Throwing a non-thrown weapon

[Khime]

Beyond that, the weights for weapons in the PHB etc are patently absurd anyway. A 12 lb maul would be utterly impossible to wield in any effective manner whatsoever. You could probably swing it, and someone with a 20 STR could certainly manage to cart it around and make a moderately credible swing with it, but it would be VASTLY inferior to a lighter weapon in every respect. Given that there is nothing realistic about the weights of melee weapons in 4e there is just no point in spoiling people's fun by applying realistic criteria to improvised weapons (thrown or otherwise).

It's not the maul's fault that 12 lb is a realistic weight. People 'wield' them all the time for fence work and wood splitting, and don't take more than a second or two to ready for another swing.

 

[babinro]

Personally I like to use the chart on pg 42 of the DMG for damage on these rare situations.

The thrower would either get a +0 to the STR on heavy objects or +0 Dex on Light objects. If the object seems very unwieldy then I'd impose a additional -2 or -5 penalty accordingly on the attack role.

Example: Throwing a Chair, +0 STR, low damage as per pg 42 char level DMG Range 3-6

Throwing an unconscious Halfing Minion into another creature: -2 STR, Medium damage as per DMG. Range 3-6