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For almost anything. Insofar as I can tell, the only difference between small and medium character is how big an enemy has to be to move through their space.
Small creatures can move through a huge creature's space. Medium creatures can move through a gargantuan creature's space.
If that's the only difference, why bother? Slaughter that sacred cow.
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Matters for combat maneuvers too. All combat maneuvers are capped at "no greater than two size categories", even the ones that weren't previously like grapple. Because wrestling dragons is badwrongfun, I guess?
What about lifting and bulk?
Hah! The greatest lie ever told.
Bad jokes aside. It also matters for gaining tactical cover with large creatures and bulk (page 190 pdf version).
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What about lifting and bulk?
18 strength is 18 strength, just because I am a foot shorter and 50lbs lighter shouldn't change that. It's shouldn't make a difference on lifting. It should only mean things that fit me weigh less because there is less material.
A goblin with 18 str and a giant with 18 str can carry 9 bulk before being encumbered. They both wear plate mail, the goblins weighs 2 bulk and the giants 4 bulk due to size.
Size also matter for space (a Huge monster will have difficulties entering the tavern) and reach => p.313
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Do keep in mind that Bulk isn't all about weight. It also has to do with the size and unwieldiness of an object. A Goblin may have the sheer Strength to carry ten tower shields, but his size may make it physically impossible to actually do so without making it too cumbersome to swing a sword. Meanwhile, the giant is able to better manage that amount of large material and do other things.
Think of it like carrying in groceries or a bunch of pots and pans. Sure, you may be able to physically do it, but you'll have a lot of issues doing anything else while you carry around those BULKY things.
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Just to point it out: This thread was primarily about eliminating the distinction of "small" and "medium", since there are very few mechanical differences. Larger than medium and smaller than small both still have significant differences that warrant their existence.
Bad jokes aside. It also matters for gaining tactical cover with large creatures and bulk (page 190 pdf version).
This matters a tiny bit? Since it also depends on the size of the target being targeted, the chances that it'll be significant go down significantly.
Large+ tiny- creatures DO calculate bulk differently, but small and medium do not.What about lifting and bulk?A goblin with 18 str and a giant with 18 str can carry 9 bulk before being encumbered.
While this is true, a giant is a large creature, so 1 bulk for it =10 bulk for a goblin. So while they can each carry a similar amount of "bulk", how much mass that bulk has is quite different.
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For almost anything. Insofar as I can tell, the only difference between small and medium character is how big an enemy has to be to move through their space.
Small creatures can move through a huge creature's space. Medium creatures can move through a gargantuan creature's space.If that's the only difference, why bother? Slaughter that sacred cow.
So weapons do the same damage no matter the size.
a 2' shortsword for a 6' human is also a shortsword for a 3' halfling with no penalties?
What about lifting and bulk?18 strength is 18 strength, just because I am a foot shorter and 50lbs lighter shouldn't change that. It's shouldn't make a difference on lifting. It should only mean things that fit me weigh less because there is less material.
A goblin with 18 str and a giant with 18 str can carry 9 bulk before being encumbered. They both wear plate mail, the goblins weighs 2 bulk and the giants 4 bulk due to size.
I dislike this. Size gives you leverage and counter balance whIch aids in lifting things.
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For almost anything. Insofar as I can tell, the only difference between small and medium character is how big an enemy has to be to move through their space.
Small creatures can move through a huge creature's space. Medium creatures can move through a gargantuan creature's space.If that's the only difference, why bother? Slaughter that sacred cow.
So weapons do the same damage no matter the size.
a 2' shortsword for a 6' human is also a shortsword for a 3' halfling with no penalties?
Do they have the same strength score?
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Seems like it would have been better to just go all the way and merge the two sizes into one category.
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Do they have the same strength score?For almost anything. Insofar as I can tell, the only difference between small and medium character is how big an enemy has to be to move through their space.
Small creatures can move through a huge creature's space. Medium creatures can move through a gargantuan creature's space.If that's the only difference, why bother? Slaughter that sacred cow.
So weapons do the same damage no matter the size.
a 2' shortsword for a 6' human is also a shortsword for a 3' halfling with no penalties?
Lets say yes.
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Is there a huge purple guy working at paizo? Because someone there seems to be obsessed with making everything perfectly balanced no matter the cost. Your tiny little goblin has to hit just as hard as the half-orc next to him. Just like they can't have any racial traits to distinguish them from each other. If only they'd apply this same reasoning to classes, we could solve the real balance issues by making everyone a commoner.
And we can't have size modifiers to AC and attack anymore because the crit system would be skewed by it. But we aren't going to add new bonuses and penalties that do fit in the system, like modifying health or saves or anything like that.
Hell, speed, one of the few remaining things to separate races, isn't even loosely connected to size anymore. Which begs the question, why are gnomes slower than halflings and goblins?
All that's left is carrying capacity, and even that only applies indirectly since the capacity doesn't change, just the equipment weight. Which means the goblin is now the pack mule since he has the same carrying capacity, but isn't as weighed down by gear. Assuming you even track weights, as many if not most tables don't. God knows I won't be if Bulk stays in the game after the playtest.
In short (no pun intended), there might as well not be a small size category anymore. Which makes those characters far less interesting, and does nothing to make the game more fun. It's not even really any simpler to run. And it is another element that completely severs the role-play from the game.
I feel like having different rules for different sizes is a bunch of additional bookkeeping for very little gain.
PCs are only ever going to be small or medium, so your huge and gargantuan creatures don't need PC rules. I'd be fine with eliminating the small/medium distinction, honestly.