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Aneirin · 12-27-2012, 05:56 PM

Hello. I was wondering when a size modifier became counter productive?

I am not talking about superhuman mini people, they are a special case.

What I was wondering is, say you had people walking through a jungle, and in the jungle you had small animals. A poisonous beetle, a deseased rat, a rabid cat and so forth (and none of these creatures are swarms)

For the beetle, it would mainly be a pereception check, or hoping you havea good doctor if it bites and poisons you. But what if they do notice the beetle?

With a cat, I can see the size modifier bonus being fine, as they are fast and it can be difficult to hit them, luckily as they can't really hurt you, you can go all out on it.

I was thinking of just gm fiat. You spotted it, you kill it easily. And if in some case it happened during combat, an individual could sacrifice their step to autmatically crush it...as it just seems odd making people to roll to kill a bug (a flying bug, certaintly, and the size modifier would be important there and fully justified)

But against small targets that can't move that fast,, like a slug, making somebody roll to it seem ridiculous. Perhaps when size modifer gets to a certain level, speed should be taken into consideration.

i.e. you add the difference in basic speed to the modifier to get the to hit roll.

A bug has a size modifier of -5 (don't have my basic set to hand, number is most likely wrong). Its basic speed is 1 (or even zero, taking several seconds to go one yard)

A humans basic move is 5. That means you are only at -1 to hit the bug (as the difference in basic speed is 4)

A wasp on the other hand, has size modifier -5, and a basic speed of 6.
An encumbered knights basic speed if 4, and he is fatigued taking him to 3. This means, that your total to hit is now -8 (size modifier is -5, basic speed of human is 3-6 equals -3. -8 (double minus turns into a plus) 3 equals -8, as the speed now makes more of a difference.

Could also add the DB as a plus to hit small creatures. (easier to smack something with a shield than the blade of a sword, wouldn't double as wind resistance will push it away...I wouldn't try hitting a fly with a shield)

This may be overcomplicating things though. How do you handle small insects? Rats and humming birds? (especially as you don't roll to hit swarms and pretty much kill a few a turn depending on what the swarm is automatically)

12-27-2012, 05:56 PM	#1
Aneirin Join Date: May 2012	Bugs Hello. I was wondering when a size modifier became counter productive? I am not talking about superhuman mini people, they are a special case. What I was wondering is, say you had people walking through a jungle, and in the jungle you had small animals. A poisonous beetle, a deseased rat, a rabid cat and so forth (and none of these creatures are swarms) For the beetle, it would mainly be a pereception check, or hoping you havea good doctor if it bites and poisons you. But what if they do notice the beetle? With a cat, I can see the size modifier bonus being fine, as they are fast and it can be difficult to hit them, luckily as they can't really hurt you, you can go all out on it. I was thinking of just gm fiat. You spotted it, you kill it easily. And if in some case it happened during combat, an individual could sacrifice their step to autmatically crush it...as it just seems odd making people to roll to kill a bug (a flying bug, certaintly, and the size modifier would be important there and fully justified) But against small targets that can't move that fast,, like a slug, making somebody roll to it seem ridiculous. Perhaps when size modifer gets to a certain level, speed should be taken into consideration. i.e. you add the difference in basic speed to the modifier to get the to hit roll. A bug has a size modifier of -5 (don't have my basic set to hand, number is most likely wrong). Its basic speed is 1 (or even zero, taking several seconds to go one yard) A humans basic move is 5. That means you are only at -1 to hit the bug (as the difference in basic speed is 4) A wasp on the other hand, has size modifier -5, and a basic speed of 6. An encumbered knights basic speed if 4, and he is fatigued taking him to 3. This means, that your total to hit is now -8 (size modifier is -5, basic speed of human is 3-6 equals -3. -8 (double minus turns into a plus) 3 equals -8, as the speed now makes more of a difference. Could also add the DB as a plus to hit small creatures. (easier to smack something with a shield than the blade of a sword, wouldn't double as wind resistance will push it away...I wouldn't try hitting a fly with a shield) This may be overcomplicating things though. How do you handle small insects? Rats and humming birds? (especially as you don't roll to hit swarms and pretty much kill a few a turn depending on what the swarm is automatically)