A possible character trait

[Immabozo]

In real life, if you take the (rare) examples like Shaq, or Yao Ming, they would, in D&D terminology, be large, not medium. But also, they generally live shorter lives and are usually in pain from over stressed joints.

Well, I was thinking about that in regards to D&D. What if you had a human character with the trait or "tall" and he counts as a large character. Downsides would be same as they are in real life. Age categories might be shorter, penalty to dex, and none of the bonuses (except reach) and all of the negatives. But hey, you are still large!

I know the size category satisfies the size pre requs for some prestige classes, which would, personally, be the big appeal.

[Juntao112]

Both Shaq and Yao Ming are more dexterous than average.

[prufock]

The SRD notes that the Large size category puts you from 8-16 feet tall. Shaq and Ming are both under 8 feet.

EDIT: I want to look at this from a mechanics standpoint as well, not just a realism standpoint.

Large size grants the following: -1 to hit and AC, -4 hide, +4 grapple (and other relevant size-dependent opposed checks), reach 10". Bonuses to ability scores are a separate racial trait, though it's usually tied to size.

Reach is worth a feat in itself - see Inhuman Reach in Lords of Madness, Willing Deformity in Heroes of Horror, etc. Powerful Build is also worth a feat - see Jotunbrud. These don't have any drawbacks, however. Actual large size usually have level adjustment attached.

What you want is 2+ feats (maybe more, considering prereqs). A trait is supposed to have worse negatives than positives, so you'd be looking at a hefty downside. A simple -4 to hide and -1 to hit and AC seems quite cheap. I would say it should require at least 2 feats in addition to that, so maybe if you lose your first level feat and have to take a mandatory flaw gaining this trait instead of the normal bonus feat for taking a flaw.

[Andezzar]

You may want to look at the Jotunbrud feat from Races of Faerun (p. 166)

I don't think that any feat should enable you to actually become Large, with all associated benefits and drawbacks. look at some RL creatures that are large in D&D: Bison, Camel, Horse.
Why an ape is supposed to be large, I really have no idea.

[prufock]

Why an ape is supposed to be large, I really have no idea.
Why it's called "ape" is even more baffling. Ape is a WIDELY varied group of primates that includes humans. The largest silverback gorillas top out around 510 lbs, which could put them in the Large category, but certainly not by height.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Well, I was thinking about that in regards to D&D. What if you had a human character with the trait or "tall" and he counts as a large character. Downsides would be same as they are in real life. Age categories might be shorter, penalty to dex, and none of the bonuses (except reach) and all of the negatives. But hey, you are still large!

For a human to enter the Large category would be a significant stretch of the imagination. For an Orc I think you could maybe swing it for freaks of nature, but even the tallest humans don't have the height or bulk to justify, in my mind, the size switch.

Jotunbrud does a great job emulating those who are tall and broad, with great physical strength, which a feat like Inhuman Reach (flavored to not be horribly madness inducing) might account for the incredibly tall but lanky people out there.

Both make more sense to me than making a size Large human and both, thankfully, can be accomplished with the Human bonus feat. :smallbiggrin:

[prufock]

Jotunbrud does a great job emulating those who are tall and broad, with great physical strength, which a feat like Inhuman Reach (flavored to not be horribly madness inducing) might account for the incredibly tall but lanky people out there.

Both make more sense to me than making a size Large human and both, thankfully, can be accomplished with the Human bonus feat. :smallbiggrin:

Neither of these allow the human to qualify for Large sized prestige classes, though, which seems to be the OP's goal. Perhaps make a third feat that requires Jotunbrud, with the only benefit being "you qualify for prestige classes and feats that require large size"?

[Immabozo]

Neither of these allow the human to qualify for Large sized prestige classes, though, which seems to be the OP's goal. Perhaps make a third feat that requires Jotunbrud, with the only benefit being "you qualify for prestige classes and feats that require large size"?

QFT. I was looking at "war hulk" PrC from Miniatures Handbook and "Large" was a prereq, and my character idea did not take well to a LA.

thanks everyone

[Juntao112]

QFT. I was looking at "war hulk" PrC from Miniatures Handbook and "Large" was a prereq, and my character idea did not take well to a LA.

I hear they sell pills for that.

[Immabozo]

I hear they sell pills for that.

hahahahahahahahahahaha