D&D 5E Is this weapon balanced?

[Shiroiken]

It really depends on the type of wood and quality of other materials to determine how well balanced it... Wait, you mean mechanically?!? Wasn't expecting that.

Design goal is obviously to allow a better long range option for Str based characters. Loading is necessary, because otherwise this would outperform everything else, but still makes it worth using when a ranged attack is your only choice. The 1d6 damage is a bit much, but I feel would be more reasonable if it only worked on the short range of the ammunition (so using it instead of just throwing it would be worthwhile at the cost of loading). I also note that this doesn't mention the two handed property, and am curious about what it's supposed to look like.

 

[tetrasodium]

Looks about right to me, not too powerful at all. In fact, because it has the loading property, I could see people eventually moving on to another weapon if they have more than one attack, unless there is an equivalent crossbow expert feat that lets them ignore the loading property.

It's a levelup weapon, no such feat exists, it does this

Spoiler: Crossbow Expertise

• If you are proficient with a crossbow, you ignore its loading property.
• You do not have disadvantage on ranged attack rolls from being within 5 feet of a hostile creature.
• When you attack with a one-handed weapon using the Attack action, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow wielded in your off-hand.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I would just drop extra damage. I don't object to it by any means, but it seems to make this a weapon people would actually consider making a build around or otherwise specializing in, and then be upset that it doesn't synergize with x, y, and z, when they could otherwise just appreciate it as a device that allows their melee guy to throw a javelin much further when they really need to throw a javelin much further.

 

[Auramancer]

Artificer infusing Repeating Shot on this weapon would be an amusing exploit.

 

[Steampunkette]

Personally, I'd:

Spear-thrower
Simple Ranged Weapon
Cost: 5 sp
Damage: 1d10 piercing
Weight: 1 lbs.
Properties: Special, ammunition (80/200), loading

Spear-thrower. This weapon uses your Strength modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier for attacks and damage. The spear-thrower can use either spears or javelins as ammunition.

Atlatls are not heavy (I've used one, before) or particularly expensive/difficult to make.

Essentially what you're creating, here, is a strength based crossbow with heavier ammunition. I suspect that's why you went for 80/320, to match the crossbow range. However while the Atlatl could be used to hurl a dart up to 450ft, it didn't do it with great deals of speed and it would be fairly easy to avoid at it's maximum potential range because of the size and visibility of the projectile. I feel like halving it's real-world maximum makes the most sense, in this case as it's still plenty of range for most adventurers.

Rather than increasing the spear-damage, it's easier to just declare the weapon's damage. And since it's basically a crossbow, mechanically, 1d10 fits well. The low price reflects the fairly high cost and weight of the ammunition which never breaks on impact or gets lost.

I hope this helps!

 

[Ancalagon]

I concur that it seems ... quite implausible that it would have the same range as a crossbow, or even a short bow.

 

[Flamestrike]

I'd like to get opinions about the balance of this weapon. For context, it is a ranged weapon found in Level Up. Almost all of the ranged weapons in the game have identical stats to their 5e counterparts (at least when Thrown in the case of melee weapons), so you don't need any knowledge of Level Up to analyze this weapon.

Spear-thrower
Martial Ranged Weapon
Cost: 10 gp
Damage: 1d6 piercing
Weight: 4 lbs.
Properties: Special, ammunition (80/320), loading

Spear-thrower. This weapon uses your Strength modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier for attacks and damage. If you hit a target within the spear-thrower's normal range, it deals an extra 1d6 damage. The spear-thrower can use either spears or javelins as ammunition.

Too strong; too weak; just right?

2d6 damage out to 80', with a Strength based ranged weapon attack (sharpshooter, archery style etc apply)?

Lose the extra d6 damage and it's OK.

 

[Flamestrike]

Artificer infusing Repeating Shot on this weapon would be an amusing exploit.

No need. It doesnt have the loading property, just the ammunition property.

 

[cbwjm]

I concur that it seems ... quite implausible that it would have the same range as a crossbow, or even a short bow.

I just looked up the throwing distance of an atlatl, and 300 feet seems to be a common distance listed for it so the 80/320 seems suitable as the range.

 

[Horwath]

I would just go with "improved martial version" of javelin.

1d8 Piercing damage.
50/200ft range