a "Melee Weapon Attack" is an attack at melee range regardless of weapon, an "Attack with a Melee Weapon" is an attack using a melee weapon regardless of range.
Here is a slightly more revised version that is probably still wrong: a "Melee Weapon Attack" is a melee attack regardless of weapon type, an "Attack with a Melee Weapon" is an attack using a melee weapon regardless of weather the attack was melee or ranged.
A melee weapon attack is any attack which is both a melee attack and a weapon attack.
An attack made with a melee weapon is a weapon attack where the weapon used is a melee weapon.
As a result, if you stab someone with a dagger, you have made a melee weapon attack with a melee weapon. If you stab someone with a dart, you have made a melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon. If you throw a dagger at someone, you have made a ranged weapon attack with a melee weapon. If you throw a dart at someone, you have made a ranged weapon attack with a ranged weapon.
That is incorrect. Any “weapon attack” automatically uses the associated ability score* modifier for attack rolls. Except attacks made using nets, all other “weapon attacks” also automatically include the associated ability score modifier to damage rolls. Proficiency is irrelevant to ability score modifiers and how they are applied. Proficiency is only required to add your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll. *Almost every “weapon attack” uses either Strength or Dexterity. Attacks made by a Hexblade with their Hex Weapon can use Charisma instead. A Battlesmith can use Intelligence for attacks made using Magic Weapons. Some specific magic items can also require/allow specific scores to attack with them, and at least one magic bow uses both Strength and Dexterity, one for the damage roll, and the other for the attack roll.
Yes, any weapon adds their ability score modifier to both attack and damage roll, it was something I lost in translation from Italian, my fault. I meant that you still need proficiency in Improvised Weapons to add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls (IIRC [feat]Tavern Brawler[/feat] is the only way to obtain it). Yes I also included Hex Warrior and Battle Ready in my flowchart. I didn't include magic items since they always override the general rule. And I don't have the books that contain most magic items :P
3.You assume incorrectly. Any creature with at least one hand can pick up anything small enough for that creature to to hold and light enough for that creature to move. Anything that can be picked up by a creature can be thrown at another creature or an object as an “Improvised Weapon.”
What I meant in my reasoning is that I don't understand weather such an Improvised Weapon automatically gets the "Thrown" property or if the property is unnecessary for you to be able to throw an object (that is already an improvised weapon) or weather it is up to the DM's discretion.
By rephrasing what I have just written:
A. Is an improvised thrown weapon classified as such because it already has the thrown weapon property or because you attempt to throw it?
B. Is an improvised thrown weapon classified as such because you attempt to throw it?
C. If you replied no to A: does an improvised thrown weapon automatically get the thrown property because it is an "improvised thrown weapon"?
Nope, that was at least their third indication that they were off on the wrong foot. The first and second indications were the facts that they were ever even considering a flowchart in the first place; and that they were relying on SAC to be either correct or consistent, let alone both.
I almost forgot to reply to this, I made a flowchart because I really have a bad time understanding things without one and since I think I am not the only one I also shared it. I think SAC is the closest thing to a good answer in some cases.
A melee weapon attack is any attack which is both a melee attack and a weapon attack.
An attack made with a melee weapon is a weapon attack where the weapon used is a melee weapon.
As a result, if you stab someone with a dagger, you have made a melee weapon attack with a melee weapon. If you stab someone with a dart, you have made a melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon. If you throw a dagger at someone, you have made a ranged weapon attack with a melee weapon. If you throw a dart at someone, you have made a ranged weapon attack with a ranged weapon.
That is indeed what I meant but my ability (inability?) to correctly express myself fails me again.
I don’t think jumping down your throat about the flow chart is appropriate, it’s definitely admirable to want to visualize the info in more clear ways. But the way you’ve laid it out in some places is redundant and confusing… why check for finesse multiple times instead of once? Why have two forks for melee that merge shortly thereafter?
a melee attack is a melee attack, and a ranged attack is a ranged attack. Those terms aren’t further defined, but if they were, melee is probably striking with something that isn’t released, while ranged is throwing/shooting.
a melee weapon is a melee weapon, and a ranged weapon is a ranged weapon, again that’s as basic a definition as we get. Melee weapons are used to make melee attacks, or you an make ranged attacks by throwing them (which may or may not make them improvised weapons, depending on whether they have Thrown. Ranged weapons are used to make ranged attacks, or you can make melee attacks with them by treating them as improvised weapons.
