Basic Weapon Recipes

These are the most straightforward melee weapons you can make and require no special books or advanced techniques. They’re perfect for beginners who want to get into close-quarters combat quickly and easily. While they’re often simpler in form, they still offer reliable damage and flexibility in a variety of situations.

A heavy two-handed version of the club. It deals more bludgeoning damage but is slower to swing. Good for early-game characters who want stronger hits without needing advanced materials.

Greatclub

Melee weapon (simple, greatclub)

Two-Handed. This weapon requires two hands when you attack with it. 

Damage: 1d8

Damage Type: Bludgeoning

Properties: Two-Handed

Weight: 10

A long wooden staff used with one or two hands. It deals bludgeoning damage and is favored by spellcasters or travelers. Its versatility makes it a solid early-game weapon.

Quarterstaff

Melee weapon (simple, quarterstaff)

Versatile. This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Damage: 1d6 (1d8)

Damage Type: Bludgeoning

Properties: Versatile

Weight: 4

A flexible weapon with extra reach, allowing you to strike targets from ten feet away. It deals slashing damage and uses finesse, meaning it's better for agile characters rather than strong ones.

Whip

Melee weapon (martial, whip)

Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.

Reach. This weapon adds 5 feet to your reach when you attack with it, as well as when determining your reach for opportunity attacks with it. 

Damage: 1d4

Damage Type: Slashing

Properties: Finesse, Reach

Weight: 3

A light throwing spear that also works well in melee. Javelins deal piercing damage and give you the option to fight from a distance or up close. Useful to carry several for flexibility.

Javelin

Melee weapon (simple, javelin)

Range. A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range in parentheses after the ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s long range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.

Thrown. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the weapon is a melee weapon, you use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon. For example, if you throw a handaxe, you use your Strength, but if you throw a dagger, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity, since the dagger has the finesse property. 

Damage: 1d6

Damage Type: Piercing

Properties: Range, Thrown

Range: 30/120

Weight: 2