Questions on Powerful build

[metalbear]

I have a few questions on powerful build. First off, it allows me to use weapons as if I was one size larger, would it allow me use something like a longspear or other pole weapon one handed? And does this affect the price of my armor by needing it be one size larger? And how does it affect my unarmed attack damage? I was wondering because I wanted to make a build with a Goliath wielding a greatspear (CW) and spiked shield along with spiked armor in a few weeks, and wanted to see if this was a correct interpretation of the powerful build trait.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Your armour will still be medium, because it makes you count as large in any situation where it is advantageous. Armor price is better when it's small.

My question is, how much space do you take up?

[Nebo_]

I have a few questions on powerful build. First off, it allows me to use weapons as if I was one size larger, would it allow me use something like a longspear or other pole weapon one handed?

No.

And does this affect the price of my armor by needing it be one size larger?

No.

And how does it affect my unarmed attack damage?

It doesn't. You are still medium.

I was wondering because I wanted to make a build with a Goliath wielding a greatspear (CW) and spiked shield along with spiked armor in a few weeks, and wanted to see if this was a correct interpretation of the powerful build trait.

It seems you misinterpreted.

My question is, how much space do you take up?

The same as a medium creature.

[Talic]

Space and reach are unaffected. Weapon categories are unaffected. Only things powerful build affects is size modifiers (when it's helpful only), and the size of weapon you're allowed to hold.

So you get the +4 size modifier when grappling, bull rushing, or the like. You don't get the size modifier when you're hiding (as it's a penalty, in that case).

While it allows you to USE larger weapons, it doesn't actually change the size of natural weapons.

That said, There is a Goliath Racial Substitution for Barbarian that gives him Mountain Rage, and makes him all the way large when raging. That increases reach, unarmed strike damage, and all the other goodies that come with large (though this doesn't stack with powerful build).

[Tsotha-lanti]

The DMG does have optional rules for "weapon equivalency" (large longsword -> medium greatsword), but these are optional rules, and if you're using a Medium longspear as a Large spear, you don't get increased reach, obviously.

[Iku Rex]

First off, it allows me to use weapons as if I was one size larger, would it allow me use something like a longspear or other pole weapon one handed?

From a literal rules-lawyering perspective the answer is "no", since the powerful build ability is pretty specific about what you get. A Medium longspear is not a "weapon designed for a creature one size larger". However, I'd allow it.

A Medium creature can use a Small longspear in one hand with a -2 penalty. (Inappropriately sized weapon.) It makes sense that if you can wield Large weapons, you can use a Medium longspear in one hand. And since you and your weapon are both Medium, there's no -2 penalty per the RAW.

(The MIC Strongarm Bracers arguably lets any character do this.)

[Grynning]

I disagree that Powerful Build does not increase unarmed damage. I'm not sure if it's specifically addressed by RAW, however given that it treats you as large whenever it's "advantageous" and that large creatures do more unarmed damage, it stands to reason that it ups it by a die step. Not that it really matters, the mechanical advantage is negligible.
In real life, I think that folks like Andre the Giant would have "Powerful Build" in D&D terms, and I would certainly say he would do more unarmed damage than someone of similar strength but smaller size.

(Of course, all discussions of size in D&D ignore the Square-Cube Law ...but that's another thread that involves the death of many catgirls)

[kamikasei]

I disagree that Powerful Build does not increase unarmed damage. I'm not sure if it's specifically addressed by RAW, however given that it treats you as large whenever it's "advantageous" and that large creatures do more unarmed damage,

It doesn't say that; it says you're treated as large (where advantageous) when subject to a size modifier. It doesn't apply to all situations where it might be advantageous. Unarmed damage doesn't have anything to do with a size modifier.

[Nebo_]

I disagree that Powerful Build does not increase unarmed damage. I'm not sure if it's specifically addressed by RAW, however given that it treats you as large whenever it's "advantageous" and that large creatures do more unarmed damage, it stands to reason that it ups it by a die step. Not that it really matters, the mechanical advantage is negligible.
In real life, I think that folks like Andre the Giant would have "Powerful Build" in D&D terms, and I would certainly say he would do more unarmed damage than someone of similar strength but smaller size.

(Of course, all discussions of size in D&D ignore the Square-Cube Law ...but that's another thread that involves the death of many catgirls)

I'm pretty sure there's FAQ on it that says you're wrong. And I'm very sure that they have medium unarmed damage.

[Grynning]

You would actually confirm that you were correct if you were to link said FAQ, instead of just making assertions.

Either way, if someone wanted to house-rule it that way, it REALLY doesn't make much of a difference - one die step of damage on unarmed attacks means very little.

[kamikasei]

Here, powerful build at d20srd.org, assuming that the description is the same for the goliath ability.

[Dode]

A half-giant is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A half-giant can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.

Since you can't really design your fists to be really big, I guess that's settled.

But then, you could also wear large-sized spiked gauntlets...

[Grynning]

Ah yes...praise RAW, for it tells us that a guy wearing humongous metal gloves is less ludicrous and far more possible than doing slightly more damage with a punch.

Edit: That picture is kind of awesome...the 90's produced some really, really silly comics, didn't they?

[Riffington]

It matters if you're a monk... the damage for a large monk is much better than for medium. It's actually a bigger difference than for mere weapons, because even greataxe wielders tend to do more damage from their power attack or strength than from their actual dice. Whereas monks get lots of attacks with big damage dice (albeit with few fixed bonuses to damage).

