How can a little guy look imposing?

[No brains]

I like turtles dwarves. They seem like they can be bad ass and heroic, but I have a little problem making a mental image of an imposing dwarf. This can apply to any smaller humanoid, but when I think of imposing figures, size instantly jumps into my mind as a deciding factor. Certainly dwarves can be very broad and wear intricately crafted armor, but being so much shorter than a human makes them considerably less intimidating. Minus 2 cha strikes again!

I could use help in either the form of really awesome pictures of dwarves or narration that makes a dwarf seem imposing. Dwarves are the focus, but if this can be done with an even wider array of small humanoids, I would be impressed.

[Kaje]

Gigantic axe.

[Con_Brio1993]

Well size is imposing in the real world. Even in animals you see that making themselves look bigger is often their go to strategy for intimidating potential foes.

That said, I agree with Kaje. Compensate for your small size. Compensate big time. Find the biggest weapon you can carry, and carry it across your shoulder all the time.

[Toliudar]

"My elbow is at the same level as your crotch."

Also, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUrJdsN_-B0&noredirect=1).

[Psyren]

I could use help in either the form of really awesome pictures of dwarves or narration that makes a dwarf seem imposing.

Like this? (http://www.goblinscomic.com/09102005/)

[Kane0]

-Emphasise masculinity (if male of course) by noting hairiness, bulk, how much he seems to be able to carry, scars, etc.

-Make him fearless. Not foolhardy, fearless.

-Make him smile or chuckle menacingly when he doesn't seem intimidating enough, especially when someone mentions it.

-Make sure his physical ability/prowess is not downplayed. He might be a wizard, but even a wizard dwarf can drink well and kick a table across a room better than any elf! Use the stereotype to your advantage.

[starwoof]

Get a big frickin' winged helmet and some hirelings.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l121/starwoof2/KING.jpg

[Zale]

http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62242/preview

I find that guy slightly imposing.

Carry around some monster head!

Wait- If you cut off a troll's head and cauterize the neck, does it still live?

That would be kinda creepy. :smalleek:

[Mustard]

I automatically think of evil dwarves.

Weapons are bloody, rusted, chipped. Almost looks like the wielder doesn't care about them, but the edges look recently honed, conspicuously clean-looking. Maybe axes, to bring taller opponents down to their level, or at least to give that impression.

If there is time to provide notoriety, that is also helpful. Maims opponents, gouges eyes, cutting off hands, leaving them to bleed to death rather than kill them outright - most opponents are not worthy enough for clean deaths. Wears skulls and skins from the opponents who were worthy.

If a group is involved, make the above a characteristic of the group. They sell captives into slavery. They use dark, forbidden magic. That kind of thing.

If you want an imposing heroic dwarf, now that's different. I think you'll have to focus on confidence. Prays during battle, or recites some sort of prose. Perhaps apologizes if you can finesse something that sounds imposing. It's harder to think about, as I'm not sure if there are obvious "good" qualities that make a good guy imposing to a bad guy that wouldn't work the other way. It's almost too easy to rely on someone religious: they are fulfilling the will of their god. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They do feel pity, remorse, and fear, but they put aside those feelings for the divine will of their god. And they absolutely will not stop, ever, until they have fulfilled their destiny.

Edit: None of this applies specifically to short people. Funny thing, that... So you can see you don't really need to do much. Demonstrate competence, and the rest will follow. Also, the poster below me pretty much has it right.

[pffh]

Dwarfs are as wide with muscles as they are tall, their fists are at your crotch level and not to mention the axe. Sounds pretty damn imposing to me.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Also, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUrJdsN_-B0&noredirect=1).

I find this one minute of video more representative of D&D than any other work of art ever created in any medium.

[Zale]

Meet Pella (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/212). A Singing Dwarven Murder Machine.

[Talentless]

I like turtles dwarves. They seem like they can be bad ass and heroic, but I have a little problem making a mental image of an imposing dwarf. This can apply to any smaller humanoid, but when I think of imposing figures, size instantly jumps into my mind as a deciding factor. Certainly dwarves can be very broad and wear intricately crafted armor, but being so much shorter than a human makes them considerably less intimidating. Minus 2 cha strikes again!

I could use help in either the form of really awesome pictures of dwarves or narration that makes a dwarf seem imposing. Dwarves are the focus, but if this can be done with an even wider array of small humanoids, I would be impressed.


Honestly I'm reminded of one of Terry Pratchett's books, can't remember the exact one, but essentially a Human hoists a Dwarf in the air to find that the Dwarf has put the blade of his axe just below the sensitive area for most male humans.

Hilarity and intimidation ensues.

[No brains]

One problem with artwork of awesome little guys is that the art downplays the perspective of someone looking at them. The dwarf lugging a monster head looks imposing, but if he's only about waist high, it risks looking silly from above.

The emphasis on religion is an interesting idea given the perspective of viewing a dwarf. There are some ways that looking at someone from above can look imposing if they are showered in divine light, making their eye sockets run with shadow...

