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What does a Light weapon mean mechanically?

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4

$begingroup$

I was going through the weapon options and I realized something: the scimitar is 3lbs and considered light, but the flail, rapier, war pick, warhammer, whip, longsword, spear and javelin are all 2 or 3 pounds each.

In weight, these match the other light weapons. I don't understand what Light means, because it seems like it's about weight.

What are the mechanics that classify a weapon as Light?

dnd-5e weapons

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

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asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

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add a comment
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4

$begingroup$

I was going through the weapon options and I realized something: the scimitar is 3lbs and considered light, but the flail, rapier, war pick, warhammer, whip, longsword, spear and javelin are all 2 or 3 pounds each.

In weight, these match the other light weapons. I don't understand what Light means, because it seems like it's about weight.

What are the mechanics that classify a weapon as Light?

dnd-5e weapons

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

78k1616 gold badges301301 silver badges517517 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

1,84522 gold badges1414 silver badges4646 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment
 | 

$begingroup$

I was going through the weapon options and I realized something: the scimitar is 3lbs and considered light, but the flail, rapier, war pick, warhammer, whip, longsword, spear and javelin are all 2 or 3 pounds each.

In weight, these match the other light weapons. I don't understand what Light means, because it seems like it's about weight.

What are the mechanics that classify a weapon as Light?

dnd-5e weapons

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

78k1616 gold badges301301 silver badges517517 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

1,84522 gold badges1414 silver badges4646 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

78k1616 gold badges301301 silver badges517517 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

1,84522 gold badges1414 silver badges4646 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

78k1616 gold badges301301 silver badges517517 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

1,84522 gold badges1414 silver badges4646 bronze badges

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

78k1616 gold badges301301 silver badges517517 bronze badges

edited 7 hours ago

NautArch

78k1616 gold badges301301 silver badges517517 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

1,84522 gold badges1414 silver badges4646 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Eternallord66Eternallord66

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1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

31

$begingroup$

In practice, "light" actually means "suitable for two-weapon fighting"

Here's the description of the "light" weapon property from the rules:

Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.

Ironically, the description doesn't refer to the weapon's weight at all. Rather, it refers to it being "small and easy to handle". Mechanically, the only effect of a weapon being "light" is that this makes the weapon "ideal for use when fighting with two weapons". To see what this means, we refer to the rules on two-weapon fighting:

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

As far as I know, this is the only mechanical impact that "light" has: it allows two-weapon fighting with that weapon. This isn't merely a consequence of being light, it's literally the definition of "light" as a game term.

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  12
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Just like "heavy" really means: "screw small characters".
  $endgroup$
  – GreySage
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  This answers my intended question. Thank you.
  $endgroup$
  – Eternallord66
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Medix2 It is odd that the light crossbow isn't considered light and neither is the simple dart.
  $endgroup$
  – Eternallord66
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Medix2 You're right, that's a curious exception. The TWF rule doesn't apply to hand crossbows, since it only applies to light melee weapons. Do you know if the light property on hand crossbows has any mechanical consequence at all? If so I'll add it to my answer. (Maybe it means you can use TWF with 2 hand crossbows as improvised melee weapons? I doubt that's the intended purpose.)
  $endgroup$
  – Ryan Thompson
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The accepted answer to "What function does the "light" weapon property serve on the hand crossbow?" argues that they do gain that benefit when improvised. However this other answer explains that improvised weapons are neither melee nor ranged weapon: "Are Improvised Weapons used in melee actually melee weapons?". Using a ranged weapon to make an improvised melee attack does not turn the weapon into a melee weapon
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

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31

$begingroup$

In practice, "light" actually means "suitable for two-weapon fighting"

Here's the description of the "light" weapon property from the rules:

Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.

Ironically, the description doesn't refer to the weapon's weight at all. Rather, it refers to it being "small and easy to handle". Mechanically, the only effect of a weapon being "light" is that this makes the weapon "ideal for use when fighting with two weapons". To see what this means, we refer to the rules on two-weapon fighting:

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

As far as I know, this is the only mechanical impact that "light" has: it allows two-weapon fighting with that weapon. This isn't merely a consequence of being light, it's literally the definition of "light" as a game term.

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  12
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Just like "heavy" really means: "screw small characters".
  $endgroup$
  – GreySage
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  This answers my intended question. Thank you.
  $endgroup$
  – Eternallord66
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Medix2 It is odd that the light crossbow isn't considered light and neither is the simple dart.
  $endgroup$
  – Eternallord66
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Medix2 You're right, that's a curious exception. The TWF rule doesn't apply to hand crossbows, since it only applies to light melee weapons. Do you know if the light property on hand crossbows has any mechanical consequence at all? If so I'll add it to my answer. (Maybe it means you can use TWF with 2 hand crossbows as improvised melee weapons? I doubt that's the intended purpose.)
  $endgroup$
  – Ryan Thompson
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The accepted answer to "What function does the "light" weapon property serve on the hand crossbow?" argues that they do gain that benefit when improvised. However this other answer explains that improvised weapons are neither melee nor ranged weapon: "Are Improvised Weapons used in melee actually melee weapons?". Using a ranged weapon to make an improvised melee attack does not turn the weapon into a melee weapon
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

31

$begingroup$

In practice, "light" actually means "suitable for two-weapon fighting"

Here's the description of the "light" weapon property from the rules:

Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.

Ironically, the description doesn't refer to the weapon's weight at all. Rather, it refers to it being "small and easy to handle". Mechanically, the only effect of a weapon being "light" is that this makes the weapon "ideal for use when fighting with two weapons". To see what this means, we refer to the rules on two-weapon fighting:

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

As far as I know, this is the only mechanical impact that "light" has: it allows two-weapon fighting with that weapon. This isn't merely a consequence of being light, it's literally the definition of "light" as a game term.

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  12
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Just like "heavy" really means: "screw small characters".
  $endgroup$
  – GreySage
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  This answers my intended question. Thank you.
  $endgroup$
  – Eternallord66
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Medix2 It is odd that the light crossbow isn't considered light and neither is the simple dart.
  $endgroup$
  – Eternallord66
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Medix2 You're right, that's a curious exception. The TWF rule doesn't apply to hand crossbows, since it only applies to light melee weapons. Do you know if the light property on hand crossbows has any mechanical consequence at all? If so I'll add it to my answer. (Maybe it means you can use TWF with 2 hand crossbows as improvised melee weapons? I doubt that's the intended purpose.)
  $endgroup$
  – Ryan Thompson
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The accepted answer to "What function does the "light" weapon property serve on the hand crossbow?" argues that they do gain that benefit when improvised. However this other answer explains that improvised weapons are neither melee nor ranged weapon: "Are Improvised Weapons used in melee actually melee weapons?". Using a ranged weapon to make an improvised melee attack does not turn the weapon into a melee weapon
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  6 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

$begingroup$

In practice, "light" actually means "suitable for two-weapon fighting"

Here's the description of the "light" weapon property from the rules:

Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.

Ironically, the description doesn't refer to the weapon's weight at all. Rather, it refers to it being "small and easy to handle". Mechanically, the only effect of a weapon being "light" is that this makes the weapon "ideal for use when fighting with two weapons". To see what this means, we refer to the rules on two-weapon fighting:

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

As far as I know, this is the only mechanical impact that "light" has: it allows two-weapon fighting with that weapon. This isn't merely a consequence of being light, it's literally the definition of "light" as a game term.

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

Ryan ThompsonRyan Thompson

20k22 gold badges6767 silver badges138138 bronze badges