; but you can just buy it cheap, and then wear it when you put the ring back on!)

 

[Presto2112]

I wouldn't, just because your going to get a dispel magic on you eventually, and then the xp you spent goes down the tubes.

The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for a melee fighter in most instances, imo.

It might, however, be intersesting if you could get a magic item made to enlarge you for however long you carry / wear it...

EDIT: Ah, I see someone else suggested something similar. Fair enough.