So here's the thing, In my group as filler before we start my next campaign I wanted to do something that would just be fun for the group to try. They have all made level 20 characters on a 30 point buy, 3 traits, and 1.5 wbl (1320000 gp if you're curious). One of the players made a thrown weapon character because now he could afford the dex and strength required to use it. He is using javelins and looking for feats specific to javelins or piercing weapons and we came across hamatula strike.
Hamatula strike allows one using a piercing weapon to make a grapple check when you damage an opponent with a piercing weapon, albeit with a -4 penalty.
Now since he is using javelins (a piercing weapon) when he throws his javelin and hits he can make a grapple check and according to the PRD
If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails).
So if he uses this feat in conjunction with javelins he can grapple his target from a maximum of 30ft with no range penalties but if he uses a distance javelin and eats the range penalties that is up to 300ft. This is cool but a bit unbalancing in regular play.
For this campaign we have ruled it as ok because it is clever and at level 20 you are stronger than the herald of a god and they are +5 speed returning distance javelins but regarding future campaigns should I allow this? I'm assuming not. And also is this RAW or did I miss something?
I apologize for my ramblings, I'm bad about being concise.
What you missed is that the feat is poorly worded and clearly intends it to work on melee attacks, but never specifies explicitly.
So, it works like you said, by RAW (and yes, even works with bows), which is stupid and obviously shouldn't be correct.
That is what I have believed and making sure I wasn't insane regarding my reading. I figured its supposed to be used with melee weapons and flavor wise it seems like like bites and unarmed attacks (hamatulatsu) and maybe spears and polearms.
I could see this work in a "harpoon"-style, with said javelin (or even an arrow or thrown dagger) being attached to a rope or chain to pull the victim in.
It'd have to have barbs of some sort though, or a tip that bends once embedded into its victim.
Unless I'm mistaken, Hamatula Strike lets you use a piercing weapon to initiate a grapple. It doesn't otherwise alter the grapple maneuver to let you make a grapple as a ranged attack.
For a level 20 one-shot? Have fun!
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Unless I'm mistaken, Hamatula Strike lets you use a piercing weapon to initiate a grapple. It doesn't otherwise alter the grapple maneuver to let you make a grapple as a ranged attack.
For a level 20 one-shot? Have fun!
RAW, the text of the Hamatula Strike feat states that inflicting damage with a piercing weapon allows you to make a grapple check. We can only assume that the intent is that such a grapple check could be said to automatically fail if the opponent is out of reach.
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It one of those RAW things that no sane GM would/should allow in a normal game. That said, I'm with Majuba. If it's a one-off game session that doesn't effect your normal campaign then why not allow it. In the very least just add that it can only be done with thrown weapons that have a trailing cord built into them. It's nowhere near a perfect compromise, but it's a start.