I think these unused weapons are in need of some mechanical revamps.
Their weight is at a ridiculous amount of 50lbs per stack - which is 10 times heavier than a stack of darts. And they're nearly identical in strength.
Therefore I suggest that
[INDENT]
(a) Throwing axes are changed to x3 crits to justify their terrible weight.
or
(b) Throwing axes are changed to 7.5lbs per stack.
or
(c) An abundance of enchanted throwing axes is dropped in the module. Like how boom bolts/electro bolts counteract the inherent weakness of crossbows.
[/INDENT]
As it stands, no-one really uses throwing axes. And even if they do, they can't really carry more than a single stack. You'd need immense strength to be able to lug several stacks about. They're kind of suited for epic-level settings where ridiculous stats are achievable in order to carry thousands of pounds.
[INDENT]
[/INDENT]
Throwing Axes are pretty much the strongest ranged weapon out there. Because they're a throwing weapon, the STR modifier is always added to damage, and you can use them together with a shield. I'm not 100% sure about this, but I believe they can also be targeted with magic weapon, unlike normal ranged weapons. So you have an easily enchantable, consistent damage output ranged weapon that requires no sacrifice of AC. Highly effective on fighters and other high-AC, high-STR classes. Their impracticality is justified.
Actually, as I ama aware, ranged weapons such as Crossbows and bows can be targeted with Magic weapon, as well as darts, i believe. The added strength bonus, is useful, however, Slings and Darts both allow you to use a shield, and each wieghs incredibly less.
In terms of the suggestion in general, while the Throwing axes should wiegh more than any of their counter parts, I agree with Grote that they should be editted.
QuoteI'm not 100% sure about this, but I believe they can also be targeted with magic weapon, unlike normal ranged weapons.
[/COLOR]
All ranged weapons already benefit from magic weapon :)
Ranged weapons benefit from magic weapon, however they do not get a damage bonus, only an attack boost.
Also you can cast flame weapon/darkfire on throwing axes. So OP range weapon.
I really want to use them myself instead of just a crossbow since there's a lot of flavor to be had in them, but at least the weight needs some adjustment, even if it's only a significant-but-managable 30 or 20lbs instead. It may make builds around them a bit more appealing, too.
FYI I have seen lots of lightened throwing axes that you can buy IG at the expense of 1 damage
I saw someone try this on EFU:A and let me tell you it was an extreme challenge for them. I mean bolts/arrows have no weight but I'm sure 99 arrows or even 500 arrows would be more than 0 weight to carry. If you are to make axes so hard to carry why not adjust the other ranged ammo?
I am fairly certain that the mechanical advantages of throwing axes, in that they can benefit from massive damage in the right hands/with the right buffs, excuses their weight. It is very unlikely that this is going to be altered across the board, but as stated above there are lightened varieties in game already :)
There's a 2 damage difference between darts and throwing axes. A dart weighs .1 lb each while an axe weighs a pound each. A fifty percent increase of a rather insignificant amount of damage isn't worth it weighing ten times more.
You're ignoring that fact that they can be buffed with a very large elemental increase that darts cannot be similarly buffed with. For a throwing weapon that is hardly insignificant. Regardless, there is unlikely to be a blanket alteration to throwing axes any time soon, and lightened versions are present for those that wish them :)
Both shuriken and darts can be buffed with the same spells as throwing axes (FW etc). Mechanically, a throwing axe is literally a dart (slashing/piercing difference aside) with a potential of 2 more damage and 10 times heavier.
Flame weapon/darkfire/keen, i.e the spells that are compatible with these throwing weapons, aren't really available either unless you're a spellcaster -- and if you are, throwing weapons are generally a bad weapon of choice despite the 1d4-1d6 elemental damage you can get from your magic. There are a few places where you can get the spells from trinkets. But they're fairly rare. And getting ahold of them pretty much necessitates grinding of the same quests.
The fact that throwing axes (darts too, for that matter) automatically get your STR mod as damage doesn't really help a lot as your AB with a throwing axe is derived from DEX.
I haven't really seen any steady supply of these ''lightweight throwing axes'', but I've seen some drop from quests with a 40% weight decrease or somesuch. That's 30lbs for a stack, which is still extremely heavy and totally not worth it.
I might add, also, that enchanted ammunition of every kind except throwing axes is fairly easy to get. +1d4 darts, for an instance, are incredibly easy to get. A stack of them - 2d4 damage at the weight of 5lbs with equal utility as throwing axes is better than any throwing axe I've ever seen. If the strength of throwing axes excused their impracticality, people would actually be using them.
Just wanted to add something for consideration. On a longer quest with an archer build I would say I probably burn through 200 arrows, sometimes many more. If someone is using an ax thrower build going through that many throws, you are talking about hundreds of pounds of extra weight minimum. Even strength oriented characters are going to find a ceiling, and will probably run out of axes on a quest, let alone an event. Running out of the ammunition your build depends on is really crippling.
I don't think the counter is necessarily what we want either, with axes weighing nothing and their use becoming widespread, but I'm sure there is some balancing that can be accomplished here. Perhaps half the weight on the regular axes, and a quarter on the specialty ones?
I'd add that 1d4 to 1d6 damage is a 1 damage difference.
Truth be told, throwing axes are massively cool.
You typically may not want Halfling spellblades with throwing axe builds, for instance - 3 APR with rapid shot and haste, 2d6+6 damage, range combat negating the usual "risk" of being a spellblade.
Arguably, nobody will pull it off with a dart build, because well - darts look terrible.
However, I would suggest the following :
Fighter Perk :
Fransisca thrower
Level 1 : Spawns 5 bundles of weightless throwing axes which dissapear on reset (cannot be sold)
etc, etc.
You can do it with the perk system for specific classes.
I don't foresee halfling spellblades using throwing axes even if their weight was reduced. That -2 to strength hurts like the devil and they'd really be better off using darts. Many people don't take into account how cool something looks if it is mechanically superior. Can't we just balance them to weigh about .3 lbs with more expensive lightened ones weighing .2 or .1 lbs? It really isn't that big a deal