Could one source of inspiration be wild animals? Many animals are not as tall as people but still frightening. Badgers, wolves, snakes, and a few others can scare tall people...

Edit: Enough with crotch jokes. That's funny, not really intimidating. Besides, spiked knee pads on any enemy are an apt source of castration anxiety.

[Aegis013]

The best way to look imposing is to do something that will strike awe into others. Just looks alone? Yeah... you kind of need to be either big, or have incredible magic shenanigans going on around you or something equally over-the-top.

[Feralventas]

I once played a home-brew halfling that, while being the usual happy-go-lucky sort of little fella, also weighed as much as a half-ogre (magical density of the homebrew) and had a carrying and weapon capacity of the same, and was rather imposing with his sword being taller than most of the rest of the party.

And being a charlatan helped him get away with a lot when simple intimidation didn't.

Alternatively, be everywhere. Hide in plain sight, sneak around, peer over people's shoulders, know things you shouldn't and never let in on the secrets of your success. Leave signature trade-marks on your successful objectives, and let your reputation speak for you.

[hex0]

Blowing pillars of stone out of the ground helps as well.

[RobD]

Size doesn't matter when you're the tallest thing standing. :smallamused:

[Zale]

Give them wings somehow.

No, wait, that would just make them look silly.

Give them a hair trigger temper and a penchant for physical violence. Most people will find someone who is know to debone people who look at him wrong slightly more intimidating.

[Acidic_Cakes]

Powerful tiny fists... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU3AQrh3Whc)

[Pokonic]

A dwarf is as wide as it is tall, with his beard nearly making him twice as wide. His armor is large and well-made, with the only opening thats visiable is the dwarves head, peering at you with suspition. The weapon balanced on the ground with his right hand resembles a slab of steel, with vauge resembalence to a oversized poleaxe. As the men come near the cave entrence he is guarding, he lifts and slames the massive weapon like a staff into the ground, making the runes adorning the poleaxe light up and transform the whole upper part of it turn into a blazing inferno of magical fire.

As he lifts the weapon to point its tip at the traders, in a gutteral tone that raises hairs on the humans back, he asks in common "What buisness could you have with the city of Jazan-tharn?"

[Campbellk8105]

Uh, for some reason Meepo comes to mind...

Anyways, why focus on looking imposing at the get go? I prefer my characters most of the time to look like the average joe, until combat or some other task. Then surprise! They wipe the floor with you.

[Yora]

It's not about height, it's about mass. A dwarves have about the same mass as a human of similar fitness. With bulky heavy armor, he will look even tougher.
Even the biggest dogs stand much shorter than any grown human, but when the bigger ones are really pissed off, there is few doubt that they could charge you down and kill you without much trouble. (Though I've heard more stories about men killing dogs in self defence than getting killed by a dog attack, but you wouldn't want to put your trust in that when such a beast is right before you.)

[RedWarrior0]

Low angle shots, proper ambient lighting, putting said dwarf on a mound or hill. Especially the low angle shot. I'm talking floor-angle here.

[DrMike105]

Warhammer Trollslayer (http://avhs-omega-english.wikispaces.com/Gotrek+and+Felix+The+First+Omnibus)

[Anxe]

I just found out about the Goblins webcomic. There's a Dwarven Paladin called Kore that turtles a lot behind a tower shield.

Wiki (http://goblinscomic.wikia.com/wiki/Kore)
Initial Appearance of Kore (http://www.goblinscomic.com/09102005/)

[Mantarni]

On the opposite spectrum of the battle-frenzy type: have them be very calm, collected and confident no matter what the situation. None of the shifty dodging around most small types usually do, and they don't start or run away from conflict. Think Zen:

They calmly, casually stroll up to the dragon.
And then they smile.

(Underfoot Combat + Confound the Big Folk + Giantbane)

[Ravens_cry]

Warhammer Trollslayer (http://avhs-omega-english.wikispaces.com/Gotrek+and+Felix+The+First+Omnibus)
That books is for sale at a local gaming store and I said it then and I will say it now, the eye patch from that angle and side looks like sunglasses.
On Kore:
I remember reading through the archive the first time I read Goblins.
Kore is terrifying.
Kore is everything I don't want to be when I play a Paladin.

[NNescio]

On the opposite spectrum of the battle-frenzy type: have them be very calm, collected and confident no matter what the situation. None of the shifty dodging around most small types usually do, and they don't start or run away from conflict. Think Zen:

They calmly, casually stroll up to the dragon.
And then they smile.

(Underfoot Combat + Confound the Big Folk + Giantbane)

What if the dragon is flying?

[Mantarni]

What if the dragon is flying?

If you're not a flying being, there are lots of ways to fly, or at least get onto a flying creature. Just prepare a few for this contingency. Looking awesome takes preperation.

Once you're on it, previous 3 feats come into play. Also take close-quarters combat, since it has to grapple check you to knock you off and you can now add your AoO damage to your resist check. It's also flatfooted/denied dexterity/other CtBF disadvantaged, so this has a decent chance of hitting.

