Thoughts on Scale 2

[The charts referred to in this article are the Mass Scale Chart and the Strength Scale Chart.]

Although I have seen advice against it, I think the best solution to the Scale controversy is to accept the fact that Mass is a separate trait from Mass Scale. If we accept that Mass Scale is the relative size of the average member of a given species, and that the Mass Scale of objects made for use by that species is 0 relative to that species, then it holds that objects, at least, and probably beings, possess a Mass trait, too.

This Mass trait would be rated numerically on the Mass Scale chart, but its actual real world value would be the Mass trait and Mass Scale combined, just as a Strength attribute and Strength Scale are combined when an offensive damage factor is calculated.

Take, for example, a human being and his bowling ball. The average human being (according to the chart we are using) is Mass Scale 0 and therefore 68 kilograms. His favorite bowling ball is Mass Scale 0 (because it is scaled for use by a Scale 0 human being), but since it weighs only 6 kilograms, its Relative Mass must be -6. Mass Scale 0 + Relative Mass -6 = Mass -6. To find out the Mass or Relative Mass of any normal man-made object, you simply need to know its mass in real world terms.

But suppose the human bowler is challenged to a game by a huge troll? The troll is Mass Scale +4 and therefore about 333 kilograms. The bowling ball, created by a troll craftsman to be used by trolls, is the same size relative to a troll as a man-made bowling ball is to a human being. Since the man-made bowling ball is Relative Mass -6, then you just need to add the troll's Mass Scale to arrive at the troll-made bowling ball's Mass. Mass Scale +4 + Relative Mass -6 = -2. A troll-made bowling ball has a Mass of -2, or about 30 kilograms.

Suppose the human bowler next plays against a gnome. The gnome is Mass Scale -13, or about 350 grams. His bowling ball was made by himself of the appropriate dimensions, so it is 6 levels lighter than himself. Mass Scale -13 - Relative Mass -6 = -19. A gnome-made bowling ball has a Mass of -19, or about 30 grams.

To summarize, to find the Mass of an object made for beings of non-human Scale, add the Mass Scale of the being for whom it was made, to the Relative Mass (the Mass of the equivalent object made for human beings). It's that easy. It requires, however, that the correct terms are in use.

Mass Scale

The mass of the average member of a species.

Relative Mass

The mass of an object relative to the mass of the being for whom it was made.

Mass

The actual mass of a being or object, calculated by adding Mass Scale to Relative Mass. (If a man-made object is 2 levels heavier than a human being, i.e. Relative Mass +2, then the same object made for a different species would be 2 levels heavier than the typical member of that species, too.)

[Originally posted in Fudgery.net/fudgerylog on 13 March 2007.]