Whoever is doing the throwing will be giving up their attack action to throw the other so there's going to be less damage overall. But if the gnome is throwing the goliath it's well worth the sacrifice.
Just to show how out of practice I am with posting in public forums... I really didn't think of specifying that the Goliath would be throwing the Gnome! BWAUGHAHAHAHAAA!! Well played.
The Goliath Barbarian is using the Gnome Paladin as an improvised weapon with a ranged attack. if the attack roll hits, let the Gnome roll whatever damage they planned on using in the combo attack.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
So if my 5th level paladin, with his fighting style of Blessed Warrior, casts the WORD OF RADIANCE cantrip (You utter a divine word, and burning radiance erupts from you. Each creature of your choice that you can see within range must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 radiant damage.) for BOTH attack actions vs. targets vulnerable to radiant damage... and they fail a CON14 save; that would be 4d6 + 4d6 of damage on erry evil biatch within 5ft of me! 8d6 of RADIANT DAMAGE!! Warix (my paladin in my pic) would be a GLORIOUS fireball!!
I think you misunderstand some things. It would just be 2d6 to everything around you. Your attack action at fifth level can be making two physical attacks or casting one spell. You can't cast two spells with multiple attacks of one attack action.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Ok! I've read up on the extra attack feature and yes, casting a spell isn't included. Reading up on that really added alot of info to my future DMing of combat! Thanks!
Now... what are the best attacks for a thrown cannonball of a Glory Paladin rock gnome w 19AC?
The paladin will have whatever attacks (s)he would normally have. The only real benefit is that, since being thrown is forced movement, the paladin won't provoke opportunity attacks while being thrown at the target. If the Barbarian is making an attack roll, there would be an extra "improvised weapon" damage the barbarian can do which would be 1 + Strength modifier, or a 1d4 + Str if they have the tavern brawler feat.
And, mechanically, a gnome paladin with 20 strength is just as strong as a goliath barbarian with 20 strength. So (s)he can throw the barbarian just as well as the barbarian can throw the paladin. It just looks a lot funnier that way.
Anything else is something you will have to homebrew. For example, RAW a Shove attack is a special melee attack that can only be used on targets within melee range that are no more than one size larger than you. You could have the Barbarian roll an Athletics check (contested by the target's Athletics or Acrobatics) and if it succeeds the target could be knocked prone and the Paladin would have advantage on his/her attack(s).
Thank you both for all of this info! With our party it's way more rp flavor than damage calculations but if this were to come up I'd want to know how it would or wouldn't work.
I think the big problem, if you're trying to do this by RAW, is the turn-based nature of the game.
Firstly, I'd rule the goliath would need to spend one attack to grapple the gnome, then a second to throw the gnome. Typical range would be 20/40, but a gnome is going to be much heavier, and much more difficult to get a solid grip on than the typical thrown item. Of course, Goliath has powerful build, so maybe that evens out a bit. Maybe we just ignore that part and let the goliath throw them with that 20/40 range. As others have said, you're looking at an improvised weapon, so no proficiency bonus to hit. Say they score a hit anyway, I'd treat it as falling rules, because that's about as close as I can think we get, so throw it 20 feet, and hit, the goliath does 2d6 bludgeoning damage split 50/50 between the target and the gnome. The gnome would end up prone in an adjacent square, and I'd probably allow a save, maybe dex or str (target's choice), for the target to remain standing. (I guess on a miss, I'd say the gnome lands in a random adjacent square, takes all the falling damage, and still ends up prone.)
As for what the gnome can do, well, it's not their turn, so, basically, they can do nothing. The best they could do is, if they went before the goliath in the initiative order, they could ready an action for when they're thrown to attack the target they're thrown at. By the readied action rules, this would allow them one attack. However, in this situation, the goliath's attack would need to resolve first, meaning the gnome would, at best, be prone in an adjacent square, so disadvantage on their attack. Even if you wanted to be generous and say they can attack before they hit the ground, I'd still give them disadvantage for being flying uncontrollably through the air, probably spinning at some awkward angle, and unable to plant their feet to get some leverage behind the blow.
Now, that's not nearly as fun, but it's how I'd rule it if it were to come up. However, if you just want to try Rule of Cool, and your DM lets you houserule the situation, then sky's the limit.
Also, if this was something they were planning to do a lot, I'd allow them to get better at it. Using downtime activities, I'd say they could practice the maneuver, maybe get some custom handles placed on the gnome's amor in just the right spots. The kind of thing that might allow the goliath to add proficiency bonus to their attack roll. And maybe let the gnome get to a point where they're so used to it, that they can get a save to land on their feet instead of prone and make the attack without disadvantage. Eventually, they could maybe get to a point where the gnome doesn't take damage from the throw.
I think the big problem, if you're trying to do this by RAW, is the turn-based nature of the game.
Specifically the lack of things like delaying turns that existed in older editions but its not hard to home brew that players can delay their turns for combos and i would always give inspiration for something like that.
I try to keep in mind that every turn is the same six seconds. The Barbarian doesn't fling the Paladin 20 feet over six seconds, then eighteen seconds later the Paladin lays the steel sermon down.
A gnome’s energy and enthusiasm for living shines through every inch of his or her tiny body. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with excitement. Their fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if expressing the gnome’s insatiable interest in everything around.
I'm now realizing that either gnomes are supernaturally strong or all gnome adventurers are absolutely yolked. They're out here just casually carrying 2-3 times their weight.
I'm now realizing that either gnomes are supernaturally strong or all gnome adventurers are absolutely yolked. They're out here just casually carrying 2-3 times their weight.
Now think about a 3'6" rock gnome with 20 strength being stronger than a 10' 4" Ogre with 19 strength. At least being large means the Ogre doubles its carrying capacity.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Thoughts on the mechanics of pulling off a good ole Colossus n Wolvie fastball special with my party's goliath barbarian and rock gnome paladin??
