D&D 5E "Why don't you just shoot it?"

[Tony Vargas]

I realize though there were rounds where chucking darts were much less dramatic for that wizard...

funny, I recall my low-level wizards throwing darts a lot (and stupid kid that I was, I was picturing pub darts), but I was generally the only one, everyone else, daggers.
::shrug::

But grousing about having to lose a round to change weapons? That is like having to worry about a light source or any other required activity!

Its minutia that penalizes the weapon-using character, yes. He needs both hands filled to fight at full effectiveness, not just one free to dash off any cantrip or spell. When it comes to throwing backup weapons, object interaction gets in the way of extra attack.

I agree on many of your points. I just think the OP can have more fun with a small change of perspective...

A major goal of 5e was to support more styles - more perspectives, by presenting more options and being more open to DM rulings and variants. Changing perspective isn't always personally desireable, respecting others perspectives, especially when they're quite different is.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

This mentality is alien to me but I guess you can have a fighter do his MAX attack damage and bonus regardless of weapon. In a ranged situation grab a stone and throw it, just roll with your melee attack bonus and best weapon damage, plus any weapons feats so you don't feel like you are being cheated. Or the DM could just have all foes that would be at range are teleported into melee range at the start of combat.

Or have foes engaging on different planes of reality so to the fighter its standing in front of them while to the archer its at 30', despite those two PC standing side by side. If they can't make sense of that just quote some M-theory and give them a copy of Brian Greene's latest book and some hash oil.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Or have foes engaging on different planes of reality so to the fighter its standing in front of them while to the archer its at 30', despite those two PC standing side by side. If they can't make sense of that just quote some M-theory and give them a copy of Brian Greene's latest book and some hash oil.

Or just run TotM. ;P