Size Small Caster--Benefit, Detriment, or Neutral?

[Old Gumphrey]

Ooh I forgot about Grease, that's a fantastic 1st-level grapple reducer.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Advantage. Halflings are flat-out superior to elves when it comes to being a mage, IMO.

Gnomes are better than dwarves in most aspects (you still get the +2 Con, which is sweet) but dwarves get save bonuses.

The 20 foot speed sucks. There are options, but you have to pay for them. However, while that reduces the benefits, I still think you're left with minor benefits.

 

[Nail]

The penalty to Str and Grapple are completely ignored for caster: You were unlikely to have a good grapple score anyway, so making it worse is no big deal.

The speed (20 ft) *is* a penalty worth considering, as there are no "all day" speed buffs at low level. Sure, you could blow a slot on something like expeditious retreat, but that means you are spending an action casting a spell, rather than moving/escaping/repositioning.

However the +1 AC, +1 Atk, and the +4 hide is good stuff. Small benefits, but worth it, IMO. Halfling Wizard FTW!

 

[pawsplay]

Small advantage, but typically mitigated by lower movement rate and carrying capacity.

 

[pawsplay]

The penalty to Str and Grapple are completely ignored for caster: You were unlikely to have a good grapple score anyway, so making it worse is no big deal.

Unless you get into a duel with a half-orc archmage... who grapples you and bashes your skull on the pavement until you pass out.

 

[Nail]

Unless you get into a duel with a half-orc archmage... who grapples you and bashes your skull on the pavement until you pass out.

Shall we presume he's cast Tenser's Transformation beforehand?

 

[pawsplay]

Shall we presume he's cast Tenser's Transformation beforehand?

He doesn't need to if he's taking on a gnome wizard with Str as a dump stat.

 

[Nail]

He doesn't need to if he's taking on a gnome wizard with Str as a dump stat.

I think we'd both agree that an archmage who takes as his strategy "I'll just grapple the little guy, unbuffed" is looking for a loss.

 

[Hairfoot]

For a halfling or gnome, I'd take a first level in their favoured class and load up on thiefy skills to improve survival and the benefits of smallness.

 

[hong]

Carrying capacity? Just get the half-orc barbarian to carry your stuff! It's not like you're weighed down with armour and a golfbag of weapons.