Weapon Properties

Many weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in 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 the weapon. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition from a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack. 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 (see “Improvised Weapons” later in the section). A sling must be loaded to deal any damage when used in this way.

Disarming: A weapon with the disarming property is specially designed to disarm an opponent. They often have hooks, curved blades, angled spikes, or wrapping chains. If you are proficient with a disarming weapon, you add your proficiency bonus to disarm checks while wielding it.

Double: When you take the Attack action and attack with a double weapon, you can use a bonus action to make another attack with the other end of the weapon, dealing damage equal to the value in parentheses, on the property description. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

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.

Glove: A glove weapon is worn on your hand or forearm, and you cannot be disarmed of it. You can hold objects, wield weapons, and cast spells with a hand fitted with a glove weapon, but you can only attack with the glove weapon if that hand is unoccupied. It takes an action to don or doff a glove weapon.

Heavy: Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. A heavy weapon’s size and bulk make it too large for a small creature to use effectively.

Hidden: A weapon with the hidden property is designed to be easily concealed by the holder. If you have proficiency with a hidden weapon, you also gain advantage on checks with Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to hide the weapon.

Light: A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons. See the rules for two-weapon fighting in chapter 9.

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 shown 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 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.

Reach: This weapon adds 5 feet to your reach when you attack with it.

Returning: A weapon with the returning property has an airfoil design that allows it to return to the thrower when thrown. If you make a ranged attack with a returning weapon and miss, you catch it at the end of your turn if you still have a free hand. Returning weapons need lots of space to bank and return to the thrower. There must be no obstructions (such as walls or trees) in a circle around the target of diameter equal to the distance to the target.

Special: A weapon with the special property has unusual rules governing its use, explained in the weapon’s description (see “Special Weapons” later in this section).

Thrown: If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the weapon is a melee weapon, you 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, you use your Strength, but if you throw a dagger, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity, since the dagger has the finesse property.

Two-Handed: This weapon requires two hands to use.

Versatile: This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Masterwork Properties

Weapon Masterwork: For 150 GP, a weapon can be improved with one unique masterwork feature. Weapons cannot be improved more than once.

Accurate: Reduces AC granted by cover by 1 to ammunition weapons.

Aerodynamic: Ammunition weapon range increased by +10/40 and thrown by +5/15.

Alternate damage: Add bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing quality to a weapon.

Deadly: Reroll (once) all 1s on a damage roll. This cannot be used if another feature allowed a reroll.

Defensive: As reaction, add +1 to AC. If dual-wielding, add +2. Does not function with a shield.

Disarming: Gain +1 to disarm attacks, +2 if using weapon 2-handed (DMG 271).

Fine: Double weapon’s hardness (if any), hit points, and reduce break chance (if any) by 1.

High Critical: Any 1s rolled for critical damage are treated as 2s.

Tripping: Gain +1 to shove, +2 if using weapon 2-handed (PHB 195).

Wounding: Creates vicious injury that deals 1 point of bleeding at end of target’s next turn. Any healing, a Medicine DC 8 check, or use of a healing kit prevents this damage. The effect can stack with multiple attacks.