Dwarfism and Giantism (flaws)

[InaVegt]

Dwarvism (flaw)
Requisites: 1st level only
Fluff: you are smaller than most and have the strength and speed to match
Benefit: -2 str, reduce speed as though you were wearing medium armor, real medium armor further reduces speed

Giantism (flaw)
Requisites: first level only
Fluff: you are larger than most, however this has an effect on your agility and strength
Benefit: powerfull build, -4 str, -4 dex, -2 con, +10 feet speed



Is this balanced, do you like them, comments?

[Demented]

This could become terribly confusing if anyone ever works with Dwarven or Giant heritage feats.

[Black Mage]

I'm curious who would be willing to take a -4 str and dex penalty, and a -2 con penalty, just to get a increase in speed, and the powerful build. What good is being considered larger for the benifits if you have such a big negative to strength? I understand the dex penalty...but a -4 to str?

[prufock]

Would it be to simplified to just increase or decrease size category by one?

[heretic]

Yeah, but that's not really a flaw. I mean, there are spells that do that.

[Saithis Bladewing]

Why on earth does someone who suffers from gigantism suffer a -4 penalty to strength? Even the -4 penalty to con seems a bit iffy. As a general rule, people who suffer from gigantism are stronger and tougher, not weaker, they're just bigger and more prone to heart failure and the like.

[Kevka Palazzo]

Ars Magica handles Dwarfism as a flaw and Giantism (Giant-blooded) as a virtue (feat).

Dwarfism makes it so that your size is -2 (default human is 0, things like horses are +2, a -2 size means you're, like, 2 1/2 feet tall) and you are wounded in increments of 3 instead of the default 5.

Giant-blooded is the exact opposite. Your size becomes +2 and you take wounds in increments of 7 instead of 5.

I think you should make Dwarfism a flaw and Giant-Blooded (or Giantism) a feat, both of which are exclusive and only can be taken at creation. I think that Dwarfism should decrease your size category by one and decrease your Constitution by 2.

Giant-Blooded should increase your size category and increase your Constitution by 2. However, that's a fairly kickass feat, so, it's up to you.

[starwoof]

Dwarfism seems fine, Giantism is... more like a feat. Really, nothing like that should grant you powerful build and extra speed AND a feat. Actually, I think that even a feat should have a lot of prerequisites to grant powerful build.

[prufock]

Yeah, but that's not really a flaw. I mean, there are spells that do that.

Well, I wasn't thinking flaw so much as trait. Drawbacks AND benefits. They wouldn't work to get you that extra feat, but have benefits of their own.



How balanced would it be as a trait, anyone? It seems being bigger is preferred over being smaller, since it's generally better combat-wise, and D&D is very combat-centred, but smaller has combat benefits as well.

Dwarfism (smaller):
Benefits: increased AC, attack bonus, hide.
Drawbacks: decreased speed, strength, reach (sometimes), unarmed/natural damage, grapple.

Giantism:
Benefits: increased speed, strength, reach (sometimes), unarmed/natural damage, grapple.
Drawbacks: decreased AC, attack bonus, hide.

According to the MM, bigger creatures also tend to have lower dex and higher con. Am I forgetting anything (and is there a comprehensive table of sizing information anywhere? They seem to be split up throughout the 3 core books)?