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General Tabletop Discussion
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Is this weapon balanced?
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<blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 8576555" data-attributes="member: 87792"><p>OK. There are two big things to talk about here.</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The extra 1d6 damage at up to 80 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The loading property</li> </ul><p>Loading is <em>crippling</em> from level 5 onwards for anyone who would normally use strength. All the strength combatants get a second attack at level 5. You can draw one weapon per turn but fire two. So if you start on turn 1 you get both your attacks as long as you started with a spear in hand (fire it, draw another, fire it) - but from turn 2 onwards you can only draw one and attack. This is a big part of what makes throwing weapons non-viable as a primary weapon.</p><p></p><p>The extra 1d6 on the other hand means that from level 1-4 it is far and away the <em>best</em> ranged weapon for a fighter with a two handed weapon. Drop it to draw your greatsword/greataxe/maul when you want to get stuck in. From level 5+ it's simply an oddity because it doesn't scale to two attacks.</p><p></p><p>And it's this combination of "the best thing possible" before level 5 and "utterly meh" from level 5 onwards that's the real problem. It suddenly falling off and you changing your fighting style because you leveled up just feels bad. Javelins are fine - they may drop off at level 5 but they were never your primary means of engagement; they were something you did because you couldn't hit it with your main weapon. This is strong enough to be your primary weapon from levels 1-4 and is a disaster at level 5. Which just feels bad in the way two weapon fighting does; it's fine for four levels then bad at level 5 onwards.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Neonchameleon, post: 8576555, member: 87792"] OK. There are two big things to talk about here. [LIST] [*]The extra 1d6 damage at up to 80 feet [*]The loading property [/LIST] Loading is [I]crippling[/I] from level 5 onwards for anyone who would normally use strength. All the strength combatants get a second attack at level 5. You can draw one weapon per turn but fire two. So if you start on turn 1 you get both your attacks as long as you started with a spear in hand (fire it, draw another, fire it) - but from turn 2 onwards you can only draw one and attack. This is a big part of what makes throwing weapons non-viable as a primary weapon. The extra 1d6 on the other hand means that from level 1-4 it is far and away the [I]best[/I] ranged weapon for a fighter with a two handed weapon. Drop it to draw your greatsword/greataxe/maul when you want to get stuck in. From level 5+ it's simply an oddity because it doesn't scale to two attacks. And it's this combination of "the best thing possible" before level 5 and "utterly meh" from level 5 onwards that's the real problem. It suddenly falling off and you changing your fighting style because you leveled up just feels bad. Javelins are fine - they may drop off at level 5 but they were never your primary means of engagement; they were something you did because you couldn't hit it with your main weapon. This is strong enough to be your primary weapon from levels 1-4 and is a disaster at level 5. Which just feels bad in the way two weapon fighting does; it's fine for four levels then bad at level 5 onwards. [/QUOTE]
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Community
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Is this weapon balanced?
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