Weapon Skills

Introduction

Adapted from Baldur's Gate 3, weapon skills are innate abilities tied to weapon types that help to grant some additional versatility and complexity to a weapon using character.

Most weapon skills can be used on your turn as part of an Attack, though some have special requirements/conditions that are listed individually for them below. A weapon skill use must be declared before it is used (with the exception of Tenacity) and even if it misses the skill is still expended.

As standard, each weapon type comes with a set of weapon skills - two on Simple weapons and three on Martial weapons, each of which can be used once, refreshing when you roll initiative.

Regardless of what weapon you use, an individual weapon skill can only be used once per combat. For example if you use Concussive Smash with a Flail, whether you used a different flail or a greatclub you could not use Concussive Smash again until you next roll initiative.

Variant Considerations

Baldur's Gate 3 has weapon skills refresh on Short Rests instead of initiative, and this may be an adaptation you wish to make if you find them too disruptive.

Alternatively, instead of tracking them as refreshing, you could instead choose to cap the weapon skills usable each turn at 1, but otherwise allow them to be used an unlimited number of times. This may be appealing if your combats typically run long.

Dungeon Masters may wish to add additional weapon skills - either those below or unique ones - to magic weapons, especially unique magic weapons.

Weapons List

Simple Melee Weapons

Club: Concussive Smash, Weakening Strike
Dagger: Crippling Strike, Piercing Strike
Greatclub: Concussive Smash, Tenacity
Handaxe: Hamstring, Weakening Strike
Javelin: Pommel Strike, Prepared Strikes
Light Hammer: Concussive Smash, Heartstopper
Mace: Backbreaker, Concussive Smash
Quarterstaff: Flourish, Topple
Sickle: Flourish, Needling Strike
Spear: Pommel Strike, Rush Attack

Simple Ranged Weapons

Light Crossbow: Distracting Shot, Piercing Strike
Shortbow: Hamstring, Mobile Shot

Martial Melee Weapons

Battleaxe: Cleave, Crippling Strike, Lacerate
Flail: Concussive Smash, Tenacity, Weakening Strike
Glaive: Brace, Lacerate, Rush Attack
Greataxe: Cleave, Lacerate, Prepared Strikes
Greatsword: Cleave, Lacerate, Pommel Strike
Halberd: Cleave, Lacerate, Rush Attack
Longsword: Lacerate, Pommel Strike, Rush Attack
Maul: Backbreaker, Concussive Smash, Tenacity
Morning Star: Concussive Smash, Heartstopper, Tenacity
Pike: Brace, Rush Attack, Topple
Rapier: Flourish, Piercing Strike, Prepared Strikes
Scimitar: Flourish, Lacerate, Weakening Strike
Shortsword: Flourish, Needling Strike, Piercing Strike
Trident: Needling Strike, Piercing Strike, Rush Attack
War Pick: Crippling Strike, Piercing Strike, Weakening Strike
Warhammer: Backbreaker, Concussive Smash, Weakening Strike

Martial Ranged Weapons

Hand Crossbow: Distracting Shot, Piercing Strike, Mobile Shot
Heavy Crossbow: Brace, Deadeye Shot, Piercing Strike
Longbow: Brace, Deadeye Shot, Hamstring

Skills List

Backbreaker

Weapons: Mace, Maul, Warhammer

When you hit with this skill the target must succeed on a strength saving throw (DC8 + your proficiency bonus + the attack's ability modifier) or be knocked prone.

Brace

Weapons: Heavy Crossbow, Longbow, Glaive, Pike

Instead of being part of an attack, Brace expends 20ft of your movement. For the rest of your turn you roll damage twice for weapon attacks and use the higher result.

Cleave

Weapons: Battleaxe, Greataxe, Greatsword, Halberd

Rather than attacking a single creature, Cleave targets up to three creatures of your choice adjacent to you. Make a single attack and damage roll, dealing damage to any whose AC you beat.

Concussive Smash

Weapons: Club, Greatclub, Light Hammer, Mace, Flail, Maul, Morning Star, Warhammer

When you hit with this skill you Daze the target. They have disadvantage on wisdom saving throws, cannot take reactions, and do not benefit from dexterity to their armour class until the start of your next turn.

Crippling Strike

Weapons: Dagger, Battleaxe, War Pick

This skill smashes a target's legs. When you hit with it you reduce the target's speed to 0 and they suffer disadvantage on dex saves, until the end of their next turn. If they receive healing before this ends, Crippling Strike immediately ends.

Deadeye Shot

Weapons: Heavy Crossbow, Longbow

By taking careful aim, you can use this weapon skill to ignore ranged penalties nad up to 3/4 cover on the attack.

Distracting Shot

Weapons: Light Crossbow, Hand Crossbow

A blurry blow distracts the target's attention. A creature hit by this skill has disadvantage on concentration saves against damage from it.

Flourish

Weapons: Quarterstaff, Scimitar, Rapier, Shortsword, Sickle

Instead of being part of an Attack, you instead use Flourish as a special bonus action. You make an attack roll and deal damage as normal on a hit, but in addition the strike throws the target off balance. They have disadvantage on strength and dexterity ability checks, and attack rolls against them have advantage.

Flourish lasts until the end of your next turn or until the target takes damage.

Hamstring

Weapons: Handaxe, Shortbow, Longbow

A quick blow against a target's calf. If this hits it halves the target's movement speed for two turns. If they receive any healing this immediately ends.

Heartstopper

Weapons: Light Hammer, Morningstar

A brutal chest smash knocks the wind from the target. They have disadvantage on Constitution saves and cannot take actions (though they can still take bonus actions and reactions). This lasts either until the end of their next turn or until they receive healing. Undead and construct type creatures are immune to Heartstopper.

Lacerate

Weapons: Battleaxe, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Halberd, Longsword, Scimitar

This skill leaves a bleeding mark on the target. A creature hit by it bleeds for 1d4 slashing damage at the end of their next two turns. If they receive any healing it immediately ends. A target that doesn't have blood (typically Undead and Construct type creatures, though not universally) is immune to Lacerate.

Mobile Shot

Weapons: Hand Crossbow, Shortbow

Instead of being part of an Attack, you instead use Mobile Shot as a special bonus action. You gain the effect of either the Dash or Disengage action, and can make one attack with this weapon.

Needling Strike

Weapons: Shortsword, Sickle, Trident

A needling strike that threads past an enemy's defenses. The critical threat range for this attack is increased by 1 (for example, from just 20 to 19-20). This stacks with other similar features.

Piercing Strike

Weapons: Dagger, Light Crossbow, Rapier, Shortsword, Trident, War Pick, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow

This attack leaves a lingering wound on the enemy. This attack, and all future attacks until the end of the target's next turn, deal an additional 2 piercing damage to the target. Undead and construct creatures are immune to Piercing Strike.

Pommel Strike

Weapons: Javelin, Spear, Greatsword, Longsword

Instead of being part of an Attack, you instead use Pommel Strike as a special bonus action. You make an attack roll and deal damage as normal on a hit, but in addition the strike Dazes the target. They have disadvantage on wisdom saving throws, cannot take reactions, and do not benefit from dexterity to their armour class until the start of your next turn.

Prepared Strikes

Weapons: Greataxe, Javelin, Rapier

Instead of being part of an attack, Prepared Strikes expends 20ft of your movement. For the rest of your turn you add your ability modifier twice to damage rolls on successful attacks with this weapon.

Rush Attack

Weapons: Spear, Glaive, Halberd, Longsword, Pike, Trident

As part of the Rush Attack you can move up to 15ft directly towards a target creature, without expending movement or provoking opportunity attacks. If you then hit with the attack, you throw them off balance. They have disadvantage on strength and dexterity ability checks, and attack rolls against them have advantage.

Rush Attack lasts until the end of your next turn or until the target takes damage.

Tenacity

Weapons: Greatclub, Flail, Maul, Morning Star

Instead of being declared before you make an attack, you can choose to use Tenacity when you miss with the weapon. If you do so, you still deal damage to the target equal to the ability modifier used for the attack.

Topple

Weapons: Quarterstaff, Pike

You thread your weapon between the target's legs and try to trip them up. The target must succeed on a dexterity saving throw (DC8 + your proficiency bonus + the attack's ability modifier) or be knocked prone.

Weakening Strike

Weapons: Club, Flail, Scimitar, War Pick, Warhammer

Your strike makes the target's arms shake. If you hit, the creature is affected by Weak Grip, and has disadvantage on attack rolls and strength saves until the end of their next turn. Attack rolls that do not rely on arms such as bites are unaffected by Weakening Strike.