Magusman's page

Let's look at the attack roll rules:

"Your attack bonus with a melee weapon is the following: Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier
With a ranged weapon, your attack bonus is the following: Base attack bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier + range penalty" CRB pg. 179
So clearly, if a weapon is considered a melee weapon at the time of attack, it uses strength, and the only alternative is it being considered (at the time of attack) a ranged weapon. Now let's look at the ability score description:
"You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:
• Ranged attack rolls, including those for attacks made with bows, crossbows, throwing axes, and many ranged spell attacks like scorching ray or searing light." CRB pg. 16, emphasis mine.
What is the throwing axe listed as?
"Light Melee Weapons
Axe, throwing" CRB pg. 142

The throwing axe is listed as a melee weapon, but the rules also say when throwing it you apply your dex mod to the attack roll, which the rules only state to be the case for ranged weapons. The rules are only working if at least some things that say "ranged weapon" check how you actually use them.

Ignoring that you're drawing false equivalencies between throwing weapons and the handedness of a bastard sword (something that has been explicitly addressed by staff and is not a decent comparison) earlier in post, I object to your example of throwing axes. You say "when throwing it you apply your dex mod to the attack roll, which the rules only state to be the case for ranged weapons." as the crux for your argument for them being ranged weapons, but the rules never refer to them changing their weapon category and the "You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:" section you quoted only references "ranged attacks" not "ranged weapons" (attacks=/=weapons) and even lists spells, which are also not ranged weapons.

You can make ranged attacks with any number of melee weapons, improvised weapons and even spells, but that doesn't make them ranged weapons. The ability score section is a clear example of specific trumps general applying. The (very) general rule (given weapon finesse, tiny creatures using dex for melee etc etc) of strength for melee weapons, dexterity for ranged weapons, is established in one section, then the ability score section specifically lists out both ranged weapons and non ranged weapon examples of things that can make ranged attacks using dexterity.

And IF you decide that they should be treated as ranged weapons because they can be used to make ranged attacks it seems odd to say that they also aren't ranged weapons for all the eldritch archer's class features that specify ranged weapons based on timings of possible events in a 6 second round of combat.

I think the problem here is a lack of clarity/consistency in the core rulebook to establish it indisputably, but I still believe the two paizo staff members addressing the melee vs ranged weapon topic pretty much directly is the closest thing I have to go on as nothing has directly contradicted their stance yet, even if those posts are quite dated at this point.

Found this:

Alzrius wrote:

Ssalarn wrote:

Grick's assessment does seem pretty air-tight, and matches up with JJ's summation of the matter. JJ did choose to leave either option though and not make a definitive ruling, this might be one of those things that's really worth FAQing if you want a set answer.

Can we get a link to James Jacobs' answer on this? Because to me it's Malachi's assessment that seems airtight.

Grick linked in JJ's discussion of the matter in the 6th post down from the top of the thread.

But here it is again :)

This quote is from Michael Sayre who appears to currently have the tag of "Design Manager", and is linking a post from James Jacobs "Creative Director" and they both seem to be saying that thrown melee weapons are still melee weapons and don't count as ranged weapons even when thrown. Is there anything out there more official than these two sources to contradict this?

The old "Ranged weapons are thrown weapons or projectile weapons that are not effective in melee." Bit of text appears to be the only RAW thing beyond the weapon table categories to go off of. And that can be read in two ways; either only weapons ineffective in melee can be ranged weapons (barring specific exceptions), or alternatively weapons that can be thrown are also treated as ranged weapons. Im not seeing where it says that the type of weapon changes depending on if youre attacking in a certain way, as generally things in pathfinder dont change type/categorisation unless rules explicitly say they do.

So based on either of these a thrown starknife must either be still classified as a melee weapon and useable with spell combat or be classified as a ranged weapon and able to be selected with ranged weapon bond. I cant find a credible source that says its neither.

Can you link me errata, faq answers or dev quotes that contradict the RAW or these paizo staff quotes?

(To be clear, i wouldnt be surprised if said contrary links existed, i just want to compile them if they do)

So to circle back around; thrown starknives and daggers, are they melee weapons enough to count as such for spell combat? Are they ranged weapons enough to count as such for the eldritch archer's ranged weapon bond?

This is NOT a question about the Spellstrike ability, just spell combat.

Spell combat requires "wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand" to use. Can the base magus use it to cast a spell, then make ranged attacks with a thrown starknife, dagger or similar thrown melee weapon?

As a related question, can the eldritch archer archetype select a starknife, dagger or similar thrown weapon as their arcane bond and use it it with their ranged spell combat?

From what i can find, there's two schools of thought about this stuff:
1: The weapon is always part of the melee weapon table so its always a melee weapon and not a ranged weapon regardless of how you attack with it.
2: The weapon is a ranged weapon and a melee weapon because it has a range increment and can be used to make ranged weapon attacks.

This has implications on rulings for other things, like attacking into melee, rapid shot etc, so most tables seem to opt for the latter interpretation but i'm trying to find something relatively definitive because most of what I can find is from very old threads.

(It doesn't make too much difference to me if i have to take the Eldritch Archer Archetype or not, but I would like to know. And yes, I'm aware other magus archetypes exist, such as myrmidarch and card caster.)