Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Throwing weapons are annoying to use

Pretty much what the title says. It's nice to be able to throw javelins/handaxes and so on, but the way it's implemented is pointlessly annoying.
The throw action system works fine for stuff like throwing grenades or potions, but for throwing weapons, it just means I have to carry around a pile of 12 non-stacking javelins, and then scour the battlefield for them after the fight is over.
I think it would work much better if we could just equip javelins and so on in the ranged weapon slot. Sure, it's a bit weird to have infinite javelins or axes to throw, but we already have infinite mundane arrows and no one seems to mind. I suppose it might prevent you using javelins as melee weapons, but there's already no actual reason to ever do that, so not much of a loss.
It can be handwaved away it as any magical throwing weapon being enchanted to return to you. That's no stranger than the quiver of infinite arrows that every bow comes with, and it would make throwing weapons much less of a pain to actually use.

There's a whole build revolving around throwing returning weapons. You can also throw bodies. And teammates lol.

The system is set up to accommodate throwing more than javelins, though I get the frustration. I wish they'd reliably stack.

Like I said, I think the current system works fine for stuff like throwing bodies or bombs or what have you. I also get that it's possible to do a build around the returning pike, I've played with it myself.
That doesn't change my overall point that thrown weapons are much more annoying to use than any other kind of ranged weapon, for no actual benefit. Compare the amount of clicks and inventory management involved in using a +1 longbow vs +1 javelins, for example.
I'd say leave the throw command as-is so you can still have fun with corpse/furniture throwing shenanigans as well as stuff like grenades, but just let me buy a bundle of javelins or handaxes and put it in the ranged weapon slot like any other ranged weapon.

I select my character, move the camera to my target, throw, and instead of throwing for my second attack the camera resets to my character making me move the camera yet again.

This is why I equip everyone with missile weapons. Throwing is too often a drag.

Looking for a mod that would make my bar actually locked ... so when i throw my weapon, its effects dont dissapear and then dont reappear back in bar in completely chaotic order.

If you have seen any ...
Please, throw it my way.

Yes throwing weapons are horrible implemented. Missing stacks for common throwing weapons is one thing. Returning Weapons are equipped every time, but I just want to throw them from inventory and have them return right there so I can leave my standard weapons equipped, but it's not possible. Similar with torches. The weapons are not dropped in the same place, but in the next available free inventory slot. If the torch / exchange weapon is at the top of the inventory, you loot something in the meantime or worse sell selected items beforehand at the merchant (you are left with an unsorted gap inventory afterwards), then you have to search for the place where the exchange weapon was placed in the inventory when swapping weapons / (re)selecting torches...

For me there is really "no fun" playing a "fun" throwing weapon build...

I've definitely thrown more stuff in BG3 than I ever did in BG1 or BG2, but the UI for it is pretty awkward.

For starters, I dislike how all the other attack icons are shown in Red so they're easy to parse, but then the icon for Throw is in brown and presents more like the movement abilities say Dash or Hide etc.

I also agree that it would have felt a lot more fun if the Thrown or Missile Weapons had an attack icon similar to the Ranged weapons (Bows/Crossbows), perhaps with their own flavor Maneuvers and special animations which we see for other weapon types or weapon attacks.

For example, the Enraged throw that Berserkers get, that looks like an attack Icon...



I'd rather have had something like that as the standard Thrown Weapon Attack icon, then maybe a secondary variant in Brown (or Blue) as the Icon for stuff like Improvised throws, such as yeeting Potions or Environmental or Quest Objects or Goblins. This later could bring up the inventory or the mini bar the way it works now.

But for the thrown weapon attack (and the equipped thrown weapons) those should have an actual equipment slot, similar to the Ranged Weapons which remain equipped. I don't particularly like the framing or conceit that we have to be 'wielding' all this stuff in our off hand or main hand. It makes Fighters in particular feel like they can't do the sort of in-combat juggling to change weapons on the fly while they're in the midst of the fight, which is sorta the fighter type hallmark to me. My class fantasy has it easier for Martial Fighter types to use a wide range of weapons, but since equipping stuff takes an action really works against that whole angle. Having more equipped weapons in the loadout ready-to-go would allow those sorts of brawlers to stake out some territory. Like maybe they don't have the most menacing all around or singular weapon specialization, but they have weapons' versatility and the ability to switch weapons on the fly to counter particular armor or damage types.

