D&D 5E I thought that I had seen a Range limit to the sneak attack with the Ranged Weapon, 30 feet

[Quartz]

No, RAW he's right. There's a difference between a ranged weapon and a ranged attack. Simple and Martial Ranged Weapons are listed in the main weapon chart on PHB p.149.

I disagree. The text in the Properties column makes it clear that the weapons can be used as ranged weapons. Note that explicit ranges are given as opposed to someone simply throwing a sword as Morgan Freeman does in the final battle of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. And why waste ink repeating the entries?

 

[Paraxis]

The Weapons table shows the most common weapons used in the worlds of D&D, their price and weight, the damage they deal when they hit, and any special properties they possess. Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feet of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance.

The "or" in that bolded part is important. A dagger is a melee weapon with the thrown property, so it can be used to make a ranged attack, but it is not a ranged weapon. Just like a whip is not a ranged weapon it just has reach, the reach property lets the weapon work further than 5' away just like the thrown property does.

So dagger melee weapon not ranged, but because it is a finesse weapon it can be used to make sneak attacks when you throw it, just remember to apply disadvantage past 20' unless they have the sharpshooter feet.

A hand axe can be thrown but it too is not a ranged weapon, and because it is not finesse it can not be used to make sneak attacks.

You have to be careful about the wording, some things only work with "ranged weapons" and some things with "ranged weapon attacks", the language is confusing. A hand axe when thrown is considered a "ranged weapon attack" but it is still not a "ranged weapon"

What that means for example, you can not sneak attack with the hand axe, you do not get a +2 to hit with the Archery fighting style when you throw the hand axe, but a monk can spend a point of ki to deflect a hand axe.

Sharpshooter feat has three benifits, the first two no disadvantage at long range and ignoring half & 3/4 cover apply to "ranged weapon attacks" and thus apply when you throw a melee weapon. The third part of sharpshooter the -5/+10 only applies to attacks with a "ranged weapon" and thus can't be applied to thrown melee weapons like daggers.

 

[Quartz]

A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feet of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance.[/I]

You're quite right. A ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance. There's nothing to say that a weapon can't be both ranged and melee, is there? The one does not preclude the other.

 

[jayoungr]

Regarding siege weapons, I assume their "target" is considered to be a building or ship, not an individual person.

 

[Paraxis]

You're quite right. A ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance. There's nothing to say that a weapon can't be both ranged and melee, is there? The one does not preclude the other.

The Weapons table shows the most common weapons used in the worlds of D&D, their price and weight, the damage they deal when they hit, and any special properties they possess. Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feet of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance.

The sentence "Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged." is the thing that says that a weapon can't be both ranged and melee.

Either melee or ranged.

A ranged weapon, is a weapon listed as a ranged weapon.

A ranged weapon attack, is any attack using any weapon at range.

I know it is not the clearest, but it is how the rules are written.

 

[Paraxis]

Regarding siege weapons, I assume their "target" is considered to be a building or ship, not an individual person.

Most of the time you are right, but in a world with flying dragons, giants, and beholders possible assaulting a fortification sometimes those targets are creatures.

 

[Athinar]

The sentence "Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged." is the thing that says that a weapon can't be both ranged and melee.

Either melee or ranged.

A ranged weapon, is a weapon listed as a ranged weapon.

A ranged weapon attack, is any attack using any weapon at range.

I know it is not the clearest, but it is how the rules are written.

Many Weapons have special properties

But you guys are missing the Weapon Properties for Thrown - you can make a Ranged Attack and there is nothing in the Sneak Attack that says the Range Attack has to be both Finesse and Range

 

[Quartz]

But you guys are missing the Weapon Properties for Thrown - you can make a Ranged Attack and there is nothing in the Sneak Attack that says the Range Attack has to be both Finesse and Range

Actually, there is. On p96 Sneak Attack says 'The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.' Hence the disagreement.

 

[Paraxis]

Many Weapons have special properties

But you guys are missing the Weapon Properties for Thrown - you can make a Ranged Attack and there is nothing in the Sneak Attack that says the Range Attack has to be both Finesse and Range

Sneak Attack: The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.

We can all agree that a dagger can be used to make a sneak attack, because it is a finesse weapon and it doesn't matter if you stab someone with it or throw it.

You can't sneak attack with a hand axe, javelin, light hammer, spear, or trident, because those weapons are neither finesse or ranged weapons. Having the thrown property doesn't make it a ranged weapon, it just lets you make a ranged weapon attack.

 

[Athinar]

We had our Tuesday Night Game and all 9 of us agreed that melee weapon with the Thrown Property can be used with the sneak attack when thrown and that this website is full of Trolls