Weapon (PSR Supplement)

Weapons are a prominent type of items. Normally you need a weapon to make an attack more effective than an unarmed strike.

Proficiency. When you make an attack with a weapon, add your PB to the attack roll if you’re proficient with the weapon. Virtually all folks are proficient with all simple weapons due to their ease of use. You can gain proficiency with some or all martial weapons through your class or feats.

Damage. A weapon is defined largely by how much damage it deals. For example a club’s damage is d4 bash. When you attack and hit with a club, you deal bash damage equal to d4 + your Strength modifier.

Attacking Ability. When you attack with a weapon, you normally add your Strength modifier to the attack roll and to the damage roll. This is called your attacking ability. Some weapons use other abilities, such as Dexterity, in which case you add your Dexterity modifier to the attack and damage rolls instead. If a weapon has multiple attack abilities, you choose one to use. This is shown in the "Ability" column in the tables below.

Hands. You can hold any weapon in one hand. Some weapons require you to use two hands to make an attack with it, such as a bow, which is represented with "✊✊" in the tables below. You can use either one or two hands when attacking with a versatile ("🖐✊") weapon, but when you use two hands the damage die increases one step: d4 becomes d6, d6 becomes d8, d8 becomes d10, or d10 becomes d12.

Weight. Like all items, weapons are sometimes light or heavy. You have disadvantage on attack rolls you make with a heavy weapon, unless you have a Strength of at least 13, or your size is at least Large.

Range. A ranged weapon can be used for an effective ranged attack. Every ranged weapon has two numbers in the "range" column. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s long range in feet. When attacking a target beyond normal range, your attack roll has disadvantage. If this attack roll suffers disadvantage otherwise, the attack automatically misses. You can’t attack beyond the weapon’s long range. For a "Thrown" weapon you throw the weapon for this ranged attack, but you can still use it for melee attacks. For an "Aimed" weapon you shoot an arrow or other projectile, and you can't use the weapon for effective melee attacks.

Other Properties. Sometimes a weapon will have other properties that affect how it is used. The following list is an example, and your campaign may have more or different properties.

• Ammo. This weapon comes with a bundle of ammunition, which counts as an extra item to be carried. You replenish common ammo freely whenever you finish downtime, and need not track it.
• Brace. If you make a melee attack with a brace weapon as part of an attack you prepared with the Ready action, you have advantage on the attack roll.
• Dire. When you attack with a dire weapon with which you're proficient, you must add your PB to the damage roll instead of the attack roll.
• Focus. If you are proficient with this weapon, holding it does not interfere with your ability to cast a spell with a somatic (S) component. This applies only to spells using the casting ability listed next to Focus, such as KNO or CHA.
• Reach. Using this weapon, you can make a melee attack against a target up to 10 feet away.
• Special. The weapon has a unique property as detailed in the weapon's description.

Simple Weapons (Example)

A simple weapon is inexpensive and intuitive to wield. You can add your PB to attack rolls with this weapon without any special training. All of the simple weapons here cost 1 gold each—except for the club and shuriken, which each cost 1 silver.

Your campaign likely features more or different weapons. This list is just an example.

Blowgun. You can add your Constitution modifier to the damage roll of a blowgun, instead of another ability modifier. This doesn't affect the attack roll.

Martial Weapons (Example)

A martial weapon requires training to use effectively. Your PB is added to your attack roll with a martial weapon only if you are proficient with the weapon. The martial weapons here each cost 10 gold, except for the bow which costs 50 gold, and the sling which costs 1 gold.

Your campaign likely features more or different weapons. This list is just an example.

Bolas. If you use bolas to hit a Medium or smaller creature, instead of dealing damage you can choose to knock the target Prone.

Lance. If you are mounted or Large, you can attack with the lance using only one hand.