weapon size and damage

[BOZ]

ok, i have a question about something i'm not sure of. for each weapon in the 3.5 PHB, there is listed a S and M damage value. what i took this to mean is that is how much base damage a creature of that size would do with such a weapon. for example, a human would do 1d8 damage with a longsword and a halfling would do 1d6 damage. am i reading this wrong?

 

[James McMurray]

Nope, that's right. For other sizes, chek the DMG's weapon size chart.

 

[PaulSC]

Just to be more specific the two listings tell how much damage a Small-size and Medium-size version of the weapon would do. The same physical weapon in the hands of a small or medium sized wielder does the same damage; however, you then have to consider that "wrong-size" to hit penalties and the fact that the weapon is generally moved to a different weight class (light, standard, two-hand).

Assuming that small-size character use small-size weapons (and similarly for medium characters/weapons), then that's correct (for 3.5)

- Paul San Clemente

 

[Li Shenron]

ok, i have a question about something i'm not sure of. for each weapon in the 3.5 PHB, there is listed a S and M damage value. what i took this to mean is that is how much base damage a creature of that size would do with such a weapon. for example, a human would do 1d8 damage with a longsword and a halfling would do 1d6 damage. am i reading this wrong?

I think it's wrong. There are two longsword, the medium longsword (usually made by and for humans, elves, dwarves and other medium creatures) and the small longsword (usually made by and for halflings, gnomes and other small creatures): the first always does d8 damage and the second d6, no matter who uses them.

The only difference for different wielders is that if a small character uses the medium weapon, or a medium character uses the small weapon, he takes a -2 to attack because the weapon was made for someone with differently-sized hands.

 

[shilsen]

I think it's wrong. There are two longsword, the medium longsword (usually made by and for humans, elves, dwarves and other medium creatures) and the small longsword (usually made by and for halflings, gnomes and other small creatures): the first always does d8 damage and the second d6, no matter who uses them.

The only difference for different wielders is that if a small character uses the medium weapon, or a medium character uses the small weapon, he takes a -2 to attack because the weapon was made for someone with differently-sized hands.

I'll just add to the above that the weapon's designation as light, one-handed or two-handed will also change depending on the wielder's size. So a medium longsword (i.e. sized for a medium creature) is one-handed for a human, two-handed for a gnome, and light for an ogre. The gnome and the ogre would both take a -2 to attack while using it, as Li Shenron pointed out, and all three will do the same base damage (1d8) with it.

 

[BOZ]

cool, thanks fellas.