Two Weapon Fighting 5e | Dnd – Specific Rules (Updated) 2024

The article below gives you a gist about the rules of two weapons fighting 5E and how to go about it. We have tried to incorporate every minute detail about it and hope it does justice to the game.

The content also gives you suggestions about how to proceed in order to avail of this feature for yourself. Please read the article further to know more about the dual wielding 5E.

Two weapon fighting 5E or 5E dual-wielding

Today we are going to talk about dnd 5E two weapon fighting, which is still very much prestigious in the game. Our very own Dungeons and Dragons gave us the fascinating form of fighting like warriors.

But what is it? The double stabbing helps you through the combat more efficiently as the weapons in both the players’ hands will save some time in the killing spree. The last parts didn’t give us this ability with complications, but the 5th edition made it good to go.

5E Two weapon fighting and its rules

The following pointers will discuss and inform you about the management of 5E two weapon fighting, so let’s dive straight into it:

• Everyone can adapt the dual wielding: The dual wielding fighter is accessible to everyone, which is adhered explicitly to specific classes. As the name suggests, it’s available to everyone.
• Light Weapons: It’s considered as a drawback of this ability that you must have light weapons in your hands. They are lightweight, as in short pistols that don’t damage more prominent contemporaries.
• Bonus Action: Here you will learn about the Bonus Action, which you get after your “Actual Action.” In a melee, you get an extra action with your additional weapon, known as Bonus Action. But, you get this unique ability only once. Moreover, the off-hand fight will have no pistols, so the only way to attack is punching. In the context of the extra action, your first two punches will affect, which is caused because of “Actual Action.” However, the additional move will not hit as hard as before. That means it won’t add it up to your Strength and Dexterity.
• Works well with thrown weapons: You must remember that you can replace it with another bonus if your throw firearms are lighter.
• Everyone doesn’t use the dual wielding: The two weapon fighting is a lot easier in 5E, but if you choose it, you’ll get the bonus action feature over the other options.
• Light weapons, a better option: Over here two light weapons cause more damage than one big firearm. Once you reach the 5th level, you’ll get updated with a bonus action, which will lead you with an extra blow. So, the whole strategy complies with three weaker attacks instead of a few stronger ones.
• No shield: Firstly, one must know that if their class is providing them with shield proficiency or not. If not, then you won’t get a guard. But if you have, then you might hold a guard in one hand and a weapon in another. Also, you will receive +2 AC buffs, which one shouldn’t pass on.
• Bonus Action does matter: Some classes don’t give you the reliability to use your bonus action for an extra attack; instead, they expend it for other abilities for survival. You must know before-handed, you make your build.

The Dnd 5E dual wielding required weaponry

The pointers below give you a brief about prerequisite weaponry, crucial for the dnd dual wielding. It would help if you had light and single-handed firearms. Also, suppose you already have the accessibility to homebrew exotic weapons or even the odd magic items. In that case, you are ready to go, but if not, then you must consider the options given below:

• Clubs: Players don’t use clubs at all, but still, it is better to mention them here.
• Daggers: Daggers are considered as one of the most efficient ammunition as it has finesse, is light, and also used as a thrown weapon. It is one of the best ones as it helps in stabbing in your first attack and can also be thrown for the second strike in combat. Even you should know that it won’t induce significant damage but has the best finesse of all. Moreover, if you don’t have martial weapons proficiency, you might try these for Dexterity-based players.
•  Handaxes: The Handaxes are better for causing damage than the daggers, which is d6 over d4. They are light weapons and have thrown properties, but they cannot promise you with finesse quality. Also, you can use this ammunition for a strength-based player.
• Light Hammers: The soft hammers are the best bludgeoning weapons, but unlike handaxes, these are not perfect for every aspect of a melee. If you are dealing with an unknown damage type of character, you might need these light hammers to cause bludgeoning damage.
• Sickles: Sickles is one of the most stylish ammunitions in the lot, but they don’t match other weaponries.
• Scimitars and Shortsword: The Scimitars and Shortsword have identical properties. They both are martial weapons with the best finesse quality and are light, causing 1d6 damage when you attack your opponent with them. The only difference between them is that Scimitars is expensive and has a biting effect while the Shortsword has piercing damage. These are the best options from the whole lot that will help you fight through the combat, only if you have martial weapon proficiencies. You can also use any one of them in one hand and the one with throw properties on the other hand.These were 5E dual wielding rules.

The Two weapon fighting feat 5E and Classes

Feats:-

Fortunately, one doesn’t need feats to make the two weapon fighting practicable. But the game still provides you with a feat called “Dual Wielder,” which you may use for your primary stage of two weapon fighting. Also, keep in mind that you will have to give up the ability score improvement, and it is always better to upgrade your stats.

The “Dual Wielder” feat: This two weapon feat 5E will provide you with some benefits if you master the art of dual wielding and they are:

• You will receive a +1 bonus to AC while fighting with two different combat weapons in both your hands. That means, if you are not holding a shield in your off-hand, then the AC bonus will let you have ammunition on your other hand, which is not as defensive but would help. This rule is helpful in off-hand attack 5E.
• You can still access the two weapon fighting in combat even if both your ammunitions are not light. That means you can take whatever single-handed weapons you like in your hands and not only the light ones. It upgrades you from d6 to d8 and also adds some amusing builds like double whips or the net and trident combination.
• You will gain the ability to draw or stow two single-handed ammunitions when you can do the same for one weapon. That means that it depends on your DMs’ perfection, but technically, you can draw only one weapon after you get attacked. Most of the DMs don’t allow the same, so that this feature can be a total waste. These were 5E dual wielder feats.

Classes

The following segment will tell you about which classes you must opt if you want to make use of the dual wielding and they are:

• Fighter: This class is the most comfortable option of all because all the characters that choose fighter have a choice to select between the fighting styles. So, select any archetype you want, like two weapon fighting style.
• Ranger: The rangers require a bonus action for their “hunter’s mark,” Once they get it, they can use it for their different strikes. Also, their hunter’s mark damage gets applied with every extra attack, including the hits without weapons. This class receives a similar fighting style like the others but a level later in the game.
• Barbarian: This class has to have a bonus action in order to start raging, and once you are angry enough, your extra hits will get free. The bonus rage you obtain will cause the same damage in your off-hand fights. The barbarians like it brutal, and hence, their “path of a zealot” gives you the more opportunities to attack and deal with extra damage; it also provides you with a feature called “divine fury.”

Can everyone use the two weapon fighting in 5E?

Yes, everyone can fight the battle with two weapon fighting as there are no specific classes or proficiency disadvantages. Anyone can hold two light weapons (like a shortsword and a dagger) and start stabbing as it would get harder to carry two swords in each hand to fight.

The only class or proficiency limitations that occur is when you have to choose the weapons, make sure you use light ones only.

In dual wielding, does a player need to use bonus action for its off-hand swing? What happens when the character uses it or does the player uses only attack story to hit with both hands?

• Bonus action doesn’t have to do with the attack actions. It would be best if you remembered that a character chooses attack action; he can hit twice. The dual wielding is all about selecting the attack action, irrespective of the player’s class, and the bonus action or the extra hit is an added benefit to the character.
• To sum it all, at level 5, you can choose attack action for hitting twice with the primary weapon, and then if you desire, you can opt for your bonus action from your off-hand. You can also include your ability modifier to the damage caused by your bonus action for more effect.

These were some of the detailed rules and questions related to the two weapon fighting 5E. Please read the whole article to know how to go about the dual wielding 5E and its rules.