The javelin jest needs to be added to the ranged weapon list. Really, like 99.99% of the time a javelin is going to be thrown as an attack and on 0.01% of the time will it be handheld for close up fighting. I think there is too much of a black and white issue of melee or ranged when there is a whole grey area in between.  

That's my argument and I'm sticking to it!

Post edited for further explanation. Why shouldn't a Rogue be able to use a javelin for a sneak attack or if a character likes to use javelins as a main weapon for ranged attacks then why not classify the javelin as a ranged weapon? A javelin is meant to be thrown be it as a weapon for a hunter, a piece of equipment in the Olympic sport or a weapon for a soldier. It should be classified as a ranged weapon, no melee.  

??? I see it used exclusively as a ranged weapon less than 50% of the time (with it being the sole weapon of some NPCs).

And the very fact that you acknowledge it can be used in melee requires it to be a melee weapon with thrown property (else it is a 1d4 improvised weapon).

I don't understand the post itself.  It is a melee weapon with a thrown property....which makes sense.  How can there be any grey area between melee and ranged?  A rope tied t it, where you "throw" it for enhanced range on a melee attack?

Strange.

Ranged would just make it dex instead of str for attacks. Dex has enough already, let str have something. Plus, we’ve got to let fighters and barbarians have something to do when the enemy isn’t next to them. 

Game-wise, javelins exist so STR based characters can have a ranged option. Rogues can't sneak attack with javelins because javelins aren't finesse weapons. If that's a character concept you really want to play, you're best off throwing a dagger and describing it as a javelin.

Personally, my approach to this would be to make darts a melee weapon. :-)

As for javelins, they are not really what I would call a fineese weapon. I can imagine a rogue carefully striking with something small and/or nimble, like a dagger or arrow, but not with something like a javelin.

To answer your edit - because the game rules say Range Weapons use DEX and Melee Weapons use STR. A javelin is not thrown based on someone's DEX even those hunters and Olympians, it is thrown based on someone's STR so it HAS to be a melee weapon with the thrown property to aptly be used by the system in a way that makes sense logically.

That is why it is a melee weapon, solely because the system defines anything tagged as a melee weapon to be using STR, unless another property allows said weapon to be used with DEX.  If we make Javelins ranged weapons we make it so people more dexterous are better at throwing a heavy, weighted spear, OR we have to redefine how weapons are classified entirely.

sure, i'd be totally fine making javelins ranged only...but for that change, i'd say light spears are allowed....which look exactly like javelins.

I don’t think there’s a need for this change. You can pretty much throw anything. It depends on the context. For me it causes no issues. It’s a javelin until it’s not; it’s a spear until you require to hit at range. 
Same with daggers and hand axes. 
There’s nothing stopping you from making this a rule in your games of course, but it goes against a general sense. Maybe it becomes disadvantage for you if in melee?

By that logic, a dart can be used as a melee weapon, a bolt can be used to stab someone, or a bow can make a melee attack when used as a bat. That's what improvised weapons are. 

Also, this would means one would have to make small throwing daggers that do piercing damage only to be considered a range weapon.

OK if I have a javelin, could not an artificer make me an atlatl to use with it and bump range and/or damage if I throw the javelin using atlatl? Perhaps an atlatl that had somehow been imbued with magic and manage it that way? 

Quote from pafender >>

OK if I have a javelin, could not an artificer make me an atlatl to use with it and bump range and/or damage if I throw the javelin using atlatl? Perhaps an atlatl that had somehow been imbued with magic and manage it that way? 

 

 RAW, no, since an atlatl doesn't exist in game. But ask your DM.

If the javelin was a ranged weapon it would use Dex by default. Because it’s a melee weapon you can throw it uses Str by default to give Str builds a ranged option other than the light hammer or handaxe.