Min ST penalties

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

I still have to disagree Bill, because the damage assigned is always 1, 2, 3, etc. -- it's what you're determining (determining last). You can't round down a whole number!

It's the modifier (ST amount you are short divided by 2) that can result in a fraction whenever the ST difference is an odd number.

The text isn't too clear.

If your ST is less than that required for the weapon you are using, your DX is -1 for each ST point you lack, and the damage done is -1 for each 2 ST (round damage down) that you lack.

You're right that it says -1 for every 2 ST, which suggests that if you're under-strength by 1, then there is no penalty for the damage.

Bill is reading it as dividing (minST - actualST) by 2 as the penalty, subtracting and rounding down, so being under-strength by 1 results in a 1 penalty to damage. That's how I read it initially, because I focused on the parenthetical rounding down text, which is irrelevant on your reading.

But I guess I can't see a reason to choose one interpretation over the other.