Is there a way to increase a ranged weapon's maximum range?

Question

Some ranged weapons have a pretty short maximum range, like nets, for example (15 feet). Is there a way to increase a ranged weapon's maximum range? Any increase, as little as 5ft, interests me.

Answer 1

There is currently no way to increase the maximum range of a weapon. Which is to say there is no such thing within the Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Volo's Guide to Monsters, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, or any of the currently published Unearthed Arcana articles.

The closest thing to what you're looking for is this ability from the Sharpshooter feat:

Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.

Which would allow you to attack up to 15 feet without disadvantage.

If you're specifically looking to increase the range of nets, there is this somewhat dodgy trick:

An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

So if you can find an object that doesn't resemble a net, but your DM accepts that it acts like a net (maybe a lasso or a bola?), you might be able to have a 60 foot range, 1d4 damage weapon that does the same thing as a net. If you're going to try this, I strongly recommend taking the Tavern Brawler feat (which includes proficiency with improvised weapons) to make your DM feel a little bit better about it.

Alternatively, you could ask your DM to work with you and homebrew something - a homebrew feat that increases maximum range, a homebrew lasso, or something else that lets you achieve your goals.

Answer 2

I added a comment about the kind of distance you're trying to tack on to the stated range, but I'll give a couple examples as an answer also.

Here is what the SRD says about ranged attacks:

You can make ranged attacks only against targets within a specified range.

If a ranged attack, such as one made with a spell, has a single range, you can’t attack a target beyond this range.

Some ranged attacks, such as those made with a longbow or a shortbow, have two ranges. The smaller number is the normal range, and the larger number is the long range. Your attack roll has disadvantage when your target is beyond normal range, and you can’t attack a target beyond the long range

So I going to assume you want to go even beyond the longer range (Spells are more fixed so I am not going to cover them).

So bow weapons already take into account a longer range. You could also apply this to all other ranged weapons and give them an extra distance at a disadvantage. How far it flies and is useful is up to the DM.

These things are only going farther because of extra effort on the characters part; putting their whole body into it as opposed to a normal throw. You could also put an extra DC10 on the effort. If both to-hit throws are less than 10 (and miss their target) then the character is off balance and all attacks against them for the rest of the round are at an advantage.

Steve the barbarian heaves the net with all of his might, straining all the muscles in his legs and arms to ensnare the fleeing goblin.

'Rolls a 5 and 7'

Despite his best effort, the net goes wide and the goblin gets away. Steve is unsteady on his feet from contorting his body so much.

Another DM-choice would be allowing modified items to go farther but for less effect. A smaller net can go farther (takes less strength) but only entangles for one turn maximum. The smaller axe can be flung farther, but only does 1d2 damage. Both would be enough to break concentration or otherwise effect the target, but not nearly as much as a full sized option.

Answer 3

No, but…

There are no ways to extend weapon attack maximum range (compared with all the ways to do it for ranged spell attacks). But…

+45 feet with Echo Knight

You can sort of extend range by being an Echo Knight. Manifest your echo as a bonus action 15 feet ahead, then "mentally command the echo to move up to 30 feet" further, then the ranged attack "can originate from … the echo's space".

+20/60 feet with a Monk friend

Make a ranged weapon attack at your level 3 Monk friend and have them use Deflect Missiles to first reduce the damage to zero (1d10 + their Dexterity modifier + their monk level) and catch it, and then 1 ki point to make a ranged attack "(range 20/60 feet)" with the same weapon or ammunition.

This works with most ranged weapons but may not work with a Net if your DM places the emphasis on reducing the damage you take on a Net that already deals "-" (no damage), or if when the Net hits the monk as part of Deflect Missiles the DM rules its effects work before it can be re-thrown and the monk is restrained. If your DM rules that this does work with Nets then, interestingly, since a Net has "–" damage (no damage), a Monk might catch it by default, and may even inflict damage "in place of the normal damage" with the subsequent Net attack as it now counts as a monk weapon for them.

Or, if you don't mind sacrificing all the ranged attack properties…

Here are some sillier ideas that give you different range but almost certainly lose the features of the weapon attack you are using (like the restraining element of the Net) and would mostly deal just the 1d4 of an improvised weapon at best.

Improvised weapon (range 20/60)

Ball the Net up so it "bears no resemblance to a weapon" and throw it for 1d4 damage and 60 feet max. Works for throwing your unloaded crossbow at someone as well.

"An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet."

Catapult spell (90 feet)

Cast the Catapult spell on the Net on the floor "The object flies in a straight line up to 90 feet".

Even more absurdly, if you have time on your hands, you may be able to first throw the Net 60 feet in front of you (as this is the maximum range the Catapult spell will reach). Interestingly Nets seem to only be damaged by Slashing damage, so might not be destroyed on impact by the spell's 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

Wildshape ape (range 25/50); Polymorph giant ape (range 50/100)

I'm sure an ape can throw most things as if they were a rock, but if in doubt, wrap your Net round a rock first.

Mangonel (range 200/800); Trebuchet (range 300/1200)

Both of these siege weapons take multiple turns to load and fire and multiple creatures to move, and can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide. But I think you could put a balled up Net or a piece of Sling ammunition in there?

Answer 4

A Wormsilk Net

The Tome of Heroes by Kobold Press lists a Wormsilk Net.

• Cost 60 gp
• No damage
• Weight 2 lb.
• Properties Special, thrown (range 10/20)
• DC 14 Strength check
• AC 12
• 10 hit points

This compares with DC 10 AC 10 5 hit point range 5/15 regular net.

A wormsilk net is a lighter, more durable variant of a standard net. A creature restrained by a wormsilk net must succeed on a DC 14 Strength check to free itself. In addition, a wormsilk net has AC12 and 10 hit points.

The wormsilk net normal range of 10 feet means it can be thrown without disadvantage at 10 feet if the opponent’s reach is 5 feet. The max range of 20 feet increases the range of a thrown net by 5 feet.