Whoever is doing the throwing will be giving up their attack action to throw the other so there's going to be less damage overall. But if the gnome is throwing the goliath it's well worth the sacrifice.
Just to show how out of practice I am with posting in public forums... I really didn't think of specifying that the Goliath would be throwing the Gnome! BWAUGHAHAHAHAAA!! Well played.
The Goliath Barbarian is using the Gnome Paladin as an improvised weapon with a ranged attack. if the attack roll hits, let the Gnome roll whatever damage they planned on using in the combo attack.
So if my 5th level paladin, with his fighting style of Blessed Warrior, casts the WORD OF RADIANCE cantrip (You utter a divine word, and burning radiance erupts from you. Each creature of your choice that you can see within range must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 radiant damage.) for BOTH attack actions vs. targets vulnerable to radiant damage... and they fail a CON14 save; that would be 4d6 + 4d6 of damage on erry evil biatch within 5ft of me! 8d6 of RADIANT DAMAGE!! Warix (my paladin in my pic) would be a GLORIOUS fireball!!
I think you misunderstand some things. It would just be 2d6 to everything around you. Your attack action at fifth level can be making two physical attacks or casting one spell. You can't cast two spells with multiple attacks of one attack action.
Ah! The word of radiance isn't an attack cantrip. True. Thank you for that.
Ok! I've read up on the extra attack feature and yes, casting a spell isn't included. Reading up on that really added alot of info to my future DMing of combat! Thanks!
Now... what are the best attacks for a thrown cannonball of a Glory Paladin rock gnome w 19AC?
The paladin will have whatever attacks (s)he would normally have. The only real benefit is that, since being thrown is forced movement, the paladin won't provoke opportunity attacks while being thrown at the target. If the Barbarian is making an attack roll, there would be an extra "improvised weapon" damage the barbarian can do which would be 1 + Strength modifier, or a 1d4 + Str if they have the tavern brawler feat.
And, mechanically, a gnome paladin with 20 strength is just as strong as a goliath barbarian with 20 strength. So (s)he can throw the barbarian just as well as the barbarian can throw the paladin. It just looks a lot funnier that way.
Anything else is something you will have to homebrew. For example, RAW a Shove attack is a special melee attack that can only be used on targets within melee range that are no more than one size larger than you. You could have the Barbarian roll an Athletics check (contested by the target's Athletics or Acrobatics) and if it succeeds the target could be knocked prone and the Paladin would have advantage on his/her attack(s).
Thank you both for all of this info! With our party it's way more rp flavor than damage calculations but if this were to come up I'd want to know how it would or wouldn't work.
I think the big problem, if you're trying to do this by RAW, is the turn-based nature of the game.
Firstly, I'd rule the goliath would need to spend one attack to grapple the gnome, then a second to throw the gnome. Typical range would be 20/40, but a gnome is going to be much heavier, and much more difficult to get a solid grip on than the typical thrown item. Of course, Goliath has powerful build, so maybe that evens out a bit. Maybe we just ignore that part and let the goliath throw them with that 20/40 range. As others have said, you're looking at an improvised weapon, so no proficiency bonus to hit. Say they score a hit anyway, I'd treat it as falling rules, because that's about as close as I can think we get, so throw it 20 feet, and hit, the goliath does 2d6 bludgeoning damage split 50/50 between the target and the gnome. The gnome would end up prone in an adjacent square, and I'd probably allow a save, maybe dex or str (target's choice), for the target to remain standing. (I guess on a miss, I'd say the gnome lands in a random adjacent square, takes all the falling damage, and still ends up prone.)
As for what the gnome can do, well, it's not their turn, so, basically, they can do nothing. The best they could do is, if they went before the goliath in the initiative order, they could ready an action for when they're thrown to attack the target they're thrown at. By the readied action rules, this would allow them one attack. However, in this situation, the goliath's attack would need to resolve first, meaning the gnome would, at best, be prone in an adjacent square, so disadvantage on their attack. Even if you wanted to be generous and say they can attack before they hit the ground, I'd still give them disadvantage for being flying uncontrollably through the air, probably spinning at some awkward angle, and unable to plant their feet to get some leverage behind the blow.
Now, that's not nearly as fun, but it's how I'd rule it if it were to come up. However, if you just want to try Rule of Cool, and your DM lets you houserule the situation, then sky's the limit.
Also, if this was something they were planning to do a lot, I'd allow them to get better at it. Using downtime activities, I'd say they could practice the maneuver, maybe get some custom handles placed on the gnome's amor in just the right spots. The kind of thing that might allow the goliath to add proficiency bonus to their attack roll. And maybe let the gnome get to a point where they're so used to it, that they can get a save to land on their feet instead of prone and make the attack without disadvantage. Eventually, they could maybe get to a point where the gnome doesn't take damage from the throw.
Specifically the lack of things like delaying turns that existed in older editions but its not hard to home brew that players can delay their turns for combos and i would always give inspiration for something like that.
I try to keep in mind that every turn is the same six seconds. The Barbarian doesn't fling the Paladin 20 feet over six seconds, then eighteen seconds later the Paladin lays the steel sermon down.
Thanks for the thoughtful posts here gang, you do not disappoint!! I sincerely appreciate all of these replies.
How heavy would you say a young rock gnome and 135lbs of gear would weigh?
https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/18-gnome
I'm now realizing that either gnomes are supernaturally strong or all gnome adventurers are absolutely yolked. They're out here just casually carrying 2-3 times their weight.
Now think about a 3'6" rock gnome with 20 strength being stronger than a 10' 4" Ogre with 19 strength. At least being large means the Ogre doubles its carrying capacity.