[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Dwaves - Jim, that is a good question, and the reason is: (1) the hammer bonus is a combat thing and those are likeliest to be munchkined;

Yes, I see what you are attempting to quell; however, I suppose a GM who is secure in his ability to govern things from getting out of hand, will simply put the +1 back in; and those who enjoy a munckin expression of the game, will also munckinize things anyway, regardless of how the rules might try to guide them in their play.

Thanks for sharing your thinking.

Is the *weight carried* advantage alone now enough of an incentive to cause a player to explore this race? I always felt it was specifically the +1 weapon bonus that *sold* the dwarf as PC; but that's my perception.

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

(2) the weight bonus is a nod to Tolkien, who first imagined the Dwarven race as it was adapted for D&D and thence the gaming hobby.

Right, and I am sorry my post to Skarg crossed in timing to your response, as it might have saved you some typing regarding the origin of the troupe.

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Here is a related question not yet answered in my own mind. Elves get a running bonus. Should I (a) simply give all Elves the Runner talent, so of course they can't get it again, or (b) allow for Elf Runners with MA 14?

Here you are stuck dealing with the same general pickle as in the question of altering the Dwarves.

If you take Option A, by default this in turn says there can be no extra fast individual Elves - as they cannot reach MA 14 now by taking running - and, as a result, what was once a unique racial advantage, now becomes a unique racial limitation.

Is that a good thing, or a bad thing; I cannot say.

Whereas, if you take Option B - as it always was - you as Designer have to feel good that this is the reflection of Elves as you intend(ed) when you release the rules back into circulation.

And if you didn't feel *something* was a-miss, I presume you would not be posing the Elf question in the first place.

OR, do you split the difference, and change the innate Elf racial advantage to a natural MA of 10, but with a +1 for all movement (1/2 move and full move), netting a Elf-normal 6/11 MA, and still let the players who wants to, then additionally add the running talent, to take an enhanced Elf to an effective MA of 13; being a 10 + 2, plus an additional +1?

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

(Either way, Elves' racial enmities and -3 DX squickitude at crawly things tend to balance the running bonus.)

Yes, I always personally loved this rule, as it really was a workable and effective disadvantage for the player and caused the player to consider carefully before selecting the Elf as PC.

And it now causes me to pose the following question along the same lines: Would you consider putting the +1 weapon damage for Dwarves back in - or give the race your new Weapon Specialty Talent, for that matter - IF they had to take an equally debilitating counter-balance disadvantage (like the Elf/Bug thing), such as making Dwarves extra prone to drowning in water (due to their disproportionate weight to size ratio) or some such reason like their extra mass, invokes a constant -1 MA or -2 MA to all movement (the opposite of an Elf MA bonus) for the race, or *both*?

Or, are you already pat on the Dwarf question at this time?

JK