Weapons

Skill with a weapon allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with that weapon.

Weapon Groups

Weapons are divided in groups. If you are not proficient with a whole category, e.g. martial weapons, you can be proficient in a weapon group, such as swords, maces or daggers. Weapons in a group are usually very similar, with a lot of common properties.

Weapon tables

The tables in the following sections are divided in weapon categories, as well as classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feet of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance.

The different Weapon tables below shows categories, the damage they deal when they hit and any special properties they possess.

Melee Weapons

A melee weapon is used to attack targets within 5 feet of you, and are divided into categories that have some characteristics in common.

Light

A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.

Reach

Adds 5 ft to your reach.

Two-handed

Weapon requires two hands. Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with these weapons. The size and bulk make it too large for a Small creature to use effectively.

Melee Weapon Properties

Many weapons have special properties related to their use. The table lists the properties and which types of weapons within each category that might have a certain propery.

To use a property, a wielder must be proficient in its use. If a maneuver requires a creature to make a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + attacker’s proficiency bonus + the attacker’s ability modifier used for the attack.

Armor Piercer. When you miss with the weapon, if the target is wearing heavy armor, roll a d4 and add that value to your attack roll.

Chained. Weapons attached to a chain are able to be swung around a shield. Your attack rolls gain a +2 bonus against any target using a shield.

Close Quarters Combat. Attacking with this weapon from a prone position does not incur disadvantage. When you successfully escape a grapple, you can make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.

Conceal. As a bonus action you can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, contested by Wisdom (Perception) to draw a concealed weapon. On a success you can make a single attack with the concealed weapon against a creature that has not yet acted in combat. This attack has advantage and scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.

Shove. Using the haft, you shove up to two adjacent opponents in place of a weapon attack. Both targets must be within 5 feet from you and each other. Each creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, a creature is pushed 5 feet away from you.

Slam. When an attack roll with this weapon exceeds the target’s AC by 10 or more, or on a critical hit (in addition to its normal effect), the bludgeon hits with a singularly bone-shaking blow. If it rolls a d20 before the end of its next turn, it makes the roll with disadvantage and this effect ends.

Thrown. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. You use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon. Unless otherwise noted, the attack has a normal range of 20 feet, and a maximum range of 60 feet. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.

Versatile. This weapon can be used with two hands if the haft is long enough. When dealing damage while wielding the weapon in two hands, increase the damage die one size.

Special Melee Weapons

Some weapons do not follow the generic patterns of damage, or have unusual rules governing their use.

Improvised weapon. Sometimes characters don’t have their weapons and have to attack with whatever is close at hand. 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.

In many cases, an improvised weapon is similar to an actual weapon and can be treated as such. Otherwise the weapon deals 1d4 damage. 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 ft and a long range of 60 ft.

Special: Lance. You have disadvantage when using a lance to attack a adjacent target. Also, a lance requires two hands to wield when you aren’t mounted. If you move at least 20 ft straight toward a creature before hitting it with a lance attack, the target takes an extra 1d12 piercing damage and must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target falls prone.

Special: Duom. The duom is a longspear with a standard spearhead, as well as two blades curved so that they point backward along the shaft. The weapon has reach, allowing you to strike opponents 10 ft away with it. Those proficient with the duom can also attack adjacent foes with the reversed heads using a practiced “reverse thrust” as a bonus action. This attack deals 1d6 damage and counts as an off-hand attack.

Special: Shield. Proficiency with improvised weapon counts as proficiency with shield attacks. You can forgo a weapon attack to drive an opponent off-balance by smashing through their guard with an attack from your shield. On a hit, the target takes damage and must succeed with a Strength saving throw, or your next attack roll against it this round is made with advantage.

Special: Spiked chain. This requires two hands to use, but is wielded as two separate one-handed weapons when you hold it. Both of these weapons are considered to have the light property.

You may use an action to attempt to grapple a Large or smaller creature with this weapon. Make a single attack with either half of this weapon. On a hit, the creature takes damage from the attack as normal, and is grappled. Until this grapple ends, you automatically inflict 1d4 piercing damage at the start of your turn. You may only maintain one such grapple at any time and cannot use that end of the weapon.

Ranged Weapons

Ranged Weapon Properties

Many weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Weapons table.

Ammunition. Drawing ammunition from a quiver, case or other container is part of the attack, but requires two hands.

At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking a minute to search the battlefield.

If you use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a melee attack, you treat the weapon as an improvised weapon. A sling must be loaded to deal any damage when used in this way.

Conceal. You may make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by Wisdom (Perception), to conceal your weapon. As your Attack action, you may make one attack with the concealed weapon against a creature that has not yet acted in combat. This attack has advantage.

Heavy. Small creatures have disadvantage on Attack rolls with heavy weapons. Its size and bulk make it too large for a Small creature to use effectively.

Loading. This weapon takes time to load. You must spend one of your attacks, or a bonus action, to load it.

Range. A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown as two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s maximum range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.

Special: Net. A Large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on creatures that are formless. A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net. When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.

Special: Composite Longbow. The composite bow’s unique construction gives it an incredibly heavy draw, making it usable only by the strongest archers. Characters with a Strength score of 14 or lower have disadvantage on attacks made with a composite bow.

