[RPG] Can one PC throw another

dnd-5ethrowing-things

For example, if there is a lava river surrounding a castle. There is a drawbridge that can be lowered, but the lever is on the other side. PCs couldn't find a hidden passageway,either because PCs failed necessary check and couldn't find it or just because there isn't one. They don't have rope to try to pull the lever down. Or if PCs want to rob a house, but can't pick a lock, they see that window on the second floor is open. Can one PC use his Strength to throw another PC that is one size smaller, with other PC using his Dexterity or Strength to not fall down or lose balance?

Best Answer

Yes

A small humanoid is specifically called out as an acceptable improvised weapon (albeit a dead small humanoid, but that shouldn't affect one's throwability):

An improvised weapon includes any object you can wield in one or two hands, such as broken glass, a table leg, a frying pan, a wagon wheel, or a dead Goblin.

Gnomes-as-improvised-weapons probably do not have the thrown property (but see 'Net' for a possible weapon analog to argue for in hopes of getting that property). Weapons without the thrown property can be thrown as an improvised ranged weapon:

An object that bears no resemblance to a weapon deals 1d4 damage (the GM assigns a damage type appropriate to the object). If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee Attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property, it also deals 1d4 damage. An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

Furthermore, should the throwing PC's goal be locomotion rather than offense, the rules for targeting objects seem to indicate that, since the targeted location makes no effort to get out of the way, success at hitting it should be guaranteed barring GM shenanigans:

Armor Class: An object’s Armor Class is a measure of how difficult it is to deal damage to the object when striking it (because the object has no chance of dodging out of the way).

That said, the rules for interacting with objects are woefully incomplete, and you should probably homebrew your own rules to deal with ranged targeting of inanimate objects as the ones presented are frankly terrible. Regardless, your PC certainly can throw his gnome compatriot.