I've been thinking about the stat limits that being big or small places. I'm not sure that they're necessary.
My original qualm was about a d12 Muscles Mouse being able to out-power a d4 Muscles Elephant... average 6.5-2=4.5 vs 2.5+2=4.5, but with the Mouse having a max of 10 and the Elephant a max of 6.
But that only happens if 1) it's a straight Muscles roll, not Muscles & Muscles or 2) bonuses don't apply multiple times when their trait does.
If you apply your size adjustment twice in a Muscles & Muscles roll, then things look more even. The Mouse rolls 2d12-4 (max 8, average about 4) vs 2d4+4 (max 8, average 7). That's more like what I want... the smallest character (if really, really strong) should be about equal to the absolutely weakest big character.
So I'm not sure that I really need to limit the maximum Muscles rating on a small character. If I do, it'll just be a starting limit, and you'll be able to increase it normally.
But I don't like reducing the strength range of Mice from 5 steps down to 3. If someone wants to start with a really muscular Mouse (and, honestly, that's what a d12 Muscles implies), then who am I to veto it? The size penalty will hurt him plenty.
The Speed penalty for big critters, though... that I'll have to think about. Do I really want an Elephant to always be kind of clumsy when swinging an unfamiliar weapon? I might do away with the limits entirely.
Also, the skill penalties hit enough skills to make up for a 1-level increase, I think. Or do they? Skills are 1 per level, a Major Edge is 4. Yeah, a -1 to six major skills should probably be good enough. I'll make each level of Big or Small into a Minor Edge, since it rewards specialization. They could even become free, but I hate to allow for abusive specialization that way.
Posted by Kiz at July 5, 2004 11:57 AMCommentsPost a comment