The Small Disadvantage: Exploring the Downsides of Being Small in D&D 5e

While playing a diminutive halfling, gnome, or other small-sized race in D&D 5e can be incredibly fun and offer unique roleplaying opportunities, it’s important to understand the inherent downsides that come with being small. This article will delve into those disadvantages and explore how they can impact your gameplay. Directly, the primary downsides of being a small creature in 5e are primarily related to limitations on weapons, reduced movement speed, and situational disadvantages in combat scenarios.

The Core Disadvantages of Small Size

Weapon Limitations

One of the most significant drawbacks of being small is the restriction on heavy weapons. Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls when wielding heavy weapons. This means that if your small character wants to wield a greataxe or a greatsword – iconic damage dealers in the game – you’ll be consistently rolling with disadvantage, significantly hampering your ability to hit. This effectively funnels small characters into other weapon categories, limiting build options. Fighters and Barbarians are more effective when using Heavy Weapons and small races will struggle to get that same benefit.

Movement Speed

While not directly tied to size itself, it’s common for small races to have a reduced base movement speed of 25 feet, compared to the 30 feet of medium races. This might seem trivial, but those 5 feet can make a critical difference in combat, exploration, and when engaging in tactical positioning. In a fast-paced fight, this lower speed can leave you struggling to close gaps with ranged enemies, flee from danger, or reach objectives effectively.

Combat Maneuvering

The battlefield is often designed with medium-sized creatures in mind. Being small can put you at a disadvantage in terms of tactical positioning. While smaller creatures can squeeze into tight spaces, this isn’t always an advantage. You can be easily surrounded and targeted by larger creatures who can move past you with ease.

Limited Reach and Positioning

Although not a direct mechanical disadvantage, being small often means having a harder time using reach weapons effectively or taking advantage of certain environmental features in combat. Large and Medium creatures can often see over small creatures allowing them to shoot and target the creature more effectively. Furthermore, being a small creature can mean you cannot stand in some places or have to use a feat to get higher than other creatures on your turn.

Social Perception

In some settings, small races might face prejudice or be underestimated by NPCs based solely on their size. This isn’t a mechanical penalty, but can lead to interesting roleplaying challenges and may occasionally complicate social interactions. Some players may also feel like the small size is “cute” and will not take the character seriously. This can cause role-play problems with players who want to be serious and enjoy the game and story.

The “Wind Wall” Spell

While niche, the “Wind Wall” spell specifically states that small or smaller flying creatures cannot pass through it. This presents a very situational, but real disadvantage in certain spellcasting or monster-heavy scenarios. This means, small flying creatures will have to take a detour instead of flying directly into the intended destination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does size affect Armor Class (AC) in 5e?

No, in 5e, size does not directly affect AC. However, in prior editions, some small races did receive an AC bonus, but this is no longer present.

2. Do small creatures get to be more nimble or stealthy?

While being small can aid in stealth, this isn’t explicitly part of the rules. Race features, class features, and skills are what affect stealth and mobility, not the size itself. A small creature still rolls for stealth and dexterity skills the same as a Medium creature. There is no inherent benefit.

3. Are there any benefits to being small in 5e?

Yes, small creatures can occupy smaller spaces, can ride a wider range of mounts, and have a variety of different racial abilities. However, this article discusses the disadvantages of being small.

4. Can small creatures use heavy weapons?

Yes, small creatures can technically use heavy weapons, but they suffer disadvantage on attack rolls when doing so. This severely limits their effectiveness in combat.

5. Does being small affect how much I can carry?

No, size is not directly tied to carry capacity. Strength determines how much a character can carry. However, Large and larger creatures can carry double and more of their calculated weight.

6. Does size affect damage in D&D?

The size of the creature can impact damage, but only for creatures that are Large or larger. Small creatures deal the same damage as medium sized creatures when wielding the same weapon. Larger sizes can have increased weapon damage.

7. Does size affect Strength?

Not directly. Strength scores are determined by the character’s stats, not their size. However, very large creatures may require more strength to move and carry their own weight but this is not usually a factor in 5e.

8. Can small creatures be mounted?

Yes, small creatures can be mounted. They need to ride a creature that is at least one size larger than them. This allows them to ride a wider variety of creatures than medium characters. However, this does not change the overall movement disadvantage.

9. How does flanking work with small creatures?

Flanking rules are the same, regardless of size. It’s determined by the positioning of allies around an enemy, not by the physical size of the creature. Being small may sometimes make it harder to reach an optimal flanking position, however.

10. Are humans always medium sized?

Yes, humans in D&D 5e are always medium-sized, regardless of height variations. Some variant rules may allow for a human that is small but this is not typically allowed in the rules.

11. Does being small make you better at stealth?

No, being small doesn’t provide any inherent bonus to stealth checks. A character’s proficiency, stats, and class features determine stealth effectiveness.

12. Why are D&D miniatures all about the same size?

D&D miniatures are usually created to fit on a 1-inch base. However, larger and smaller creatures will have larger or smaller bases to represent their size difference in gameplay.

13. Can I play a tiny character?

No, tiny is a size category generally reserved for creatures like rats and insects. Players cannot start the game as a tiny creature.

14. Is it better to be small or medium in D&D 5e?

It depends entirely on your playstyle and the build that you are working with. Each size has benefits and drawbacks, and there is no ‘best’ size. The downsides listed in this article might make you reconsider a small character build if you are not a fan of those drawbacks.

15. Is it harder to hit small characters?

No, there is no inherent bonus to defense based on size in 5e. They are hit as easily as larger characters. The common conception that they are harder to hit is based on old rules from prior editions of D&D.

Conclusion

While the allure of playing a small, nimble character can be strong, it’s critical to understand the downsides that come with the territory. From limitations on weapon choices to reduced movement and various combat disadvantages, being small in D&D 5e is not without its drawbacks. By carefully considering these aspects, you can build a character that makes the most of their small stature while navigating the challenges that it presents. Remember, informed choices lead to more rewarding gameplay.