Is a sling considered a Thrown Weapon

[Mark Hoover]

Trying to figure out if Charging Hurler will work for my build. I want to build a Halfling rogue with an emphasis on the sling. If I take the Scout archetype I can make a Charge attack at 4th level and my attack deals Sneak Attack as if my opponent was flat footed.

Charging Hurler allows me to use a thrown weapon as part of a charge attack. In the Combat section of the CRB it compares slings to thrown weapons, but I don't know if that qualifies it for the Charging Hurler feat. Please clarify if you can. Thanks!

[Hima Flametinker III]

I want to say "no".

[Mark Hoover]

Well I want someone to say yes. Anyone have the RAW on this?

[Lakesidefantasy]

I believe a sling is explicitly considered a projectile weapon with the special property that it applies strength to damage. I don't believe it counts enough as a thrown weapon because of this special property.

From page 141 of the Core Rulebook:

Thrown Weapons: Daggers, clubs, shortspears, spears, darts, javelins, throwing axes, light hammers, tridents, shuriken, and nets are thrown weapons. The wielder applies his Strength modifier to damage dealt by thrown weapons (except for splash weapons). It is possible to throw a weapon that isn't designed to be thrown (that is, a melee weapon that doesn't have a numeric entry in the Range column on Table: Weapons), and a character who does so takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll. Throwing a light or one-handed weapon is a standard action, while throwing a two-handed weapon is a full-round action. Regardless of the type of weapon, such an attack scores a threat only on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. Such a weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.

Projectile Weapons: Blowguns, light crossbows, slings, heavy crossbows, shortbows, composite shortbows, longbows, composite longbows, halfling sling staves, hand crossbows, and repeating crossbows are projectile weapons. Most projectile weapons require two hands to use (see specific weapon descriptions). A character gets no Strength bonus on damage rolls with a projectile weapon unless it's a specially built composite shortbow or longbow, or a sling. If the character has a penalty for low Strength, apply it to damage rolls when he uses a bow or a sling.

[Mark Hoover]

Thanks LSF!

[graystone]

Lakesidefantasy wrote:

I believe a sling is explicitly considered a projectile weapon with the special property that it applies strength to damage. I don't believe it counts enough as a thrown weapon because of this special property.

** spoiler omitted **[/ooc]

It IS in the thrown weapon group though. "Thrown: blowgun, bolas, club, dagger, dart, halfling sling staff, javelin, light hammer, net, shortspear, shuriken, sling, spear, starknife, throwing axe, and trident."

[Kobold Catgirl]

In that case, I'd ask your GM. An exception would make fair and logical sense, and it clearly has some precedent.

Of course, the blowgun is on that list, too, so...

[Raziel Hethune]

It probably shouldn't be. You apply centrifugal force to a sling to launch the stone, you aren't actually throwing it. Same with the sling staff and... blowgun? Really?

[Lakesidefantasy]

Well Mark, it looks like you've got your 'yes'.

However, I believe the weapons listed in the fighter weapon groups pertain strictly to the weapon training class feature of the fighter class and have no bearing on the hurling charger feat.

[graystone]

Raziel Hethune wrote:

It probably shouldn't be. You apply centrifugal force to a sling to launch the stone, you aren't actually throwing it. Same with the sling staff and... blowgun? Really?

Lakesidefantasy wrote:

Well Mark, it looks like you've got your 'yes'.

However, I believe the weapons listed in the fighter weapon groups pertain strictly to the weapon training class feature of the fighter class and have no bearing on the hurling charger feat.

Well it's telling you the same training applies to every weapon there: IE spinning a sling stone and tossing a dagger fall under the same practices.

Does it make sense? Well it sort of falls in the middle of the groupings. If the fighter can learn to use a blowgun better by practicing axe throwing, who an I to say the same shouldn't work for a non-fighter?

To the OP: Yeah, follow Kobold Cleaver's advice and ask your DM how they see it.

[Claxon]

Strictly speaking, I think the answer is no. But I'd allow it as a GM because it's not going to be particularly powerful.

For Abadar's sake, it's a damn sling.

As far as the thrown weapons group bit is concerned, it really only applies to the fighter weapon training class feature. The sling truly is a projectile weapon with a special ability to add strength to damage, the same way a composite bow can add strength to damage.

All that said, I'd still allow it.