We know that Ranged combat works, and they get their DS (for simulated range) because they're still holding a bow (and, significantly, no shield).
Okay, that's great... for them. Hurled doesn't work that way, because you can hold a shield, but you lose a big chunk of DS because, you know: no weapon. It's over there.
And, of course, I still like when Thrown was first released, and you could use regular ol' plain-Jane arrows, like from fletching or the bowyer's shop.
.
So maybe we're making things too strange.
.
What if there actually were a hurling item, that stayed in your hand? Let it use arrows. Call it an atlatl--an actual real-world item used for precisely this purpose--and copy over the Ranged DS function.
Done.
Then you just need to re-write the description of the item a little bit, so that there is "an arrow atlatl" [has a narrow groove into which a normal arrow can be put], "an axe atlatl" [has a shorter wider groove with notched cut-out at the end to accommodate the axehead], "a mace atlatl" [also a shorter wider groove with a substantial cut-out at the end for the macehead], and so on.
Carry whatever ammunition you want, including differently-flaring for different critters.
Still have the DS-conferring item in your hand, so simulated distance effects can be keyed to that.
No more requirement to train in Brawling for after you've disarmed yourself trying to damage those nasty beasties over there.