UNCLEAR :
is an improvised weapon attack with a melee or ranged weapon an attack with a melee or ranged weapon, or only with an improvised weapon? “Melee weapon attack with an improvised weapon” or “melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon used as an improvised weapon” or …?
are there melee improvised weapons and ranged improvised weapons, or just improvised weapons?
do improvised weapons ever have traits like Thrown, Heavy, or Reach?
What would Thrown even do for an improvised weapon, since the Improvised Weapon category already has rules for throwing?
These complexities are not black and white, and may be sufficient to make a flowchart too confusing.
Proficiency with a weapon allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with that weapon. Wether you use it as an improvised weapon or not should not change that IMO.
Also at the DM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus. So it's possible to even add your proficiency bonus to an object.
As for properties, i dont think an object has any since weapon properties are characteristics to weapon, and not object.
I don’t think jumping down your throat about the flow chart is appropriate, it’s definitely admirable to want to visualize the info in more clear ways. But the way you’ve laid it out in some places is redundant and confusing… why check for finesse multiple times instead of once? Why have two forks for melee that merge shortly thereafter? “Melee weapon attack with an improvised weapon” or “melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon used as an improvised weapon” or …?
a melee attack is a melee attack, and a ranged attack is a ranged attack. Those terms aren’t further defined, but if they were, melee is probably striking with something that isn’t released, while ranged is throwing/shooting.
a melee weapon is a melee weapon, and a ranged weapon is a ranged weapon, again that’s as basic a definition as we get. Melee weapons are used to make melee attacks, or you an make ranged attacks by throwing them (which may or may not make them improvised weapons, depending on whether they have Thrown. Ranged weapons are used to make ranged attacks, or you can make melee attacks with them by treating them as improvised weapons.
UNCLEAR :
is an improvised weapon attack with a melee or ranged weapon an attack with a melee or ranged weapon, or only with an improvised weapon?
are there melee improvised weapons and ranged improvised weapons, or just improvised weapons?
do improvised weapons ever have traits like Thrown, Heavy, or Reach?
What would Thrown even do for an improvised weapon, since the Improvised Weapon category already has rules for throwing?
These complexities are not black and white, and may be sufficient to make a flowchart too confusing.
I tried to revise it based on your reply I did it in a hurry so send feedback for this one too.
@JeremyECrawford To further clarify, there's no such thing as a thrown attack. There are weapons that have a property called thrown. That is a property of those weapons, not part of how attacks work.
Also at the DM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus. So it's possible to even add your proficiency bonus to an object.
I think this means the object will be treated as a weapon (instead of an improvised one) but with 1d4 for the damage but it being classified as a weapon allows you to add your proficiency as normal.
I tried to revise it based on your reply I did it in a hurry so send feedback for this one too.
If you're going to include Battle Ready, you also need to include Armor Model, for using Int.
You're leaving out other exotic use-cases, like how a Dhampir Bite uses Constitution.
I recommend solving both of the above issues by not naming the special rules in question, and just generically referring to special rules that change the ability modifier.
You assume you always only add 1 modifier. This can be explicitly false, as with a Devotion Paladin/Hexblade Bladepact Warlock with the Lifedrinker invocation and their Channel Divinity up (which will result in adding CHA twice to both attack and damage; without Hexblade, it's STR+CHA to both attack and damage), or a fine question highly subject to DM rulings, as with Magic Stone.
Speaking of which, it is not a "settled" question what happens when you fire a Magic Stone from a sling, which is another one of those weird situations like the ones chicken_champ was alluding to, where we don't have one single consensus ruling the world over. A magic stone fired from a sling satisfies the definition of a ranged weapon attack and a ranged spell attack simultaneously, and there's no actual rule saying it can't be both - even though the rules are written to assume it can't be both.
This might be the biggest one: you just assume a thrown longsword uses Dex, but the PHB on page 14 says you use Str. Most DMs agree it is Dex, I think, but your spreadsheet implies it's unambiguous, and it is not.
This might be the biggest one: you just assume a thrown longsword uses Dex, but the PHB on page 14 says you use Str. Most DMs agree it is Dex, I think, but your spreadsheet implies it's unambiguous, and it is not.
