Size Matters

Dealing with Scale and Size in WFRP

WFRP has no method of comparing characters or creatures of different sizes; rather, it places all creatures on the same scale. This leads to improbable situations where a giant, greater demon, or dragon has a strength and toughness not much greater than a tough human fighter. In fiction, we expect such creatures to be frighteningly powerful. These rules attempt to alleviate this problem by introducing the concept of Size into WFRP.

All characters and creatures have a Size attribute. The average adult human male has a Size of 0. Anything that is roughly the size of an average adult human male also has a Size of 0.

When dealing with characters or creatures of the same Size, no adjustments are necessary and the normal WFRP rules work fine (except for Encumbrance). What you really want to know is when that giant smacks that halfling, how much damage does the halfling really take ?

How Size Relates to Height and Weight

Each point of Size above or below 0 represents up to a 50% change in height and/or up to a 100% change in weight. You would calculate the "average" height and weight of a Size n character by the following formula:

Size of (n) Average Height (feet) = 6 x 1.25ⁿ

Size of (n) Average Weight (pounds) = 200 x 1.5ⁿ

Thus, if an average adult human male can be considered 6 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds, a Size 1 creature could be 9 feet tall, but weigh 200 pounds (very thin), or 6 feet tall and weigh 400 pounds (very heavy). However, on average a Size 1 creature would be 7.5 tall and weigh 300 pounds.

The following table details the average height/weights of Size from -10 to 10.

Size Table
Less Than 0 Size Height Weight -10 0.6 3.5 -9 0.8 5.2 -8 1.0 7.8 -7 1.3 11.7 -6 1.6 17.6 -5 2.0 26.3 -4 2.5 39.5 -3 3.1 59.3 -2 3.8 88.9 -1 4.8 133.3	Size 0 The average adult human male is 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds.	Greater Than 0 Size Height Weight 1 7.5 300.0 2 9.4 450.0 3 11.7 675.0 4 14.6 1012.5 5 18.3 1518.8 6 22.9 2278.1 7 28.6 3417.2 8 35.8 5125.8 9 44.7 7688.7 10 55.9 11533.0

Standard Sizes

Average humans and elves are Size 0. Dwarves can either be Size -1 or 0, usually 0, depending on the individual's height and weight. Halflings are Size -2 or -1, usually -1.

As far as non-human monsters go, the GM should use the Size Table above to determine what the Size of the monster is. Anything which Causes Fear in Creatures Under 10' Tall is probably at least Size 4.

Size Versus Size: Combat

First, always keep this in mind: Size always matters, but between characters of the same Size these differences are always negligible for game purposes.

So, you only worry about Size when the Sizes of two opponents is different. When two characters of different Sizes are fighting each other, you include their Size in the following calculations:

Strength Bonus	Add the character's Size to his S when calculating damage from attacks made by the character (larger characters do more damage, smaller characters do less damage). This may reduce the damage to 0 or less. Maintain this score until after you have calculated the effects of the opponent's Toughness (see next box).
Toughness Bonus	Add the character's Size to his T when reducing Wounds from attacks inflicted on the character (larger characters are harder to hurt, smaller characters are easier to hurt). Extremely small characters might find themselves with a "negative toughness"; this reflects extremely fragility -- any attack can be fatal. If the total damage done is 0 or less, no damage is done.   Size-affected Damage = D6 + S (attacker) + Size (attacker) - T (defender) - Size (defender) - Armor (defender)
Initiative Penalty	Subtract the character's Size x 10 from his I score when determining initiative and when Dodging (larger characters receive a penalty, smaller characters receive a bonus). Although larger characters might have longer reach, we'll assume that smaller characters are more lithe and harder to hit. If the case arises where a large character's effective I (versus a smaller one) is negative, the GM can normalize the character's I scores.
Attribute Test Bonus	Add the character's Size x 10 to any attribute contests (except I, for which you subtract instead of add) against the larger/smaller opponent (e.g.., a S versus S contest). Again, if the case arises where this makes one or both of the opponent's attribute negative, the GM can normalize the attributes.
Special Case: Fear	A special case might be made for Fear tests affected by Size (Causes Fear in Creatures Under 10' Tall, for example). In such cases, the victim of the Fear would add his Size x 10 to his Cool for purposes of the test. Thus, larger creatures become less and less susceptible to Fear caused by Size until they are immune.

