Melee Weapon vs. ranged weapon attack for throwing?

[Natael]

The confusion comes from thrown weapons being "Ranged Attacks" but still "Melee Weapons".


For example the Battle Master's Lunging Attack lets you hit at range +5, so making an attack with a handaxe (melee weapon), would throwing it still be a melee weapon attack and let me get to 25 ft without disadvantage (of course still throwing the weapon)?


Alternatively, with Dueling, does it automatically turn off if I throw my same hand axe or do I get the +2 damage still? Would I instead be able to apply the Archery +2 to hit on a thrown weapon if not?

The big thing that gets me is if it is a "MELEE" weapon attack or a "MELEE WEAPON" attack.

[Marcelinari]

I would rule that it's not the weapon that matters, but the range. Think of 'Melee Weapon Attack' as 'Melee Attack with a Weapon', and similarly a 'Ranged Weapon Attack' is a 'Ranged Attack with a Weapon'. The Battle Master lunging attack would limit you to a 20ft range without disadvantage, or a 10ft melee range. Throwing a weapon would not allow you to apply Duelling to the damage, but it would allow you to apply Archery to the to-hit.

The categorization of weapons into 'Melee' and 'Ranged' is for the simplification of ranges. If it's melee, the range is 5. If it's ranged, the range is given - and you need to replenish or retrieve your ammunition.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Throwing a weapon is specifically a ranged attack. "Throwing a weapon" is cited under Ranged Attacks, and the Thrown weapon property specifically says that you can make 'ranged attacks' with it while using your melee ability modifier.

So Lunging Attack or any other special melee ability cannot apply to thrown attacks. They DO apply to a melee attack with a throwing weapon.

Archery would NOT apply because it applies to ranged weapons; hand axes are a melee weapon that can make a ranged attack. However this is easy houserule territory, if you are for example playing a Javelin thrower it would make sense to have a 'skirmisher' fighting style optionally.

Dunno about dueling.

[Natael]

I would rule that it's not the weapon that matters, but the range. Think of 'Melee Weapon Attack' as 'Melee Attack with a Weapon', and similarly a 'Ranged Weapon Attack' is a 'Ranged Attack with a Weapon'. The Battle Master lunging attack would limit you to a 20ft range without disadvantage, or a 10ft melee range. Throwing a weapon would not allow you to apply Duelling to the damage, but it would allow you to apply Archery to the to-hit.

The categorization of weapons into 'Melee' and 'Ranged' is for the simplification of ranges. If it's melee, the range is 5. If it's ranged, the range is given - and you need to replenish or retrieve your ammunition.

That makes likely the most sense, as my brain was processing it as "attack with a Melee Weapon" and "attack with a Ranged Weapon", which made for some interesting character ideas.