Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Suggestion: Thrown Weapons for Strength Based Fighters

I've played through all of the classes in EA and so far the weakest has been the strength based fighter.
As a heavy armour user, Strength based fighters tend to use Dexterity as a dump stat. Since our Dex adjustment is -1 or 0 bows are not a viable distance weapon.

Some nice throwing axes would go a long way towards giving a strength fighter something to do other than run towards enemies and swing.
Magical throwing axes of returning are always nice too.

Throwing axes and javelins should be included. I don't particularly like it but it does save on micro-managing so since arrows are unlimited, axes and javelins should be unlimited too.

Wholeheartedly disagree!

I play SOLO with 656/1 hours and counting and I assure you, Fighter, specifically Battlemaster, is one of the strongest SOLO builds currently in the game. And if one can solo the current game with a Battlemaster, in full party, Battlemaster is beastmode. The ability to place Frightened on a target/enemy is just so incredible and devastating if it lands. Don't need no throwing weapons when you have the outright ability to use a +1 Heavy Crossbow, one of the best ranged weapons currently in the game, hands down.

+1 I want to be able to RP a hoplite.

Just so you're aware, Bullse, Crossbows, regardless of category, all use your Dexterity. So even your strength-based fighter would benefit from having weapons with the thrown property (Daggers, hand axes, javelins, light hammers, spears and tridents) actually work properly as throwable attack weapons. A video game concession giving them 'returning' for free, or making the returning enchantment common on them would be perfectly acceptable in my opinion.

Agree about more thrown weapons, would love to have a net. Disagree about Dex being a dump stat though. :P

+1
So many interesting options (net, javelin, dagger, hammer, spear, chairs etc.) and we already have throw so it would be nice to improve on this
For strength based character i would like to see them act more with the enviroment (a strong character can pick up a huge rock and throw it to the enemy) - It would fit to larians use the environment to your advantage concept

Once they are available as NPC's, strength based characters should ALWAYS make sure one or more halflings are in the party, this constitutes proper use of the environment - rocks unnecessary.

True Story.

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh. At least their hitchance is relatively okay.
This dex-bs with the "finesse" weapon seems to be way less effective.
But hey my braindmg is way too high to understand all this wierd mechanics anyway.

+1

You don't get Battlemaster until level 3 and Heavy crossbow is Dex based.
Running up to things to swing at them for first two levels is dull.

Also long resting after every battle so you always have action surge and full superiority dice isn't how I play the game. Infinite long rests and starting every combat from stealth just make the fights trivial. My first long rest usually isn't until after I've done the Bugbear assassin and the harpies in the Druid Grove and then as sporadically as possible after that.

Regardless, strength based throwing weapons would be a good addition to the game.

If it were up to me I'd make teamwork abilites. Characters would have to be a certain distance between each other and it would cost an action and a bonus action, but you'd get an ability to use depending on the class combination. Like say a wizard and a fighter could get a ability where the wizard can take a spell and put it into the fighters weapon and with the swing you unleash a magic blast depending on the spell and weapon for aoe shape, damage output, and damage type. Another example could be two fighters where one is sword and shield and the other is using a two hander. Sword and shield fighter makes a spring board with a shield to launch the other fighter in the air for a big damage swing that could double as a jump.

I mean you have a team but they don't work together from what I've seen. It would make all classes more fun and make class choice more meaning full. Would indirectly solve the range problem. Maybe. Probably not. Sorry.

As pointed out above STR fighters are very powerful, fighter battlemasters are incredible. Maybe only ambi thieves do more average dps with their 4 attacks/round. Who cares if battlemaster doesn't come til level 3, I am always 3 before I get in the grove. Kill the two cambion adds on the nautiloid and you're level 2 before crashing, grab Shadowheart/Gale, Astarion and Lae'zel and do Jergals temple first and then the gate battle and you're level 3 before entering the grove, 95%+ of act 1 still to go.

All of which is irrelevant to the request to give strength based warriors an effective distance attack. (one based off strength and not dexterity)

Have you actually played Battlemaster? A properly built Battlemaster, in most cases has 14-16 STR and 14-16 Dex. followed by a high CON. As such, you already have an effective distance attack, it's called Pushing Attack, one for Melee and one for ranged (coupled with a heavy crossbow). Hello? Yeah, that is all we need, more backline fighters/Battlemasters playing ranged verses their true roles, to front line and wreck stuff.........

Thrown weapons generally only have an effective range of 20 with up to 60 at disadvantage. Larian would shorten that like they have the rest of ranged attacks. Why are you against STR characters being able to do something they should be able to?

Have you actually played a Strength based character?
A properly built Strength base character has a Strength of 18 and Con of 18. They wear heavy armor and use Dex as a dump stat(10) as it doesn't add to their armor class.


It would be nice if Strength based characters had an effective distance attack with thrown weapons like they do in D&D.

Played STR based all day long.....solo, you? And I, among others, definitely do NOT need 18 STR to wreck the game......solo. Potions of Hill Giant STR are the bomb and loads of them can be obtained.
Again, you are deflecting from that which has been stated, Fighter class does not need throwing weapons, it already has an effective ranged capability.

That's cool. What if I wanna play a barbarian that chucks axes at people while laughing maniacally? Or a paladin that stands his ground in the center of the battlefield and chucks spears at his enemies, so that he can still run to his wizard to Lay on Hands if he needs to?

Using Strength to throw things is a pretty common strategy. All strength based characters can and should benefit from it. The only argument you've brought to the table is that battle masters are good at fighting, which they are, but they sacrifice other pillars of gameplay for battle superiority. They have access to throwing weapons in 5e, and no one complains that they are OP.