Shorties with huge blades
MatteoTurini
Member Posts: 105
I'm not sure this is actually a feature request; maybe more an inquiry of the feasibility of the thing.
So, in pen and paper halflings and gnomes had a special relationship with weapons: they could only handle up to medium-sized ones. They could handle a short sword or a dagger (small) with one hand, and an axe, a light crossbow or a long sword (medium) with two; then, they could not handle at all a greatsword or a long bow, because they're large weapons. (There was a similar rule for shields, but it was made obsolete by the fact that, for example, a medium shield for a gnome was a large one, so it doesn't really matter much.) I think the only exceptions were staves.
From a min-max builiding point of view, obviously this would be a downer for shorties, who could then inflict less damage than medium-sized characters (but, on the other hand, if I'm not mistaken BG:EE implemented the bonuses against giants, orcs, goblins and kobolds that some shorties had, but were never implemented in vanilla BG); but, looking at it from a pnp rule lawyer perspective, this feature should be there somewhere (and it would also make sense that a 3-foot tall character couldn't pull up a 6-foot long blade).
So, what I'm asking is: would this be feasible, even as a mod, or would it require to put one's hand in hard-coded stuff?
So, in pen and paper halflings and gnomes had a special relationship with weapons: they could only handle up to medium-sized ones. They could handle a short sword or a dagger (small) with one hand, and an axe, a light crossbow or a long sword (medium) with two; then, they could not handle at all a greatsword or a long bow, because they're large weapons. (There was a similar rule for shields, but it was made obsolete by the fact that, for example, a medium shield for a gnome was a large one, so it doesn't really matter much.) I think the only exceptions were staves.
From a min-max builiding point of view, obviously this would be a downer for shorties, who could then inflict less damage than medium-sized characters (but, on the other hand, if I'm not mistaken BG:EE implemented the bonuses against giants, orcs, goblins and kobolds that some shorties had, but were never implemented in vanilla BG); but, looking at it from a pnp rule lawyer perspective, this feature should be there somewhere (and it would also make sense that a 3-foot tall character couldn't pull up a 6-foot long blade).
So, what I'm asking is: would this be feasible, even as a mod, or would it require to put one's hand in hard-coded stuff?
12
Comments
For topics like this I try to use the "realism" argument, but am often countered with "dragons aren't real", so your point may be difficult to argue to others.
If someones definition says all classes and races can do everything, that sounds boring to me. I would make sure I have definitions like small races cannot use huge weaponry.
That being said, I don't mind halflings having big weapons. A better comparison would be that inventory management doesn't make sense, eg. if you have one space left, you can fit 5 healing potions, or 5 strength potions, but not one of each. It doesn't make sense, exactly, but it helps keep things smooth. You also don't have to worry about characters going to the bathroom, or having to eat/drink.
Yeah, big weapons seem to shrink when put in the hands of halflings, but I think this can be safely hand waved. It would be annoying having to keep track of two different weapon sizes for the smaller buggers, and from a balance point of view, it's not really necesary.
I do like having pro's and con's to races, classes, and items though. A small race may not be particularly strong, but you could make them having other bonuses. Plus, it's just fun to play something different. The more the rules are open, the more bland you become.
Anyway if they limited weapon use, I'd like to see the bonus against gianst/goblinoids implemented as well.
On a more serious note, I fully agree, this is one entry into following the rules that makes a lot of sense, and would be fairly simple to enforce - and can be easily made up for by returning racial bonuses to them in return.
Unless a lot of people had Mazzy rocking Longbows and rocking Carsomyr, I don't think it's a restriction that hasn't come up too often for people to miss it.
"They don't like it up 'em"
"The bigger they are the quicker they lose there ankles!"
"Who wan't to see if my humongous sword is an illusion?"
He has strength 19... Can lift and pull more than your average tractor and most importantly...
HE LIKES TO WAVE BIG SWORDS AROUND ! ! ! !
That last bit important...
On the other hand this is completely silly and I agree totally with the person who made the first post.
@Miloch says it can be done... so maybe it will... in a mod... If anyone wants it... Not sure on the depth of feeling here...
I would like weapon restrictions for small races, but it would indeed be nice if there were benefits. I never give halflings or gnomes 2-handed weapons in BG, though I did so in IWD (the heresy) with a fighter-mage wielding bastard swords. For some reason, BG feels more like I want the story to believable, while I see IWD more like a big fighting game. Anyway, I make an exception (to the rule I don't give 2-H weapons to small races) for staves (which are light) and halberds (being a pole-arm, it's a weapon that's meant to give reach to a shorter person - the peasant on the ground vs. the knight on the horse).
I would think it likely for there to be a nice bell curve falling over the optimum sword length:warrior height graph.
I could clarify what I mean by saying that, the maximum sword length proportional to the character's own height, increases as the character get's shorter.
eg. A halfling's two handed sword would be longer in relation to how tall the halfing was, than a human's!
Surely, at the shop when a halfling buys a two-handed sword... He gets a two-handed sword for a halfling...
And magic items can change size! It is a well known fact! Just like armour you find on a dead hobgoblin will fit a dwarf perfectly!
@AndreaColombo @Tanthalas