Why no Size enhancement for ST?

[JCurwen3]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

As valid a question (?) is: why allow the discount for higher SM at all? Or, what is it about SM 0 that makes it the break point at which the cost of ST should suddenly (no longer) be dependent on SM.

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

The size modifier to strength cost is a point crock, something unusual for Gurps. If you want to promote big characters being strong then do it through setting. If you feel size hinders characters, then give them a disadvantage to cover it.

Well, my suspicion is that it's a slight nod to the idea that higher SM is, despite being called a feature, in fact disadvantageous. So it's "balanced" by having the Size limitation so that large characters can more easily afford the extra ST necessary for them to wear the clothing (including armour) and wield the weapons suitable for their greater size. They're already going to face difficulties in higher cost equipment and being easier to hit, amongst others.

I think the idea of SM being a feature is at the root of the issue. If SM were more tightly bound into the "base" rules, these things wouldn't be an issue. For example, if I elect to have an SM -5 character, his Basic Move will be 5 if I keep his DX and HT at 10 - that's 15x it's max linear dimension, as opposed to the 2.5x for SM 0 characters. An SM -5 character will also be quite odd having a ST 10 (which everyone gets for free at base). A larger creature should, by default, be stronger and faster (if only through increased stride length). There's not even an incentive for smaller characters to buy down ST or Basic Move to lower levels. Or even guidelines about ways to make sensible scaled down characters, including the possible charging of Unusual Background for being stronger or faster than expected at lower SM.

Now, if SM featured into the rules at a deeper level (similarly to how Basic Speed and Move are, by default, based on DX and HT, and then you buy them up or down from there), then you could still build yourself super-strong super-fast ant-sized characters and also super-weak super-slow giants, but you'd pay (or earn) for them. I don't know the best ways to integrate SM more deeply, but tbone had some great ideas (many of which I still use, adapted for 4th Ed).