Thrown weapons use the same stat as is used to wield them in melee, so there's an argument that all improvised thrown weapons use strength, and only ranged-only improvised weapons (such as alchemist's fire) use dex.
For this I'd argue that a weeapon ceases to be so when you use it for an improvised purpose (eg. yeeting a Greatsword) and just becomes "an Improvised weapon" if you attempt to throw it you can do so with the range specified by the Improvised Weapons Rules.
I dont think using a weapon in a improvised fashion make it cease to be what it is. Making an improvised melee attack with a ranged weapon you're proficient with is still attacking with such weapon and things like Sharpshooter could apply since it doesn't mention ranged attack specifically.
EDIT Likewise, if the weapon is magical, attacking with it in an improvised fashion still gets bonuses if its +1, and any other features could possibly apply as well.
Also at the DM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus. So it's possible to even add your proficiency bonus to an object.
I think this means the object will be treated as a weapon (instead of an improvised one) but with 1d4 for the damage but it being classified as a weapon allows you to add your proficiency as normal.
It be treated as the weapon it closely ressemble on all level, and this is also confirmed and DM encouraged in Dragon Talk by Jeremy Crawford.
This might be the biggest one: you just assume a thrown longsword uses Dex, but the PHB on page 14 says you use Str. Most DMs agree it is Dex, I think, but your spreadsheet implies it's unambiguous, and it is not.
Thrown weapons use the same stat as is used to wield them in melee, so there's an argument that all improvised thrown weapons use strength, and only ranged-only improvised weapons (such as alchemist's fire) use dex.
Ranged weapon attack (=ranged attack with a weapon) use Dexterity. So throwing a melee weapon to make a range attack with it should not use STR unless it has the finesse property.
Ability Modifier. The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged weapon attack is Dexterity. Weapons that have the finesse or thrown property break this rule.
I tried to revise it based on your reply I did it in a hurry so send feedback for this one too.
If you're going to include Battle Ready, you also need to include Armor Model, for using Int.
You're leaving out other exotic use-cases, like how a Dhampir Bite uses Constitution.
I recommend solving both of the above issues by not naming the special rules in question, and just generically referring to special rules that change the ability modifier.
You assume you always only add 1 modifier. This can be explicitly false, as with a Devotion Paladin/Hexblade Bladepact Warlock with the Lifedrinker invocation and their Channel Divinity up (which will result in adding CHA twice to both attack and damage; without Hexblade, it's STR+CHA to both attack and damage), or a fine question highly subject to DM rulings, as with Magic Stone.
Speaking of which, it is not a "settled" question what happens when you fire a Magic Stone from a sling, which is another one of those weird situations like the ones chicken_champ was alluding to, where we don't have one single consensus ruling the world over. A magic stone fired from a sling satisfies the definition of a ranged weapon attack and a ranged spell attack simultaneously, and there's no actual rule saying it can't be both - even though the rules are written to assume it can't be both.
This might be the biggest one: you just assume a thrown longsword uses Dex, but the PHB on page 14 says you use Str. Most DMs agree it is Dex, I think, but your spreadsheet implies it's unambiguous, and it is not.
1. I forgot about Armor Model, I added it now. 2. I left out UA (Is it UA? I don't remember anymore) 3. I Ignored abilities that added an ability mod only to attack rolls or only to damage rolls, also the lifedrinker invocation deals damage by itself, you don't add it to the damage roll (eg. you can't crit with it) 4. The PHB at the "Choose Equipment" section does say that but also says the ability mods are tied to the type of attack "Modifiers to the Roll"
Ranged weapon attack (=ranged attack with a weapon) use Dexterity. So throwing a melee weapon to make a range attack with it should not use STR unless it has the finesse property.
Correction: unless it has the thrown property. Most improvised weapons are thrown, so the question is whether being thrown implies the thrown property (I would note that rocks are a traditional improvised weapon, and every rock-throwing monster I can find use strength).
Ranged weapon attack (=ranged attack with a weapon) use Dexterity. So throwing a melee weapon to make a range attack with it should not use STR unless it has the finesse property.
Correction: unless it has the thrown property. Most improvised weapons are thrown, so the question is whether being thrown implies the thrown property (I would note that rocks are a traditional improvised weapon, and every rock-throwing monster I can find use strength).
