D&D 5E (2014) Vrax the Rock Thrower

[aramis erak]

Your Strength can go up to 29 with a belt of storm giant strength.

It can go up to 30 with enough of the post-20th level epic boons. DMG p230. If you had a 20 at 19th level, then it's possible, with DM's permission, to have a 30 attribute by 505,000 XP total.

 

[Fralex]

Wait, but don't all thrown weapons have a fixed range, so you always throw them the same distance no matter how strong you are?

 

[PnPgamer]

Maybe Vrax could be thrown by a hill giant thrown by a stone giant thrown by a cloud giant thrown by a titan?

 

[jadrax]

Wait, but don't all thrown weapons have a fixed range, so you always throw them the same distance no matter how strong you are?

It probably works similar to the jumping rules. The distance is indeed fixed, but you can make a Strength (Athletics) check for it to go an 'unusually long distance'.

 

[Riley37]

Wait, but don't all thrown weapons have a fixed range, so you always throw them the same distance no matter how strong you are?

That's how far you can throw them *as an attack*, with a chance to hit and do damage. If you're in a hurry to "get this freaking dagger away from me", and you're hurling it without any particular target, then that's not an attack, and not governed by the rules of ranged combat.

 

[Grakarg]

Is there a way to use bonus actions or move actions to get further distance maybe? Like using a move action to have a familiar catch the rock and transport it further? I have no idea, no books handy...

 

[Fralex]

3.5e's range increments thing would've allowed stronger people to throw things farther, right? I wouldn't mind seeing a 5e version of that as a variant rule.

 

[Umbran]

Anyone who's level 20 and has a Belt of Storm Giant Strength and d12 Bardic Inspiration is likely to have better options in combat than throwing rocks. YMMV.

And if you *don't*.. your DM really knows what he or she is doing

 

[TarionzCousin]

Anyone who's level 20 and has a Belt of Storm Giant Strength and d12 Bardic Inspiration is likely to have better options in combat than throwing rocks. YMMV.

And if you *don't*.. your DM really knows what he or she is doing

Unless that rock is the only +5 weapon in the multiverse.

 

[Riley37]

Unless that rock is the only +5 weapon in the multiverse.

When examining how high an attack roll could go in 5E, I stipulated a +3 rock, having read that +3 was top end in 5E. Attack rolls can go much, much higher than AC in 5E. Vrax, just by level 20 and the Belt, hits AC 23 even if she rolls a 2, and that jumps to AC 26 with the +3 rock. Which is to say, she doesn't need the rock, nor an attack roll higher than 2, to hit the Tarrasque, unless it has Cover or some such.

When examining how high a stat check can go, such as throwing purely for distance, the +3 enchantment on the rock is IMO irrelevant.

However, there ARE times to roll a stat check in combat, such as Grappling; a level 20 character with the Belt and Expertise in Athletics gets +28 to establish Grappled, then +28 to Shove the target Prone. If Vrax with the Belt rolls a 2 on the check to Grapple/Shove, and her target rolls 19 on the opposing roll, then Vrax still succeeds unless the target has at least +10 to their Athletics or Acrobatics check. *That* is what I'm examining: extreme, edge-of-the-envelope cases in Bounded Accuracy. If Vrax is fighting a low-level foe, then the Athletics check is almost a formality. Unless she rolls 1 or the foe rolls 20, she wins the contested check.

Moral of the story: if you are low-level, don't wrestle with a level 20 character with a Legendary magic item.

Are Guidance and Inspiration really the only two factors which can add to the d20 roll, rather than grant Advantage, on a stat check?

If Vrax is a Lore Bard, perhaps with Guidance as a Magical Secret, then she can take Expertise on Athletics, and she also gets to compose and Perform the Ballad of the Farthest Rock Throw.

She also gets to invent, and then celebrate in song, the Brill Bend. How high does she jump on an Athletics check of 54?