Grapple SM question

[blahpers]

Originally Posted by munin

I asked Kromm about this in a private PM a couple years ago:

munin: If an SM +3 giant tries to grapple an SM -2 halfling, does the +5 bonus (B402) stack with the -2 penalty (B19), producing a total +3 bonus? If the SM -2 halfling tries to grapple the SM +3 giant, he'd get +3 to hit (B19) and no penalty to grapple (B402), also producing a +3 bonus?

Kromm: Don't double-count. The rule for grappling supersedes the general rule for attack rolls. Only apply it. Do not then apply a second SM-related rule.

munin: Intuitively, ignoring a target's ability to dodge, it should be harder to grab a small target than to grab a large target...

Kromm: Grappling isn't grabbing. Grappling is actual wrestling moves. For that, being much larger is clearly an advantage. Grappling someone your size or bigger, you can't engulf the target. Grappling a mouse, you can. That's what the bonus represents.


However, back in 2005 Kromm posted this:



In explaining the difference to me by PM, he said this:

Kromm: The problem is that there's a big difference between engulfing your foe with your entire body (as in wrestling, where a human would have an overwhelming advantage) and just snatching something small in one hand (where a human would have a disadvantage). I think the game differentiates these cases poorly. It would be simple enough, though, to use one modifier in the first case and another in the second. Of course, this would be a GM call.

Aww, Kromm. Why you no resolve ambiguity?

So, at small differences the size penalty does not apply, but at large differences it does apply, with no defined way of telling which is which nor a gradual progression from one to the other?

Something tells me they didn't think this one through. Gonna have to house rule it or something. Large area rules don't seem to help, and area attack seems strange (and it merely dodges the ambiguity rather than resolving it)

Thanks for the advice.

[munin]

Originally Posted by blahpers

... So, at small differences the size penalty does not apply, but at large differences it does apply, with no defined way of telling which is which nor a gradual progression from one to the other?...

No, it's the difference between trying to catch something with your hand ... and trying to catch something by throwing your entire body at it.

RAW, they're both grappling rolls, but Kromm is saying a GM might choose to let relative SM be a bonus for the latter (since being bigger is helpful when you throw your body at something) and a penalty for the former (since the target being smaller makes it harder to "hit" them with a grab), if they feel that better represents what's happening.