question about small characters

[Madscientist]

What changes if you use a halfling or gnome instead of one of the other races?

In NWN2, weapons could have the size large, medium, small and tiny.
For a small char, each weapon was considered one size bigger.
They could not use large weapons, medium weapons were considered large, small considered as medium and tiny considered as small.
But a human and a halfling, both with a short sword in the main hand and a dagger in the off hand and with the same str value, they would do the same damage.

In Pathfinder, every char can equip everything but small characters deal less damage with the same weapon, compared to a medium char. Is this correct?

If this is true, it makes little sense to make a small char unless you have a pure caster who never wants to use a weapon or you make a char where most damage comes from additional damage (e.g. sneak attack) instead of weapon damage.
While I like most changes from DnD to Pathfinder, this would be one thing where I think that the DnD rule makes more sense.

It also looks like small chars move slower than medium ones.

[Madscientist]

shameless bump:

- can small chars equip every weapon in pathfinder?
- Is there any reason to use a small char?

[Midnight]

Anything you equip on small character will get weapon size modifier which will reduce damage.

That applies to everything I've seen so far including crossbows. You can equip anything and the damage will automatically get reduced.

However this doesn't apply to enchantments and other bonuses. So if your sword does 1d4 of damage instead of 1d6 it doesn't much matter if you have +2d6 fire damage and +3d6 sneak attack with it. Small characters also get bonus to AC, attack and stealth.

So pick small characters for casters, rogues and generally characters that rely on hit bonuses rather than raw damage. And NEVER pick small monk.

[Cutlass Jack]

Originally posted by Midnight:

And NEVER pick small monk.

But the crotch punches are totally worth it.

[Midnight]

Originally posted by Cutlass Jack:

Originally posted by Midnight:

And NEVER pick small monk.

But the crotch punches are totally worth it.

Unless it's a large creature in which case it's a grapple attack.

[Xandor]

From what I know:
+1 AC and flat footed AC, +1 attack modifier.
Halfling also gets +1 on all saving throws.

Weapon damage is seen as 1 tier smaller I think, you deal less damage with all weapons (both melee and ranged).
You lose 2 in CMD and CMB.

Halfling can get +2 additional AC when using fighting defensively with a feat.
I think there was something that gives halflings back the CMD lost (might be fighting defensively with cautious fighter feat or something else, not sure, it is dodge AC so should affect CMD).

I think Halflings are the best tank.
I am not sure about this but I think spell abilities are not affected by the damage penalty, I have no idea if true or not.

[OnlyOffensive]

yea halfling with tower shield should be the best tank AC wise, although some monk / something might challenge him.