Expanded Weapons
Adventuring is a hard business, and to keep up with new monsters and villains, players have to constantly invent new ways to slash, stab, slay, and otherwise murder their enemies. However, there are only so many ways to gut a man with a simple dagger, and there are only so many kinds of weapons for players to experiment with in the standard rules. To make sure players have new ways to do horrible violence for years to come, we present this list of brand new weapons.
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Expanded Weapons
Designed to be used with the original Weapons table from the Player's Handbook, these weapons are meant to provide player characters with additional options. Whether you pick and choose a few or decide to incorporate the entire list into your game, each should be uniquely flavored to serve its own purpose while simultaneously being balanced with other PHB options.
Weapon Properties
Many weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Expanded Weapons table.
Defensive. A defensive weapon grants the wielder defensive options. While wielding a defensive weapon, you gain a +1 bonus to AC so long as you aren’t using a shield. You can only benefit from a single defensive weapon at a time.
Special Weapons
Weapons with special rules are described here.
Boomerang. If an attack roll with a boomerang misses, it returns to the user immediately afterwards.
Brass Knuckles. You can wield brass knuckles in a hand that is already holding an item or weapon. You cannot wield brass knuckles in the same hand as a shield. While wielding brass knuckles, you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks that require the use of your fingers. Attacks made with brass knuckles count as unarmed strikes.
Compound Bow. A creature wielding a compound bow must have a Strength score of at least 13 or have disadvantage on attack rolls made with it.
Greatbow. Attack and damage rolls with greatbows use your Strength modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier.
Kusarigama. If you successfully hit a creature with a ranged attack using a kusarigama, it does not take damage and instead must make a contested Strength (Athletics) check against you, on which you have advantage. If it fails, it is pulled up to 20 feet towards you.
Molotov. A molotov is expended once thrown. Upon hit, it ignites flammable objects that aren’t being worn or carried within 5 feet of the target.
War Banner. While you wield a war banner, creatures have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to perceive you that rely on sight.
Reflavoring Weapons
Some weapons and their functionality greatly resemble that of another. For instance, you may envision your seafaring pirate character using a cutlass. Though a katana and cutlass are in essence different weapons, the functionality of each within the rules of the game can be nearly indistinguishable, thus allowing the katana to be reflavored as a cutlass. The same could be said for a mace as a crowbar, a kunai as a shuriken, a sai as a jitte, a net as a bolas, and so on and so forth. You are limited only by your imagination!
Variant Weapon Proficiencies
Consider using the following proficiencies to supplement the original class weapons proficiencies. Consider also using the additional weapons proficiencies for the Monk class as monk weapons for its Martial Arts feature.
Bard. War fans
Druid. Boomerangs, machetes, pickaxes, pitchforks, scythes, torches (lit)
Monk. Bōs, chakrams, katanas, kunai, kusarigama, nunchakus, sai, war fans
Rogue. Katanas, kusarigama, nunchakus, sai, war fans
Sorcerer. Torches (lit)
Wizard. Torches (lit)
Expanded Weapons
Name Cost Damage Weight Properties
Simple Melee Weapons
Boomerang 5 sp 1d4 bludgeoning 1 lb. Special, thrown (range 25/100)
Brass Knuckles 2 gp 1d4 bludgeoning 1 lb. Light, special
Buckler 5 gp 1d4 bludgeoning 3 lb. Defensive, light
Machete 1 gp 1d6 slashing 2 lb. Light
Pickaxe 5 sp 1d6 piercing 4 lb. —
Pitchfork 5 sp 1d6 piercing 3 lb. Reach, two-handed
Scythe 2 gp 1d6 slashing 4 lb. Reach, two-handed
Torch (lit) 1 cp 1d4 fire 1 lb. Light
Simple Ranged Weapons
Molotov 3 cp 1d4 fire 1 lb. Finesse, special, thrown (range 20/60)
Martial Melee Weapons
Bō 1 gp 1d8 bludgeoning 7 lb. Defensive, two-handed
Cat o' nine tails 15 gp 2d4 slashing 3 lb. —
Chakram 3 gp 1d4 slashing 1 lb. Finesse, light, thrown (range 30/120)
Estoc 15 gp 1d8 piercing 4 lb. Versatile (1d10)
Greathammer 20 gp 1d12 bludgeoning 16 lb. Heavy, two-handed
Katana 50 gp 1d8 slashing 3 lb. Finesse
Kunai 3 gp 1d4 piercing 1 lb. Finesse, light, thrown (range 30/120)
Kusarigama 30 gp 1d4 piercing 3 lb. Finesse, special, thrown (range 20/60)
Nunchaku 5 gp 1d6 bludgeoning 1 lb. Finesse, light
Ōdachi 75 gp 1d10 slashing 6 lb. Finesse, heavy, two-handed
Sai 5 gp 1d4 piercing 1 lb. Defensive, finesse, light
Spetum 20 gp 1d10 piercing 6 lb. Defensive, two-handed
Spiked shield 10 gp 1d6 piercing 6 lb. Defensive, light
War banner 15 gp 1d10 piercing 14 lb. Heavy, reach, special, two-handed
War fan 10 gp 1d4 slashing 1 lb. Defensive, finesse, light
Martial Ranged Weapons
Compound bow 50 gp 1d8 piercing 2 lb. Ammunition (range 100/400), heavy, two-handed
Crossbow, repeating 75 gp 1d6 piercing 6 lb. Ammunition (range 80/320), two-handed
Crossbow, shielded 50 gp 1d8 piercing 10 lb. Ammunition (range 80/320), defensive, loading, two-handed
Greatbow 75 gp 1d8 piercing 6 lb. Ammunition (range 100/400), heavy, special, two-handed