Weapon Properties

All weapons may deal the same basic types of damage, but they also have special properties that make each unique. You can only benefit from properties marked with † if you are proficient with the weapon.

Breaker. This weapon deals double damage to unattended objects, such as doors and walls. If this property only applies to a specific type of material, such as wood, it is stated in parenthesis after this property.   

Compounding†. You use only your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Defensive†. This weapon is designed to be used with a shield of the stated degree or lighter (light, medium, or heavy). When you make an attack with this weapon and are using a shield designed for it, you can use a bonus action to either make an attack with your shield or increase your Armor Class by 1 until the start of your next turn.

Dual-Wielding†. This weapon is designed to be wielded in concert with another weapon. When wielding another weapon in your main hand that does not have the heavy property, you can use your bonus action to make an attack with this weapon (see Two-Weapon Fighting). 

Finesse. You may choose to use your Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Hand-Mounted†. This weapon is affixed to your hand. You can do simple activities such as climbing a ladder while wielding this weapon, and you have advantage on saving throws made to resist being disarmed. You cannot use a hand that is wielding a hand-mounted weapon to do complex tasks like picking a pocket, using thieves’ tools to bypass a lock, or casting spells with seen components.

Heavy. This weapon is too large for Small creatures to use effectively. Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. 

Loading. This weapon must be loaded before it can be used. You may only make one attack with a loading weapon when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make. 

Mounted†. This weapon deals the damage listed in parenthesis when you are wielding it while mounted.

Parrying†. When you are wielding this weapon and you are not using a shield, once before your next turn you can gain an expertise die to your AC against a single melee attack made against you by a creature you can see. You cannot use this property while incapacitated , paralyzed , rattled , restrained , or stunned .

Parrying Immunity. Attacks with this weapon ignore the parrying property and Armor Class bonuses from shields.

Range. This weapon fires ammunition. The range lists two numbers after it, both measured in feet—the first is the weapon’s normal range, and the second is the weapon’s maximum range. You have disadvantage on attack rolls made beyond the weapon’s normal range, and you cannot make attacks against targets beyond the weapon’s maximum range.

Reach. This weapon can be used to make attacks against targets within 10 feet. If a weapon has a longer reach, it is stated in parentheses after this property.

Simple. This weapon can be used with very little skill or training, and all creatures gain proficiency with it.

Thrown. This weapon can be thrown as a ranged weapon attack. The thrown property lists two numbers after it, both measured in feet—the first is the weapon’s normal thrown range, and the second is the weapon’s maximum range. You have disadvantage on attack rolls made beyond the weapon’s normal range, and you cannot make attacks against targets beyond the weapon’s maximum range. Additionally, when using this weapon to make a ranged weapon attack, you may choose to use your Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for its attack and damage roll.

Trip†. When used with a combat maneuver that trips a creature or the Knockdown attack, this weapon increases your Maneuver DC by 1. If the target is mounted, your Maneuver DC is instead increased by 2.

Two-Handed. You must use two hands to wield this weapon.

Versatile. This weapon may be wielded with one or both hands. If wielded with both hands, it deals the damage listed in parentheses.

Vicious. A vicious weapon scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. If you already have a feature that increases the range of your critical hits, your critical hit range increases by 1 (maximum 17–20).