TheDungeons & Dragons2024 Player’s Handbook addedWeapon Mastery rulesto the game, allowing the arms wielded by characters to perform additional functions in battle.
Five D&D classesgain access to Weapon Mastery in the new Player’s Handbook: Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, and Rogue. These options give them more ways to shake up their fighting style.
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There are some Weapon Mastery combinations that work better with certain classes and builds. These are the best Weapon Mastery options in the 2024 Player’s Handbook.
10Rogue Shortbow Vex
Better Sneak Attacks All Around
Weapons With Vex
Proficiency
Handaxe, Dart, Shortbow
Rapier, Shortsword, Blowgun, Hand Crossbow, Pistol
Vex is the undisputed king of Weapon Mastery options for the Rogue. The fact that it grants Advantage on the next attack performed on a foe before the end of their next turn makes it ideal for Sneak Attack.
When it comes to the Rogue’s paltry Weapon Proficiency selection, the Shortbow is the best ranged option, as it lets them use Vex.
If a Rogue is packing a Shortbow, they can hang back at the edge of the battlefield and use Vex to ensure they score Sneak Attacks consistently. If the enemy gets close, they can use Cunning Action to dart away.
9Paladin Longsword Sap
Weapons With Sap
Mace, Spear
Flail, Longsword, Morningstar, War Pick,
The Paladin is a great meat shield class, thanks to their mastery of all armor types and shields, as well as theirbuilt-in healing prowess, via Lay On Hands.
One way the Paladin can be even more effective on the frontlines is by using a Longsword, as it has the Sap Weapon Mastery.
If a Sap weapon hits an enemy, then their next attack against any target has Disadvantage. This means the Paladin can throw debuffs out that can potentially help allies.
The Longsword is also a Versatile weapon, which means it can be used with a Shield for an extra defensive boost, or wielded with two hands for a higher damage die.
8Barbarian Greataxe Cleave
Barbarians Have Great Cleavage
Weapons With Cleave
Greataxe, Halberd
Barbarians have been swinging the Greataxe with impunity since the days of 3rd edition, with its high damage potential suiting the Barbarian’s risky play style.
The 2024 Player’s Handbook made the Greataxe even better by giving it the Cleave Weapon Mastery. With Cleave, if you hit an enemy, then you may strike another foe within five feet of the original target, albeit without using the ability modifier for damage.
As Barbarians are known for leaping into the fray and using Rage, the Greataxe/Cleave combo lets them throw out lots of high-damage hits in a short period of time, making them the ideal horde breaker.
7Fighter Pike Push
The Mighty Kite
Weapons With Push
Pike, Warhammer, Heavy Crossbow
As D&D breaks the map up into five-foot squares, it’s possible for players to use distance to their advantage. One way to do this is with the Pike weapon and the Push Weapon Mastery.
With Push, if you strike an enemy, you shove them back ten feet. This only works on Large-sized or smaller creatures, so it can’t be used with everything.
The Pike has the Reach trait, allowing users to strike from ten feet away. This means the Fighter can push an enemy 15ft away from them and then move out of range, potentially forcing the enemy to Dash in a future turn to get back into melee range and burn their Action for the turn.
6Ranger Nick Scimitar
Drizzt Best Ranger Confirmed
Weapons With Nick
Dagger, Light Hammer
The poor Ranger class can’t escape from Drizzt Do’Urden for a single book, as the famous Drow’s weapon of choice is ideal for fighting with two weapons.
Scimitars have the Nick Weapon Mastery option, allowing weapons with the Light trait to use their extra attack as part of the original Attack action instead of a Bonus Action.
A dual-wielding Scimitar user can spend their Bonus Action casting or operating theHunter’s Mark spell, while still getting their extra hits in, letting them rack up the damage.
5Rogue Shortsword Vex
The Psylocke Substitute
If a Rogue player has chosen the Soulknife subclass, disregard this entry, as they already have the best Weapon Mastery option built into their Psychic Blades weapon, as they come with Vex.
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The other Rogue subclasses can emulate this deadly combo by using a Shortsword, as this is the best melee weapon option available to them that has Vex.
If a Rogue is able to get Martial Weapon Proficiency from a Feat or multiclassing, they can switch it out with Rapier, which is a Vex weapon with a higher damage die.
4Paladin Halberd Cleave
The Righteous Reach
One of the benefits of the Cleave Weapon Mastery is that it doesn’t specify a range for the user’s attack. This means it can be used with Reach weapons, like the Halberd.
A Halberd can benefit from a wider range with Cleave, as the Reach property means it can hit whack an enemy within five feet of the user, then strike one of their allies behind them that would be out of the range with the Greataxe.
Paladins can make up for the reduced damage of the second hit by boosting it using their range of Smite spells, as they can be used with a Bonus Action that’s spent alongside the original hit.
3Barbarian Greatsword Graze
Determined To Damage
Weapons With Graze
Glaive, Greatsword
One of the most frustrating aspects of playing a warrior is missing an attack, especially when a Barbarian uses Reckless Attack to give themselves Advantage, only to fumble both dice rolls.
The Graze Weapon Mastery allows you to deal damage equal to the ability modifier used with the attack if you miss it. This means the player is guaranteed to always be dealing damage on their turn.
The best weapon to combine this with is the Greatsword, as its natural 2d6 damage, coupled with the Barbarian’s Rage damage, means that they’ll be a lot more reliable in combat.
2Fighter Battleaxe Topple
Putting Down The Opposition
Weapons With Topple
Quarterstaff
Battleaxe, Lance, Maul, Trident
The Topple Weapon Mastery forces a Constituion Saving Throw to knock an enemy Prone in combat. This means melee attacks will have Advantage against them and they have to spend half their movement speed during a turn to get up.
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One of the best Topple weapons in the 2024 Player’s Handbook is the Battleaxe. Not only does it have a great damage die, but it can be upgraded by holding it with two hands. A Battleaxe can also be used with a Shield for extra protection.
The Fighter is the best Battleaxe user, as they can knock a foe down with the first hit, then use Action Surge to go for a follow-up attack with Advantage.
1Ranger Longbow Slow
Going The Distance
Weapons With Slow
Club, Javelin, Light Crossbow, Sling
Whip, Longbow, Musket
Not all D&D fights happen in cramped corridors, as some pitched battles happen in open fields or wastelands.
When there is plenty of space for the fight, the Slow Weapon Mastery property can be really useful, as it reduces the struck enemy’s movement Speed by ten feet.
The best Slow weapon is the Longbow, thanks to its amazing range and damage die. The Ranger is atremendous Longbow/Slow user, thanks to their abundance of spells that improve their bow attacks, as well as their mastery of Hunter’s Mark.
