+1 returning harpoons - broken?

[RigaMortus2]

IMC returning weapons don't return if someone picks them up. Being lodged in someone counts to me as being hold by someone else. No return.

Wouldn't this basically make it an "attended object"?

I was thinking of this combo myself, and I can't decide who it should. I think I am more leaning towards it becomes lodged in the target and can't return until it is unlodged.

How about this as a follow up question (looking for opinions here). When the harpoon lodges into someone, it has a trailing rope like a Net does. Winning an opposed Str check prevents the opponent from moving more than x feet away (the distances of the trailing rope). What would I have to do to "pull a Scorpion" (you know, Scorpion from Mortal Kombat)? I am envisioning the harpoon lodging into someone's chest and then having that person "yanked" towards their attacker. I think I would treat it as a "reverse" bull rush. Make opposed Str check, if the attacker wins, he pulls the opponent 5 feet toward him +1 foot per point beaten. Sound reasonable?

 

[Darklone]

Not too much... considering how many weapons should be supposed to lodge in enemies... I don't like the whole mechanic.

Look at it like that: Take a gnome, half as big as the weapon with 100 hp. He gets hit with such a harpoon for puny 6 points. Could you imagine where that thing should be lodged? Me not.

 

[ValhallaGH]

So, returning weapons "flies through the air back to the creature that threw it. It returns to the thrower just before the creature's next turn."

And a harpoon, if it deals damage, "lodges in an opponent who fails a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + the damage dealt). . . . The harpooned creature can pull the harpoon from its wound if it has two free hands and takes a full-round action to do so, but it deals damage to itself equal to the initial damage the harpoon dealt."

So if I throw a returning harpoon into a dragon, and do 30 damage, does the harpoon rip itself out for 30 more damage, or does it yank the dragon to the ground?

Seems like a GMs call. I will say that it's not broken unless someone is throwing three or more of these things each round. Effectively, the horrifying interpretation is like getting a second attack; since returning weapons usually only allow one attack per round, I don't see a problem with that.

Evil DM note: Returning harpoons and a Marilith. Six throws a round, dealing damage up to twelve times.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Not too much... considering how many weapons should be supposed to lodge in enemies... I don't like the whole mechanic.

Look at it like that: Take a gnome, half as big as the weapon with 100 hp. He gets hit with such a harpoon for puny 6 points. Could you imagine where that thing should be lodged? Me not.

That is a good point. Aren't HPs also supposed to represent, not only getting hit by a weapon, but narrow misses and such?

Perhaps the harpoon should have a rule that you have to deal x amount of HPs or (better yet) get a critical hit to have it "lodge" in the opponent. Normally a crit would deal double damage anyway, but the harpoon would still have 2 significant advantages. It has the trailing rope and it deals double ALL of the damage the opponent took (this would apply to sneak attacks and such as well, based on the wording of the harpoon).

 

[RigaMortus2]

Evil DM note: Returning harpoons and a Marilith. Six throws a round, dealing damage up to twelve times.

Heck, returning weapons and Cleave (since you can only Cleave w/ the same weapon you used to "drop" the opponent, and the initial attack the initiated Cleave isn't limited to a melee attack).

 

[Darklone]

That is a good point. Aren't HPs also supposed to represent, not only getting hit by a weapon, but narrow misses and such?

Perhaps the harpoon should have a rule that you have to deal x amount of HPs or (better yet) get a critical hit to have it "lodge" in the opponent. Normally a crit would deal double damage anyway, but the harpoon would still have 2 significant advantages. It has the trailing rope and it deals double ALL of the damage the opponent took (this would apply to sneak attacks and such as well, based on the wording of the harpoon).

No. I'd just remove that thing from the game. Or would allow it to entangle the opponent similar to a net.

 

[Kwitchit]

Not too much... considering how many weapons should be supposed to lodge in enemies... I don't like the whole mechanic.

Look at it like that: Take a gnome, half as big as the weapon with 100 hp. He gets hit with such a harpoon for puny 6 points. Could you imagine where that thing should be lodged? Me not.

In his clothes, with one barb breaking the skin.

 

[Nifft]

In his clothes, with one barb breaking the skin.

Right, I was going to say "in his boot" or "in his armor".

... and add that clearly, when he was "healing hp" overnight, he was actually repairing his armor in his sleep...

Cheers, -- N

 

[Darklone]

Right, I was going to say "in his boot" or "in his armor".

... and add that clearly, when he was "healing hp" overnight, he was actually repairing his armor in his sleep...

Cheers, -- N

... and the more hp/constitution he has, the slower he repairs his armor

 

[Enamel_32]

Okay, here's a similar question...

What does a harpoon with the exit wound enchantment do?