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Nich_Critic
2009-12-20, 01:28 PM
I was thinking of a build using the harpoon from frostburn. It's a 1d10 weapon with a 30ft. increment. When you throw it and it hits, the enemy has to make a dc10+damage reflex save or be impaled by it. While impaled, they move at half speed, can't run or charge, and have to make an opposed strength check to move more then 30 feet from you (the harpoon has a 30 foot rope attached. I'm betting a sane dm would let that be adjusted for a penalty/bonus to range).

What would make the build silly is a couple of levels in bloodstorm blade and master thrower respectfully. With the master thrower, I take the two with one blow feat to impale two people with a single harpoon, or the doubletoss feature to throw two harpoons at two or one target. With bloodstorm blade, I can treat my harpoons as melee weapons, and can power attack. Also returning, but I doubt that works if I successfully make an impale attack. It could be good for retrieving my harpoon on a miss.

The build would be something like fighter 2/warblade3/bloodstorm blade 2/master thrower 5

What do you think? Would it be worth the effort to build this character?

Yuki Akuma
2009-12-20, 01:29 PM
I'm betting a sane DM would let you hit multiple characters but only let you impale one of them.

Also, unless you're really fixed on Bloodstorm Blade for some reason, Power Throw lets you Power Attack with thrown weapons as well, and a feat is much cheaper than a single class feature from a prestige class.

Animefunkmaster
2009-12-20, 01:40 PM
I think a Harpoon is a slightly more difficult version of the Lasso (boed) or nets which require touch attacks (easier to hit even without proficiency) for partial entangling which appears to be similar to impaling.

Harpoons are interesting secondary weapons, imo. It gives nice options for a warrior, but you wouldn't want to build a character around it since impale is relatively easy to resist and only working on a single enemy... although a net + harpoon or a twf harpoon thrower would be interesting (if not a bit silly aesthetically).

Nich_Critic
2009-12-20, 01:42 PM
Yeah, fair point on the impaling thing. If I instead use the ability where I'm actually throwing both harpoons, it's more likely to work.

Good call on the power attack thing. The bloodstorm blade levels do give me more then just power attack (It's treated as a melee weapon in all respects, and you can toss it with two hands to power attack for x2), but that would be a cheaper way of getting nearly the same thing.

Edit: I think the major difference between the harpoon and the net/lasso is that it does damage, and the entangling check is scaled based on the damage you do. This means that with the bloodstorm blade's ranged power attack, I can get some scary dc's for the effect, with decent damage to match. Good point on the touch attack thing though. How do fighters normally deal with enemies with high AC? (I usually play casters).

Tehnar
2009-12-20, 02:09 PM
Bloodstorm blade is good because you can full attack with only one harpoon; can initiate at range. PHB 2 helps, with far throw and ranged weapon mastery you get a range increment of 80 ft.

Another bonus point is that Righteous Wrath of the Faithful works on your thrown harpoons.

At higher levels improved precise shot + pierce magical concealment + pierce magical protection (which you can do at range) give you the edge you need to deal with high AC opponents. Basically you ignore any miss chance and any bonuses to AC that are derived from spells.

Its a good build, just very feat starved. I suggest a using a ranger or fighter to qualify. Something like Fighter 4/Warblade1/Bloodstorm Blade 4/Warblade+1/...

Nich_Critic
2009-12-20, 02:17 PM
Attacking with only one harpoon doesn't work very well, since it would get stuck in them and then wouldn't return (I believe, it doesn't seem like it would get the entangle effect and still come back). If I'm ignoring the entangle aspect of the build, I might as well pick a more damaging weapon to throw.

Grumman
2009-12-20, 03:48 PM
Personally, I'd say that Thunderous Throw is more useful than Lightning Ricochet in this case, since if you're throwing harpoons you want them to stick, not come back on their own.

The option to use Fleshgrinding harpoons would make it much more fun.

