[LT] Leather (& Textile) weight issues and Scaling to size.

Anthony · 08-20-2012, 09:54 PM

The problem with scaling weight to HP (or ST) is that it significantly (and unrealistically) encourages small characters. If you want, though, a standard estimate of human surface area is sqrt (weight * height / 3600 ), where weight is in kg, height is in cm, and area is in m^2 (yeah, that's some horrible unit confusion there). That works out to 2/3 * sqrt(W*H) if we want square feet, pounds, and feet. Thus, for a 6'/180 lb man (183cm/81kg) we get or 21.9 sf or 2.03m^2.

Other than that, I'd probably give a limitation on ST, or a flat disadvantage, for unusually heavy gear. One option is fractional SM; each .1 SM increases the weight of armor by 10%, but has none of the other effects of SM, and provides a 1% limitation on ST.

08-20-2012, 09:54 PM	#6
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: [LT] Leather (& Textile) weight issues and Scaling to size. The problem with scaling weight to HP (or ST) is that it significantly (and unrealistically) encourages small characters. If you want, though, a standard estimate of human surface area is sqrt (weight * height / 3600 ), where weight is in kg, height is in cm, and area is in m^2 (yeah, that's some horrible unit confusion there). That works out to 2/3 * sqrt(W*H) if we want square feet, pounds, and feet. Thus, for a 6'/180 lb man (183cm/81kg) we get or 21.9 sf or 2.03m^2. Other than that, I'd probably give a limitation on ST, or a flat disadvantage, for unusually heavy gear. One option is fractional SM; each .1 SM increases the weight of armor by 10%, but has none of the other effects of SM, and provides a 1% limitation on ST.