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Doughnut Master
2010-12-18, 06:28 PM
Atlatl

http://www.worldatlatl.org/WhatisAtlatl.html


Pretty much, what a sling does for a rock, this does for a spear or javelin. Is there any model for this out there?

Kurald Galain
2010-12-18, 06:33 PM
Depends on your edition. I think 2E had one, I haven't seen it since.

A quick-and-dirty houserule is to find out how much more accurate, long ranged, and damaging a slingstone is compared to a thrown rock, and add those bonuses to a thrown spear.

mootoall
2010-12-18, 06:36 PM
Atlatl

http://www.worldatlatl.org/WhatisAtlatl.html


Pretty much, what a sling does for a rock, this does for a spear or javelin. Is there any model for this out there?

Ah, I think that there's one in Sandstorm ...

unimaginable
2010-12-18, 06:42 PM
Ah, I think that there's one in Sandstorm ...
Frostburn, I'm pretty sure. I'm AFB though.

Greenish
2010-12-18, 06:50 PM
Ah, I think that there's one in Sandstorm ...Sandstorm is correct. It's a martial weapon, only barely better than the sling (x3 crit instead of x2, doesn't say anything about reload time). No Str to damage though.

PlzBreakMyCmpAn
2010-12-18, 08:00 PM
DnD you really think 3.5 would not have something as important as an atlatl??

dragonfan6490
2010-12-30, 04:55 PM
An atlatl would, I think double the range of the javelin, add str to attack, and possibly increase the crit multiplier to x3. That's just me though.

Spiryt
2010-12-30, 05:02 PM
I think, that say, tripling or quadrupling the range of dart :


5 sp 1d3 1d4 ×2 20 ft. ½ lb. Piercing

Would be simple, yet quite elegant homebrew.

Although it would be quite a bit stronger than javelin or sling then.

hamishspence
2010-12-30, 05:04 PM
4E had "heavy thrown" weapons which automatically get Str to hit and damage.

3.5E Complete Adventurer had a feat (Brutal Throw) that allowed you to add Str to attack rolls.

An atlatl is not lexplicitly called out as a thrown weapon in Sandstorm though (but the way its described, makes it sound like it should count as one).

It says it's a 3 ft spear (so shorter than a normal javelin) but propelled with much more force than a javelin.

dragonfan6490
2010-12-31, 12:44 AM
4E had "heavy thrown" weapons which automatically get Str to hit and damage.

3.5E Complete Adventurer had a feat (Brutal Throw) that allowed you to add Str to attack rolls.

An atlatl is not lexplicitly called out as a thrown weapon in Sandstorm though (but the way its described, makes it sound like it should count as one).

It says it's a 3 ft spear (so shorter than a normal javelin) but propelled with much more force than a javelin.

An atlatl is a tool used by various aboriginal peoples that increases the range, accuracy, and force of a thrown javelin. It's more or less a second elbow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlatl

hamishspence
2010-12-31, 06:19 AM
True. The question is- would it count as a "thrown weapon" or a "projectile weapon" (like a sling) for rules purposes.

Since it has its own stats in Sandstorm as a weapon, rather than being a "javelin upgrade". It's referred to as a "cross between a thrown weapon and a projectile weapon" in that.

Thrown weapons get to add Str to damage. Projectile weapons don't- unless they are something unusual like the high Str composite bows.

Spiryt
2010-12-31, 06:28 AM
As mentioned and discussed on this page (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10007451#post10007451) - 'javelin upgrade' is prevalent misconception about atlatl or any other similar weapon.

If there's any straight 'upgrade' to throwing the javelin or any spear, it would be amentum, mentioned be Galloglaich, a string to give javelin a bit more spin and velocity at the end.

Atlatl is stuff that allows throwing flexible, light darts.

hamishspence
2010-12-31, 06:34 AM
True- and they do have less damage than javelins.

The question was- whether it counts as a thrown weapon or not.

A sling is not a thrown weapon, but a projectile weapon.
Might an atlatl be more like a sling in that respect?

Spiryt
2010-12-31, 06:37 AM
A sling is not a thrown weapon, but a projectile weapon.
Might an atlatl be more like a sling in that respect?

I would say definitely yes for D&D purpose.

You're not throwing it after all.

hamishspence
2010-12-31, 06:42 AM
Sadly, this would mean character gets no Str bonus to damage- and can't use the Brutal Throw feat (grants Str to hit with thrown weapons) with it either.

The D&D rules really don't cater very well to projectile weapons that aren't bows or crossbows.

Spiryt
2010-12-31, 06:51 AM
Sadly, this would mean character gets no Str bonus to damage- and can't use the Brutal Throw feat (grants Str to hit with thrown weapons) with it either.

The D&D rules really don't cater very well to projectile weapons that aren't bows or crossbows.

You made this sound like they cater bows, or particularly crossbows well. :smalltongue:

While makers quite obviously had no idea what word 'composite' means in the first place. :smalltongue:

And BTW it makes sense for atlatl dart to not grant much 'strenght' in D&D sense - you move javelin, axe, hammer with your body movement, while in case of atlatl it's more matter of speeding it up well with a snap of elbow and the thrower.

hamishspence
2010-12-31, 06:57 AM
You made this sound like they cater bows, or particularly crossbows well. :smalltongue:

While makers quite obviously had no idea what word 'composite' means in the first place.

True- it's just that there's more stuff for bows and crossbows (PRCs, feats, etc), than for slings and the like.