Does low Str limit the range of thrown weapons?

[Xarlen]

Strenght really doesn't factor into how far you throw something.

Let's look at things from a real life perspective, and a Game perspective.

For RL, look at a Frisbee. I can just snap my wrist, and that sucker Sails. However, I do the same thing to a rock, *plop*. Centrifical force can be used to hurl something very far, but if you use it to hit someone with it, it doesn't hit them that 'hard'. You can hurl a dart as hard as you can, but you have to throw it 'right' to get it to stick into a dartboard.

On a game perspective, look at Javelins. 30' range increment. They're aerodynamic. Alchemist's flasks are 10' range. They are not.

Ranged attacks run off of Dexterity, thus your agility in being able to throw. Not your strenght. Strenght just applies to the impact.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Well, from a RL perspective I can throw a rock/javelin/frisbee a lot farther than my 10 year old nephew. And Mr. T can throw things farther than me. Or throw *me* 10', while I wouldn't be able to throw him at all. It's a matter of Strength.

I'm not disputing that Dex determines your accuracy, just was wondering if Str limits the range of thrown weps in any way. Apparently it doesn't, which is odd. But it's good news that my 3 foot tall gnome with 6 Str can throw a flask of oil exactly as far as my buddy's 7 foot tall half-orc with 20 Str.

Thanks for the replies,

-z

 

[Rel]

I think the Hammer Throw analogy is flawed. Thrown weapons are not thrown for distance (as is the case in the Hammer Throw) but for accuracy.

Range increments combined with BAB and other modifiers model how well you can throw a weapon accurately. If someone were throwing simply for distance, I would have them make a Str check and use the total check result to calculate a distance. In that case, Conan will outclass your Gnome most of the time.

Problem solved.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Rel, that's a good idea, and a good distinction. Of course Conan can throw much farther than Peewee. But the limit of how far a weapon can be thrown with any degree of accuracy is absolute--regardless of Strength. Thus the 5 increments limit.

Thanks!

 

[1337 h4xor]

Rel, that's a good idea, and a good distinction. Of course Conan can throw much farther than Peewee. But the limit of how far a weapon can be thrown with any degree of accuracy is absolute--regardless of Strength. Thus the 5 increments limit.

Thanks!

the problem is you're trying to use logic form the real world when 3e is triying for the most simplistic thing with some degree of realistic real world interaction.

In the example your first gave i am in fact a nationally ranked collegiate hammer thrower, i can accurately hit targets with some small degree of accuracy up to about 60% of my maximum range.
However it would be almost impossible for me to hit a living moving thing at any range.

the problem i do have is specifically with the orcish shotput. This is a weapon that should have a minimum strength requirement to even throw... but apparently 3' tall gnomes with a 6 strength can get it out 50' (the max range) while personally after years of training and having a obnoxious strenth score that would be a tough throw for me and would have no chance of hitting much of anything.... maybe i need a few levels

 

[Zaruthustran]

i am in fact a nationally ranked collegiate hammer thrower...
the problem i do have is specifically with the orcish shotput. This is a weapon that should have a minimum strength requirement to even throw... but apparently 3' tall gnomes with a 6 strength can get it out 50' (the max range) while personally after years of training and having a obnoxious strenth score that would be a tough throw for me and would have no chance of hitting much of anything.... maybe i need a few levels

(cliche mental image of "leet hacker" as a sloped-shoulder teenage computer geek permanently destroyed)

Well met, and congrats on the ranking. I agree with you, but them's the rules.

If this were the House Rules forum, I'd suggest tossing out the static "5 range increment" limit for thrown weapons in favor of a "3 + Str Modifier" limit, capped at 7 range increments. The gnome could throw that heavy shotput only 10 feet while the 20 Str Orc could hurl it 70 feet.

-z

 

[Rel]

If this were the House Rules forum, I'd suggest tossing out the static "5 range increment" limit for thrown weapons in favor of a "3 + Str Modifier" limit, capped at 7 range increments. The gnome could throw that heavy shotput only 10 feet while the 20 Str Orc could hurl it 70 feet.

-z

But since this isn't House Rules, we don't need to worry about you suggesting that, right?

If this were House Rules and if you proposed that, I would disagree because it would mean that you could throw that heavy Orcish Shotput the same distance you could throw a vial of acid.

 

[1337 h4xor]

(cliche mental image of "leet hacker" as a sloped-shoulder teenage computer geek permanently destroyed)

I used to be the largest comp-sci major on the block before i changed majors.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I used to be the largest comp-sci major on the block before i changed majors.

Now I know where you learned to throw hammers