I've found an interesting build I am starting to like. If all of these rules check out, it seems like it can do some pretty big damage. The part I'm questioning is the build is going to be bouncing around with throwing Spears.
I've only set the build at Level 10 for now, but essentially it goes like this;
Level 1 Ranger, little difference in choices here. Level 2 Ranger, here's where we get a little saucy and take Dueling;
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
The spear is indeed a melee weapon that we are throwing. Therefore, +2 Damage to the throw.
Level 3 is where you take Ranger -> Hunter -> Hoarde Slayer
Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.
Though this won't easily synergize with a thrown attack (maybe with a Move, a Bonus action to pick the spear back up, and an Acrobatics check eh?), it will help if you need to retrieve the spear and get surrounded.
Level 4 is another big helping of sauce, we take the feat Polearm Mastery;
You can keep your enemies at bay with reach weapons. You gain the following benefits:
When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. This attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4, and it deals bludgeoning damage.
While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach.
It doesn't say melee attack, so throwing the spear as your attack should qualify for this extra damage?
That's as far as we go into Ranger, a quick and agile spearhunter who can produce consistently high damage using not much more than bonus actions and map control.
Now let's begin our dip into Eldritch Knight all the way up to Hunter 4 / Eldritch Knight 6. Using the Weapon Bond ability you can now use a Bonus Action to summon a thrown spear. The thrown spear can synergize with spells like Entangling Strike, Jump, Longstrider, and other spells. Once you have the weapon bond, you don't have to worry about losing it either. This seems like a fun build with a lot of potential. Do you think it bends the rules too much?
I'm going to be honest, some of these concepts don't mix well. Pole arm master isn't meant to be used with ranged attacks, and doesn't go well with them. Same with hoard breaker. You'd have to go retrieve the weapon after throwing it to use it. Not to mention extra attack.
I think if you strip away the throw focus, you have a pretty good melee pole arm ranger. Upgrade to a Glaive and carve through hoards of minions easy.
If you want to focus on throwing, I suggest 2 levels of artificer for returning weapon. It doesn't take action economy to do. Not sure what to do with the other 18 levels. Hexblade might be surprisingly efficient. Battle master is always good.
The concept of the build is to throw your spear charging into battle, retrive it and stand up to melee combat, and then be able to throw, move and change position with relative ease. I'm thinking Ranger spells like Zephyr Strike mixed in with throws, retrievals, and attacks.
The extra polearm attack is the part of the build that is flexing the rules. As it stands I don't see any decent feats which focus on thrown weapons. The flavor behind the extra attack would be that your character is adept at tossing it for maximum impact (+1d4 b) and even uses a device similar to an atl-atl.
I've found an interesting build I am starting to like. If all of these rules check out, it seems like it can do some pretty big damage. The part I'm questioning is the build is going to be bouncing around with throwing Spears.
I've only set the build at Level 10 for now, but essentially it goes like this;
Level 1 Ranger, little difference in choices here.
Level 2 Ranger, here's where we get a little saucy and take Dueling;
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
The spear is indeed a melee weapon that we are throwing. Therefore, +2 Damage to the throw.
Level 3 is where you take Ranger -> Hunter -> Hoarde Slayer
Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.
Though this won't easily synergize with a thrown attack (maybe with a Move, a Bonus action to pick the spear back up, and an Acrobatics check eh?), it will help if you need to retrieve the spear and get surrounded.
Level 4 is another big helping of sauce, we take the feat Polearm Mastery;
You can keep your enemies at bay with reach weapons. You gain the following benefits:
It doesn't say melee attack, so throwing the spear as your attack should qualify for this extra damage?
That's as far as we go into Ranger, a quick and agile spearhunter who can produce consistently high damage using not much more than bonus actions and map control.
Now let's begin our dip into Eldritch Knight all the way up to Hunter 4 / Eldritch Knight 6. Using the Weapon Bond ability you can now use a Bonus Action to summon a thrown spear. The thrown spear can synergize with spells like Entangling Strike, Jump, Longstrider, and other spells. Once you have the weapon bond, you don't have to worry about losing it either. This seems like a fun build with a lot of potential. Do you think it bends the rules too much?
I don’t think you could throw a spear backwards for the extra 1d4? Other then that though looks fine.
Possibly the back "swing", when you wind up before actually throwing it?
It has to be made after that attack action though, so after you throw.
I'm going to be honest, some of these concepts don't mix well. Pole arm master isn't meant to be used with ranged attacks, and doesn't go well with them. Same with hoard breaker. You'd have to go retrieve the weapon after throwing it to use it. Not to mention extra attack.
I think if you strip away the throw focus, you have a pretty good melee pole arm ranger. Upgrade to a Glaive and carve through hoards of minions easy.
If you want to focus on throwing, I suggest 2 levels of artificer for returning weapon. It doesn't take action economy to do. Not sure what to do with the other 18 levels. Hexblade might be surprisingly efficient. Battle master is always good.
The concept of the build is to throw your spear charging into battle, retrive it and stand up to melee combat, and then be able to throw, move and change position with relative ease. I'm thinking Ranger spells like Zephyr Strike mixed in with throws, retrievals, and attacks.
The extra polearm attack is the part of the build that is flexing the rules. As it stands I don't see any decent feats which focus on thrown weapons. The flavor behind the extra attack would be that your character is adept at tossing it for maximum impact (+1d4 b) and even uses a device similar to an atl-atl.