Harpoon: delusions of grandeur or DM nightmare

[Nail]

Really just say its ranged only. Making it a 1d6 is going a bit far in my humble opinion.

The harpoon has a special ability other weapons don't.

Why should it also do more damage than other weapons?

 

[Kmart Kommando]

if you allow that, why couldnt you pull it out from 30ft away by pulling on the rope? you'd pull with the same force either way (unless you brace against the opponents body i guess).

because that isn't what harpoons are designed for.
what good would a weapon used for hunting things that can swim away be, if you can just pull it out at range with a quick tug? seriously.

 

[Belbarid]

While a harpoon is not optimal for stabbing with, I'm sure if the guy wanted he could design a barbed melee spear that works just the way a harpoon would after you stab someone with it.

...And call it a pilum, and then sell it extensively to the Roman Legions.

Although, the barbs weren't usually used to inflict more damage upon removal. This was life, after all, where one sword wound was generally enough to dispatch a foe, rather than a dozen. The barbs were used to lodge in the enemy's shield. The Pilum was heavy enough that its weight on the shield was enough to make the shield useless.

I'm sorry... we were talking about powergaming, weren't we.