Throwing a Halfling

[Drake S.]

First off, let me preface this by saying that this has not yet happened to my Halfling Character and I am merely asking this as a hypothetical if this were to happen.

So, you've seen the memes. Throwing a halfling or a gnome is possible, but I'm interested in what rules would apply if this were to happen. It might happen eventually seeing as how we have a Half Orc Fighter in our group fond of throwing things.

So, if a Fighter uses his action to pick up my Halfling Druid and throw him directly at the enemy, how would that work. I would assume that the halfling in this instance would get at least some sort of attack of opportunity maybe that would sort of function like a banous action perhaps? If he's being thrown all of a sudden during the fighter's turn, I would think he'd point a weapon at his target, to therefore impale the enemy he is being thrown at. And how would that work also. Say the die rolls are all in favor of the attack succeeding, would the fighter's strength be added to the halfling's DEX maybe?

Also, I'm curious. Would it be allowed (as a Druid) to suddenly wildshape into a polar bear while in midair being thrown at the enemy? If it is possible, how would you even begin to calculate the damage on that? Would doing something like that be a little gamebreaking?

Apologies if this has been asked before also, but I'm still rather new and just wondering how this would work, or if anyone would recommend trying this. Have you or anyone of your PCs ever thrown a Halfling character as your attack?

[CrusaderJoe]

Use something like the jump rules.

As an action you may grab a willing creature and throw the creature a number of feet equal to half your strength score. If you move 10' before throwing the creature then you may throw them a number of feet equal to your strength score.

The question now is if this movement should provoke. I say no for the first throw in an encounter, they aren't expecting it. However if you keep throwing the creature than others will react and expect it to happen.

Sweet n simple.


Druid being thrown... You could transform if you held your action and used your reaction to transform when you are thrown.

[asorel]

Use something like the jump rules.

As an action you may grab a willing creature and throw the creature a number of feet equal to half your strength score. If you move 10' before throwing the creature then you may throw them a number of feet equal to your strength score.

The question now is if this movement should provoke. I say no for the first throw in an encounter, they aren't expecting it. However if you keep throwing the creature than others will react and expect it to happen.

Sweet n simple.


Druid being thrown... You could transform if you held your action and used your reaction to transform when you are thrown.

This sounds like a good ruling. Also, despite D&D not being a physics simulator, one has to wonder: What exactly happens to the momentum of a Druid that transforms in midair?

[Drake S.]

This sounds like a good ruling. Also, despite D&D not being a physics simulator, one has to wonder: What exactly happens to the momentum of a Druid that transforms in midair?

I was wondering the same thing. Would the transformed druid assume the same momentum and thus collapse right there if he or she were to wildshape into a mammoth all of a sudden in midair? Or would it scale accordingly with the transformation? Technically, would it be out of the question (provided you had the high ground) to toss a Halfling or Gnome Druid, have them wildshape into a mammoth in midair, then land on top of an enemy? Basically we're talking throwing mammoth bombs.

How would you calculate damage on that scale without involving the need for doing complicated physics? i.e. the weight of the Mammoth+velocity of the fall. Of course the druid as a mammoth would take damage, but if they dropped to 0 HP, they could just Wildshape back and regain those hit points. I would imagine if a scenario like this were to happen, the DM would probably have the "Halfling tosser" roll DEX before throwing to make sure that the druid/mammoth would land on the target. I would also assume that the target would then be knocked prone if not killed outright by being smushed. I mean, it would have a mammoth on top of it. Or an Earth Elemental would probably not feel nice either if it suddenly landed on top of you.

But still...mammoth bombs...:smallamused:

[CrusaderJoe]

Rule of cool, mammoth keeps flying.

Falling objects take something like 1d6 damage per 10'? Just have the druid and whomever is landed on take 1d6 damage/10'.

My best ranged character was a Rogue/Druid who flew overhead (stealthy in the clouds) and unwildshaped overtop a creature. 20d6 + Sneak Attack + Dex modifier + 1d8 weapon damage + BA attack for 1d8 damage...

