If I'm ×4 strong and my club is ×4 heavy, do I hit you with ×16 force?

[Rupert]

Well, the first problem is that the distance table implies that a thrower puts more energy into an object the heavier it is, yet the damage table implies that there's a point of peak efficiency, and above and below that weight ratio less energy is put into the object. Then there's the way the distance table says doubling your ST lets you throw an object four times the weight twice as far (for eight times the energy).

A start would be giving a fixed distance for a given weight ratio, not multiplying ST by the distance modifier.

If one assumes that large creatures can accelerate an object over a longer distance for more speed (like the bonus long arms give to damage), then that can be added in separately in some way.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Well, the first problem is that the distance table implies that a thrower puts more energy into an object the heavier it is, yet the damage table implies that there's a point of peak efficiency, and above and below that weight ratio less energy is put into the object.

The first thing definitely isn't true. Weight and distance modifier have an inverse relationship over most of the range. Since range varies as V^2, that table indicates that changing the weight at constant strength generally doesn't change the energy at all.

The damage table does imply a point of peak efficiency. However, I would hesitate to assume that damage corresponds to energy.

Originally Posted by Rupert

Then there's the way the distance table says doubling your ST lets you throw an object four times the weight twice as far (for eight times the energy).

Yes, that is questionable.

[zoncxs]

Doubling your ST score quadruples your BL. Thus twice the distance because you are applying twice the amount of energy than before.

ST 10 is BL 20, ST 20 is BL 80.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

The first thing definitely isn't true. Weight and distance modifier have an inverse relationship over most of the range. Since range varies as V^2, that table indicates that changing the weight at constant strength generally doesn't change the energy at all.

That's not true - it's only a simple inverse relationship for things heavier than your BL. For objects less than your BL it's closer to one quarter the weight gives twice the range. I very much doubt that the point where someone throwing an object loses efficiency is anywhere near as high as their BL. I'd expect it to be closer to 1/4 BL, and something too fiddly to bother with in GURPS anyway, especially as it'd be related to Striking ST not Lifting ST, yet throwing weight ratios are off BL, which is from Lifting ST.

Also, weights under BL would be the more common things to be throwing in a non-supers game, so that should be where the system actually makes as much sense as possible, and it doesn't.

Something like [BL]/[Object weight] x 5 yards, capped at ST x 5 yards (numbers made up, subject to reality testing, etc.) would make more sense. Then adjust them for 2-handed throws, time taken, run ups, only caring about distance rather than trying to hit something, and so on.