Throwing a spear - Still full-round action?

[MeepoTheMighty]

In 3.0, throwing a two-handed spear (which was called a shortspear then) was a full-round action, according to the PHB:

Thrown weapons can only be thrown one-handed. You can throw a thrown weapon with one hand even if it would be two-handed for you due to your size (such as a gnome throwing a javelin), but doing so counts as a full round action because the weapon is bulkier and harder to handle than most thrown weapons. You recieve your Strength bonus to damage.

Now, 3.5 has a similar sentence:

Throwing a light or one-handed weapon is a standard action, while throwing a two-handed weapon is a full-round action.

However, that sentence appears flanked by some other sentences that make it sound like it only comes up when using weapons that weren't designed to be thrown:

It is possible to throw a weapon that isn’t designed to be thrown (that is, a melee weapon that doesn’t have a numeric entry in the Range Increment column on Table: Weapons), but a character who does so takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll. Throwing a light or one-handed weapon is a standard action, while throwing a two-handed weapon is a full-round action. Regardless of the type of weapon, such an attack scores a threat only on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. Such a weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.

So, is throwing a shortspear (now called a spear) still a full-round action?

 

[Ranger REG]

A 3.5e spear (two-handed melee weapon)? A Medium spear thrown by a Medium wielder will require a full-round action to throw one. And since it has a range increment (20 ft.), anyone with Simple Weapon Proficiency can throw it without penalty.

OTOH, a wielder throwing a longspear would have to suffer a -4 penalty for it being an improvised ranged weapon (no range increment).

 

[Li Shenron]

I think it's just a misplacement and not a rule change.

I couldn't check the PHB now, only the SRD, therefore I don't know if it is different there...

 

[dogoftheunderworld]

Multiple Attacks?

For some reason, I have never noticed this rule, and now I'm getting ready to play a Druid focused on throwing a short spear using quick draw, rapid shot, far shot, etc.

Since throwing a shortspear is a full round action for my medium size druid, can I still get multiple attacks (from BAB progression & Rapid Shot [+quick draw])?

Are there any other restrictions on using a full round to throw a large weapon?

On that note, if I wildshape into a Large Ape, could I still throw my short spears (as a standard action)?

Thanks!

Brian
<><

 

[WCrawford]

For some reason, I have never noticed this rule, and now I'm getting ready to play a Druid focused on throwing a short spear using quick draw, rapid shot, far shot, etc.

Since throwing a shortspear is a full round action for my medium size druid, can I still get multiple attacks (from BAB progression & Rapid Shot [+quick draw])?

Are there any other restrictions on using a full round to throw a large weapon?

On that note, if I wildshape into a Large Ape, could I still throw my short spears (as a standard action)?

Thanks!

Brian
<><

It takes a full round action to throw a spear (shortspear in 3.0) if you are a meduim creature. It takes a full round action to do a full attack. Since you can't do 2 full round actions in a single round, the answer is no.

When wildshaped into a large ape, the two-handed weapon becomes a one-handed weapon (3.5) but you would suffer a -2 penalty due to inappropriately sized weapon use. That is assuming the DM allows you use weapons when wildshaped into an ape, ask first so you aren't surpried.

 

[billd91]

For some reason, I have never noticed this rule, and now I'm getting ready to play a Druid focused on throwing a short spear using quick draw, rapid shot, far shot, etc.

Since throwing a shortspear is a full round action for my medium size druid, can I still get multiple attacks (from BAB progression & Rapid Shot [+quick draw])?

Are there any other restrictions on using a full round to throw a large weapon?

On that note, if I wildshape into a Large Ape, could I still throw my short spears (as a standard action)?

Thanks!

Brian
<><

According to 3.5, I don't think throwing a shortspear is a full-round action. According to how it's listed in 3.5, it wouldn't even require a full-round action in 3.0. In 3.5, the shortspear is a one-handed weapon and it's TWO-handed weapons that would have taken a full-round action to throw. That shortspear is also the equivalent of the 3.0 half-spear (compare the stats).
The spear (with no length modifier in the name) in 3.5 is the equivalent of the 3.0 shortspear and it does list as a two-handed weapon. I'm not sure that the rule about two-handed weapons requiring a full-round action applies though. That rule in 3.5 is well buried within the paragraph on improvised thrown weapons along with critical ranges for such things. If that sentence is supposed to apply to all thrown weapons, then I would have to figure that the ones following it do to and that there should just be another paragraph break before the sentence starts. I doubt that's really the intent, though.
For my money, that passage about two-handed thrown weapons requiring a full round action only applies to improvised weapons. A spear may be a two-handed melee weapon, but it's quite effective as a one-handed thrown weapon too.
Of far more significance to making a full attack with thrown spears is how long it takes to pick them up and throw them. Drawing a weapon is a move action (unless you have quickdraw) and, as I understand it, picking up a thrown weapon so you can throw it is a move action. You don't get a move action in a round you take a full attack action and so you would get only one shot. Reloading most ammunition, which is specifically set to include thrown shuriken as an exception, is a free action and thus does not prevent you from firing multiple times during a full attack action. So if you wanted to chuck off 3 spears because you have 3 attacks available, invest in Quickdraw. See also the description of Quickdraw which makes this pretty explicit.

 

[0-hr]

Given the sentences on either side of the quote, one would have to assume that the full round action ONLY applies to weapons that are not meant to be thrown.

One would also have to assume a company as large as WotC would have competent editors.

It is my belief that, in this instance, both assumptions are incorrect.

 

[Artoomis]

A spear is a two-handed melee weapon with a range - so it can be thrown (it even says so in the description if the spear). Throwing it takes one attack.

<Edited out a "whoops.">

 

[Camarath]

If you want to us a "short spear" in 3.5 you'll have to use a "small" spear at -2 (see rules on weapon sizing).

Artoomis, there is a Shortspear in 3.5 it is a one-handed simple melee weapon (1d6 x2 20ft Piercing).

 

[Artoomis]

Artoomis, there is a Shortspear in 3.5 it is a one-handed simple melee weapon (1d6 x2 20ft Piercing).

Uhhh..... Right! Whoops. I'll edit out my mistake.