Dagger/Dart thrower fighter

[zinycor]

So, me and my group started long ago playing AD&D, in it you could have a fighter who threw 3 daggers a turn (Or 5 at high levels, or even 6 darts a turn) which we loved instantly.

Now, we all play 5e and love it, but sadly 5e doesn't support the crazy dagger/dart thrower as well.

Any ideas on a homebrew to make this crazy submachinegun of a character?

[stoutstien]

So, me and my group started long ago playing AD&D, in it you could have a fighter who threw 3 daggers a turn (Or 5 at high levels, or even 6 darts a turn) which we loved instantly.

Now, we all play 5e and love it, but sadly 5e doesn't support the crazy dagger/dart thrower as well.

Any ideas on a homebrew to make this crazy submachinegun of a character?
Darts can work. You can use them with Archery style and can draw them as part of an attack.
At lv 5 you can toss 3 or 5 with an action surge.

[JackPhoenix]

Darts can work. You can use them with Archery style and can draw them as part of an attack.

You can't. Darts are not ammunition.

[MeeposFire]

Use artificer to get returning weapon and then be sure to grab fighter up to level 11 for 3 attacks per attack action I suppose. Fill the rest with rogue just to add some more bonus damage?

[JNAProductions]

Ask your DM "Hey, can I draw a dagger as part of an attack?"

Chances are, you'll get a yes.

Wham-bam, you got 1-4 attacks per turn without any resource expenditure! (Depending on Fighter level.)

[stoutstien]

You can't. Darts are not ammunition.
Your correct. Been house ruling it so long I thought it was Raw.
On that note is there any rules saying you can only have one dart in your hand at a time?

[Agent-KI7KO]

Also ask your DM if thrown daggers qualify under Duelling fighting style.

Most DMs will allow it, and it helps if you ever get into melee.

After that consider Sharpshooter.

Bonus: make friends with a Druid/Warlock and convince them to magic stone ammunition for you.

[JNAProductions]

Also ask your DM if thrown daggers qualify under Duelling fighting style.

Most DMs will allow it, and it helps for if you ever get into melee.

Eh, that's a bit iffier. I'd lean towards letting TWF work with them, if anything, since they're Light.

Regardless, a good DM should work with you, because this is not the strongest concept, but does sound fun.

[JackPhoenix]

Also ask your DM if thrown daggers qualify under Duelling fighting style.

Most DMs will allow it, and it helps if you ever get into melee.

After that consider Sharpshooter.

Daggers qualify for dueling by RAW. They do not qualify for Sharpshooter's -5/+10, as they're not ranged weapons.


Eh, that's a bit iffier. I'd lean towards letting TWF work with them, if anything, since they're Light.

Thrown daggers work for TWF, they are melee weapons, and you can specifically throw the weapon during TWF. Darts don't, though.

[Agent-KI7KO]

Eh, that's a bit iffier. I'd lean towards letting TWF work with them, if anything, since they're Light.

Regardless, a good DM should work with you, because this is not the strongest concept, but does sound fun.

I had not considered throwing daggers with both hands to be honest.


Daggers qualify for dueling by RAW. They do not qualify for Sharpshooter's -5/+10, as they're not ranged weapons.
I was not aware ranged weapons were a requirement, i need to review tavern brawler sharpshooter now.

[dejarnjc]

Daggers qualify for dueling by RAW. They do not qualify for Sharpshooter's -5/+10, as they're not ranged weapons.

Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feel of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used lo attack a target at a distance. - PHB 146

Daggers are "Finesse, light, thrown (range 20/60)". - PHB 149


Range. A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown in parentheses after the
ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon's normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon's maximum range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can't attack a target beyond the weapon's long range. - PHB 147

I see no reason why they wouldn't qualify.

[JackPhoenix]

Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feel of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used lo attack a target at a distance. - PHB 146

Daggers are "Finesse, light, thrown (range 20/60)". - PHB 149


Range. A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown in parentheses after the
ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon's normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon's maximum range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can't attack a target beyond the weapon's long range. - PHB 147

I see no reason why they wouldn't qualify.

Because dagger is a melee weapon. Thrown property allows you to make ranged attacks with it without using as improvised weapon, but it does magically turn into a ranged weapon when you throw it. Range has nothing to do with the weapon being melee or ranged, that's determined by its position in the weapon table. It's not even a weapon property.

[BarneyBent]

Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feel of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used lo attack a target at a distance. - PHB 146

Daggers are "Finesse, light, thrown (range 20/60)". - PHB 149


Range. A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown in parentheses after the
ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon's normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon's maximum range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can't attack a target beyond the weapon's long range. - PHB 147

I see no reason why they wouldn't qualify.

Daggers qualify for the first two points of Sharpshooter, but not the -5/+10. The first two specify “ranged weapon attacks”, which has been clarified as meaning a ranged attack with a weapon (so thrown daggers are included). But the third point refers to an “attack with a ranged weapon”, which is the wording used when a weapon that is on the ranged weapon table is required. And daggers don’t qualify for that.