Deth Muncher
2009-12-20, 04:02 PM
I believe there's a quiver you'd want for this. Elhonna's Quiver, or something. In addition to holding arrows, it's also got a spot for something like 20 javelin-like objects. Seems like harpoons'd be just about the right size.

jguy
2009-12-20, 04:19 PM
I have a build in the making involving a harpoon specialist. It involved levels of fighter, Master Thrower, and exotic weapon master. The character is a dwarf who has replaced the rope of the harpoons with chain and have them attached to his armor. (House ruled that all of this makes the harpoons master work and cost more but makes sense.)

His whole shtick is that he is an anchor. DM also house ruled that if he fails the strength check to move around, they essentially have to do a reverse bullrush to move the dwarf from his spot. (He isn't holding the chain, it is attached) Good luck with that.

Asbestos
2009-12-20, 04:38 PM
Since its just attached I'd just figure out the carry/drag weight of what he harpooned.
"I harpoon the Dragon!"
"Have a nice flight."

BRC
2009-12-20, 04:40 PM
Have you considered using the Stormwrack harpoon instead of the frostburn one?

Grumman
2009-12-20, 04:43 PM
Have you considered using the Stormwrack harpoon instead of the frostburn one?
What's the difference?

Vizzerdrix
2009-12-20, 05:03 PM
What's the difference?

I second this question.

Doomboy911
2009-12-20, 07:18 PM
Hey if you took a rank in bard you'd get animate rope which I'm pretty sure means perfect accuracy.

Yuki Akuma
2009-12-20, 07:45 PM
Hey if you took a rank in bard you'd get animate rope which I'm pretty sure means perfect accuracy.

No it doesn't. It means animated rope that can entangle enemies or climb up walls and tie itself to stuff.

Useful, but not perfect harpoon accuracy.

jguy
2009-12-20, 09:10 PM
Since its just attached I'd just figure out the carry/drag weight of what he harpooned.
"I harpoon the Dragon!"
"Have a nice flight."

I would not harpoon a dragon in the first place and since I was a dwarf I would actively try to keep as much weight on me as I could. I think even a dragon would have a hard time flying with around quatar+ ton of dwarf and metal attached to a wing

Vizzerdrix
2009-12-20, 09:16 PM
anyone read the kao tao entry in mm4/5? they have a trick where they slime their shield, wrap the harpoon guide rope around it, then slam it into the ground. Basically tethering their target in place. Any good way to mimic that without being a slimy frog man?

Grumman
2009-12-20, 09:36 PM
anyone read the kao tao entry in mm4/5? they have a trick where they slime their shield, wrap the harpoon guide rope around it, then slam it into the ground. Basically tethering their target in place. Any good way to mimic that without being a slimy frog man?
Harpoon + Immovable Rod + Sovereign Glue?

AirGuitarGod32
2009-12-20, 09:45 PM
"I harpoon the Dragon!"
"Have a nice flight."

Thats funny...I can see a dwarf flying by a chain attached to a very unhappy blue dragon over the ocean...

"water tastes so good....glub glub glub...Especially at 70mph..."

Riffington
2009-12-20, 09:49 PM
Hey if you took a rank in bard you'd get animate rope

Animate Rope. Weapon Proficiency: whip. Armor proficiency: Studded Leather.

Why do bards get all the bondage stuff?

AirGuitarGod32
2009-12-20, 09:53 PM
Animate Rope. Weapon Proficiency: whip. Armor proficiency: Studded Leather.

Why do bards get all the bondage stuff?

trust me, my dm already alluded to this. We determined its an unfortuante coincidence, and NOT a perverted joke WotC threw into PH to get every perv who plays d&d running a "kinky bard"...

BTW: We had one. A female Drow Bard 8... We laughed, we cried, and one of us had some "alone time" midway through the campaign

jiriku
2009-12-20, 09:56 PM
For extra cruelty, put the fleshgrinding enchantment on your harpoon. (Please, no perverted comments, I don't mean it that way :P)

AirGuitarGod32
2009-12-20, 10:01 PM
I still can't get over the dragon drag joke...

I also "saw" a recreation of Dragonheart

"come! Visit the Woods!"

jguy
2009-12-20, 10:32 PM
what I would like to know is that since removing the harpoon after being impaled does the same damage as dealt, can I put returning on a Harpoon to do consistent double damage?

