Point one: Currently, Javelins are the be-all-end-all of throwing weapons. They come in packs of five, they fly the furthest and they do the most damage. This leaves axes and knives sorta in the dust.
Knives come in packs of three, usually, they have the worst range and the lowest damage.
Axes come in packs of five as well, but they do slightly less damage than javelins and don't fly as well.
Rather than just having one outright superior option, you want to have trade-offs.
Now, the axe sorta has one natural advantage. It can be used as a melee weapon, which somewhat makes up for the fact that it's not as good a throwing weapon as the javelin. Theoretically, you could forgo a primary weapon entirely and use a shield and a throwing axe to kill dudes up close.
Rather, all throwing weapons can be used in melee (by pressing x) but the others all suck.
Daggers are... daggers. Short range and bad damage. I can't think of any actual reason to ever equip one a dagger on my character, and likewise I can't think of any reason to use throwing knives in melee (or at all, currently)
Javelins are just spears with none of the benefits of spears. It can only be used to thrust but it doesn't have the reach to actually make a good thrusting weapon, or be used from horseback.
So you've got Javelins as your top tier 'best for throwing, big damage on hit' weapon.
You have axes as a weapon that does noticeably less damage, but allows you to forgo the need for a dedicated melee weapon
So what about throwing knives? What benefit could they possibly serve?
I suggest making them more numerous. It's already the throwing skill-trees biggest drawback. It's direct competitor skills (bow and crossbow) have 20-30 ammo each, throwing weapons have 5. I'd suggest making throwing knives come in packs of 7-to-10.
That way you have a choice between something that hits hard, something that's usable in melee too, or something that gives you way more shots but has a much lower base damage.
I'd also make the knives model smaller on the character, since they clip through your arms and look more like long-knives or shortswords than throwing knives, but that's neither here nor there.
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Point two.
Throwing axes are currently bugged, their damage type is listed as invalid, when it's probably supposed to be slashing or piercing.
... Personally, I'd quite like a blunt axe-head option for throwing axes when blacksmithing. (allow them to use some of the head-options from one-handed maces?)
Not that I think there's a niche use for ranged blunt damage or anything, but I like the idea of a huge viking running around yeeting hammers at people.
IIRC throwing axes only have two available heads, so adding more options would be nice anyway. I imagine that there's some parts from the onehanded axes tree that could be transferred over, but they might need resizing a bit.
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Point Three:
... A sling would actually be a nice addition, but the inclusion of an entirely new weapon, at this stage, seems unlikely.
Throwing rocks is already a game mechanic, but I've always had a fondness for those mad-lads who went up against men armed with swords or bows using only a strip of cloth and some rocks.
Historically, sling-users were actually fairly fearsome, having a much greater range than someone can throw and their projectiles being fairly weighty and could do some serious damage to people and horses.
You can already pick up and throw stones from looters, but a sling would naturally provide much greater range (comparable with a shortbow?) and better aim. Possibly usable in melee or from horseback as some form of flail?
That seems like an unlikely ask though, since it's a whole new weapon-type with unique animations and such.
Be fun tho.
Knives come in packs of three, usually, they have the worst range and the lowest damage.
Axes come in packs of five as well, but they do slightly less damage than javelins and don't fly as well.
Rather than just having one outright superior option, you want to have trade-offs.
Now, the axe sorta has one natural advantage. It can be used as a melee weapon, which somewhat makes up for the fact that it's not as good a throwing weapon as the javelin. Theoretically, you could forgo a primary weapon entirely and use a shield and a throwing axe to kill dudes up close.
Rather, all throwing weapons can be used in melee (by pressing x) but the others all suck.
Daggers are... daggers. Short range and bad damage. I can't think of any actual reason to ever equip one a dagger on my character, and likewise I can't think of any reason to use throwing knives in melee (or at all, currently)
Javelins are just spears with none of the benefits of spears. It can only be used to thrust but it doesn't have the reach to actually make a good thrusting weapon, or be used from horseback.
So you've got Javelins as your top tier 'best for throwing, big damage on hit' weapon.
You have axes as a weapon that does noticeably less damage, but allows you to forgo the need for a dedicated melee weapon
So what about throwing knives? What benefit could they possibly serve?
I suggest making them more numerous. It's already the throwing skill-trees biggest drawback. It's direct competitor skills (bow and crossbow) have 20-30 ammo each, throwing weapons have 5. I'd suggest making throwing knives come in packs of 7-to-10.
That way you have a choice between something that hits hard, something that's usable in melee too, or something that gives you way more shots but has a much lower base damage.
I'd also make the knives model smaller on the character, since they clip through your arms and look more like long-knives or shortswords than throwing knives, but that's neither here nor there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point two.
Throwing axes are currently bugged, their damage type is listed as invalid, when it's probably supposed to be slashing or piercing.
... Personally, I'd quite like a blunt axe-head option for throwing axes when blacksmithing. (allow them to use some of the head-options from one-handed maces?)
Not that I think there's a niche use for ranged blunt damage or anything, but I like the idea of a huge viking running around yeeting hammers at people.
IIRC throwing axes only have two available heads, so adding more options would be nice anyway. I imagine that there's some parts from the onehanded axes tree that could be transferred over, but they might need resizing a bit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Three:
... A sling would actually be a nice addition, but the inclusion of an entirely new weapon, at this stage, seems unlikely.
Throwing rocks is already a game mechanic, but I've always had a fondness for those mad-lads who went up against men armed with swords or bows using only a strip of cloth and some rocks.
Historically, sling-users were actually fairly fearsome, having a much greater range than someone can throw and their projectiles being fairly weighty and could do some serious damage to people and horses.
You can already pick up and throw stones from looters, but a sling would naturally provide much greater range (comparable with a shortbow?) and better aim. Possibly usable in melee or from horseback as some form of flail?
That seems like an unlikely ask though, since it's a whole new weapon-type with unique animations and such.
Be fun tho.
