I keep confusing the rules for light and finesse weapons. I should be more familiar with these term for two reasons. First, there are several DEX-based characters in the party so knowing which weapons benefit them is important. Additionally, dual wielding is available to everyone, not just rangers, monks or those with specific feats. So here's the breakdown:
This chart shows all melee weapons listed in the table on page 149 of the Player's Handbook.
A finesse weapon allows a character to apply a DEX modifier to attack rolls and damage instead of STR. Regardless of the choice, the same ability modifier must be applied to both the attack roll and the damage roll. (PHB 147)
Both weapons must be light in order to dual wield. When using two light weapons, a character takes an action and makes the first attack roll as normal, including appropriate modifiers. If the character has a light weapon in the other hand, the character can take a bonus action to attack with that second weapon. The ability modifier still affects the second attack roll, but that same modifier is not added to the damage roll, unless that modifier is negative. (PHB 195)
So if the two weapons held are both finesse and light, a character can make a second attack with the bonus action and choose to apply the DEX modifier to both attack rolls and the first damage roll.
The fighting style "Two-Weapon Fighting" (PHB 72) is available to fighters at 1st level. The only modification to the rules above is the ability to add your ability modifier to the second attack's damage roll. The weapons available remain the same, although fighters automatically gain martial weapon proficiency.
The feat "Dual Wielder" (PHB 165) gives three benefits, the first granting a +1 to AC and another letting you draw two weapons at once. The remaining benefit changes the rules for what weapons a character can wield and still attack twice. With this feat, a character can make two attacks with a one-handed weapon in each hand, even if the weapons are not light. The modifiers to attack rolls and damage are unaffected. This ability jumps right past the pirate brandishing a cutlass in one hand and a dagger in the other, landing squarely on the potential of swinging two long swords in an augmented dervish of destruction.
A finesse weapon allows a character to apply a DEX modifier to attack rolls and damage instead of STR. Regardless of the choice, the same ability modifier must be applied to both the attack roll and the damage roll. (PHB 147)
Both weapons must be light in order to dual wield. When using two light weapons, a character takes an action and makes the first attack roll as normal, including appropriate modifiers. If the character has a light weapon in the other hand, the character can take a bonus action to attack with that second weapon. The ability modifier still affects the second attack roll, but that same modifier is not added to the damage roll, unless that modifier is negative. (PHB 195)
So if the two weapons held are both finesse and light, a character can make a second attack with the bonus action and choose to apply the DEX modifier to both attack rolls and the first damage roll.
The fighting style "Two-Weapon Fighting" (PHB 72) is available to fighters at 1st level. The only modification to the rules above is the ability to add your ability modifier to the second attack's damage roll. The weapons available remain the same, although fighters automatically gain martial weapon proficiency.
The feat "Dual Wielder" (PHB 165) gives three benefits, the first granting a +1 to AC and another letting you draw two weapons at once. The remaining benefit changes the rules for what weapons a character can wield and still attack twice. With this feat, a character can make two attacks with a one-handed weapon in each hand, even if the weapons are not light. The modifiers to attack rolls and damage are unaffected. This ability jumps right past the pirate brandishing a cutlass in one hand and a dagger in the other, landing squarely on the potential of swinging two long swords in an augmented dervish of destruction.
When putting this Venn diagram together, I noticed a few interesting features:
- No simple weapon is finesse but not light.
- No martial weapon is light but not finesse.
- The only simple weapon that is light and finesse is the dagger.
- The scimitar and shortsword are the only martial weapons that are both light and finesse.
- Five simple weapons and thirteen martial weapons are neither light nor finesse.
So Fifth Edition has banished the swashbuckler darting around with a rapier and dagger, at least for the time being. But where 5e taketh away, so does it giveth; any player who wants to can now run around with two daggers and poke mercilessly at any assailant that gets in the way.
Come out swinging!
~ Tidwin
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