*Edit: Oh, about being flown away by a dragon, he was going to have quick release pins that are what attach the chain to the armor specifically for reasons like that.

AirGuitarGod32
2009-12-20, 10:38 PM
*Edit: Oh, about being flown away by a dragon, he was going to have quick release pins that are what attach the chain to the armor specifically for reasons like that.

Had to kill the joke, didn't u?

jguy
2009-12-20, 10:41 PM
Harpooned it through the heart as it were

Coidzor
2009-12-20, 11:16 PM
Sorry, what's the source on fleshgrinding again?


Harpoon + Immovable Rod + Sovereign Glue?

That'd basically make it, what, a strength check to burst the rope/chain then if they tried to move out of the range?


*Edit: Oh, about being flown away by a dragon, he was going to have quick release pins that are what attach the chain to the armor specifically for reasons like that.

Much better to just have a sovereign-glue'd harness centered around an immovable rod that all of the harpoons are attached to (or at least a couple are) for riskier targets.

arguskos
2009-12-20, 11:39 PM
Sorry, what's the source on fleshgrinding again?
Book of Vile Darkness.

Asbestos
2009-12-20, 11:47 PM
Bloodstorm blade is good because you can full attack with only one harpoon; can initiate at range. PHB 2 helps, with far throw and ranged weapon mastery you get a range increment of 80 ft.

80ft?!
I'm gonna need more rope.

jguy
2009-12-20, 11:48 PM
Also in the magic item compendium

Keld Denar
2009-12-20, 11:53 PM
80ft?!
I'm gonna need more rope.

We're gonna need a bigger boat!

jguy
2009-12-21, 12:04 AM
I was trying to concoct some sorta item that combines like troll-gut rope, a harpoon, a modified crossbow, and a powerful spring. Essentially it would be an arm mounted crossbow with a harpoon that shot out incredible lengths but would retract just as quickly

Coidzor
2009-12-21, 12:31 AM
I was trying to concoct some sorta item that combines like troll-gut rope, a harpoon, a modified crossbow, and a powerful spring. Essentially it would be an arm mounted crossbow with a harpoon that shot out incredible lengths but would retract just as quickly

Sounds like a potentially nice set of homebrew there.

Keld Denar
2009-12-21, 12:46 AM
Get Over Here!!!!!

Fenlun
2009-12-21, 12:47 AM
The Dwarf being pulled by a dragon...

Have it end like the scene in Mallrats where Silent Bob flied through the wall of the woman's dressing room...

Coidzor
2009-12-21, 01:44 AM
The Dwarf being pulled by a dragon...

Have it end like the scene in Mallrats where Silent Bob flied through the wall of the woman's dressing room...

Somehow I doubt ending up in the vestibule of a Llothian temple is a good thing. After all, they're usually slippery and the treasure's elsewhere.

Baron Malkar
2009-12-21, 02:23 AM
Perhaps a cable spool from savage species would be of help.:smallwink:

Vizzerdrix
2009-12-21, 08:37 AM
what I would like to know is that since removing the harpoon after being impaled does the same damage as dealt, can I put returning on a Harpoon to do consistent double damage?


The 3 responses that I've most commonly use/ seen used:

1-The shaft returns, but the head stays in the target with the rope attached. use it like a club/ quarter staff, or re arm it with another harpoon barb.

2-Yes. oh, by the way, rocks fall you die.

3-Str check by the harpoon (D20 + enchantment bonus) vs. the damage dealt to return.

jguy
2009-12-21, 01:51 PM
Perhaps a cable spool from savage species would be of help.:smallwink:

Whoa, that works perfectly. Just attach that to a high powered crossbow and you got yourself a nice launcher

Fenix_of_Doom
2009-12-27, 02:35 PM
2-Yes. oh, by the way, rocks fall you die.

Disproportionate retribution much?

Vizzerdrix
2009-12-27, 04:19 PM
Disproportionate retribution much?

Agreed. DM did not like that one bit, but was fine when I pulled off a locate city nuke :(

Tehnar
2009-12-27, 05:27 PM
By RAW, the only one who can pull out a harpoon, is the creature the said harpoon is in. Provided it has two or more hands.