Harpoon Questions

[BRC]

Flipping through Stormwrack, my eyes fell upon the Harpoon, and I love it. However, I have a few questions

1. It only mentions Harpoons being thrown, can you use it in melee?
2. Can the wielder of the Harpoon try to pull it out, dealing the additional damage.
3. If the Harpoon has an enchantment, say, Flaming, would it deal the energy damage every round it spends stuck in the enemy?

[Doomsy]

Returning is my favorite enchantment on a harpoon. If your character yells 'GET OVER HERE!' while using it your DM may or may not throw a book at you, though.

I'm pretty sure you can yank it out to cause the damage, but I'm cautious to use the law of common sense in D&D. Either way, if you put a rope on it or Returning it should be pretty damn fun times.

[Assassin89]

It is possible that a harpoon can be used in melee combat, but it would take a -2 penalty

[TempesT]

why would it be -2 ? its a short spear(spearish item) with barbs and a rope tied to it.

I dont realy see (other than the rope tangling) it being unwieldly.

???

[Aneantir]

Returning is my favorite enchantment on a harpoon. If your character yells 'GET OVER HERE!' while using it your DM may or may not throw a book at you, though.

This is brilliant. I'm building a character for an upcoming Gestalt campaign, and I was thinking about being a Wizard//Factotum (Ex-military tactician, every knowledge skill maxed, doesn't do a whole lot else), but now I think I may have to build Scorpion. I'm thinking Psychic Warrior//Swordsage....

At any rate, about the Harpoon. By RAW, it can't be used in melee without taking the -2 penalty, but I see no RAI reason why you couldn't just shank a guy with it.

For pulling it out, by RAW, again, you cannot. You can only pull the enemy around with it. By RAI, I'd say this is actually just as RAW, preventing it from becoming a bit too strong.

And as for enchantments, they would not come into effect every round without houseruling.

[Assassin89]

why would it be -2 ? its a short spear(spearish item) with barbs and a rope tied to it.

I dont realy see (other than the rope tangling) it being unwieldly.

???

The penalty refers to the javelin weapon, although a harpoon could have the same function as a trident and have no penalty