You are now Gandalf-riding a dragon/whatever. Bonus points, use confound the big folk's tactics to trip it* with improved trip, so you can hack at it as it falls.

*A successful trip on a flying creature makes it fall 150 ft iirc

[Curmudgeon]

One way to look imposing is to be completely unseen until you're standing over the fallen bodies of your enemies. Invisible, deadly, and hidden ─ until their prone condition gives you a height advantage. :smallwink:

[Venger]

Enough with crotch jokes. That's funny, not really intimidating. Besides, spiked knee pads on any enemy are an apt source of castration anxiety.

I disagree rather strongly. the enemy doing terrible things to your genitalia is a huge demoralizer in combat. in WWII, the allies lived in constant fear of nazi schrapnellmines or "bouncing betties" as the americans called them. they were triggered with a pressure pad when stepped on, a charge blasted them up to waist level and then another charge detonated them, sending shrapnel out in a wave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-mine

they were infamous for castrating people who were just clear of the initial blast radius, a fate worse than death, as it were. it wrecked morale for troops going through mine-ridden territory, because none of them wanted to take a shot there

so I definitely agree with the armour spikes to hit the big folk in their vulnerable spots. hell, I'd be scared to fight a four foot guy wearing a pair of brass knuckles. it's a tactical advantage that shouldn't be discounted. why do you think dwarves have a racial bonus against giants?

[Ravens_cry]

Because they think anything bigger than them is an abomination that must be punished for reaching to high?
Oh, they ally with humans and elves for now, but soon, heh, soon, they too will be cut down to size.

[Thurbane]

I loved the LotR movies, but the one thing they did that really ticked me off was portraying Gimli as comic relief. :smallmad:

Also, Dwarves aren't small, they're medium. The mightn't be as tall as a human, but they're generally much broader.

[KainelWyst]

Looking doesn't really have anything to do with it. Edgero Wainwright (epic wizard halfling npc) radiated his imposing-ness with an ungodly deep and voluminous voice and brisk, expectant manner. It's all in perception, and much of that, at least for me comes from feeling and hearing the force of will in a person's voice and mannerisms.

[Yora]

I loved the LotR movies, but the one thing they did that really ticked me off was portraying Gimli as comic relief. :smallmad:

It's not Gimli as comic relief, it's the concept of comic relief itself. It ruins every movie and is never a good idea.

[Metahuman1]

Ways to be scary while being short.

Feats of Strenght: Yeah, he's four feet tall. No one's gonna start something with him if they see him dead lifting the wagon of trade goods out of the hole it's stuck in or throwing the heavy oak table clean across the tavern, or throwing a solidly built 6'6ft human through the door like a rag doll.

Insane martail feats: Related to feats of strength. Show him in combat on a regular bases pulling moves that just blow the mind. decapitating three ogres before any of them have time to so much as draw there weapons. Taking a group of Orcs in a Bar fight, bare handed, and leaving them all a pile of battered unconces meat with more bones broken then intact before sitting right back down to finish his drink or just walking out of the tavern after paying for the damaged furniture. Let him get walloped with the charging minotaurs Best Sunday hammer hit and just stand there having taken it and have one of the following reactions.

"That it? Good, my turn." (Best followed with a one hit kill if possible.)

Smug smile right before killing him in one hit or at most one round.

Chuckle right before, well you know.

Just standing there giving it the same stern look as before he took the hit that should have made paste out of him, and then, do I need to say it?



Or

Walking Arsenal: Works best for stealthy characters. You just can't get a bead on him until he's right on top of you taking cunks of your meat off your person with his short sword and hand ax. And he's a gods damned walking weapons shop. He's got enough sharp objects on his person to outfit an entire platoon at the drop of a hat and still have over a dozen left over for himself. And no one can find the stuff until he draws it. Heck, no one can even figure out how he FITS all that stuff on him.

Fits well if character seldom ever uses words, let alone grammar.

[Flickerdart]

The Ring girl is pretty scary (or at least unsettling) and she's short. A carpet of writhing insects is also short, but makes up for it by being creepy as hell.

Also? Huge armour adds a few inches. Dwarves be ridin' spinnaz, yo.

[Mercenary Pen]

A couple of suggestions here:

1- Body Language: Go into this in detail, try to get everyone else scared of his description, let alone actually facing him- give them the feeling that he's seen most of the tricks before and he isn't even remotely afraid of them.

2- Visible scars: Any part of him that isn't covered in armour should have some healed scarring to support the impression given by the body language. (maybe an enemy even got his beard recently, so he's wearing a false beard made of adamantine chain until his own regrows)...

[Mono Vertigo]

Above all, the "little guy" must be absolutely confident in himself and his abilities.
If he ever sounds or look funny, it is controlled and absolutely intentional. He is not ridiculed. He has too much dignity for that. He's sufficiently confident about his own height that there's no point trying to ridicule him for that, because he will make you pay without complaining or losing his temper. Oh, and also, he is very good at what he does.

Confidence, dignity, and professionalism. These three things are the key. The rest is just helpful details.