Goblin Squad Member
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This wonderfully important topic about gnomes with greatswords slipped in to my mind. In Pathfinder RPG small races are using smaller version of the same weapons as medium size races use and also the weapon damage is diminished. I started thinking about the idea of small races using medium sized weapons as two-handed weapons. Wouldn't it inherently have to mean a different thing whether your a gnome warrior with a greatsword or a half-orc warrior with a greatsword? The playstyle should differ in my opinion. I'm not an anti-gnomist but I'm looking for some kind of relativity to physical world and size for that matter besides graphics.
A gnome warrior with a greatsword is an interesting idea, but his prowess should still be based on the quickness of his movements instead of brute force imo.
Whether this can be actualized in PFO, I have no idea.
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Goblin Squad Member
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A small greatsword is used by a small character in exactly the same fashion as a medium greatsword used by a medium character. The only difference is the size of the blade is smaller, so it does less damage on average. Realistically, the half-orc would have a reach advantage over the gnome, and would likely be stronger, but that's really it. Because of those differences, the Gnome would be disadvantaged in offense, but a small target is harder to hit.
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Goblin Squad Member
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A gnome with a medium longsword is at a slight disadvantage compared to one with a small greatsword, all things being equal.
A gnome trying to wield a medium greatsword is going to have a bad time of it.
A medium longsword is weighted to balance correctly when held in one size medium hand. A small greatsword is weighted to balance correctly when held in two size small hands. Chances are, those two weapons have different balance points, and different ratios of hilt to blade.
Bilbo and Frodo probably didn't have ideal balance with Sting, but 1) neither of them had any martial training to speak of, so they probably couldn't tell, 2) it was magic, and 3) neither of them used it very often, so it really didn't matter all that much.
To be fair, Sting was more like a Medium dagger. Wasn't it referred to as a letter opener, or something?
Yeah, that's my point. Sting follows those variant rules from the Dungeon Master's Guide. Medium Dagger becomes a Small Shortsword (though I actually think Sting was barely even a dagger).
Sting probably was at least masterwork, so I'd say it would about even out.
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Goblin Squad Member
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In any case, Bilbo and Frodo and Sam were able to use it well enough to save thier lives so they must have picked up some skills along the way. I don't know what CR Shelob was but from the description in the book, it wasn't low.
True. They do seem to have learned to use Sting by then.
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Goblin Squad Member
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In any case, Bilbo and Frodo and Sam were able to use it well enough to save thier lives so they must have picked up some skills along the way. I don't know what CR Shelob was but from the description in the book, it wasn't low.True. They do seem to have learned to use Sting by then.
I think it's safe to say at some point during the books, they picked up a PC class level. And pretty much everybody gets proficiency in short swords. =P
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Goblin Squad Member
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I think it's safe to say at some point during the books, they picked up a PC class level. And pretty much everybody gets proficiency in short swords. =PIn any case, Bilbo and Frodo and Sam were able to use it well enough to save thier lives so they must have picked up some skills along the way. I don't know what CR Shelob was but from the description in the book, it wasn't low.True. They do seem to have learned to use Sting by then.
Yeah, but this was all back in basic days, their class was "Halfling" :P
