Projectile Weapons: Blowguns, light crossbows, slings, heavy crossbows, shortbows, composite shortbows, longbows, composite longbows, halfling sling staves, hand crossbows, and repeating crossbows are projectile weapons. Such a weapon has a range increment of 10 feet. Regardless of the type of weapon, such an attack scores a threat only on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. Throwing a light or one-handed weapon is a standard action, while throwing a two-handed weapon is a full-round action. It is possible to throw a weapon that isn't designed to be thrown (that is, a melee weapon that doesn't have a numeric entry in the Range column on Table: Weapons), and a character who does so takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll. The wielder applies his Strength modifier to damage dealt by thrown weapons (except for splash weapons). Thrown Weapons: Daggers, clubs, shortspears, spears, darts, javelins, throwing axes, light hammers, tridents, shuriken, and nets are thrown weapons. A creature wielding a double weapon in one hand can't use it as a double weapon-only one end of the weapon can be used in any given round. The character can also choose to use a double weapon two-handed, attacking with only one end of it. A character can fight with both ends of a double weapon as if fighting with two weapons, but he incurs all the normal attack penalties associated with two-weapon combat, just as though the character were wielding a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A typical Large character wielding a reach weapon of the appropriate size can attack a creature 15 or 20 feet away, but not adjacent creatures or creatures up to 10 feet away.ĭouble Weapons: Dire flails, dwarven urgroshes, gnome hooked hammers, orc double axes, quarterstaves, and two-bladed swords are double weapons. Most reach weapons double the wielder's natural reach, meaning that a typical Small or Medium wielder of such a weapon can attack a creature 10 feet away, but not a creature in an adjacent square. A reach weapon is a melee weapon that allows its wielder to strike at targets that aren't adjacent to him. Reach Weapons: Glaives, guisarmes, lances, longspears, ranseurs, and whips are reach weapons. Ranged weapons are thrown weapons or projectile weapons that are not effective in melee. Melee and Ranged Weapons: Melee weapons are used for making melee attacks, though some of them can be thrown as well. A character who uses a weapon with which he is not proficient takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls. All characters are proficient with unarmed strikes and any natural weapons possessed by their race. Characters of other classes are proficient with an assortment of simple weapons and possibly some martial or even exotic weapons.

Barbarians, fighters, paladins, and rangers are proficient with all simple and all martial weapons. Simple, Martial, and Exotic Weapons: Anybody but a druid, monk, or wizard is proficient with all simple weapons.

These categories pertain to what training is needed to become proficient in a weapon's use (simple, martial, or exotic), the weapon's usefulness either in close combat (melee) or at a distance (ranged, which includes both thrown and projectile weapons), its relative encumbrance (light, one-handed, or two-handed), and its size (Small, Medium, or Large). Weapons are grouped into several interlocking sets of categories. If this second attack roll is equal or greater than the target's AC, the hit becomes a critical hit, dealing additional damage. If a critical threat is scored, another attack roll is made, using the same modifiers as the original attack roll. When the result of the die roll to make an attack is a natural 20 (that is, the die actually shows a 20), this is known as a critical threat (although some weapons can score a critical threat on a roll of less than 20). This damage is subtracted from the current hit points of any creature struck by the weapon.

From the common longsword to the exotic dwarven urgrosh, weapons come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.Īll weapons deal hit point damage.

Larger than light weapons