It also matters if you plan to grapple, which powerful build helps with. Of course, you can say "that's what armor spikes are for".
But then that forces you to ask whether you can put Large armor spikes on Medium armor, which seems a little odd...

[Person_Man]

Here are the FAQ entries on Powerful Build, for the interested:

Spoiler

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Does the powerful build racial trait allow a character to take advantage of feats for size Large or larger creatures, such as Awesome Blow? Would a half-dragon goliath qualify as Large for determining whether it has wings?

No and no. The powerful build racial trait (found in the goliath entry in Races of Stone and the half-giant entry in Expanded Psionics Handbook) spells out exactly when the character is treated as one size larger than normal:

1. Whenever subjected to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check. This includes grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts.

2. When determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size can affect him. This includes improved grab and swallow whole.

3. When determining what size of weapons the character can use.

That’s it. The character isn’t treated as one size larger when determining space, reach, Hide check penalty, or for the purpose of qualifying for anything that requires size. Some feats, prestige classes, or other game elements may
specifically allow a Medium character with powerful build to qualify as if he were Large. Such examples are specific and intentional exceptions to the normal rule.

Does the powerful build racial trait change the damage the character deals with unarmed strikes and natural weapons?

No. The powerful build racial trait allows the character to “use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty” but doesn’t say anything about changing the damage dealt by his unarmed strikes or natural weapons.

My stonechild (from Races of Stone) fighter wields a fullblade (from Arms and Equipment Guide). If he increases the weapon’s size by one category, can he still wield it, and would it give him reach?

First of all, your stonechild couldn’t wield such a weapon. While a stonechild (as a Medium creature) can wield a normal fullblade as a two-handed weapon thanks to the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fullblade) feat, he couldn’t wield a fullblade of a larger size category at all, even with the feat. (Although the fullblade is described in Arms and Equipment Guide as a “Huge” weapon, this is a reference to the 3.0 rules for weapon size. Using the 3.5 rules for weapon sizes, the fullblade used by Medium creatures is actually a Large twohanded weapon with a special rule that allows a Medium creature to wield it with two hands.) Normally, the smallest creature that could wield a Huge fullblade (that is, a fullblade sized for two-handed use by a Huge creature) would be a Large creature. A Medium creature with the powerful build racial trait, such as a goliath or halfgiant, with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fullblade) feat could also wield a Huge fullblade.

As to the second issue, regardless of the wielder’s or the weapon’s size, a fullblade is not a reach weapon. Even a Medium creature with powerful build who wields a Huge fullblade can use it only against creatures at a distance of his natural reach (typically 5 feet), but no more than that.

If my goliath is transformed into a stone giant by polymorph*, can he wield Huge weapons? What if the wizard just casts enlarge person on him instead?

Alter self, the base spell for the polymorph chain, states that you lose any extraordinary special attacks or qualities “from your normal form that are not derived from class levels.” Since powerful build is an extraordinary quality derived from your form (it’s a racial trait), it’s lost when he takes a new form. (The same is true of half-giants, who also have this trait.)

(On the bright side, your now-Large character can still wield the Large weapons he was carrying around before the polymorph took effect, which is more than the half-orc barbarian polymorphed into a stone giant can say.)
Most simple size-change effects, such as enlarge person, allow the character to retain all racial traits. A goliath whose size increased to Large could wield Huge weapons without penalty (and if reduced to Small size, he could wield Medium weapons without penalty). Enlarge person and reduce person wouldn’t accomplish this (since they work only on humanoids, not on monstrous humanoids like goliaths), but the expansion psionic power would.

*The question and answer uses “polymorph” to refer specifically to spells that rely on the polymorph or alter self spell to adjudicate their effect (including alter self, polymorph, polymorph any object, and shapechange), psionic powers based on the metamorphosis power (including metamorphosis and
greater metamorphosis), and any other effect based on either of these lists.

[metalbear]

Okay, so does powerful build allow the use of a large weapon one handed (ex. greatsword or greataxe)?

[metalbear]

Okay, so does powerful build allow the use of a large weapon one handed (ex. greatsword or greataxe)?

[Nebo_]

Nope. Just the size category of the weapon. Powerful build lists everything it does. If it doesn't list it, it doesn't do it. Simple as that.

[Chronos]

It does, however, allow you to wield a longsword or battleaxe sized for a Large creature, which is pretty much the same thing as a greatsword or greataxe.

Your phrasing there leads me to believe that you're more familiar with 3.0 than with 3.5: In 3.0, weapons had absolute sizes, so a greatsword was always "Large", and a large creature like an ogre would wield it in one hand, while a medium creature would wield the same sword in two hands. In 3.5, though, the size listed for a weapon is the size of creature it's made for, and weapons are listed as "light", "one-handed", and "two-handed". So a greatsword in 3.5 is always two-handed, and a human wields a medium greatsword in two hands, while an ogre wields a large greatsword in two hands. In 3.5, a Large longsword is almost identical to a Medium greatsword (same damage dice, same critical range, etc.), but they're slightly different weapons (I guess the balance is different, or something), so you suffer a penalty if you try to use the wrong one.

[SadisticFishing]

One size to your unarmed damage is MASSIVE. Read up on how well Monk damage scales if you want to know why...