Table of Contents
Weapon Types & Proficiencies
Any character can wield any weapon, but only a character with proficiency can add their PB to attack rolls with those weapons.
Melee Weapons
Melee weapons are used to attack nearby targets within reach. Unless the weapon has the Reach property, melee weapons have a reach of 5 feet.
Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons are used to attack targets at a distance.
Simple Weapons
Simple weapons require little experience to use effectively.
Martial Weapons
Martial weapons, including swords, axes, and polearms, require training to use effectively.
Weapons
| Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Weapon Option | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Melee Weapons | |||||
| Club | 1 sp | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Bash | Light |
| Dagger | 2 gp | 1d4 piercing | 1 lb. | Pinning Shot | Finesse, Light, Thrown (range 20/60 ft.) |
| Greatclub | 2 sp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 10 lb. | Bash | Two-handed |
| Handaxe | 5 gp | 1d6 slashing | 2 lb. | Hamstring | Light, Thrown (range 20/60 ft.) |
| Javelin | 5 sp | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. | Pinning Shot | Thrown (range 30/120 ft.) |
| Light hammer | 2 sp | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Bash | Light, Thrown (range 20/60 ft.) |
| Mace | 5 gp | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | Bash | — |
| Quarterstaff | 2 sp | 1d6/1d8 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | Bash | Versatile |
| Sickle | 1 gp | 1d4 slashing | 2 lb. | Hamstring | Light |
| Spear | 1 gp | 1d6/1d8 piercing | 3 lb. | Pull, Trip | Thrown (range 20/60 ft.), Versatile |
| Simple Ranged Weapons | |||||
| Crossbow, light | 25 gp | 1d8 piercing | 5 lb. | — | Ammunition (range 80/320 ft.), Loading, Two-handed |
| Dart | 5 cp | 1d4 piercing | 1/4 lb. | — | Finesse, Thrown (range 20/60 ft.) |
| Shortbow | 25 gp | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. | — | Ammunition (range 80/320 ft.), Two-handed |
| Sling | 1 sp | 1d4 bludgeoning | — | Ricochet Shot | Ammunition (range 30/120 ft.) |
| Martial Melee Weapons | |||||
| Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d8/1d10 slashing | 4 lb. | Disarm, Hamstring | Versatile |
| Flail | 10 gp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Bash, Disarm | — |
| Glaive | 20 gp | 1d10 slashing | 6 lb. | Trip | Heavy, Reach, Two-handed |
| Greataxe | 30 gp | 1d12 slashing | 7 lb. | Disarm, Hamstring | Heavy, Two-handed |
| Greatsword | 50 gp | 2d6 slashing | 6 lb. | Disarm, Hamstring | Heavy, Two-handed |
| Halberd | 20 gp | 1d10 slashing | 6 lb. | Trip | Heavy, Reach, Two-handed |
| Lance | 10 gp | 1d12 piercing | 6 lb. | — | Reach, Special |
| Longsword | 15 gp | 1d8/1d10 slashing | 3 lb. | Disarm, Hamstring | Versatile |
| Maul | 10 gp | 2d6 bludgeoning | 10 lb. | Bash, Disarm | Heavy, Two-handed |
| Morningstar | 15 gp | 1d8 piercing | 4 lb. | Disarm | — |
| Pike | 5 gp | 1d10 piercing | 18 lb. | Trip | Heavy, Reach, Two-handed |
| Rapier | 25 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | Disarm | Finesse |
| Scimitar | 25 gp | 1d6 slashing | 3 lb. | Hamstring | Finesse, Light |
| Scythe | 20 gp | 2d4 slashing | 4 lb. | Pull, Trip | Reach, Two-handed |
| Shortsword | 10 gp | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. | Disarm | Finesse, Light |
| Trident | 5 gp | 1d6/1d8 piercing | 4 lb. | Disarm | Thrown (range 20/60 ft.), Versatile |
| War pick | 5 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | Disarm | — |
| Warhammer | 15 gp | 1d8/1d10 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Bash, Disarm | Versatile |
| Whip | 2 gp | 1d4 slashing | 3 lb. | Pull, Trip | Finesse, Reach |
| Martial Ranged Weapons | |||||
| Blowgun | 10 gp | 1 piercing | 1 lb. | — | Ammunition (range 25/100 ft.), Loading |
| Crossbow, hand | 75 gp | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. | Pinning Shot | Ammunition (range 30/120 ft.), Light, Loading |
| Crossbow, heavy | 50 gp | 1d10 piercing | 18 lb. | Pinning Shot | Ammunition (range 100/400 ft.), Heavy, Loading, Two-handed |
| Longbow | 50 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | Pinning Shot | Ammunition (range 150/600 ft.), Heavy, Two-handed |
Improvised Weapons
When in doubt about how much damage an object should deal, find a weapon on the Weapons table most like the object and use its damage die. For example, a table leg is a lot like a club. At the GM’s discretion, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and add their PB as normal.