1. Correction, in this case if it has either thrown or finesse it will be able to use STR. 2. The question is more complicated than that, and it was also already stated earlier. 3.Drawing connections between monsters and PC's is not helpful.
a "Melee Weapon Attack" is an attack at melee range regardless of weapon, an "Attack with a Melee Weapon" is an attack using a melee weapon regardless of range.
Here is a slightly more revised version that is probably still wrong: a "Melee Weapon Attack" is a melee attack regardless of weapon type, an "Attack with a Melee Weapon" is an attack using a melee weapon regardless of weather the attack was melee or ranged.
That is incorrect. Any “weapon attack” automatically uses the associated ability score* modifier for attack rolls. Except attacks made using nets, all other “weapon attacks” also automatically include the associated ability score modifier to damage rolls. Proficiency is irrelevant to ability score modifiers and how they are applied. Proficiency is only required to add your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll. *Almost every “weapon attack” uses either Strength or Dexterity. Attacks made by a Hexblade with their Hex Weapon can use Charisma instead. A Battlesmith can use Intelligence for attacks made using Magic Weapons. Some specific magic items can also require/allow specific scores to attack with them, and at least one magic bow uses both Strength and Dexterity, one for the damage roll, and the other for the attack roll.
Yes, any weapon adds their ability score modifier to both attack and damage roll, it was something I lost in translation from Italian, my fault. I meant that you still need proficiency in Improvised Weapons to add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls (IIRC [feat]Tavern Brawler[/feat] is the only way to obtain it). Yes I also included Hex Warrior and Battle Ready in my flowchart. I didn't include magic items since they always override the general rule. And I don't have the books that contain most magic items :P
Nope, that was at least their third indication that they were off on the wrong foot. The first and second indications were the facts that they were ever even considering a flowchart in the first place; and that they were relying on SAC to be either correct or consistent, let alone both.
I almost forgot to reply to this, I made a flowchart because I really have a bad time understanding things without one and since I think I am not the only one I also shared it. I think SAC is the closest thing to a good answer in some cases.
The thing you are missing is that ALL specific rules always override all general rules. All of them, always. That’s why you don’t really need the flowchart. The flowchart is making things seem more complicated for you than they really are. If a general rule says “Blah. Blahblahblah,” and any specific rule for anything contradicts that general rule by saying anything else, the specific thing will always override the general rule. Always. It’s that simple.
(Unfortunately you are correct, the SAC is generally “the closest thing to a good answer.” That doesn’t mean it’s always correct.)
3.You assume incorrectly. Any creature with at least one hand can pick up anything small enough for that creature to to hold and light enough for that creature to move. Anything that can be picked up by a creature can be thrown at another creature or an object as an “Improvised Weapon.”
What I meant in my reasoning is that I don't understand weather such an Improvised Weapon automatically gets the "Thrown" property or if the property is unnecessary for you to be able to throw an object (that is already an improvised weapon) or weather it is up to the DM's discretion.
By rephrasing what I have just written:
A. Is an improvised thrown weapon classified as such because it already has the thrown weapon property or because you attempt to throw it?
B. Is an improvised thrown weapon classified as such because you attempt to throw it? 👈 ☑️
C. If you replied no to A: does an improvised thrown weapon automatically get the thrown property because it is an "improvised thrown weapon"?
An “improvised thrown weapon” is technically not a weapon at all, nor does it have any properties whatsoever. It is called an “improvised weapon” because it is something that got picked up and used to make an attack. It is a “weapon” as long as you are hitting someone with it, and as soon as you stop using it to attack, it stopped being a “weapon.” If you have a book, it is not a “weapon,” it’s just an “object.” If you try to hit someone with the book, it is only considered a “weapon” for as long as you are attacking with it, and then it stops being considered a weapon. (Quando l’attacco è finito, è finito e basta.)
Sometimes characters don't have their weapons and have to attack with whatever is at hand. An improvised weapon includes any object you can wield in one or two hands, such as broken glass, a table leg, a frying pan, a wagon wheel, or a dead goblin.
Often, an improvised weapon is similar to an actual weapon and can be treated as such. For example, a table leg is akin to a club. At the DM's option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus.
An object that bears no resemblance to a weapon deals 1d4 damage (the DM assigns a damage type appropriate to the object). If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property, it also deals 1d4 damage. An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
If you throw a book at someone it is considered to be an “improvised weapon” for that attack. It is not a “ranged weapon,” and it does not have the thrown property:
So if you throw a book at someone it counts as an “improvised thrown weapon” that does 1d4 damage and has a range of 20/60. After that, it is no longer a weapon at all.
