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Old 06-15-2021, 01:11 AM   #19
Nils_Lindeberg
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: Spears for throwing

Javelins compared to the classic OP crossbow "murder hobo" starting characters are not that far off from each other. And the viability of the build pretty much depends on the number of javelins you have easy access to.

Classic 32p crossbowman ST12, DX11(14), IQ9 with 1 bolt per turn at 2d.

32p Javelin flinger, ST9, DX12(14), IQ11
Spear Thrower w/ a very fine javelin with expertise: DX14, missile, 1d+4.

A very fine javelin cost only 400$, so a set of two good ones, and then some extra normal ones, that only do 1d+2 would be the starting armament.

Pretty comparable for a short fight, let's say a five-turn fight. During which time both characters would have killed themselves twice over on average.

The big advantage for the crossbowman would be his bigger ST (and toughness) and the possibility of a broadsword, a 2d weapon, as a backup. He will also advance taking on more DX and armor, since his MA isn't that important.

The advantage of the flinger would be that he doesn't have to spend a turn readying his backup weapon, and the backup weapon already has expertise giving him a very nice set vs. charge should he take that option instead of throwing his "last shot" in melee. adjDX 14, 2d+2, strike first. And once he has dispatched his attacker he is ready to start throwing again. He also has the option for Shrewd attacks and 5vs.DX defends.

And a flinger without expertise does a little less damage 1d+3, but can instead have an adjDX of 17 when throwing, which opens up some possibilities for aimed shots.

The flinger also has the option of moving half his movement, instead of 1 hex (a huge advantage when finding flanking shots and the right positioning), he doesn't have to drop his weapon when engaged, his weapon is always ready and in hand and also acts as a deterrent vs. chargers.

So maybe javelin throwers aren't as OP at 32p as the crossbow guy, but definitely top 10, maybe even top 5 for the arena. And they can easily develop into spear throwers and have more options for advancement than the crossbowman that is pretty much complete from the start. But if you can't carry more than three javelins into battle or one or two spears, it is not really a viable option at all.

The bigger problem would be the equipment Spear Thrower. I think it should be considered a two-hand weapon, at least two hands will be required to load it. But once loaded, I guess you could have an extra javelin in the left hand and a hip quiver or even a back quiver if the quiver only covered half the length of the javelins, so they would be practical to draw.
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