Tiny and/or Small Creature vs. Medium Creature

[dreaded_beast]

Can someone give me the rundown on how to handle combat between a tiny sized creature (ex: vermin) versus a medium sized creature (ex: human)?

On a similar note, can someone do the same for a small sized creature (ex: halfling) versus a medium sized creature (ex: human)?

I'm confused in terms of reach, entering an opponent's space in order to hit due to size, AC bonus or penalty due to size, etc.

A quick summary or overview would be helpful.

 

[Thanee]

That's really very easy. You don't have to bother with anything regarding size differences, as D&D simply gives you bonuses and penalties according to your size, which apply everytime.

For example, a small creature always has +1 to AC and attacks, not only against larger foes. A small creature always gets a -4 penalty in a grapple, etc.

Therefore you just need to check out the various modifiers and apply them.

Regarding reach... If a creature has a 0' reach, it cannot attack adjacent squares. Therefore it has to move into the square of its target, which provokes an attack of opportunity, unless the target creature also has 0' range I believe.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Stalker0]

That's really very easy. You don't have to bother with anything regarding size differences, as D&D simply gives you bonuses and penalties according to your size, which apply everytime.

For example, a small creature always has +1 to AC and attacks, not only against larger foes. A small creature always gets a -4 penalty in a grapple, etc.

Therefore you just need to check out the various modifiers and apply them.

Regarding reach... If a creature has a 0' reach, it cannot attack adjacent squares. Therefore it has to move into the square of its target, which provokes an attack of opportunity, unless the target creature also has 0' range I believe.

Bye
Thanee

Thanee got in 1 I believe.

 

[Spatula]

Thanee is correct. Anything smaller than Small has a reach of 0' and so has to enter the opponent's square to attack in melee, which provokes an AoO. Small creatures (like halflings) have a reach of 5' and so can attack adjacent squares.

In regards to the AC/attack modifiers, consider two halflings fighting one another. The attacker gets a +1 to hit because he's Small, which may seem out of whack since he's attacking a creature the same size as he is. BUT the defender gets a +1 to AC because he's Small, and the two bonuses cancel each other out. The same thing happens whenever two creature of the same size fight (e.g. two ogres - the attacker gets -1 to hit, but the defender gets -1 to AC).

 

[Ferret]

I think he may be talking thematical, not crunchily.

 

[Spatula]

I'm confused in terms of reach, entering an opponent's space in order to hit due to size, AC bonus or penalty due to size, etc.

Sounds like crunch to me.

 

[dreaded_beast]

Thanks everyone! Very helpful replies!

I was running a game where I noticed that the monster was size Tiny, but just made it Small because I didn't know how to deal with Tiny sized monsters at the time.

On a similar note, if a PC is fighting a Tiny sized monster in his square, can other PCs attack that Tiny sized monster? Will there be any penalties, chance to hit the PC, etc.?

I ask this because the description of the Tiny sized creature's attack was that it would attach itself to the face of the victim and sting it. However, it didn't state that it was a grapple attack, just a regular attack I think. So, if this thing is on the PC's face, I was wondering how other PCs would attack it since it is a Tiny sized monster.

 

[Darklone]

Note that AU Faen sprytes are explicitely considered as small creatures concerning reach...

Just because of your description:

I ask this because the description of the Tiny sized creature's attack was that it would attach itself to the face of the victim and sting it.

... reminded me a lot of the last battle of our spryte against a big baddy

 

[dreaded_beast]

Bump

 

[Spatula]

You're talking about stirges. Their 3.0 description is a little wonky, rules-wise; in 3.5 they are clarified to be grappling when they attach to their target. So in that case, I would treat the stirge as being in a grapple.

I don't believe the rules comment on the general case (a Tiny creature in the same space as a larger enemy creature), so I would assume there are no conflicts with targetting the Tiny creature from outside the space.