D&D (2024) Rogues can now Sneak Attack with all thrown weapons - Tridents, Spears, Handaxes, they all work!

[Charlaquin]

What the heck is a hoopak? I’ve never seen that term before, certainly not in a weapons table in a D&D book.

 

[James Gasik]

What the heck is a hoopak? I’ve never seen that term before, certainly not in a weapons table in a D&D book.

It's basically a slingshot on the end of a staff, traditionally used by the Kender of Krynn (Dragonlance).

Shown here, carried by Tasslehoff Burrfoot:

EDIT: one might note it's basically a sling-staff, but I think it can be used like a slingshot to fire bullets as well as hurl them. Kender like the noise it makes when swung overhead, not unlike a bullroarer.

 

[Charlaquin]

It's basically a slingshot on the end of a staff, traditionally used by the Kender of Krynn (Dragonlance).

Shown here, carried by Tasslehoff Burrfoot:

View attachment 382236

Odd that they felt the need to give a special name to sling staves, given that they’re a very real historical weapon. But, are they a weapon that has stats in any 1st party D&D 5e source book? If not, I don’t see how they’re relevant to the question of whether a weapon can be both melee and ranged in the 5e rules or not.

 

[James Gasik]

Odd that they felt the need to give a special name to sling staves, given that they’re a very real historical weapon. But, are they a weapon that has stats in any 1st party D&D 5e source book? If not, I don’t see how they’re relevant to the question of whether a weapon can be both melee and ranged in the 5e rules or not.

I believe it, along with Kender, got stats in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen.

 

[James Gasik]

So doing a little research, the hoopak was intended to be a versatile weapon that suited the nature of the Kender race. It can be used as follows:

*as a sling shot, by thrusting the metal tip into the ground.
*as a sling-staff.
*as a staff.
*as a spear, including being thrown.
*as a prying tool.
*as a musical instrument.

I thought the main reason to make it a separate weapon had to do with the Kender being Small-sized, but 1e D&D doesn't have as strict rules about weapon size as later editions- the only thing I found was a footnote on page 19 restricting characters under 5' in height (hilariously, this could include female elves!) from using longbows or weapons over 12' long (and if you weigh under 100 lbs., you cannot use the heavy crossbow or weapons that have a coin weight over 200, such as the greatsword).

It's funny that it's become synonymous with the Kender, while the Whippik (whip-bow) has been completely forgotten, lol.

 

[Charlaquin]

I believe it, along with Kender, got stats in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen.

So, is it both a ranged weapon and a melee weapon there?

 

[Vaalingrade]

In D&D it's a melee trident.

That you throw.

Because D&D is bad at representing things mechanically.

 

[Maxperson]

That you throw.

Because D&D is bad at representing things mechanically.

Yes, so they've chosen the polearm version of trident and allowed it to be thrown. It's not a precision weapon when thrown like a fishing trident would be.

They're bad at representing things mechanically.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yes, so they've chosen the polearm version of trident and allowed it to be thrown. It's not a precision weapon when thrown like a fishing trident would be.

They're bad at representing things mechanically.

Except there's not good reason it can't be thrown with precision: it's a fantasy game.

There's also no balance justification either as it's like s 2 point damage swing on top of sneak attack. It's a stupid rule and needs to go.

Just because they're bad at representing things mechanically doesn't mean they have to keep doing that despite the fact it's tradition and harming itself for tradition is D&D's strong suit.

 

[Maxperson]

Except there's not good reason it can't be thrown with precision: it's a fantasy game.

There's also no balance justification either as it's like s 2 point damage swing on top of sneak attack. It's a stupid rule and needs to go.

Just because they're bad at representing things mechanically doesn't mean they have to keep doing that despite the fact it's tradition and harming itself for tradition is D&D's strong suit.

My problem is that trident = okay, but greatsword and glaive = not okay. I want some consistency. Either let them all work, or keep the big, unwieldy stuff off limits. They should pick a lane.