3.5e Beginner question on Size Modifiers

[Nateido]

I'm a new player that hasn't yet played one single campaign but trying to understand the rules. Our DM is very rusty so we're all trying to help him out and figure out some of the basics so we can actually have a fairly smooth playing experience once we get rolling.

My question has to do with size modifiers on Attack Rolls and Armor Class. We have a halfling playing as a barbarian (yeah, I know, ridiculous, lol ) and I'm a bit confused about when the size modifier comes into play. I'm famliar with the size modifier table, like this one: Size

But so when the Halfling fights, say, a "medium" sized target, does he add his +1 size modifier to that (since he's small?). How about against something that is "gargantuan": is it still the same +1 bonus to the Halfling's attack roll?

So in a fight with something that is gargantuan, would the small halfling roll d20 +str modifier+base attack bonus +1 for size modifier to hit? Likewise, would the gargantuan monster have to roll a d20+attack bonus-4 to beat the halflings AC (which in itself has a +1 size modifier to it?)

In other words, does it then work that as long as you're "small" you get a +1 if the monster is bigger but it doesn't matter how specifically larger the monster is?

And let's say for a medium sized character. He has a size modifier of 0. So when he's fighting a larger monster than he himself is, does he get a bonus at all to his attack roll or to his AC?

Any help appreciated .. I'm kind of stumped with this one and I think it's going to be kind of important.

[Shawn Conard]

Size modifiers are based on your own size and not on relative size.

But because it modifies both chance to hit and armor class, it works out anyway. That is, you are at +1 to hit against a medium target. You are also at +1 to hit against a small target, but that small target will have a +1 size bonus to AC so the net effect is 0. Against a larger than medium sized target, you still only get +1 to hit but the target's AC is reduced, so you end up being more likely to hit even though your bonus isn't any bigger.

Oh, and one more thing. A lot of monster stat blocks already have the size modifiers taken into account. So if you're using a monster from the MM, you don't need to go and add in the size modifier since that's already part of the stat block. For example, an ogre gets +8 to hit (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ogre.htm). That's +3 from base attack bonus, +5 from strength, +1 from weapon focus, and -1 from size. And the AC breakdown also includes the size modifier.

[Nateido]

Ok wow, perfect. Thank you very much, that makes sense. And here I thought there was going to be a crazy micro management type of thing where I'd always have to figure out whether the opponent was of a different height than me or not. I'm kind of relieved. ;)

[chiguayante]

When I need info about size modifiers I just look at my email spam folder...



















I'll get me coat.

[Master Of Desaster]

I'm a new player that hasn't yet played one single campaign but trying to understand the rules. Our DM is very rusty so we're all trying to help him out and figure out some of the basics so we can actually have a fairly smooth playing experience once we get rolling.

My question has to do with size modifiers on Attack Rolls and Armor Class. We have a halfling playing as a barbarian (yeah, I know, ridiculous, lol ) and I'm a bit confused about when the size modifier comes into play. I'm famliar with the size modifier table, like this one: Size

But so when the Halfling fights, say, a "medium" sized target, does he add his +1 size modifier to that (since he's small?). How about against something that is "gargantuan": is it still the same +1 bonus to the Halfling's attack roll?

So in a fight with something that is gargantuan, would the small halfling roll d20 +str modifier+base attack bonus +1 for size modifier to hit? Likewise, would the gargantuan monster have to roll a d20+attack bonus-4 to beat the halflings AC (which in itself has a +1 size modifier to it?)

In other words, does it then work that as long as you're "small" you get a +1 if the monster is bigger but it doesn't matter how specifically larger the monster is?

And let's say for a medium sized character. He has a size modifier of 0. So when he's fighting a larger monster than he himself is, does he get a bonus at all to his attack roll or to his AC?

Any help appreciated .. I'm kind of stumped with this one and I think it's going to be kind of important.

Well in your case your racial writeup contains (if I'm not mistaken) ALL modifiers due to small size (Gnome details have it contained as well), but most "Monster as PC Race" entries from MM do not contain the size modifier values (well, but most of them are medium size anyway ...)

My real big hint that will help all of you a lot is:
a) Use PHB Index - It often contains the fastest way to find out what something means
b) www.d20srd.org - or the RTFs straight from WotC (search for 3.5 Ghetto / Archives) will help you a lot as RTF files can be easily searched in "full text search" mode.
c) Don't try "I'll calculate that on the fly" if you can avoid it ...