Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition offers a wide array of official weapons that define how characters approach combat. This guide covers every standard weapon in the Player’s Handbook and related core sources, explaining properties, categories, and practical use so you can choose effectively at any level. Whether you are optimizing a fighter’s damage, building a nuanced ranger, or exploring creative character concepts, understanding the full weapon landscape helps you align choices with your goals and campaign context.
Weapon Categories and How They Work
Weapons in 5e fall into broad categories that affect availability, scaling, and tactical role. Simple weapons are accessible to most classes and typically light or finesse, making them easy to use. Martial weapons often require training or specific class features and include heavier, specialized tools. Natural weapons come from your creature form and interact differently with features. Ranged options span thrown and projectile weapons, introducing considerations for ammunition and range. Each category shapes build identity, action economy, and how you plan to engage encounters, so matching category to character concept is essential for consistency.
Simple Melee and Ranged Choices
Simple melee weapons like clubs, daggers, handaxes, javelins, light crossbows, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, and spears are straightforward and adaptable, commonly chosen by classes such as clerics, druids, and some martial subclasses. Simple ranged options include light crossbows and thrown variants like daggers, hammers, and javelins, enabling safe engagement at a distance. Many simple weapons are light, letting you benefit from finesse or two-weapon fighting, which supports dexterous builds without heavy investment. Simpler options also tend to be readily available, requiring less downtime or cost to acquire, which keeps them attractive for utility-focused characters or experimental builds.
Martial Melee and Ranged Tools
Martial weapons expand your toolkit with heavier and more specialized arms, including battleaxes, flails, greatswords, greataxes, greatclubs, hammers, lances, longswords, mauls, nets, pikes, halberds, glaives, greataxes, longbows, and heavy crossbows. These weapons often appear in fighter, paladin, ranger, and monk repertoires, reflecting training and access. Martial melee weapons tend to deal higher damage dice or offer versatile effects, while martial ranged weapons like longbows and heavy crossbows provide superior range and damage compared to simple alternatives. Choosing martial arms usually means committing to a playstyle that leverages multiple Fighting Style features, higher ability scores, and sometimes special class abilities that tie closely to the weapon’s nature.
Weapon Properties at a Glance
Properties define how you use a weapon in combat and interact with your character’s abilities, so understanding them helps you avoid surprises at the table. Many properties are common, such as finesse, light, reach, thrown, and versatile, but each mechanically distinct effect has specific interactions with class features, spells, and maneuvers.
- Finesse lets you use your Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls instead of Strength.
- Heavy indicates a two-handed weapon with a damage die that increases at certain levels.
- Light weapons are easy to use in two-weapon fighting and often compatible with shield use.
- Loading rules limit how frequently you can use the weapon with ranged attacks.
- Long range and normal range bands for thrown and projectile weapons affect hit chances.
- Reach extends your threat range or enables special interactions on hit.
- Special properties like bane, defensive, or spell functionality add unique effects.
- Thrown designation determines whether a weapon can be used at range without a launcher.
- Two-handed weapons generally require both hands and cannot be used with a shield.
- Versatile allows a weapon to deal different damage depending on how you wield it.
Melee Weapons Reference Overview
Melee options are organized by complexity and power, from basic tools to iconic arms that define martial archetypes. Simple choices give you flexibility and accessibility, while martial weapons enable optimized builds that maximize damage output and battlefield control. Understanding damage dice, weight, cost, and special traits helps you plan equipment budgets and combat tactics for different party roles and campaign tones.
Core Melee Inventory by Category
| Weapon | Category | Damage | Properties | Typical Cost | Typical Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Simple melee | 1d4 bludgeoning | Light | 2 sp | 2 lb |
| Dagger | Simple melee | 1d4 piercing | Finesse, light, thrown (20/60) | 2 sp | 1 lb |
| Greatsword | Martial melee | 2d6 slashing | Heavy, two-handed | 50 gp | 6 lb |
| Longsword | Martial melee | 1d8 slashing | Versatile | 15 gp | 2 lb |
| Greataxe | Martial melee | 1d12 slashing | Heavy, two-handed | 30 gp | 7 lb |
| Handaxe | Simple melee | 1d6 slashing | Light, thrown (20/60) | 5 sp | 3 lb |
| Javelin | Simple melee | 1d6 piercing | Thrown (30/120), versatile | 5 sp | 2 lb |
| Mace | Simple melee | 1d6 bludgeoning | Heavy | 5 gp | 4 lb |
| Quarterstaff | Simple melee | 1d6 bludgeoning | Versatile, two-handed | 2 sp | 4 lb |
| Scimitar | Martial melee | 1d6 slashing | Finesse | 25 gp | 2 lb |
| Shortsword | Simple melee | 1d6 piercing | Finesse, light | 10 gp | 2 lb |
| Spear | Simple melee | 1d6 piercing | Thrown (20/60), versatile | 1 sp | 3 lb |
Ranged Weapons and Their Roles
Ranged weapons allow you to strike from a distance, controlling engagement timing and positioning. Simple ranged weapons are often accessible to more classes, while martial ranged tools offer superior reach and damage. Ammunition type and availability can affect campaign logistics, especially in long adventures or resource-scarce settings. Consider both damage and range bands when selecting ranged arms to ensure they fit your party’s mobility and combat rhythm.
Ranged Inventory and Performance
| Weapon | Category | Damage | Properties | Range | Typical Cost | Typical Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blowgun | Simple Ranged | 1 piercing | Ammunition (darts), loading | 10/30 | 2 gp | 1 lb |
| Crossbow, Light | Simple Ranged | 1d8 piercing | Loading, two-handed | 80/320 | 25 gp | 5 lb |
| Crossbow, Heavy | Martial Ranged | 1d10 piercing | Loading, two-handed, versatile | 100/400 | 50 gp | 18 lb |
| Longbow | Martial Ranged | 1d8 piercing | Two-handed, loading | 150/600 | 50 gp | 2 lb |
| Net | Martial Melee/Ranged | — | Thrown (5/15), special | 5/15 | 1 gp | 3 lb |
Choosing Weapons for Your Build
Effective weapon selection connects your class identity, ability scores, and playstyle priorities. Fighters and barbarians often pair Greatswords or Greataxes with Heavy or two-handed builds to maximize damage, while Battlemasters and Eldritch Knights may choose versatile tools for tactical reach. Rangers and Paladins benefit from long range options like Longbows or Heavy Crossbows for safe engagement and reliable damage. Finesse-focused builds lean on Daggers, Shortswords, and Scimitars to leverage Dexterity for both attack and damage, supporting mobile or stealthy concepts. Consider campaign logistics, enemy defenses such as resistances or immunities, and your party’s role to ensure your chosen weapon remains relevant across a long adventuring career.
Practical Considerations and Campaign Fit
Beyond raw numbers, consider availability, cost, downtime, and roleplay when choosing weapons. Adventuring gear availability can vary by region and downtime, and some exotic martial arms may require special training or quests to obtain. Ammunition costs for bows and crossbows add up over time, so factor resource usage into your planning. In social or investigative sessions, a weapon’s appearance and cultural associations matter, so choose themes that fit your character’s background. Matching weapon choice to campaign tone, party composition, and expected challenges ensures your toolset remains useful from low-level skirmishes to epic confrontations.