D&D 5E Little Giant and Powerful Build

[doctorbadwolf]

My old variant Goliath was able to throw things better than others as part of Powerful Build, but I never fully developed the idea, and now the race has been updated.

What I’m thinking is double range, and the ability to do a Powerful Throw PB/day. Powerful Throw adds 1d6 to the damage of a ranged attack with a thrown or improvised weapon.

This would also be added to Powerful Build, for the handful of races with that trait still.

Thoughts?

 

[toucanbuzz]

It'd be odd that Powerful Build characters would do much more damage throwing a dagger than stabbing you with it, or that improvised table legs become more deadly thrown (2-10 damage) than a long sword is wielded.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It'd be odd that Powerful Build characters would do much more damage throwing a dagger than stabbing you with it, or that improvised table legs become more deadly thrown (2-10 damage) than a long sword is wielded.

I’m not sure I agree, but weapon damage makes no sense in D&D anyway.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Could make the bonus damage just for any thrown weapon, or skip damage and stick to range, and also count as large when grappling?

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Powerful build is explicitly not the ability to throw things/hit harder. However it would allow you to throw things that are much larger and heavier that others could throw, or even lift. When your Goliath wants to throw an improvised weapon, let them use something massive, like a large table, full keg of ale, or boulder, and add the additional dice of damage to that.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Powerful build is explicitly not the ability to throw things/hit harder. However it would allow you to throw things that are much larger and heavier that others could throw, or even lift. When your Goliath wants to throw an improvised weapon, let them use something massive, like a large table, full keg of ale, or boulder, and add the additional dice of damage to that.

This. I would make such an improvised weapon do 2d4+str bonus damage if it weighs at least 10 lb. Use it as often as you like.

 

[James Gasik]

I mean, Giants do more damage with thrown rocks because they are big and strong, right?

 

[Umbran]

I mean, Giants do more damage with thrown rocks because they are big and strong, right?

So, if you are trying to put real world physics for "realism" then there's a major difference between "Throw small rock harder/faster" and "throw larger rock". So, putting a restriction on the thrown item being large isn't a real stretch.

 

[James Gasik]

I wasn't even thinking about physics, just, I had always assumed this was the justification for rock throwing, because they are giants and they can lift big rocks.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I’m not sure if the objections here are based in balance concern or like, in-fiction thinking?