D&D 5E Strength is agile

[Salamandyr]

The size/strength ratio is why the halflings are the strongest race in D&D.

Sure Half-Orcs can move more mass, but the halfling is not too many pounds behind them and they are about a quarter to a fifth the size of of a half orc! (250 pound half orc to 40 to 60 pound halfling).

 

[ChrisCarlson]

If you look at the lower righthand corner of the picture, you can see what looks like a wooden beam. I am reading the picture as her currently being on the balance beam, which is 16 feet long. Because of the limited space on the beam, it makes it probably that this is a standing highjump without the 10 foot run.

Her posture doesnt look like she intends a spectacular longdistance jump. Originally I thought she was doing something before tucking into a roll. But if she is on the beam, then the standing highjump itself (about 4 feet) is spectacular.

I think this is largely avoiding the repeatedly asked question at hand. And I'm fairly certain I know why. :-/

 

[ChrisCarlson]

The size/strength ratio is why the halflings are the strongest race in D&D.

So the average halfling is stronger than the average half-orc, huh?

 

[Yaarel]

Here is a picture of Gabby Douglas, who is more clearly on the balance beam, somewhere in the middle of it.

She is probably doing this jump without the 10-foot run.

Her spectacular standing highjump means she is extremely strong.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

I think I see where a great deal of this confusion stems: Relativism.

In D&D, attribute scores are static. A PC with a 16 strength has a 16 strength. They can lift the same amount of weight. Hit with equal force. Jump the same distances.

It doesn't matter if its a female halfling or a male half-orc. If they have a 16 strength it tells you a specific set of fixed values in relation to the world around them. It's not relative or weighed against other factors.

 

[Yaarel]

Say these Olympic gymnasts are doing standing highjumps around 4 feet high.

4 feet = ½ (3 + Strength 5 feet) = 20 Strength

Accordingly, it means these athletes have 20 Strength.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

Here is a picture of Gabby Douglas, who is more clearly on the balance beam, somewhere in the middle of it.

She is probably doing this jump without the 10-foot run.

Her spectacular standing highjump means she is extremely strong.

View attachment 74328

Nope. Again you are misapplying the high jump rules. If her legs were straight down as opposed to split upward, her feet would be something like at most 2 feet off the beam.

It's not how far from the beam her feet are. It's how much higher her body is (and arms presumably to reach above her).

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Have you met my friend AD&D? He enjoys long murderous walks by torchlight, giving XP for gold, racial and sexual limits on stats, and goes right up to 18/00 STR. You guys might hit it off.

 

[Salamandyr]

So the average halfling is stronger than the average half-orc, huh?

Pound for pound, yes they are. Which I explained in the party you didn't quote.

"Sure Half-Orcs can move more mass, but the halfling is not too many pounds behind them and they are about a quarter to a fifth the size of of a half orc! (250 pound half orc to 40 to 60 pound halfling)."

 

[Yaarel]

Nope. Again you are misapplying the high jump rules. If her legs were straight down as opposed to split upward, her feet would be something like at most 2 feet off the beam.

It's not how far from the beam her feet are. It's how much higher her body is (and arms presumably to reach above her).

I interpret the highjump to mean a hurdle that can be *cleared*. In which case, she seems, at least, 4 feet high.

Specifically, the D&D numbers seem to come from actual highjump world records, in which case they are clearing a ‘bar’.

Here is an example, of a running highjump to clear a bar, a kind of hurdle.