What Would You Use For A Harpoon?

[David Fryer]

I am doing a Pathfinder conversion of the Magnataur from World of Warcraft. In Lands of Mystery, it says that they often take up whaling, yet they are only presented as carrying a greatclub. I want to add a ranged weapon that would be the equivalent of a harpoon, but I can't decide if I should use a longspear, a javelin, or a short spear. What would you guys recommend?

[Zurai]

Could always just use a harpoon :p

Stormwrack has the rules for them. 1d10 / x2, 30 foot range increment, 10 pounds. If it deals damage, the target has to make a Reflex save (10+damage) or it lodges, halving the target's move speed and allowing opposed Strength checks to force movement. Can be dislodged with two free hands and a full-round action, but deals the initial damage all over again; alternately, a DC 15 heal check can remove it with no damage.

[Dragonborn3]

The Arms & Equipment Guide has them too, plus a rope tied to it. If you make a STR check and beat you opponent's check, the target cannot move farther than the rope until the harpoon is removed or the rope is cut.

[Weylin]

Found harpoons to be very useful from either source for rules. Especially when using ballista and chains.

[LazarX]

Or you could do it as a longspear sized appropriately for a Huge creature. They were stated up completely for the WOWd20 book "Lands of Mystery" which gave me most of the details about Northrend 2 years or so before Wrath was released.

About the only thing that was a surprise for me was Dalaran turning into a Flying City.

[David Fryer]

LazarX wrote:

Or you could do it as a longspear sized appropriately for a Huge creature. They were stated up completely for the WOWd20 book "Lands of Mystery" which gave me most of the details about Northrend 2 years or so before Wrath was released.

I'm using the material in WoW20 Lands of Mystery as my starting point. While I don't play WoW myself, I have found many of the ideas, particularly monsters, to be inspiring. In fact my daughter is playing a dryad from the Alliance Player's Guide in my current Golarion campaign. I will post my Magnataur conversion in the homebrew fourm as soon as I get it finished.

[Takamonk]

Weylin wrote:

Found harpoons to be very useful from either source for rules. Especially when using ballista and chains.

The only issue here is the ballista has 120' of reach. I'm not 100% on the range of ballista versus tethered harpoon, but one would assume that the range of a harpoon launcher would have to be shorter, or be faced with severe penalties when it comes to the effects of 120' chain.

[Weylin]

Takamonk wrote:

Weylin wrote:

Found harpoons to be very useful from either source for rules. Especially when using ballista and chains.

The only issue here is the ballista has 120' of reach. I'm not 100% on the range of ballista versus tethered harpoon, but one would assume that the range of a harpoon launcher would have to be shorter, or be faced with severe penalties when it comes to the effects of 120' chain.

Takamonk, the range increment is 120' not the maximum range. As a projectile weapon the maximu range is 1200'. Also, ballista come in many different sizes with varying power. many would be able to trail a chain. In some fantasy settings there are often insanely powerful ballista.

Basic Ballista is (if i recall)- damage: 3d8, threat range: 19-20, range increment: 120 ft.

Heroes of Battle had some nasty things you could do with ballista...enchanted ballista or enchanted/alchemical ammo.

-Weylin