Your class gives Proficiency in specific Weapons, reflecting the class's specialty as well as the tools you are most likely to utilize. Whether you choose a Longsword or a Longbow, your weapon and skill to successfully handle it might be the difference between life and death when adventuring.
In 5th edition, many weapons have unique properties that are connected to their use. These characteristics dictate how each weapon is utilized. Whether it requires two hands to use or an action to reload, all you have to do is look at the weapon's entry to find out.
For many players, throw weapons are an often neglected weapon group that, if used properly, can bring plenty into a fight, especially for strength-based characters.
What this property implies is that you can use the said weapon to use a ranged attack using your strength. This is spectacular for characters like Paladins or Barbarians who often neglect their dexterity score and tend to feel left out when flying enemies come around.
However, seeing the variety of flavors to choose from, it’s easy to wonder which weapons are good and which ones are traps, to help you with that, we have made a ranking for the best thrown weapons available to adventurers in the 5th edition.
8. Dart
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Darts deal 1d4 piercing damage on a hit.
Unlike most other weapons in this list, the dart isn’t really in a good spot. It can only be used at range, and the only class who benefits from them are monks.
Why Darts are ok:
They are only 2 copper pieces, meaning you can buy 50 of them with a single gold coin.
Since they are simple weapons, most classes are proficient with them.
They are so small you could easily conceal several of them within your clothes without rousing suspicion.
Seen in mythology as the weapon of Poseidon, a trident is a three-pronged piercing weapon often seen in marine settings.
Often compared to a spear or a lance, this weapon can serve for both fishing and fighting alike, sadly, in 5th edition, it’s little more than a glorified fork.
This is because it deals as much damage as a spear or a javelin, but weighs more and costs 5 gold pieces against the spear’s 1.
Why the Trident is great:
Unlike most melee weapons, a trident can be used effectively underwater, regardless if the wielder has a swim speed or not.
It has the versatile property, which means it can be used two-handed to increase its damage die.
Unlike most ranged weapons, it can be wielded in melee.
While they only deal 1d4 damage, daggers are finesse weapons that can be easily hidden, and all classes get access to them.
This means that, unlike most thrown weapons, a character can use their Dexterity instead of their Strength for their attack and damage rolls.
Why the Dagger is great:
They are simple weapons that even wizards can use, and since Dexterity is an important ability score the less heavily armored you are, even squishy spellcasters can use them when magic is not an option.
Since they are finesse weapons, you can stay competitive in weapon damage even if you dump strength as long as you keep your Dexterity high.
Daggers are small, usually only about a forearm long. This means a clever character could conceal one under their clothes when infiltrating somewhere weapons are not allowed.
Spears are probably the most used weapons in medieval warfare. Simple to use and readily available, they are another versatile weapon capable of being thrown against ranged opponents.
Unlike the trident, a spear costs only 1 gold piece and weighs even less, making them more portable and, since they are simple weapons, most classes are proficient with their use.
Why the Spear is great:
They are versatile, meaning you can use them either one-handed or two-handed.
Like the trident, they can be used underwater for great effect.
Nets are often overlooked, which is sad because they bring a lot to the table.
While they deal no damage, as long as the target is Large or smaller, they are restrained until they or another creature frees them with a DC 10 Strength check.
Why the Net is great:
While restrained, the creature can’t move and all of its attacks are made with disadvantage, and all attacks against them have an advantage.
While it's only a DC 10, it takes a creature’s action to free itself. This means that, if they want to be free, they have to waste a whole action.
Merely because it has a far greater range than the other choices on this list, giving it a safer alternative for characters that do not wish to participate in the slaughter.
After all, there's no need to engage the fray with this bad boy, which has a range of 30/120, that, consequentially, also deals 1d6 damage.
Why the Javelin t is great:
It’s cheaper than the spear.
It’s a simple weapon.
It has the largest range out of all thrown weapons.
Born in a land where the sun forever blazes comes a man with an undying love for gaming, Jose enjoys nothing more than spinning tales about the multiverse of creativity to captivate and inspire.
Gamer Since:
2008
Favorite Genre:
RPG
Currently Playing:
World of Warcraft
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Dragon Age: Origins, Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn
