D&D (2024) 5.5 Weapons Table (Create Your Own Weapon)

[Yaarel]

This proposal for 5.5 weapons uses one standard for all weapons. In addition to the examples that use the standard here, you can create your own weapon. For best results, it helps to have a reallife historical weapon in mind to model the weapon statistics.

The proposal makes no distinction between simple and martial. All standard weapons are a viable choice, depending on style. Only the Fighter class is proficient with every possible weapon. Certain Fighter Fighting Styles can modify the traits of a weapon. All other classes choose two to five weapon proficiencies. Except, the Wizard class relies on cantrips, has no weapon proficiencies, but can swap a cantrip for one weapon proficiency.



WEAPON TRAITS

Each weapon uses the following formula.

Standard Weapon Damage = 1d8 base die size

Damage Die Sizes: 1 › 1d3 › 1d4 › 1d6 › 1d8 › 1d10 › 1d12 › 2d6

When you add a trait to a weapon make the comparable tradeoff in the die size of its damage. Note, here the Versatile trait is the same thing as the Twohanded trait except one can optionally use it onehanded. All weapons use Strength for their attack and damage, unless the Ammunition or Finesse trait uses Dexterity instead. Finesse means the weapon is precise and can benefit from subtle dexterous movements. You and your DM must agree if implementing a nonstandard Special trait.

Ammunition (range, only Dex): decrease die size twice
Finesse (Str or Dex): decrease die size once
Light (offhand, can use in grapple): decrease die size once
Loading (only once per round): increase die size once
Heavy (medium size only): increase die size once
Hook (hit can pull, some deal pierce damage): decrease die size once
Mount: when on charging mount and onehanded, increase die size twice
Reach: decrease die size once
Reach only (disadvantage within 5 feet): −
Special: nonstandard modification of die size
Throw (range): decrease die size once
Twohanded/Versatile: when twohanded, increase die size twice

WEAPON EXAMPLES

Ammunitions
Blowgun 1 pierce: ammunition, light, loading; special (can stay hidden)
Handbow 1d4 pierce: ammunition, light, loading
Heavy Crossbow 1d12 pierce: ammunition, heavy, loading, twohanded
Light Crossbow 1d6 pierce: ammunition, loading
Longbow 1d10 pierce: ammunition, heavy, twohanded
Shortbow 1d8 pierce: ammunition, twohanded
Sling 1d6 bludgeon: ammunition, loading

Axes
Battleaxe 1d8 slash: versatile (1d12)
Greataxe 2d6 slash: heavy, twohanded
Halberd 1d10 slash: heavy, hook (pull), reach, twohanded
Hatchet 1d6 slash: light
Throwing Axe 1d4 slash: light, throw

Blades (1 foot or less)
Dagger 1d4 pierce: finesse, light
Knife 1d6 slash/pierce: light
Shuriken 1d3 pierce: finesse, light, throw
Throwing Knife 1d4 pierce: finesse, throw

Blades (1 foot to 2 feet)
Glaive 1d12 slash: heavy, reach, twohanded
Khukuri (Kukri) 1d6 slash: light
Longknife 1d4 pierce: finesse, light
Seax 1d8 slash: −
Shortsword 1d6 slash/pierce: finesse

Blades (2 feet to 3 feet)
Katana 1d6 slash: finesse, versatile (1d10)
Scimitar 1d6 slash: light, mount (1d10)
Spatha 1d8 slash/pierce: −
Sword 1d8 slash/pierce: finesse, heavy

Blades (3 feet to 4 feet)
Longsword 1d8 slash: versatile (1d12)
Rapier 1d6 pierce: finesse

Blades (4 feet or more)
Greatsword 2d6 slash: heavy, twohanded
Twohander (zweihänder) 2d6 slash: heavy, reach only, twohanded; special (instead within 5 feet, halfsword 1d6 pierce)

Flexibles
Bolas 1d4 bludgeon: loading, throw; special (prone, Athletics versus DC 10 to free)
Flail (staff with hinged rod, threshing tool) 1d10 bludgeon: reach, twohanded
Meteor (chain with spiked ball) 1d8 pierce/bludgeon: finesse, reach, twohanded
Military Flail (rod with chain with spiked ball) 1d8 pierce/bludgeon: −
Net −: loading, throw; special (restrained, Athletics versus DC 10 to free)
Nunchaku 1d4 bludgeon: finesse, light, versatile (1d8)
Scourge (rod with cords each with metal weight) 1d8 slash: −
Whip 1 slash: finesse, light, reach

Hammers
Hammer (woodwork tool) 1d4 bludgeon: light, thrown
Maul (sledgehammer) 2d6 bludgeon: heavy, twohanded
Pickaxe (mining tool) 1d8 pierce: versatile (1d12)
Warhammer (rod or staff with hammerhead with spike) 1d6 bludgeon: hook (1d6 pierce, pull), versatile/mount (1d10)

Rods
Cane (shaft about 3 feet, 2 to 4) 1d4 bludgeon: finesse, light
Club (baseball bat, studded tetsuba) 1d6 bludgeon: light, versatile (1d10)
Greatclub 1d12 bludgeon: twohanded
Greatmace 2d6 bludgeon: heavy, twohanded
Mace 1d8 bludgeon: −
Morningstar (spiked mace) 1d8 pierce/bludgeon: −
Staff (shaft 4 to 10 feet) 1d6 bludgeon: finesse, versatile (1d10)
Throwstick 1d6 bludgeon: throw

Spears
Dart (thrown weighted arrow) 1d4 pierce: finesse, throw
Javelin (shaft 6 to 8 feet) 1d6 pierce: throw, versatile (1d10)
Lance (shaft 8 to 10 feet) 1d8 pierce: reach only, versatile/mount (1d12)
Longspear (shaft 8 to 10 feet) 1d8 pierce: heavy, reach, versatile (1d12)
Spear (shaft 6 to 8 feet) 1d8 pierce: heavy, throw, versatile (1d12)
Trident 1d6 pierce: throw, versatile (1d10)

 

[Yaarel]

The pike is a twohanded spear with a 10-12 foot shaft, sometimes much longer during polearm warfare. It doesnt make sense for it to inflict heavy damage. I would rather give it a special trait instead. Something like the one in the Polearm Master feat. But then the feat would extend to spear and longspear too. The pike is mostly useless in melee. Its main purpose is to prevent a target from approaching. Something like.

Pike (shaft 10 to 12 feet, or longer) 1d8 piercing: heavy, reach only, twohanded; special (when a target enters reach, your opportunity attack that hits repels entry)

 

[Horwath]

The pike is a twohanded spear with a 10-12 foot shaft, sometimes much longer during polearm warfare. It doesnt make sense for it to inflict heavy damage. I would rather give it a special trait instead. Something like the one in the Polearm Master feat. But then the feat would extend to spear and longspear too. The pike is mostly useless in melee. Its main purpose is to prevent a target from approaching. Something like.

Pike (shaft 10 to 12 feet, or longer) 1d8 piercing: heavy, reach only, twohanded; special (when a target enters reach, your opportunity attack that hits repels entry)

Pike should be:

2Handed, heavy, reach, special
2d6 P damage,(in my variant greatsword is 2d8)

special: reach 15ft, within 10ft attack with disadvantage, within 5ft you cannot attack with pike.

The repel part should be left to sentinel feat.

what pike gives if ability to attack from 2 rows in the back.
so you can have front lines with 5ft reach(or 10)
2nd row with 10ft reach and
3rd row with 15ft reach(maybe going against cover here, +2 AC)
(possible 4th row of bugbear mercenaries)

in a narrow passage, this can give you an edge over less organized enemy

 

[Yaarel]

Pike should be:

2Handed, heavy, reach, special
2d6 P damage,(in my variant greatsword is 2d8)

special: reach 15ft, within 10ft attack with disadvantage, within 5ft you cannot attack with pike.

The repel part should be left to sentinel feat.

what pike gives if ability to attack from 2 rows in the back.
so you can have front lines with 5ft reach(or 10)
2nd row with 10ft reach and
3rd row with 15ft reach(maybe going against cover here, +2 AC)
(possible 4th row of bugbear mercenaries)

in a narrow passage, this can give you an edge over less organized enemy

I have never seen a pike in action, but I cannot imagine that it deals more damage than a normal spear. Indeed I expect it to deal less damage because of how unwieldy it is.

It is a thrusting weapon, so the force of its thrust is identical to a spear. But its aim is worse.

 

[Yaarel]

In the original post, all weapons use the same standard, and are equally good options depending on fighting style. This post, uses the same weapons but organizes them between simple weapons and martial weapons, strictly depending on their damage dice. The simple weapon is any weapon that deals 1d6 or smaller. The martial weapon is any weapon that deals more. But both categories are good options. All are standard, none are inferior. For now I am leaving the flexible weapons as a separate category.


Simple Ammunition Weapons
Blowgun 1 pierce: ammunition, light, loading; special (can stay hidden)
Handbow 1d4 pierce: ammunition, light, loading
Light Crossbow 1d6 pierce: ammunition, loading
Sling (shepherds sling) 1d6 bludgeon: ammunition, loading

Martial Ammunition Weapons
Heavy Crossbow 1d12 pierce: ammunition, heavy, loading, twohanded
Longbow 1d10 pierce: ammunition, heavy, twohanded
Shortbow (composite bow) 1d8 pierce: ammunition, twohanded

Simple Melee Weapons
Cane (shaft about 3 feet, 2 to 4) 1d4 bludgeon: finesse, light
Club (baseball bat, studded tetsuba) 1d6 bludgeon: light, versatile (1d10)
Dagger 1d4 pierce: finesse, light
Dart (thrown weighted arrow) 1d4 pierce: finesse, throw
Hammer (woodwork tool) 1d4 bludgeon: light, thrown
Hatchet 1d6 slash: light
Javelin (shaft 6 to 8 feet) 1d6 pierce: throw, versatile (1d10)
Katana 1d6 slash: finesse, versatile (1d10)
Knife (blade 1 foot or less) 1d6 slash/pierce: light
Khukuri (Kukri) (blade 1 to 2 feet) 1d6 slash: light
Longknife (blade 1 to 2 feet) 1d4 pierce: finesse, light
Rapier (blade 3 to 4 feet) 1d6 pierce: finesse
Scimitar (blade 2 to 3 feet) 1d6 slash: light, mount (1d10)
Shortsword (blade 1 to 2 feet) 1d6 slash/pierce: finesse
Shuriken 1d3 pierce: finesse, light, throw
Staff (shaft 4 to 10 feet) 1d6 bludgeon: finesse, versatile (1d10)
Throwing Axe 1d4 slash: light, throw
Throwing Knife (blade 1 foot or less) 1d4 pierce: finesse, throw
Throwstick 1d6 bludgeon: throw
Trident 1d6 pierce: throw, versatile (1d10)
Warhammer (rod or staff with hammerhead with spike) 1d6 bludgeon: hook (1d6 pierce, pull), versatile/mount (1d10)

Martial Melee Weapons
Battleaxe 1d8 slash: versatile (1d12)
Glaive (shaft 6 to 8 feet, blade 1 to 2 feet) 1d12 slash: heavy, reach, twohanded
Greataxe 2d6 slash: heavy, twohanded
Greatclub 1d12 bludgeon: twohanded
Greatmace 2d6 bludgeon: heavy, twohanded
Greatsword (blade 4 feet or more) 2d6 slash: heavy, twohanded
Mace 1d8 bludgeon: −
Morningstar (spiked mace) 1d8 pierce/bludgeon: −
Halberd (shaft 8 to 10 feet) 1d10 slash: heavy, hook (pull), reach, twohanded
Lance (shaft 8 to 10 feet) 1d8 pierce: reach only, versatile/mount (1d12)
Longspear (shaft 8 to 10 feet) 1d8 pierce: heavy, reach, versatile (1d12)
Longsword (blade 3 to 4 feet) 1d8 slash: versatile (1d12)
Maul 2d6 bludgeon: heavy, twohanded
Pickaxe (mining tool) 1d8 pierce: versatile (1d12)
Seax (blade 1 to 2 feet) 1d8 slash: −
Spatha (blade 2 to 3 feet) 1d8 slash/pierce: −
Spear (shaft 6 to 8 feet) 1d8 pierce: heavy, throw, versatile (1d12)
Sword (blade 2 to 3 feet) 1d8 slash/pierce: finesse, heavy
Twohander (zweihänder) (blade 4 feet or more) 2d6 slash: heavy, reach only, twohanded; special (instead within 5 feet, halfsword 1d6 pierce)

Flexible Melee Weapons
Bolas 1d4 bludgeon: loading, throw; special (prone, Athletics versus DC 10 to free)
Flail (staff with hinged rod) 1d10 bludgeon: reach, twohanded
Meteor (chain with spiked ball) 1d8 pierce/bludgeon: finesse, reach, twohanded
Military Flail (rod with chain with spiked ball) 1d8 pierce/bludgeon: −
Net −: loading, throw; special (restrained, Athletics versus DC 10 to free)
Nunchaku 1d4 bludgeon: finesse, light, versatile (1d8)
Scourge (rod with cords each with metal weight) 1d8 slash: −
Whip 1 slash: finesse, light, reach