D&D 5E Small races overly disadvantaged?

[SatanasOz]

What are the challenges of figuring out how to handle small size player character races like halflings in D&D Next?

The biggest challenge is finding out just how light of a touch we can put on those mechanics and have them still feel satisfying to players. In general, the smallness of the small races has the potential to be so detrimental that it deters players from playing them: if the penalties for playing the race are too stiff, why bother? On the other hand, ignoring the smallness is ignoring a defining trait of these races. Plus, we want to make sure that the characters make sense mechanically given their small stature. So, looking at the halfling, we nod to the smallness as a detriment by barring them from heavy weapons (something likely to only affect classes like the fighter and the barbarian), but we also turn it into a boon with their Nimble trait. I think when we look at the gnome, we’ll likely try and achieve the same kinds of things. - See more at: http://community.wizards.com/content/blog/808751#sthash.FbDLj4Zz.dpuf

old official answer to the question. if that was their intent, did they succeed for the Gnome (yet)?

 

[Kobold Stew]

old official answer to the question. if that was their intent, did they succeed for the Gnome (yet)?

I've not played a Gnome in Next yet, but it reads better than previous editions, in my eyes. There are fun distinctive abilities and a number of potentially viable builds.

 

[Mistwell]

True there is magic in dnd. Unfortunately the base assumptions are that outside of magical happenings the world works a lot like ours. Though by this logic my human warrior should have no issue hauling around a sword the size table because hey why not.

You're arguing about gnomes.

They can do whatever we want them to do. They're not real. They're not modelling the real world. They're modelling fantasy gnomes.

 

[Meatboy]

You're arguing about gnomes.

They can do whatever we want them to do. They're not real. They're not modelling the real world. They're modelling fantasy gnomes.

But in dnd the rules explicitly state that gnomes are smaller and weaker than humans. Sure you can make up a race that is small and still has the the strength and capabilities of larger creatures but that's house ruling.

 

[Mistwell]

But in dnd the rules explicitly state that gnomes are smaller and weaker than humans.

They say whatever WOTC wants them to say. If it says weaker, then they are weaker. If it doesn't say that, then they're not.

Sure you can make up a race that is small and still has the the strength and capabilities of larger creatures but that's house ruling.

We're talking about an edition that has not been released yet. We don't know what it says.

 

[Meatboy]

They say whatever WOTC wants them to say... snip

Not really, WoTC is beholden to certain expectations. Not only the expectations of the greater pop culture but also the expectations in place due to the traditions of previous editions, "gnome" or any other word carries with it certain baggage. WoTC or anyone can change these expectations, but they need to explain. As an example I once read a novel where in gnomes were depicted as sort of hive minded shadow beings that could reshape their arms and stuff into weapons and meld together to become more powerful, they were also susceptible to electricity. Unfortunately this wasn't explained until most of the way through the book so I kept wondering why the protagonists were so afraid of them. This was confusing and a little jarring for me because my internal "gnome" clashed pretty hard with the "gnome" presented by the author.