Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Longarms 10-29-06, 05:50 AM	So, do you have to use two hands to throw the spear? If you throw a spear with two hands, do you get 1.5x your STR bonus on a hit?
Garonak 10-29-06, 05:51 AM	I would rule yes.
claypigeons 10-29-06, 06:51 AM	I would say no. It would just be too awkward. Throw a baseball with 2 hands. Now throw it with one. Which one went further? Which flew with greater velocity? I imagine throwing a spear is just like throwing a javelin.
Caliborn 10-29-06, 07:17 AM	A baseball is a light improvised weapon a Spear is a Two-handed weapon. Try this instead: find a relatively thin six or so pound log, and try throwing that one-handed and two-handed; I'm sure you'll find that the two-handed throw is significantly better for both distance and accuracy.
Nom 10-29-06, 07:19 AM	So, do you have to use two hands to throw the spear?Nothing in the rules for (normal) thrown weapons (PH pg 113) suggests that a spear differs from the other thrown weapons, nor do the light / 1-handed / 2-handed rules seem to apply specifically. You could rule either way. If you throw a spear with two hands, do you get 1.5x your STR bonus on a hit?No. Thrown weapons do 1x Str damage. See PH pg 113.
claypigeons 10-29-06, 07:27 AM	A baseball is a light improvised weapon a Spear is a Two-handed weapon. Try this instead: find a relatively thin six or so pound log, and try throwing that one-handed and two-handed; I'm sure you'll find that the two-handed throw is significantly better for both distance and accuracy. A spear is a two-handed melee weapon. Tell me, how do you throw a javelin? How would you throw a bigger javelin (which is basically what a spear is, barring weapon balance issues)?
Tyler Do'Urden 10-29-06, 09:02 AM	How come nobody looks anything up anymore? Thrown Weapons: Daggers, clubs, shortspears, spears, darts, javelins, throwing axes, light hammers, tridents, shuriken, and nets are thrown weapons. The wielder applies his or her Strength modifier to damage dealt by thrown weapons (except for splash weapons). 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. This is a game with rules. Rules that are written down for you in easily accessible places. Stop guessing and reference them. (This isn't directed at Nom obvy.)
pres_man 10-29-06, 11:54 AM	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. Notice the line about requiring a full round action is smack dab in the middle of a discussion about improvised throwing items. Logically that would imply it only applies to improvised throwing of a two-handed weapon. I would still rule you need two hands to throw a spear, but actually only throw with one. You use the other arm as a counter-balance and guide to aim along (throwing arm starts bent with hand over shoulder or just behind, other arm is outstretched in front of body towards target).
Mogarth_Warheart 10-29-06, 12:38 PM	you cant throw a spear two handed its not possabe unless you chucked it so that it went end over end and in that case you have a smaller chance of hit
Azzy 10-29-06, 02:16 PM	Let's look at it from the Player's Handbook perspective: Thrown Weapons: Daggers, clubs, shortspears, spears, darts, javelins, throwing axes, light hammers, tridents, shuriken, and nets are thrown weapons. The wielder applies his or her Strength modifier to damage dealt by thrown weapons (except for splash weapons, such as a vial of acid; see Throw Splash Weapon, page 158). 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 7-5), 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 (a possible critical hit) 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. Note how it's broken into two paragraphs, the second one being solely about improvised thrown weapons. That said, Nom is correct that the PHB doesn't explicitly say that the one-handed/two-handed category doesn't apply to thrown weapon, nor does it give reason to support that it does apply. As a DM, I'd say that (non-improvised) thrown weapons (unless specifically stated in the weapon description) may be thrown one-handed regardless of their categorisation as light, one-handed or two-handed melee weapons. YDMMMV.
Longarms 10-29-06, 02:40 PM	"How come nobody looks anything up anymore?" Tyler, I did read the section you quoted. I found the sentences you underlined to have more ambigouity than you credit them, thus I posted for clarification. I thought that is what this forum was for. For example, the section says you apply your STR bonus to thrown weapons. It doesn't preclude any distinction between applying 1.5x in some cases, and 1x in others. There is a later section that explicity says to use 1x for throwing 2handed weapons that are NOT MEANT for throwing. Like a greatsword. The clarification there almost seems to indicate that you might apply something else when the 2handed weapon is MEANT to be thrown. Like a spear.
Mitchell 10-29-06, 10:56 PM	It's a spear. People throw them with one hand. I can't recall seeing anyone at the olympics ever throw a javelin with two hands, and a spear just isn't that different. Edit: Typo
Jaeron Dalur 10-30-06, 02:21 AM	"How come nobody looks anything up anymore?" Tyler, I did read the section you quoted. I found the sentences you underlined to have more ambigouity than you credit them, thus I posted for clarification. I thought that is what this forum was for. For example, the section says you apply your STR bonus to thrown weapons. It doesn't preclude any distinction between applying 1.5x in some cases, and 1x in others. There is a later section that explicity says to use 1x for throwing 2handed weapons that are NOT MEANT for throwing. Like a greatsword. The clarification there almost seems to indicate that you might apply something else when the 2handed weapon is MEANT to be thrown. Like a spear. I read it (and I bet Tyler does too) that you apply your strength bonus to thrown weapons. If my strength bonus is +3 then I add +3. Any ambiguity assigned to that means that whenever you apply an ability modifier it should say how much you multiply it by or else you don't know wether to use x0.5, x1, x1.5, or even x2 that ability modifier.
Tony Vargas 10-30-06, 03:39 PM	In 3.0, you threw even two-handed weapons one-handed: Thrown weapons can only be thrown one-handed. A character can throw a thrown weapon with one hand even if it would be two-handed for you due to the character's size, but doing so counts as a full-round action because the weapon is bulkier and harder to handle than most thrown weapons. 3.5 has similar language, but it's burried in the middle of a discussion on throwing improvised weapons. 3.0 used a different system (relative weapon sizes) to determine if a weapon was two-handed - the rules for throwing a two-handed weapon (and the spear is the only throwable two handed weapon in the PH, IIRC), seem to have gotten lost in the course of that change.
mvincent 10-30-06, 04:01 PM	Here is some additional research information. The rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm) say: "Two hands are required to use a two-handed melee weapon effectively. Apply 1½ times the character’s Strength bonus to damage rolls for melee attacks with such a weapon. " The 3.0 FAQ said: "Damage from an improvised thrown weapon or a larger thrown item is equal to the thrower’s unarmed strike damage or 1d6 points per 200 pounds of weight" (indicating that only x1 strength was used, even on extremely large items) I have not yet found an example of a thrown weapon doing x1.5 str damage (in the MM and such). However, creatures like the Colossus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/colossus.htm), giants (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/giant.htm) and such appear to throw very heavy items (I believe that these are likely often with both hands) with only x1 strength damage. Take from this information what you will.