Normalizing an Attribute

Sometimes when dealing with very large or small creatures, the addition or subtraction of the Size x 10 bonus can creature a negative score. For example, a Size 5 Giant receives a -50 penalty to his Dodge score. This will probably make his Dodge negative. The GM should normalize the Giant and his opponent's I/Dodge score in this case. The character with the lowest effective attribute raises the attribute to 10. The other character raises his attribute by the same amount required to raise the first character's attribute to 10.

Example : A Size 5 Giant has a -50 penalty to his Dodge score. He is fighting a Size 2 Ogre (-20 to his Dodge score). The Giant's effective Dodge is -30. The Ogre's effective Dodge score is 5. Since the Giant's score is negative, the GM normalizes his Dodge score by raising the Giant's effective Dodge to 10. He must also raise the Ogre's effective Dodge to 45.

Size and Encumbrance

The character should always add his Size to his Strength when determining how many ENC points he may carry. For example, a S of 3, Size 1 Black Caste Orc can carry has much as a S of 4, Size 0 human.

Swarms

Although a single average (Size 0) human would be hard-pressed when fighting an average (Size 6) elephant, several average humans can bring an elephant down. In cases like this, the GM can declare the group is Swarming and use the following Swarm Bonus Table and Swarming rules:

Swarm Bonus Table
Size of Swarm	Damage Bonus
1	+0
2	+1
3	+2
5	+3
8	+4
13	+5
21	+6
34	+7
55	+8
89	+9
144	+10
ad infintum...

Using the Swarm Table

The GM may declare at any time that a character is being Swarmed. The characters or creatures that make up the Swarm receive a damage bonus based on the number of characters forming the Swarm. The Swarm attacks as a single unit: the GM should quickly calculate the Swarm's average attack skill, S, I, and Size.

If the Swarm hits, add the damage bonus indicated by Swarm Bonus Table to its average S. Swarms do not get the Swarm Bonus when defending.

Example: A party of eight human hunters (Size 0, 1 A each) tracks down an elepant (Size 6) and attack it. Normally, the hunters would make eight Size 0 attacks against the elephant. Only extremely lucky hits would have any chance of bringing down the beast. However, if the hunters attack as a Swarm, they can make a single Size 4 attack against the elephant each round, greatly increasing their chance to wound and kill the elephant. However, even if they are Swarming the elephant, they defend against the elephant as Size 0 humans (ouch!).

These rules do not replace the rules for Swarms in the WFRP rulebook; they simply provide a mechanism for GMs to adjudicate ad hoc Swarms during game play.

A Complete Example

Zumbugger is a Black Caste Orc. He has the following attributes: S 4, T 4, I 40, Size 1. He gets in a fight with Amie Appletoes, a halfling with the following attributes: S 4, T 4, I 40, Size -1.

On the first round, the GM wants to calculate I. Zumbugger's I (vs. Amie) score is 30, whereas Amie's I (vs. Zumbugger) score is 50. Amie dances around the lumbering Orc and strikes first. Amie hits and rolls for damage. He rolls a 4, adds his S of 4, and then adds his Size of -1, for a total damage score of 7 (4 + 4 + (-1)). Zumbugger now gets to absorb 7W. His T is 4 and his Size is 1, so he subtracts 5W, taking only 2W.

Now, Zumbugger strikes at Amie, hitting. Like Amie, he rolls 4 for damage, adding his S and Size for a total of 9W (4 + 4 + 1). Amie must absorb the damage with his T and Size, but since he is Size -1, he actually will absorb less of the blow than a larger character. Amie takes 6W (9 - (4 + (-1)). Amie's player suddenly remembers that Amie can Dodge and begs the GM for a chance to Dodge. The GM aquiesces. Since Amie Size is -1, he gains a +10 bonus to his I score for purposes of Dodging (vs. Zumbugger). Amie rolls a 45, which is less than his effective Dodge (vs. Zumbugger) score of 50, dodging the blow.