When you make an attack with a composite bow, you may take a penalty on your attack roll equal to your Strength modifier. This penalty must be applied before the roll is made. If the attack hits, it deals additional damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Arrow, Blinding. Arrow with a small clay head containing a reactive chemical. On a hit, it releases a bright flash, blinding the target until the start of your next turn if it fails a DC10 Dexterity save. Deals bludgeoning damage, one die smaller than an ordinary arrow.

Arrow, Blunt. These arrows have wooden tips specially crafted to deal subdual and bludgeoning damage instead of normal damage.

Arrow, Fire. Open “cage” with flammable material included. Must be ignited before fired to take effect. Deals normal damage, but half is fire damage and ignites non-worn, non-carried flammable materials.

Arrow, Frog-crotch. The head of this arrow forms a razor-sharp crescent, points facing forward, theoretically allowing the archer to cut ropes from a distance. Targeting a rope is a difficult shot; apply disadvantage to the attack roll unless made within 10 feet.

Arrow, Signal This arrow is specially designed to emulate a bird’s call when fired. Elven fletchers craft the arrows to make calls that will be recognized as signals by the elves of the community. For example, a hawk’s cry might signal an attack, and an owl’s screech might signal a stealthy advance. A successful Wisdom (Nature) check at DC 15 determines whether the sound comes from a bird or another source. The intricate carving on the arrow shafts makes them clumsy in flight, imposing a disadvantage on attack rolls.

Arrow, Smoking. Arrow with a small clay head containing a reactive chemical. On a hit, it releases smoke in a 10ft sphere, heavily obscuring vision in that area. The smoke lasts for 10 rounds, unless removed by a strong wind. Deals bludgeoning damage, one die smaller than an ordinary arrow.

Bullet, Acid. These hollow glass sling bullets are filled with acid. When they strike a target, they immediately shatter, dealing 1d4 points of acid damage in addition to the normal damage from the sling bullet. To hold sufficient acid, these bullets must be larger than normal. The increased size makes the bullets awkward and unwieldy to launch, imposing a –2 penalty on the attack roll.

Bullet, Flame. These hollow glass sling bullets are filled with alchemist’s fire. When they strike a target, they immediately shatter and the alchemist’s fire ignites, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage in addition to the normal damage from the sling bullet. To hold sufficient alchemist’s fire, these bullets must be larger than normal, imposing a –2 penalty on the attack roll.

Bullet, Priest’s. These hollow glass bullets are filled with holy water. When they strike a target, they immediately shatter, dousing the target with holy water. Undead and fiends take 2d4 points of damage from the holy water in addition to the normal damage from the sling bullet. To hold sufficient holy water, these bullets must be larger than normal, imposing a –2 penalty on the attack roll.

Quiver. A quiver can hold up to 20 arrows.

Quiver, Aquatic. This is not so much a quiver as a back-mounted bandoleer, intended to hold arrows in place during the tumbling and turning that is common underwater. A normal open quiver is extremely likely to spill arrows during even casual manoeuvring. Holds up to 20 arrows.

Vest, Knife This specially designed vest is worn over other clothing and can comfortably hold up to ten daggers across the chest, and is particularly handy for knife-throwers. Each time you make a ranged attack, drawing the weapon from the knife vest is part of the attack.

Knives

The knife group includes daggers, knives, stilettos and punching daggers. Basically any short blade that deals piercing or slashing damage. Knives are usually simple light weapons, but there are some that require more training to use efficiently, i.e. making them martial weapons, such as the blade boot or tiger claws.

Properties

Knives are simple light weapons that deal 1d4 damage, either piercing or slashing, depending on the knife. Most knives have the following properties:

Close Quarters Combat. Attacking with a knife from a prone position does not incur disadvantage. When you successfully escape a grapple, you can make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.

Conceal. As a bonus action you can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, contested by Wisdom (Perception) to draw a concealed knife. On a success you can make a single attack with the weapon against a creature that has not yet acted in combat. This attack has advantage and scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Finesse. When making an attack with a knife, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.

Thrown. You can throw a knife to make a ranged attack, dealing piercing damage. You use the same ability modifier for attack and damage that you would use for a melee attack. Unless otherwise noted, the attack has a normal range of 20 ft, and a maximum range of 60 ft. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.

Special Knives

Some weapons in this group do not have the generic properties, or have unusual rules governing their use.

Blade boot. Come with a spring-mounted knife that pops out when triggered with the right combination of toe presses. You can use a blade boot as an off-hand weapon. Releasing the knife is an item action; rearming it takes a full round. When the blade is extended, you treat normal terrain as difficult.

Hook. Mostly used if you have lost a hand, but this also includes tools like the meat hook and similar. If it is a prosthesis, it cannot be disarmed.

Main gauche. A dagger specifically designed for parrying. While wielding this weapon together with a rapier, you may use a reaction after being attacked to roll a d4 and add the result to your Armor Class until the end of the attacker’s turn.

Punch Dagger. A punching blade is a small knife attached to a horizontal handle that projects out from the fist when held; but also includes wrist or fist mounted blades which extend out over the knuckles when equipped.

Tamo daggers. Tamo daggers, which are always sold in pairs, are thin, stiletto blades mounted on an often elaborately-carved, thick, wooden handle. Each handle has a slot near the blade that serves as a sheath for its twin – when the blades are sheathed the handles form a sturdy club.

Tiger claws. A claw-like weapon, designed to fit over the knuckles. It consists of four or five curved blades affixed to a crossbar or glove. Tiger claws cannot be disarmed.