D&D 5E Throwing Weapons is Cool! So why is it weak?

As much as this ability's potential to cause problems and polarising views, I'm going to suggest a -to hit, + to damage effect could be a good way to make throwing weapons more effective.
 

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Oh no you didn't! Tell me he didn't just say that!

I'm not sure it would work with thrown weapons as bows get the +2 from the fighting style. Two handers get by on brute force a fighter can just keep swinging until he hits and barbarians get advantage via reckless attack.

At higher levels I guess it could work.
Throwing weapon master
When attacking with a thrown weapon before you declare an attack you can elect to take a - 5 to attack and gain a + 10 to damage.
When making the attack action you can make an additional attack with a thrown weapon in either hand.
When attacking an opponent with a shield you can ignore the bonus it adds to AC.

The shield to AC I was thinking of curving your throw round it idk.
 

Small throwing weapons have other benefits . You can smuggle daggers or darts into places you'd never get a bow. Throwing a dagger is silent; casting a cantrip isn't. Throwing axes and knives are versatile (in the general sense, not the weapon tag sense) - you can't chop firewood or dress game with a javelin or an arrow.
 

Oh no you didn't! Tell me he didn't just say that!

I'm not sure it would work with thrown weapons as bows get the +2 from the fighting style. Two handers get by on brute force a fighter can just keep swinging until he hits and barbarians get advantage via reckless attack.
As I see it, some people are demanding that throwing weapons be given options that will bring their sustained DPR up to optimal levels.
To get high DPR, you need to either make lots of extra attacks, or have considerable damage boosts to your normal ones.
Of the two, I generally prefer the idea making a few, lethal throws rather than a hail of little cuts. It shouldn't be too powerful, since it won't synergise as excessively as the archery style does with the sharpshooter and Crossbow expert feats.

Small throwing weapons have other benefits . You can smuggle daggers or darts into places you'd never get a bow. Throwing a dagger is silent; casting a cantrip isn't. Throwing axes and knives are versatile (in the general sense, not the weapon tag sense) - you can't chop firewood or dress game with a javelin or an arrow.
The issue is that people also want high sustained DPR with them as well, which currently isn't supported as well unless you're a Rogue or Battlemaster.
 

Actually, I don't count it becuase the cases where they add damage are: you have an enemy 30ft up and you can't reach him with a hatchet or whatever; you start combat 60 ft away and can't move and attack on the same turn or you move, attack an enemy 20ft away, kill him in one attack and can't reach the enemy 5 ft behind him.
Too situational to be counted towards DPR IMO, since it doesn't trigger on most rounds. Extra range does help, of course, but shouldn't be the strong point of the feat

I think maybe change "Actually," to "Exactly!".

It seems I'm outvoted by those who just want passive, across-the-board damage increases, so I will slip quietly out the side door.
 

I must be missing something. Isn't the issue here that there's No dedicated thrown weapons, only weapons that do both melee and ranged, not that the entire mechanics of throwing are broken.

Therefore, wouldn't the easiest fix be just adding in a dedicated throwing weapon, that operates mostly like a ranged weapon, but keys off STR?

e.g
Name: Chakram
Damage: 1d6 Slashing Damage
Properties: Light, Loading, Thrown (Range 50/100)

And you put it in the ranged weapon block. Compatible with the SS and CE feats. Still get problems in melee, like any range weapon, but is as good as a Hand Crossbow. Breaks nothing. wielding Chakrams in both hands you make 2 attacks per turn, or just drop the loading property completely.

Isn't that easier than inventing a whole new feat that tax people who want dedicated throwing weapons??
 


You know, the fact that you mentioned Archery and Sharpshooter got me thinking... what if we made a fighting style for thrown weapons? We would need to specify either that it only applies to thrown melee weapons or that ranged weapons that are thrown cannot be counted towards Archery and Sharpshooter if you select this fighting style. Something like +1 to hit & dmg maybe? or damage die goes up one step?
this would be in addition to the feat.
(I'm not complaining that there not enough "thrown only weapons", actually I quite like their hybrid nature)
 

You know, the fact that you mentioned Archery and Sharpshooter got me thinking... what if we made a fighting style for thrown weapons? We would need to specify either that it only applies to thrown melee weapons or that ranged weapons that are thrown cannot be counted towards Archery and Sharpshooter if you select this fighting style. Something like +1 to hit & dmg maybe? or damage die goes up one step?
this would be in addition to the feat.
(I'm not complaining that there not enough "thrown only weapons", actually I quite like their hybrid nature)
Currently, both Duelling and Two-weapon fighting styles work for most Thrown weapons. (Plus Defence of course.)
 

You know, the fact that you mentioned Archery and Sharpshooter got me thinking... what if we made a fighting style for thrown weapons? We would need to specify either that it only applies to thrown melee weapons or that ranged weapons that are thrown cannot be counted towards Archery and Sharpshooter if you select this fighting style. Something like +1 to hit & dmg maybe? or damage die goes up one step?
this would be in addition to the feat.
(I'm not complaining that there not enough "thrown only weapons", actually I quite like their hybrid nature)

Hang on - So you like that they are hybrid (Range & Melee)? But dislike they are not as good at melee as dedicated melee weapons, nor that they are as good at range as dedicated range weapons?

I think you are taking a feature (can attack in both melee and at range) but thinking it's a bug.


Also see Vax'il'don in Critical role for a knife thrower rogue......
 

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