You can still throw a dagger 60 ft and ignore 1/2 and 3/4 cover though, so that’s pretty cool. And without the Archery fighting style to boost your hit chance, you probably aren’t going to want to use the -5/+10 all that often anyway.

[Tanarii]

Kensai dart thrower. Gets to use martial arts base damage die, has extra attack*, can use bonus action Kensai's shot for +1d4 damage to each attack.

Rogue. Only gets one throw per round, but adds sneak attack damage. Or multiclassing fighter 5 / Rogue X for extra attack*.

*Drawing one per turn limits two attacks of extra attack to two turns. Start with one in each hand, draw one at end of first turn, and one at start of second. After that you're drawing and throwing one per turn. So a straight rogue is probably better than Fighter 5 / Rogue X.

[Desteplo]

Dual wielder feat let’s you draw 2 weapons as a free action

Thief3 let’s you bonus action draw 2 weapons as well (assuming the feat, otherwise once)

Fighter lvl11 gives 3 attack
(Fighter eldritch knight lets you return 1 weapon as a bonus action (more ammo sustainable especially if a magical thrown weapon, I think this is superior)

You can bonus action attack with them (duel wielding fighting style for that)

If you want to throw and shield (which is superior AC to other methods of ranged) limits to 2 attacks but at +2 with dueling style

[The Jack]

I recall darts being in the ranged category of weapons. Surely ranged fighting styles would cater to them?

I do wish there were ranged throwing martials. A d6 light and d8 regular would do well.

[Azgeroth]

just rule that they have the ammunition property, and BAM! done..

now you just need a bandoleer with a F*** TON of daggers/darts...

[JackPhoenix]

just rule that they have the ammunition property, and BAM! done..

now you just need a bandoleer with a F*** TON of daggers/darts...

So, what kind of ammunition do you shoot from a dagger? And remember, you know require free hand to reload it after every shot.

[Desteplo]

I recall darts being in the ranged category of weapons. Surely ranged fighting styles would cater to them?

I do wish there were ranged throwing martials. A d6 light and d8 regular would do well.

1. True but now you are limited by how many darts you can draw in s turn. Dual wielder feat does not help you draw more (better if you go full rogue for darts with maybe 1lvl fighter)

2. Then martial one handed weapons would be specifically inferior.

[Desteplo]

So, what kind of ammunition do you shoot from a dagger? And remember, you know require free hand to reload it after every shot.

This does bring up ideas for monster hunters Gun lance. D10 lance and can act like a light crossbow gun

[Tanarii]

1. True but now you are limited by how many darts you can draw in s turn.
Im going off an online text of the feat, but does it let you draw two one handed weapons, without specifying they need to be melee?

[Shuruke]

I have a dagger throwing arcane trickster

Works well with rogue because u only need the one attack to land for sneak attack and if you miss you can use bonus action to throw your off hand one.

You could always ask to reflavor your sneak attack as multiple blades instead of just one hitting in a vital
(Ie each d6 is a throwing knife)

[Kane0]

Don't Samurai Fighters have the ability to trade advantage for more attacks? Couple that with action surge and multi-extra attack for a barrage.

Also: Houserule thrown weapons to function like ammo so you can keep drawing them. Maybe brew a thrown weapon fighting style or feat too, like being able to add both Str + Dex mods to damage.

[Damon_Tor]

So, me and my group started long ago playing AD&D, in it you could have a fighter who threw 3 daggers a turn (Or 5 at high levels, or even 6 darts a turn) which we loved instantly.

Now, we all play 5e and love it, but sadly 5e doesn't support the crazy dagger/dart thrower as well.

Any ideas on a homebrew to make this crazy submachinegun of a character?

My table uses this:


Throwing Mastery
Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20
When you throw a weapon or another object, you can draw another weapon or object of two pounds or less from a belt-pouch, sheathe, pocket or other easily accessible location on your body without using an action. You can use this ability this a number of times per round equal to your dexterity modifier.
You can throw weapons and other objects an extra number of feet equal to your strength score. This applies to both the normal and long ranges of a thrown weapon.
As a bonus action, you can safely throw weapons and other items weighing 2 pounds or less to allies within 30 feet of you (your strength score applies, see above) as long as they have a free hand to catch the item and use a reaction to do so. Passing a weapon this way is not an attack and deals no damage. Objects thrown this way do not break when caught. If the recipient does not catch the item, it falls to the ground at their feet, and may break if it would normally break when thrown.



There's a throwing-specialist fighter/monk at the table who enjoys it. It's not better than an archery build, but it works just fine.

[MeeposFire]

Don't Samurai Fighters have the ability to trade advantage for more attacks? Couple that with action surge and multi-extra attack for a barrage.

Also: Houserule thrown weapons to function like ammo so you can keep drawing them. Maybe brew a thrown weapon fighting style or feat too, like being able to add both Str + Dex mods to damage.

Yes they can trade advantage on an attack for an additional attack when they use the attack action 1/turn as I recall.