Right now the main benefit of something like the Returning Pike seems to be distance (usually exceeding what can be achieved with a bow or crossbow) and also reliability to hit, with consistent damage. So just ballpark, you can count on it do an easy 20 dmg early on, if thrown from high ground. Plus it seems to beat a lot of resistances and sorta ignore AC. Like the thing just almost always hits! Plus it's very satisfying to watch the double hit when the enemies get knocked prone, but then it gets quickly outmodded if the player isn't really micromanaging their build or their playstyle for it in combat.

It's also a little wonk that a character who uses Thrown weapons needs a bunch of extra stuff to make the click tedium there feel worthwhile. Like you need special Ring and special Returning weapon, probably a Feat and a STR potion to boot. Also kinda just feels like yet another way for them to build up Karlach as the late addition to the mix. I tend to just always have her with those Returning weapons, even though I think Bestial Heart is more fun for me, I enjoy the movement stuff there. But it's like as soon as I pick up that Pike, you know nothing else is going to get equipped, cause it takes too much work in the moment. Feels like the opposite of Tavern Brawler-y improvisation when the meta is mostly keying off the specific weapons; Returning Pike or Returning Trident. I mean it's cool that we got a harpoon now basically, but the other types sorta left by the wayside.

I can't help but feel like they locked it in a bit too much by using the Javelin or Returning Pike as the archetype, as opposed to the old standards for BG missile weapons: the Dart, the Throwing Dagger, and the Throwing Axe/Hammer.

That last was particularly fun, since it was more of a fighter exclusive. Like there's just something about that class fantasy of a Hatchet tossed with the perfect rotation and single revolution to nail whatever.

Or I don't know maybe the rogue or wizard, who keeps that throwing dagger tucked into their boot for just the right moment. Some ninja style dart that's delivered with a more dexterous flick of the wrist, as opposed to like a ragey hurl hehe.

In BG1 and BG2 I associated especially the Throwing Daggers with Mages, since it was one of the few weapons they could use effectively, like if for some reason the player passed on the obvious choice of Sling to use the ammo slots lol. But in BG3 that's not really the vibe, which is clearly more ragey barbarian right? It's a bit goofy that players can throw a Pike farther than they can shoot an arrow from a longbow, but I get used to stuff like that since it's more arcade gamey with big enhanced leaps and such. Still it just seems like if my Urchin Durge wants to rep a bandolier with like a dozen daggers ready to throw at all times, that it could just be a more standard button for that sort of attack. You know simple Icon keying off the thrown weapon attack. Lots of stuff just does bludgeoning damage. The specialty returning weapons get you the piercing though which is more useful generally so there's that too. But I mean crushing damage from thrown hammers and slashing or piercing from pointy or edged weapons, that sort of deal. The same way if I equip a Halberd or Longsword I get some special extra things going on there.

Torches same deal. It shouldn't need to be in the hand. Torches in hand look cool, but it's not worth the tedium. Maybe the character could just stake it into the ground when combat begins automatically, and then use both hands for weapons, so that torches would still get used after the Light Cantrip is achieved hehe. Also throwing torches, torches tossed on the ground to make a perimeter in the dark, those sorts of things. Throwing a torch should be at least as reliable as Shadowheart's firebolt for lighting stuff up hehe. If used as an actual weapon, maybe the standard issue Torch gets some extra bonus there to make it cooler. I don't know the Aragorn maneuver for some extra extra? But like that's only the look is versatile torch weapons, otherwise you'd think we could just sorta stake it into the ground and have both hands ready for whatever else. Shields get the shield bash, so maybe some flavor more like that? I just think there should be slots for all this stuff at the ready. There's room on the avatar equipment screen UI for more stuff to have loadouts. Hotbar still feels too slim for me, I want to extend it wide rather than just raising it 4 rows. Especially for multiclass and spellcasters or gish type combos, the space in the hotbar just feels like it's always at a premium. For radials I guess it will just keep going and going, but there too it would be nice if all the attacks would group with a really easy to spot icon. Again like the enraged throw. If used improvised it makes sense to hunt down the specific weapon, but I mean for stuff that's part of the plan, ready and equipped so it doesn't get lost. Mundane Daggers or Javelins etc for sure should just stack, or else have specialty properties like the magical arrows. You know, poison throwing daggers, stunning poison daggers, if we have options there, but otherwise defaults to regular throwing daggers in stacks of like 10 or whatever. Least daggers can hang from the imaginary belt! heheh