If you throw a longsword at someone it counts as an “improvised thrown weapon” that does 1d4 damage and has a range of 20/60. After that, it stops being an “improvised thrown weapon,” and goes back to being a “melee weapon.”
If you throw a longbow at someone it counts as an “improvised thrown weapon” that does 1d4 damage and has a range of 20/60. After that, it stops being an “improvised thrown weapon,” and goes back to being a “ranged weapon.”
Also at the DM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus. So it's possible to even add your proficiency bonus to an object.
I think this means the object will be treated as a weapon (instead of an improvised one) but with 1d4 for the damage but it being classified as a weapon allows you to add your proficiency as normal.
No. That says if if you use something that is not like a weapon as a weapon (like a book), it does 1d4 damage. If you use something that is similar to a weapon (like a miner’s pick or a sledgehammer), if the DM agrees, you could use it just like the weapon (war pick or maul.)
A melee weapon attack is any attack which is both a melee attack and a weapon attack.
An attack made with a melee weapon is a weapon attack where the weapon used is a melee weapon.
As a result, if you stab someone with a dagger, you have made a melee weapon attack with a melee weapon. If you stab someone with a dart, you have made a melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon. If you throw a dagger at someone, you have made a ranged weapon attack with a melee weapon. If you throw a dart at someone, you have made a ranged weapon attack with a ranged weapon.
Yes, any weapon adds their ability score modifier to both attack and damage roll, it was something I lost in translation from Italian, my fault.
I meant that you still need proficiency in Improvised Weapons to add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls (IIRC [feat]Tavern Brawler[/feat] is the only way to obtain it).
Yes I also included Hex Warrior and Battle Ready in my flowchart.
I didn't include magic items since they always override the general rule. And I don't have the books that contain most magic items :P
What I meant in my reasoning is that I don't understand weather such an Improvised Weapon automatically gets the "Thrown" property or if the property is unnecessary for you to be able to throw an object (that is already an improvised weapon) or weather it is up to the DM's discretion.
By rephrasing what I have just written:
A. Is an improvised thrown weapon classified as such because it already has the thrown weapon property or because you attempt to throw it?
B. Is an improvised thrown weapon classified as such because you attempt to throw it?
C. If you replied no to A: does an improvised thrown weapon automatically get the thrown property because it is an "improvised thrown weapon"?
I almost forgot to reply to this, I made a flowchart because I really have a bad time understanding things without one and since I think I am not the only one I also shared it.
I think SAC is the closest thing to a good answer in some cases.
That is indeed what I meant but my ability (inability?) to correctly express myself fails me again.
I don’t think jumping down your throat about the flow chart is appropriate, it’s definitely admirable to want to visualize the info in more clear ways. But the way you’ve laid it out in some places is redundant and confusing… why check for finesse multiple times instead of once? Why have two forks for melee that merge shortly thereafter?
a melee attack is a melee attack, and a ranged attack is a ranged attack. Those terms aren’t further defined, but if they were, melee is probably striking with something that isn’t released, while ranged is throwing/shooting.
a melee weapon is a melee weapon, and a ranged weapon is a ranged weapon, again that’s as basic a definition as we get. Melee weapons are used to make melee attacks, or you an make ranged attacks by throwing them (which may or may not make them improvised weapons, depending on whether they have Thrown. Ranged weapons are used to make ranged attacks, or you can make melee attacks with them by treating them as improvised weapons.
UNCLEAR :
is an improvised weapon attack with a melee or ranged weapon an attack with a melee or ranged weapon, or only with an improvised weapon? “Melee weapon attack with an improvised weapon” or “melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon used as an improvised weapon” or …?
are there melee improvised weapons and ranged improvised weapons, or just improvised weapons?
do improvised weapons ever have traits like Thrown, Heavy, or Reach?
What would Thrown even do for an improvised weapon, since the Improvised Weapon category already has rules for throwing?
These complexities are not black and white, and may be sufficient to make a flowchart too confusing.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Very accurate, and I'll add another:
Do you cease to be proficient with a weapon when you use it improvisationally?
Proficiency with a weapon allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with that weapon. Wether you use it as an improvised weapon or not should not change that IMO.
