Melee, Ranged, Projectile and Thrown weapons...

[The Souljourner]

FlimFlam, you're rules lawyering, plain and simple. The problem is that the writers of much of the WoTC material often don't distinguish between melee attack and melee weapon. In reality there is NO SUCH THING as a melee or ranged weapon. They don't exist. You can make a melee attack with a weapon, you can make a ranged attack with a weapon. But any single weapon is neither melee or ranged inherently, since you can always smack someone up 'side the head with a weapon, and you can always throw it at them as they're running away.

So just drop it. You know you're wrong, everyone else knows you're wrong, and this is just turning into a trollfest.

End of story.

-The Souljourner

 

[FlimFlam]

FlimFlam, you're rules lawyering, plain and simple. The problem is that the writers of much of the WoTC material often don't distinguish between melee attack and melee weapon. In reality there is NO SUCH THING as a melee or ranged weapon. They don't exist. You can make a melee attack with a weapon, you can make a ranged attack with a weapon. But any single weapon is neither melee or ranged inherently, since you can always smack someone up 'side the head with a weapon, and you can always throw it at them as they're running away.

So just drop it. You know you're wrong, everyone else knows you're wrong, and this is just turning into a trollfest.

End of story.

-The Souljourner

I thought this was the rules forum? I am here to understand the rules. In light of what has been described about "melee attack" vs. "melee weapon", it puts a new perspective on things. Like I asked in my last question (which on one bothered to answer), can you use "ranged" feats with non-ranged weapons? Since you seem to be saying that there is no difference between "melee" and "ranged" weapons, I guess I can take Point-Blank Shot with a Great Axe. And if this is the case, that would make for a very interesting character concept. Maybe one I would like to play one day.

But if it is not the case, then I guess there IS a difference between "melee" and "ranged" weapons and you're the one that is wrong. Either way, this would be nice to find out w/o on the put-downs.

 

[Caliban]

I thought this was the rules forum? I am here to understand the rules. In light of what has been described about "melee attack" vs. "melee weapon", it puts a new perspective on things. Like I asked in my last question (which on one bothered to answer), can you use "ranged" feats with non-ranged weapons? Since you seem to be saying that there is no difference between "melee" and "ranged" weapons, I guess I can take Point-Blank Shot with a Great Axe. And if this is the case, that would make for a very interesting character concept. Maybe one I would like to play one day.

But if it is not the case, then I guess there IS a difference between "melee" and "ranged" weapons and you're the one that is wrong. Either way, this would be nice to find out w/o on the put-downs.

You can't take "Point Blank Shot with the Great Axe" because the Point Blank Shot feat doesn't apply only to a specific weapon. It applies to any ranged attack you make, whether it is a ranged spell, a bow, a thrown weapon, or a chair you are throwing.


If you took Specialization in dagger, the +2 on damage would apply whether you used it to make a melee attack or threw it. Same with any other weapon (except possibly bow, since it can't normally do melee damage). Specialization doesn't limit itself to a specific attack form, just a specific weapon.

As for the "ranged attack" vs. "ranged weapon" controversy, it's pretty clear that whenever you make a ranged attack with a weapon, it is a ranged weapon for that attack, even if it's not normally meant to be thrown. And if you make a melee attack with a weapon, it is considered a melee weapon for the duration of that attack, even if it's not normally meant to be used in melee combat (i.e. arrows).