D&D 5E Large Creatures - How much better is a bigger size for a playable race?

[jgsugden]

Don't make it large, keep it medium but describe it as big for medium. The mechanics do not need to be large if the pcs just want to have a big pc.

 

[Sunseeker]

For the most part, largeness will impede dungeon exploration. I've even gone as far to point this out to particularly "hefty" players wherein a slim elf can move through a crevice easier than a muscly dragonborn.

I have typically allowed "large lite" creatures in the past, such as centaurs and other tauric creatures that while large in size due to greater body mass, they still possess a roughly medium sized human torso, thus keeping down all the "big weapon" problems.

Beyond that, large creatures are a bigger target. When you go up against the bandits, they are typically eager to go after the troll barbarian, rather than the elf ranger. To me, being large is less of a mechanical issue and more of a role-play issue. You stick out, you can't fit in the inn, you're less trusted by communities, you can't fit in dungeons, people like to shoot at you first, you have higher costs, issues with travel, even finding appropriate equipment, etc...

If you're looking to add penalties, the easiest ones are just all the things you can't do while being big.

 

[Azurewraith]

I honestly don't think it would be worth the hassle a large pc wont fit through a medium door or in a medium bed or at a medium bench etc they just would not fit in society. I mean try living a day on stilts that add an extra 2-3ft onto your height, i got a friend who is 6'3 hes a goth with some of his boots he has to duck to get under door ways and he will still be below 7ft

 

[Rya.Reisender]

Quick question, where in the 5e rules does it say that large weapons deal double damage over medium weapons?

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

Quick question, where in the 5e rules does it say that large weapons deal double damage over medium weapons?

Explicitly? I don't think it says it anywhere.

Implicitly it says it in every creature of greater than medium size that uses weapons, centaurs and driders being the notable exceptions since their weapon-wielding parts are only medium-sized so their weapons are medium too. It's easiest to see by looking at the damage of a greatclub in the PHB (1d8), then the damage of an Ogre's greatclub (2d8), and lastly the damage of a Hill Giant's greatclub (3d8).

 

[Rya.Reisender]

Ah okay, so this is more a houserule. I was already thinking that weapons always deal the same damage no matter what size (by default rules). The only changes in the rules I could find for becoming large were that you can carry double as much weight and you can be attacked by 12 enemies at once instead of 8.

 

[Croesus]

Ah okay, so this is more a houserule. I was already thinking that weapons always deal the same damage no matter what size (by default rules). The only changes in the rules I could find for becoming large were that you can carry double as much weight and you can be attacked by 12 enemies at once instead of 8.

Not a house rule, more of a design concept. Check out page 278 of the DMG, the rules for creating custom monsters. It states "Big monsters typically wield oversized weapons that deal extra dice of damage on a hit. Double the weapon dice if the creature is Large, triple the weapon dice if it's Huge, and quadruple the weapon dice if it's Gargantuan." When we look at the creatures in the MM, we see the designers followed this concept, e.g., with giants.

Of course a GM can ignore this for PC's, or require a PC to have such weapons custom made (at significant cost). IMO it would be very unbalancing to allow a Large PC race to consistently do double weapon damage on melee weapons, but each GM and gaming group can decide for themselves.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

Ah okay, that's the rule part I was looking for.
Thanks.

 

[Dark Sun Gnome]

As an aside, I looked at the stats for the Loxo in Shining South guidebook and it stated the size of the creature, and it was actually the same height more or less as a goliath. So it could be classed as a medium sized creature.

Anyway, here is my stats for it. Shame WoTC didn't put it in the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide and have it Adventurers League legal. Sure would raise a few eyebrows in Icewind Dale

Ability Score Increase – Your strength increases by 1, your Constitution increases by 1 and your Dexterity increases by 1.
Size – Loxo stand between 7 and 7ft5, and weigh in the region of 500 pounds. You are a medium creature.
Age – Loxo reach adulthood at 12 years old and can live to over 80 years old.
Speed – your base speed is 30 feet
Trunk – You have can attack with one of your two trunks and inflict 1d6 of bludgeoning damage. You can also use your trunk to perform an additional object interaction on your turn if either hand is empty.
Natural Armour – Your AC is 12 + Dexterity modifier + any armour you are wearing
Trample – As an action, you can move over creatures of medium size and deal 1d8 + your strength modifier + proficiency bonus of bludgeoning damage. The opponent can take either an attack of opportunity with disadvantage or attempt a dexterity save (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your strength modifier) for half damage.
Languages – You can speak Loxo.

As for the size, the Dark Sun group I DM has a Half Giant (a 12 foot tall, 1200 pound one) and he cannot go places the others can, has disadvantage in certain areas and has to eat and consume twice as much food and water as the others in the group.

 

[Werebat]

Any way to fend off char op abuse?

There is never an effective way to do that.