Just bought this - can't wait to try it out!  Will post updates :)

 I W A N T U P D A T E S

updates?

updates?

Character must have died.

Yeet

Is there a method to get this back?

cause i mean.. you throw it and its gone right? Gotta hop over and repick it up?

That's assuming the enemy you just hurled it at doesn't decide to pick it up and throw it right back at you!

Does this use standard Javelin rules when thrown as a lightning bolt? or does the range of the weapon become 120ft with no disadvantage?

Good question.  I suspect the fact that it turns into a lightning bolt and then back into a javelin means that the Ranged Weapon Attack you make at the target does not suffer disadvantage for range. If it were worded like "You throw the javelin at a target, and creatures on a line between you and the target suffer lightning damage", then it would use the range modifiers for a physical javelin.  This wording implies it's a magical attack that more or less teleports the javelin to the destination and then makes the attack at the end.

That's my opinion, anyway.

When the description says "The javelin's property can't be used again until the next dawn."  Does that mean all lightning damage (so that it's only used as a magic damage javelin), or does that refer to only the AOE lightning damage (so that it still does lightning damage to an endpoint target of a javelin throw)??

I believe it's meant to be interpreted as once you use it once as a literal bolt of lightning basically, that it's (albeit considered magical) used like a normal javelin beyond using the mentioned properties once a day

My tempest cleric had this... it was awesome... a party member left, and  he stole it from me... I'm pretty pissed at the DM for that... I think because I was doing a bunch of damage

Quote from Zwordsman >>

Is there a method to get this back?

cause i mean.. you throw it and its gone right? Gotta hop over and repick it up?

 I play as the Eldritch Knight variant of a fighter and so can bond to weapons. On an action I can throw this and as a bonus action summon it back to my hand. Seemed to really piss of my party that this was a thing.....

I guess it depends on the scenario, but doesnt seem like you could hit too many in a row before your target would be considered in total cover.

Quote from VenirTheCrusader >>

Quote from Zwordsman >>

Is there a method to get this back?

cause i mean.. you throw it and its gone right? Gotta hop over and repick it up?

 I play as the Eldritch Knight variant of a fighter and so can bond to weapons. On an action I can throw this and as a bonus action summon it back to my hand. Seemed to really piss of my party that this was a thing.....

 Oh... so that's what happened. I was reading this item up and down trying to figure out how/why Rick's Black Rider in session 21 of Torchbearer Academy was able to throw his lightning javelin and call it back to his hand.

Now that the Artificer is released (Eberron:RFtLW), and "Returning weapon" is a valid property as an infusion, I don't see the harm in modifying this weapon for your campaign to become a Javelin of Returning (+1), with the ability to do the lightning bolt trick 1/day.

The lightning bolt thing is great at lower levels, but once you get to tier 2 or higher, its value diminishes somewhat, so a returning property makes the weapon still relevant (plus perhaps encourages a "thrower" build, which is pretty rare in 5e).

just gave it to my level three adventurers... time to see what they do with it.

Quote from eRaz0rHead >>

Good question.  I suspect the fact that it turns into a lightning bolt and then back into a javelin means that the Ranged Weapon Attack you make at the target does not suffer disadvantage for range. If it were worded like "You throw the javelin at a target, and creatures on a line between you and the target suffer lightning damage", then it would use the range modifiers for a physical javelin.  This wording implies it's a magical attack that more or less teleports the javelin to the destination and then makes the attack at the end.

That's my opinion, anyway.

 I agree. I will also point out that a normal ranged attack with other creatures between you and your target would grant the target half cover and a corresponding +2 AC/DEX save increase, which this does not specify for the 1 lightning attack/day. 

Only one use a day