If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack or throws a melee weapon that doesn’t have the Thrown property, those are improvised weapons, and typically deal 1d4 damage of an appropriate damage type. An improvised thrown weapon typically has range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
Weapon Options
This section offers options for using weapons in ways other than dealing damage. The Weapon Option column on the Weapons table shows which weapons can be used to perform which weapon options. A character can use a weapon option only if the character is wielding and is proficient with an appropriate weapon.
Weapon Option Saves. If an option requires a creature to make an ability check or save, the DC equals 8 + the attacker’s PB + the attacker’s STR or DEX modifier (attacker’s choice).
Unless specified otherwise, a weapon attack used to perform a weapon option has only the option’s listed effect and doesn’t deal normal weapon damage. Weapon options can be used only when a wielder takes the Attack action on their turn, unless a feature like the fighter’s Martial Action allows a weapon option attack to be performed as a bonus action. Characters with the Multiattack feature can perform a weapon option in place of one of the attacks granted by Multiattack.
At the GM’s discretion, some weapon options might not work against certain creatures. For example, the trip weapon option might not work against a creature without discernable legs, such as an ooze, or that is anchored or attached to the ground in some way, such as a tree with animated limbs.
Bash
Make an attack roll with this weapon. On a hit, the target has disadvantage on its next attack roll.
Disarm
Make an attack roll with this weapon. On a hit, the target must succeed on a STR or DEX save (target’s choice) or drop a weapon, shield, or object it is wielding. The dropped item lands in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target. If no unoccupied space is within range, the item lands at the target’s feet.
Hamstring
Make an attack roll with this weapon. On a hit, the target’s base movement speed is reduced by 10 feet for 1 minute. A creature’s speed can’t be reduced by more than 10 feet with this weapon option. A creature within 5 feet of the target can take an action to tend the wound with a successful WIS (Medicine) check (against your weapon option DC), ending the effect on the target. The effect also ends if the target receives any magical healing.
Pinning Shot
Make an attack roll with this weapon against a Large or smaller creature. On a hit, the target must succeed on a STR or DEX save (target’s choice) or its speed becomes 0 feet until the end of its next turn. A creature, including the target, can use its action to attempt to free the target with a STR (Athletics) check or a DEX (Acrobatics) check (the creature’s choice) versus the attacker’s weapon option DC. On a success, the target is freed and can move as normal. A target must make only one check to free itself, using the highest DC of characters performing this weapon option, regardless of the number of arrows or bolts holding it in place.
Pull
Make an attack roll with this weapon against a Large or smaller creature. On a hit, the target is pulled up to 5 feet closer to you. If this movement would pull a creature into damaging terrain, such as lava or a pit, it can make a STR or DEX (target’s choice) save to avoid the pull on a success.
Ricochet Shot
Make an attack roll with this weapon against a target you can see that has half or three-quarters cover. Your chosen target must be within 10 feet of another object or structure that isn’t the same item providing it with cover. When you do so, you can treat the target’s AC as if it wasn’t behind cover. If the attack is successful, the target takes damage from the attack as it would with a standard weapon attack. This weapon option expends the same ammunition as a normal attack with this weapon.
Trip
Make an attack roll with this weapon against a Large or smaller creature. On a hit, the target must succeed on a STR or DEX save (target’s choice) or fall prone. If the target is mounted, it has advantage on the save.
Weapon Properties
Many weapons have special properties that affect their use, as shown in the Properties column of the Weapons table.
Ammunition
You can use a weapon that has the Ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from it. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition. You need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon, and drawing the ammunition from a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack. At the end of an encounter, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking 1 minute to search the battlefield.
If you use a weapon with the Ammunition property to make a melee attack, treat it as an improvised weapon. A sling must be loaded to deal damage when used as an improvised weapon.
Finesse
When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, use your choice of your STR or DEX modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Heavy
Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with Heavy weapons. Tiny creatures can’t wield Heavy weapons.
Light
A Light weapon is needed for use with two-weapon fighting.
Loading
Because of the time required to load this weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
Range
A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range in parentheses after the Ammunition or Thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s long range. When attacking a target beyond normal range and up to its long range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.
Reach
This weapon adds 5 feet to your reach when you make melee attacks with it, as well as when determining your reach for opportunity attacks with it.
Special (Lance)
You have disadvantage when you use a lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. Also, a lance requires two hands to wield when you aren’t mounted.
Thrown
You can throw a weapon with the Thrown property to make a ranged attack. If the weapon can also be a melee weapon, use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon. For example, if you throw a handaxe or javelin, use your STR modifier, but if you throw a dagger, you can use either your STR or DEX modifier, since the dagger has the Finesse property.
Two-Handed
This weapon requires you to use two hands when you attack with it.
Versatile
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. These weapons have two damage values listed. The higher damage value is used when you use two hands to make a melee weapon attack.