Ps. Also in BG1/2 Fighters had 4 quickslots for weapons. I think Rangers/Paladins/Multiclass Fighters and the like had 2-3 quick slots. They should just double that number. So maybe pure Martial types can have up to 8 weapons ready-to-go and equipped. Depending on the type of fighter they might lean towards having more Melee weapons loadouts, or more Ranged loadouts, or perhaps working in thrown weapons and such as well. Other half fighter types might have a more limited number of weapons loadouts, with full casters having the fewest number of weapons loadouts, but still more options than were available in say BG2. The idea being to allow players the option to switch between equipped weapons more readily in-combat. Otherwise the meta totally favors picking just one weapon and building everything around that choice. That's fine too, but I miss the fighter that can pick up anything and just go to town. Or I don't know maybe the bard has some extra flare there too, like a nod to one of their old perks which was to have some extra weapons options. I'm fine with the no equipping of armor in Combat, but at least with the weapons, seems like it could be easier to set up. Given the constraints of the screen real estate, maybe just adding an extra pair of slots above the existing ones would be enough?

The issue with this, is that throwing is something that can be used for more than simply throwing a specific "Thrown Weapon"

Which is why it's not coloured as an attack. Throwing things like health potions is a pretty common tactic for healing allies.

In addition, simply throwing objects from your inventory without the need of equipping them can be useful (I've often had a Barbarian carry around a few daggers to give a STR based ranged attack to keep Rage going for example. Not to mention having a weapon in the inventory to throw in lieu of your returning weapon when attacking from stealth where the "Returning" feature doesn't work)

Not to mention throwing nearby objects or enemies is a thing.

The "Throw" mechanic is overall based on a rather generic action, which is why it's so clunky when using it as a primary method of combat.


Swapping weapons in combat has always been based around a feat that enabled it as a bonus action though. BG3 is actually rather nice in that it lets you swap between melee/ranged weapons as a free action, which isn't the norm for D&D


The main benefit is that it's a STR based attack. Which with Tavern Brawler becomes insanely strong. With Returning Pike negating the one weakness of having actual "Ammo" to consider (Of course, Eldritch Knight has its Weapon Bond to make any weapon function that way)


To be honest, this is simply an overarching issue with the game and it's lack of item diversity. There's a lot of focus onto very specific weapon types (I.e. Daggers, Longswords, Shortswords, Greatswords, Rapiers, Maces, Spears, Longbows) and very little of other types.

As a side note, there actually is a returning Warhammer in the game, the Dwarven Thrower. It just happens to only be accessible in Act 3 where Nyrulna is available so there's little reason to bother with it over the superior Trident (Even more so given the Dwarven Thrower requires a Dwarf character to use it to get its bonus)

Also, interestingly enough, Darts do exist in the game files. Functioning as ranged weapons similar to Shortbows (Only, doing 1d4 damage) with +1 and +2 variants to boot. They just didn't include them in the game proper. I assume due to the mechanics regarding them (I.e. Things like Tavern Brawler working with them which would obfuscate the need for the "Returning" weapons)


The main problem with torches is that single weapons suck. The only reason to even have a single weapon equipped is if you're utilizing a Shield for some bonus AC (Which is normally only done by casters who don't use weapons for combat anyway... Even Tank characters often eschew shields because they can get tons of AC without them)

So having a torch equipped means you're missing out on your off hand weapon or ability to 2 hand something. If single weapons were actually viable, then having a torch equipped but having it not count as a weapon (Allowing for single weapon bonuses such as One Handed Fighting Style) would be decent. With the option to actually use the torch as a weapon for times where that can actually be viable (I.e. Shillelagh cantrip)

Also what would help is if torches didn't auto-ignite surfaces you stood on for some reason. Making it so you had to explicitly use the dip function to ignite ground surfaces would help prevent equipped torches from being a time bomb for when you forget about it and step on some oil/alcohol/webs and blow yourself up...

Of course, the actual need for torches is kind of minimal given how abundant darkvision is and the very small amount of time it takes to get a blessing in the Shadowlands to make the curse irrelevant...