Armor Properties

The armor table shows the cost, weight, and other properties of the common types of armor worn in the worlds of D&D.

Adamantine. An adamantine suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. The adamantine version of an armor costs 10000 gp more than the normal version. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.

Armor Class (AC). Armor protects its wearer from attacks. The armor (and shield) you wear determines your base Armor Class.

Armor Proficiency. If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can't cast spells. You cannot be disarmed of your armor.

Damage. A creature wearing spiked armor of any variant or wielding a shield can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack with the armor spikes or shield at a target within 5 feet of it, and at the start of each of their turns, they can deal damage while wearing spiked armor to one creature grappled by them with the armor spikes. The damage equals the damage die in the damage column, and you use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

Mithril. Mithral is a light, flexible metal. A mithral chain shirt or breastplate can be worn under normal clothes. The mithril version of an armor costs 1000 gp more than the normal version. If the armor normally imposes disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks or has a Strength requirement, the mithral version of the armor doesn't.

Shields. A shield is made from wood or metal and is carried in one hand. Wielding a shield increases your Armor Class by the amount stated in the armor class column. You can only gain the armor class increase from one shield at a time. If your character starts with a shield, that shield is a round shield.

Stealth. If the Armor table shows "Disadvantage" in the Stealth column, the wearer has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Strength. Armor can interfere with the wearer's ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. If the strength score is less than the score in the Strength column for an armor type, the armor reduces the wearer's speed by 10 feet unless the wearer has a Strength score equal to or higher than the listed score.

Battlerager. The battlerager barbarian can use all spiked armor variants for its class features, and can rage while wearing heavy armor, ignoring the restriction. The damage for all of its subclass features is reflected in the damage column of the respective armor types, replacing the damage the features normally deal.

Improvised Weapons

Sometimes characters don't have their weapons and have to attack with whatever is at hand. An improvised weapon includes any object you can wield in one or two hands, such as broken glass, a table leg, a frying pan, a wagon wheel, or a dead goblin. Often, an improvised weapon is similar to an actual weapon and can be treated as such. For example, a table leg is akin to a club. At the DM's option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus.

An object that bears no resemblance to a weapon deals 1d4 damage (the DM assigns a damage type appropriate to the object). If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property, it also deals 1d4 damage. An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

Special Weapons

Weapons with special rules are described here.

Bowblade. The bowblade can be transformed into a scimitar or back again as a bonus action.

Harpoon. When you score a hit with a thrown ranged attack with the Harpoon against a Huge creature or smaller, the target cannot move further than 30 feet away from you as long as you hold the rope or tie it to an immovable object. They can free themselves with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to rip the rope or use their action to pull out the harpoon, dealing 1d6 piercing damage to themselves unless they succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check to pull it out safely.

Net. A Large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 20 slashing damage to the net (AC 20) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net. When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack with the net regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.

Quadflail. When you hit an attack with this flail, roll a d4. The number rolled determines how many heads will hit the target. You roll the damage die and add your ability modifier as well as any other modifiers a number of times equal to the number rolled on the d4.

Whipblade. When you make a thrown ranged attack with the Whipblade, the blade gets pulled back into your hand as part of the attack.

Uncommon Weapons

    Adamantine. An adamantine weapon or piece of ammunition overcomes resistance and immunity to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage that isn't adamantine. Any hit made with an adamantine weapon against an object is a critical hit, and adamantine armor is treated as normal armor. The adamantine version of a melee weapon or of ten pieces of ammunition costs 500 gp more than the normal version, whether the weapon or ammunition is made of the metal or coated with it.

Advanced. Advanced weapons are difficult to master, and as a result require more specialised training than even martial weapons. Characters gain proficiency in Advanced Weapons when they have proficiency in all Martial Weapons. If a character gains proficiency in Martial Weapons at a later level, then they also gain proficiency in Advanced Weapons. If you gain the Weapon Master feat, you can also choose an advanced weapon as one of the weapon proficiencies you gain.

Enchanted. You can purchase or craft five pieces of enchanted ammunition or a single enchanted melee weapon and give it one weapon property with an (E) next to its name. This property is applied when the ammunition is purchased or crafted, and cannot be changed. The cost for five pieces of enchanted ammunition equals 250 gp more than the normal version, and 1000 gp more than the normal version for a melee weapon. To craft and enchant ammunition or a melee weapon, you must be proficient in smith's tools and be able to cast at least one spell of any level. The enchanting process takes 10 minutes, which you can undertake as part of a short or long rest, after which the gold is absorbed into the enchanted object. Once a a weapon or piece of ammunition is given an enchanted property, it cannot be be given another enchantment.

Weapon Properties

Many weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Weapons tables.

Armor Piercing (E). You have advantage on attack rolls with an Armor Piercing weapon or ammunition when attacking a creature that has an AC of 20 or higher.

Blessed (E). When a creature is hit with a Blessed weapon or ammunition, the target cannot take reactions until the end of their next turn.