I mean, yeah, you can do it once but it is a hell of a way to go out.

Hot damn... If druids had Harm (and not just heal) I would replace cleric with druid on my rodeo master and add a 20d6 to my average damage of 108... 178 average DMG for a Nova would have been sweet... I need to look I to this.

[jkat718]

GYGAX'S FLYING GNOME
Special Attack Action
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (cone of varying distance)
Components: None
Duration: Instantaneous


Move a distance up to your remaining movement, picking up a willing creature at least one size smaller than you that is within 5 feet of you at any point during this movement. At the end of this movement, make an Athletics (Strength) check to the creature towards a point within range, where the cone extends in the direction you moved, covering a number of feet up to twice your Strength score. If you moved less than ten feet, you can only throw the creature half this distance. The base DC for the check is 9, plus the distance to your target, divided by 10.
If the creature hits a creature or object beforehitting the ground, the target must make a Acrobatics (Dexterity) check, with a DC equal to the attack roll. If it fails, roll 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every ten feet the thrown creature has moved since being thrown or hitting something, and split it evenly between the target and the thrown creature. If the target is less than two sizes larger than the thrown creature and the damage dealt to it is greater than the its strength modifier, it is knocked prone. Otherwise, the thrown creature lands prone in the space adjacent to the target that is closest to you. If a target is ever forced prone, either from falling unconscious after taking damage or from being knocked over, the thrown creature can continue moving, up to half the remaining distance.
When the creature hits the ground, it takes 1d6bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it has moved since being thrown or hitting something.




For my example, a half-orc fighter is going to throw one of his companions, a halfling rogue:

The fighter moves 10 feet, picking up the rogue half way through the movement, so he gets the full range to pick his target from.
The rogue weighs 39 lb., which is less than 600 lb., the fighter's Push, Lift, or Drag weight, so that's okay.
He chooses a point 40 feet away, which isn't over 40 (twice the fighter's Strength score of 20), so that's okay.
The fighter rolls 1d20+5 (STR)+5 (PROF)=>10+3=5=>18 for his Athletics (Strength) check, passing it.
After the rogue moves 20 feet, it hits a goblin, who rolls 1d20+2 (DEX)=>10+2=>12 for their Acrobatics (Dexterity) check (DC 18), failing it.
The fighter's payer rolls 1d6 per 10 feet traveled=>2d6=>3+3=>6 bludgeoning damage.
The goblin takes 3 bludgeoning damage, as does the rogue.
The goblin is Small, which isn't at least two sizes larger than the rogue's size of Small, so he gets knocked prone, and the rogue can continue to move up to 10 feet (half of his remaining distance).
After the rogue moves 5 feet, it hits an ogre, who rolls 1d20-1 (DEX)=>10-1=>9 for their Acrobatics (Dexterity) check (DC 18), failing it.
The fighter's player rolls 1d6 per 10 feet traveled=>0d6=>0 bludgeoning damage.
The ogre takes 0 bludgeoning damage, as does the rogue.
The ogre is Large, which is at least two sizes larger than the rogue's size of Small, and his Strength modifier of 4 is greater than the 0 damage he took, so he remains standing.
The rogue lands prone, adjacent to the ogre, in the space closest to the fighter.

[ProphetSword]

So, if a Fighter uses his action to pick up my Halfling Druid and throw him directly at the enemy, how would that work. I would assume that the halfling in this instance would get at least some sort of attack of opportunity maybe that would sort of function like a banous action perhaps?

I think you can only take a bonus action on your turn, so the halfling would likely not be allowed a bonus action. I'm not sure why he would be awarded an opportunity attack either, since no one is leaving his threatened area except the fighter.

The DM might rule otherwise, and I'm all about the "rule of cool" for fun actions. Just pointing a few things out.

[zhdarkstar]

Fighter would have to succeed on a ranged improvised weapon attack to have the Halfling hit the target. Halfling would have to use a readied action to do any damage outside of being used as a squishy boulder. Halfling would still take collision damage regardless of any attacks he makes. Both Halfling and target would make a Dex save (DC=damage received) vs prone.