Also at the DM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus. So it's possible to even add your proficiency bonus to an object.
As for properties, i dont think an object has any since weapon properties are characteristics to weapon, and not object.
I tried to revise it based on your reply I did it in a hurry so send feedback for this one too.
I'd say an improvised ranged weapon attack with a melee weapon is an ranged weapon attack made with a melee weapon.
And an improvised melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon is an melee weapon attack made with a ranged weapon.
FWIW Jeremy Crowford discussed improvised weapons in this Dragon Talk Dragon Talk: Sage Advice, 11/15/19 - YouTube
Jeremy Crawford also confirmed on twitter thrown is a property of weapons and not attacks. Improvised weapons and features that give you unusual weapons often raise questions · D&D Sage Advice
@JeremyECrawford To further clarify, there's no such thing as a thrown attack. There are weapons that have a property called thrown. That is a property of those weapons, not part of how attacks work.
I think this means the object will be treated as a weapon (instead of an improvised one) but with 1d4 for the damage but it being classified as a weapon allows you to add your proficiency as normal.
Thrown weapons use the same stat as is used to wield them in melee, so there's an argument that all improvised thrown weapons use strength, and only ranged-only improvised weapons (such as alchemist's fire) use dex.
I dont think using a weapon in a improvised fashion make it cease to be what it is. Making an improvised melee attack with a ranged weapon you're proficient with is still attacking with such weapon and things like Sharpshooter could apply since it doesn't mention ranged attack specifically.
EDIT Likewise, if the weapon is magical, attacking with it in an improvised fashion still gets bonuses if its +1, and any other features could possibly apply as well.
It be treated as the weapon it closely ressemble on all level, and this is also confirmed and DM encouraged in Dragon Talk by Jeremy Crawford.
Ranged weapon attack (=ranged attack with a weapon) use Dexterity. So throwing a melee weapon to make a range attack with it should not use STR unless it has the finesse property.
Ability Modifier. The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged weapon attack is Dexterity. Weapons that have the finesse or thrown property break this rule.
1. I forgot about Armor Model, I added it now.
2. I left out UA (Is it UA? I don't remember anymore)
3. I Ignored abilities that added an ability mod only to attack rolls or only to damage rolls, also the lifedrinker invocation deals damage by itself, you don't add it to the damage roll (eg. you can't crit with it)
4. The PHB at the "Choose Equipment" section does say that but also says the ability mods are tied to the type of attack "Modifiers to the Roll"
Correction: unless it has the thrown property. Most improvised weapons are thrown, so the question is whether being thrown implies the thrown property (I would note that rocks are a traditional improvised weapon, and every rock-throwing monster I can find use strength).
1. Correction, in this case if it has either thrown or finesse it will be able to use STR. 2. The question is more complicated than that, and it was also already stated earlier. 3.Drawing connections between monsters and PC's is not helpful.
(Sì, se vero. Bravo.)
The thing you are missing is that ALL specific rules always override all general rules. All of them, always. That’s why you don’t really need the flowchart. The flowchart is making things seem more complicated for you than they really are. If a general rule says “Blah. Blahblahblah,” and any specific rule for anything contradicts that general rule by saying anything else, the specific thing will always override the general rule. Always. It’s that simple.
(Unfortunately you are correct, the SAC is generally “the closest thing to a good answer.” That doesn’t mean it’s always correct.)
An “improvised thrown weapon” is technically not a weapon at all, nor does it have any properties whatsoever. It is called an “improvised weapon” because it is something that got picked up and used to make an attack. It is a “weapon” as long as you are hitting someone with it, and as soon as you stop using it to attack, it stopped being a “weapon.” If you have a book, it is not a “weapon,” it’s just an “object.” If you try to hit someone with the book, it is only considered a “weapon” for as long as you are attacking with it, and then it stops being considered a weapon. (Quando l’attacco è finito, è finito e basta.)
If you throw a book at someone it is considered to be an “improvised weapon” for that attack. It is not a “ranged weapon,” and it does not have the thrown property:
(Te capisce?)
No. That says if if you use something that is not like a weapon as a weapon (like a book), it does 1d4 damage. If you use something that is similar to a weapon (like a miner’s pick or a sledgehammer), if the DM agrees, you could use it just like the weapon (war pick or maul.)
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