11-06-2014, 12:00 PM | #21 |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: OK
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
Yeah, but that problem is going to apply whenever a character goes into combat, which is much more common. There are entire settings where characters just won't care about the increased equipment weight at all. The sword and sorcery character is easy to hit and his armor weighs double.
__________________
"For the rays, to speak properly, are not colored. In them there is nothing else than a certain power and disposition to stir up a sensation of this or that color." —Isaac Newton, Optics My blog. |
11-06-2014, 12:43 PM | #22 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
One thing that gets overlooked here is that Combat at Different Levels (p. B402) is supposed to apply, which benefits the taller fighter, although it is still very unclear to me where you measure (shoulder to shoulder? crown to crown?).
I ran into an interesting problem with this in my DF game, because Dwarves end up getting all of the drawbacks of being short but are still SM 0. |
11-06-2014, 12:51 PM | #23 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
That does have some effect, assuming it's not foot height, but it's not too surprising that people forget about them, it's not terribly intuitive to think "two guys fighting on flat ground, I'd better use the rules for fighting on slopes". Also, those rules aren't particularly good to start with.
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11-06-2014, 12:54 PM | #24 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
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11-06-2014, 12:57 PM | #25 |
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
Combat at Different Levels also gives a constant bonus so once you are larger than most foes it isn't giving any more benefit. If you are normally benefiting from it that also effectively removed the the benefits when you would normally qualify. It's a handy bonus but it definitely has limitations.
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11-06-2014, 01:58 PM | #26 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
The easiest fix for balancing size modifier is introducing wounding modifiers for relative size. The simplist is just downgrading piercing sizes based on relative SM, though that won't do much good at low tech since there's not much that does piercing. A more complete version, such as mine, runs the risk of reversing the problem and making SM too good (for example, under my proposal an Ellylon will be making death checks for almost any injury caused by a SM+0 foe).
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11-06-2014, 02:00 PM | #27 |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: OK
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
Are the insides of a taller man that much more resilient than the insides of a man half his height? Do you still get the same modifier for things like the brain and vitals?
__________________
"For the rays, to speak properly, are not colored. In them there is nothing else than a certain power and disposition to stir up a sensation of this or that color." —Isaac Newton, Optics My blog. |
11-06-2014, 02:23 PM | #28 |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
Humans should often only be treated as SM+0, even if they're just tall enough for SM+1, for purposes of things like SM-based wounding modifiers. That said, there are good reasons to have wounding modifiers for weapon/projectile size stack with those for hit location (so a Pi++ bullet has a higher WM than a Pi- one in the Skull or Vitals), and in cases like that having a creature's SM come into play hardly seems outlandish.
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11-06-2014, 02:25 PM | #29 | ||
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
Quote:
Quote:
On the other hand, if you're going to give the giant the penalties for SM+1, might as well apply the bonuses as well. Last edited by Anthony; 11-06-2014 at 02:29 PM. |
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11-07-2014, 01:28 AM | #30 | |||
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Brighton
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Re: Balancing High Size Modifier
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*although having to go without armour can quickly become a combat disadvantage! Quote:
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True but unless that Giant has ST10 they are still going to see some benefit. The thing is SM+ makes big strong builds easier that is one of it's advantages*. If however you don't want to take advantage of that that's your decision rather than a failing of the SM+ costing (IMO). *especially when you factor in the Grappling advantages, (SM and ST value add to each other, and SM makes ST cheaper) |
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Tags |
balance, brainstorm, house rules, size modifier, strength |
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