Throwing stuff

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Are there any rules on how far a player (or monster) can throw something that isn't a ranged weapon? For example, if a PC wants to throw a torch 20 ft. down the hall, or throw a grappling hook 40ft straight up? I'm particularly interested for situations like the examples given where accuracy isn't particularly important.

If there are no such rules, any idea of what a good house rule would be for determining such a thing?

 

[BrokeAndDrive]

In the same vein, I'd love to know what happens when an ogre throws a goblin at one of the PCs.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Does it matter if the PC fails?
If not.. no rules.. Fred the Fighter tosses the torch 20' forward down the hallway, neatly illuminating the nasty goblins lying in wait {roll init!}

If it does matter, use the skill challenge rules. Greg the Rogue needs to climb up a sheer wall and his climb skill is not good enough. So he wants to toss a grappling hook up to make it easier. Use a Dungoneering check to see if he sets it right, then he can easily climb the wall using the rope.


Now if the player is looking to do something cool in combat, like use the grappling hook to restrain a foe, that falls under the stunting rules.


BrokeAndDrive, check out this thread on Dwarf Tossing

 

[Mengu]

Hmm, this reminds me of the time we fought a necromancer who kept bringing back the skeletal knights, we took them down, he brought them back. When I realized he could only do the effect in a burst 10, I picked up the skeleton corpse (after the rogue killed it again), ran as far away as I could, and shot putted the skeleton. The DM said make an athletics check and divide by 5, that's how many squares. I rolled a 27, and the corpse flew about 5 squares, well out of resurrection range.

I think it's more fun to figure this stuff out on the fly, then trying to build rules for it.

Torch 4 squares down a hall, you just do it. No roll needed really, unless there are some flammables down the hall the PC is trying to avoid. Then maybe a Dex or Str check with easy DC.

Grappling hook 8 squares up? That'll need a great arm and superb technique. I'd allow Athletics, Dungeoneering, or Thievery (may allow Nature check for a mountaineer, or Streetwise for a city rat just because). 2 squares seems trivial (most anyone can do it in 1 try), 3 squares easy, 4 average (takes a couple tries), 5 hard (takes more than a couple tries). Add +4 to DC for each square beyond that. Maybe that's too realistic. We're talking D&D characters here, so you could increase that to 4 squares easy, 6 average, 8 hard, +4 to DC for every 2 squares beyond 8. Superheroes always make it look easy.

 

[Solvarn]

Goblin Throw

Throwing a goblin...

I don't have the book in front of me, but I would give the ogre artillery damage for whatever level he is at, and whatever damage is rolled for the PC, the goblin takes the same damage. Both are knocked prone upon hit.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Are there any rules on how far a player (or monster) can throw something that isn't a ranged weapon? For example, if a PC wants to throw a torch 20 ft. down the hall, or throw a grappling hook 40ft straight up? I'm particularly interested for situations like the examples given where accuracy isn't particularly important.

If there are no such rules, any idea of what a good house rule would be for determining such a thing?

Yeah, no specific rules. Its just a page 42 kind of thing. Decide what skill or ability score is appropriate, set a DC and have the player roll. For tossing a torch 20 feet the DC is just going to be so low nobody could reasonably fail. If you want to pitch it 80 feet, then that's probably a medium difficulty check, which means anyone with a decent STR and or a couple levels or training in Athletics should still do it pretty easily. If the PC misses then I'd just use a quick scatter or eyeball from what they rolled and decide if it fell far short or whatever.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I had pretty much thought this was something I would need to make up my own rules for.

And yes, for what I am considering, "failing" does matter. For the 80ft up grappling hook toss, it's in the middle of combat. Basically, the players can fall off a cliff 80ft down onto a ledge. Given that none of my PCs have good athletics skills, if one falls down I can imagine him trying to throw up a line for an easier climb check.

The second thing I'm considering is having an enemy grab the PCs' main light source (a floating lantern) and throw it as far away as he can...

Since I'll be using the same rules for both my PCs and their enemies, I would like to come up with something fairly balanced. 8)

Likely I'll do something like "athletics test result" x "easiness to throw multiplier"/5 = number of squares thrown.

(So, basically the running long jump formula with my invented throw modifier put in).

Then I would need to invent throw modifiers - something difficult to throw (like another PC) would likely be a 1 or a 1/2, for the grappling hook I'm thinking x3 or x4, a lantern or torch would be a x2 or x3, I think...