D&D 5E (2014) Fighting Style - Archery

[Mistwell]

W h y a r e y o u p o s t i n g t h r e a d s w i t h s o m a n y s p a c e s i n t h e m ?

 

[Remathilis]

W h y a r e y o u p o s t i n g t h r e a d s w i t h s o m a n y s p a c e s i n t h e m ?

Because Copypasta-ing from the Scanned PDF does that.

 

[guachi]

You can use Dueling fighting style instead. +2 damage with a melee weapon in one hand. So it totally works with axes, javelins, daggers.

 

[Klaus]

Strange that the PHB calls javelins melee weapons. I don't think I've heard of anybody (willingly) using one for melee in history.

Other than the entire Roman Legion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilum

 

[Henrix]

The difference between a spear and a javelin is very small.

Most can be used either way. A pilum was made to be used at short range, or in hand to hand. Legionaries often had lighter thrown spears as well.

It'd be very odd if a spear made primarily to be thrown was not a ranged weapon, however.

 

[Morte]

Other than the entire Roman Legion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilum

The pilum is a thing unto itself. I wouldn't call it a javelin, maybe a "heavy javelin" (as wikipedia calls it) if you really want.

The latin for a regular javelin is iaculum and it's smaller than a pilum and purely for throwing. Romans used iacula extensively on their lighter troops, especially before the Marian reforms. E.g. at the Battle of Telamon where they got their teeth into the Gauls of Northern Italy.

 

[AmerginLiath]

We need to remember that 5e does more of grouping weapons together into one "weapon" (especially when qualities like versatile – see how bastard sword becomes part of longsword – or thrown come into play). I can see the javelin being both the traditional javelin and effectively what 3.x called the shortspear, thus including the pilum within it when used as a melee weapon. I'm reminded of the discussions elsewhere of where club versus mace now really break down and various other similar talks (and frankly, for the level of granularity that the weapon system is at, it's fine; else we get into that weird glaive versus halberd debate write large!).

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

I'm fine with thrown weapons not getting +2 to hit from archery but getting +2 to damage from duelist. It's probably what I'll do in my own games. A specific fighting style for thrown weapons would be good, though.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I'm with Jeremy on this, no rules say a melee weapon that is thrown count as a ranged weapon like 4E had. In fact they clearly say the opposite, that every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. So No Archery Fighting Style bonus on melee thrown weapons.

 

[Chocolategravy]

Can we bring back the old Throw Ally feat as a Fighting Style?

God yes, Halflings need to be good for something.