Blinding (E). When a creature is hit with a Blinding weapon or ammunition, the target is affected by the blinded condition until the end of their next turn.

Disabling (E). When a creature is hit with a Disabling weapon or ammunition, the target's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn.

Distracting (E). When a creature is hit with a Distracting weapon or ammunition, the next saving throw the target makes before the end of the wielder's next turn is made with disadvantage.

Elemental (E). When you hit a creature with an Elemental weapon or ammunition, the target takes an additional 2d4 of one of the following damage types (chosen when gaining this property): acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder.

Exotic (E). When you hit a creature with an Exotic weapon or ammunition, the target takes an additional 1d8 of one of the following damage types (chosen when gaining this property): force, necrotic, psychic, or radiant.

Glowing (E). As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your Glowing weapon or ammunition shed bright light in a 30 foot radius, and dim light for an additional 30 feet. You can deactivate this effect with another bonus action on your turn.

Slaying (E). When you hit a creature with an Slaying weapon or ammunition, the target takes an additional 2d6 damage if it is of one of the following creature types (chosen when gaining this property): aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, undead or two distinct humanoid races (such as gnolls and orcs).

Switching (E). When you hit a creature with an Switching weapon or ammunition, you can use a bonus action immediately afterwards to switch places with the target.

Adaptable. When you make an opportunity attack with this weapon, you have advantage on the attack roll.

Agile. When making an attack with an agile weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls when you wield the weapon in two hands. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.

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 (you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon).

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. A sling must be loaded to deal any damage when used this way.

Blackpowder. When fired, Blackpowder weapons emit a deafening crack audible 300 feet away. If a Blackpowder weapon is exposed to heavy rain, submerged, or drenched in water by a similar means, then it cannot fire. A character cannot use this weapon again until they complete a short rest in dry conditions. Blackpowder bullets and grenades are destroyed after being used.

Bludgeon. If you make an attack with this weapon and score a critical hit against a creature wearing armor, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the extra damage it takes.

Brawler. If you attack with this weapon as part of the attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action immediately after to shove or grapple your opponent.

Brutal. When you score a critical hit against a creature with a Brutal weapon, you can add an additional weapon damage die to the damage dealt.

Bulky. When using this weapon to attack a target within 10 feet, you have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Bypass. When you attack a creature wielding a shield with a bypassing weapon, you can ignore the bonus to its AC from its shield.

Covert. If you are hidden, a missed attack with a covert weapon does not reveal you.

Cumbersome. When making an attack with a cumbersome weapon, you must use your Strength modifier for both the attack and damage rolls.

Defensive. While you are wielding a defensive weapon and no tower shield, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC. You can add this bonus only once.

Deflect. When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with an attack while you are wielding a deflecting weapon, you can reduce the damage as a reaction by 1d4 plus your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage).

Demolish. On a hit, your weapon deals double damage to structures and objects.

New Additions

Simple Melee Weapons (3)

• Arming sword, Hidden knife, Scythe

Martial Melee Weapons (25)

• Bastard sword, Broadsword, Chain sickle, Clawed gauntlet, Cutlass, Double-bladed scimitar, Double-bladed spear, Double-headed axe, Double-headed hammer, Estoc, Katana, Khopesh, Greatscythe, Harpoon, Hidden blade, Longspear, Parrying dagger, Polehammer, Riding Hammer, Saber, Spiked gauntlet, Splitstaff, Warclub, Weighted gauntlet, Whipblade

Simple Ranged Weapons (2)

• Throwing knife, Throwing star

Martial Ranged Weapons (5):

• Bowblade, Composite bow, Greatbow, Repeater crossbow, Wristbow

Advanced Melee Weapons (5)

• Quadflail, Ranseur, Ultragreatsword, Warscythe, Zweihänder

Advanced Ranged Weapons (7):

• Blackpowder grenade, Blackpowder pistol, Blackpowder repeater rifle, Blackpowder rifle, Blunderbuss, Flame bellows, Frost bellows, Storm bellows

Armor (9)

• Brigandine Armor, Light Spiked Armor, Light Carapace Armor, Laminar Plate Armor, Medium Spiked Armor, Medium Carapace Armor, Lamellan plate, Heavy Spiked Armor, Heavy Carapace Armor

Shields (3)

• Buckler shield, Round shield, Tower shield

Properties (41)

• Armor Piercing (E), Blessed (E), Blinding (E), Disabling (E), Elemental (E), Exotic (E), Glowing (E), Slaying (E), Switching (E), Adaptable, Agile, Blackpowder, Bludgeon, Brawler, Brutal, Bulky, Bypass, Covert, Cumbersome, Defensive, Deflect, Demolish, Disarm, Drag, Execute, Flexible, Glove, Heavy, Hidden, Lacerate, Liquidate, Momentum, Mount, Nimble, Parry, Penetrate, Repeater, Scatter, Swift, Unwieldy, Variable