Most characters in Pathfinder carry weapons, ranging from mighty warhammers to graceful bows to even simple clubs. Full details on how you calculate the bonuses, modifiers, and penalties for attack rolls and damage rolls are summarized here, followed by the rules for weapons and dozens of weapon choices.
Attack Rolls
When making an attack roll, determine the result by rolling 1d20 and adding your attack modifier for the weapon or unarmed attack you’re using. Modifiers for melee and ranged attacks are calculated differently.
Melee attack modifier = Strength modifier (or optionally Dexterity for a finesse weapon)
+ proficiency bonus + other bonuses + penalties
Ranged attack modifier = Dexterity modifier + proficiency bonus + other bonuses + penalties
Bonuses, and penalties apply to these rolls just like with other types of checks. Weapons with Potency Runes add an item bonus to your attack rolls.
Multiple Attack Penalty
If you use an action with the attack trait more than once on the same turn, your attacks after the first take a penalty called a multiple attack penalty. Your second attack takes a –5 penalty, and any subsequent attacks take a –10 penalty.
The multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to attacks you make when it isn’t your turn (such as attacks made as part of a reaction). You can use a weapon with the agile trait to reduce your multiple attack penalty.
Damage Rolls
When the result of your attack roll with a weapon or unarmed attack equals or exceeds your target’s AC, you hit your target! Roll the weapon or unarmed attack’s damage die and add the relevant modifiers, bonuses, and penalties to determine the amount of damage you deal.
Calculate a damage roll as follows.
Melee damage roll = damage die of weapon or unarmed attack + Strength modifier + bonuses + penalties
Ranged damage roll = damage die of weapon + Strength modifier for thrown weapons + bonuses + penalties
Ranged weapons don’t normally add an ability modifier to the damage roll, though weapons with the propulsive trait add half your Strength modifier (or your full modifier if it is a negative number), and thrown weapons add your full Strength modifier.
Magic weapons with Striking, greater Striking, or major Striking Runes add one or more weapon damage dice to your damage roll. These extra dice are the same die size as the weapon’s damage die. At higher levels, most characters also gain extra damage from weapon specialization.
Critical Hits
When you make an attack and roll a natural 20 (the number on the die is 20), or if the result of your attack exceeds the target’s AC by 10, you achieve a critical success (also known as a critical hit).
If you critically succeed at a Strike, your attack deals double damage. Other attacks, such as spell attack rolls and some uses of the Athletics skill, describe the specific effects that occur when their outcomes are critical successes.
Unarmed Attacks
Almost all characters start out trained in unarmed attacks. You can Strike with your fist or another body part, calculating your attack and damage rolls in the same way you would with a weapon. Unarmed attacks can belong to a weapon group, and they might have weapon traits. However, unarmed attacks aren’t weapons, and effects and abilities that work with weapons never work with unarmed attacks unless they specifically say so.
Unarmed Attacks lists the statistics for an unarmed attack with a fist, though you’ll usually use the same statistics for attacks made with any other parts of your body. Certain ancestry feats, class features, and spells give access to special, more powerful unarmed attacks. Details for those unarmed attacks are provided in the abilities that grant them.
| Unarmed Attack |
Damage |
Hands |
Group |
Weapon Traits |
| Fists/Claws/Fangs |
B/S/P |
1 |
Brawling |
Agile, finesse, nonlethal, unarmed |
Improvised Weapons
If you attack with something that wasn’t built to be a weapon, such as a chair or a vase, you’re making an attack with an improvised weapon. You take a –2 item penalty to attack rolls with an improvised weapon.
The GM determines the amount and type of damage the attack deals, if any, as well as any weapon traits the improvised weapon should have.
Weapons
The traits a weapon or unarmed attack has are listed in this entry. Any trait that refers to a “weapon” can also apply to an unarmed attack that has that trait.
Melee Weapons
| Simple Weapons |
Rarity |
Damage |
Bulk |
Hands |
Group |
Weapon Traits |
| Wooden Club |
Common |
1d4 B |
L |
1 |
Club |
Thrown 10 ft. |
| Dagger |
Common |
1d4 P |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, thrown 10 ft., versatile S |
| Sickel |
Common |
1d4 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, trip |
| Gauntlet |
Common |
1d4 B |
L |
1 |
Brawling |
Agile, free-hand |
| Staff |
Common |
1d4 B |
1 |
1 |
Club |
Agile, Two-hand d8 |
| Katar |
Common |
1d6 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, deadly d6, monk |
| Throwing Knife |
Common |
1d4 P |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, thrown 20 feet, twin |
| Spiked Gauntlet |
Common |
1d4 P |
L |
1 |
Brawling |
Agile, free-hand |
| Metal Club |
Common |
1d6 B |
1 |
2 |
Club |
Shove, Thrown 10 ft. |
| Light Mace |
Common |
1d4 B |
L |
1 |
Club |
Agile, finesse, shove |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Poi |
Uncommon |
1d4 B |
L |
1 |
Mace |
Agile, backswing, finesse, nonlethal |
| Tanto |
Uncommon |
1d4 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, deadly d8 |
| Spear |
Uncommon |
1d6 P |
L |
1 |
Spear |
Thrown 20 ft. |
| Longspear |
Uncommon |
1d6 P |
1 |
2 |
Spear |
Reach 10 ft. |
| Hunters Knife |
Uncommon |
1d6 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, Trip |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Khopesh |
Rare |
1d6 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Disarm, Fatal d8, Monk, Uncommon |
| Morningstar |
Rare |
1d4 B |
1 |
1 |
Club |
Backswing, Sweep |
| Wrist Blade |
Rare |
1d4 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, Forceful, Sweep, Fatal d8 |
| Martial Weapons |
Rarity |
Damage |
Bulk |
Hands |
Group |
Weapon Traits |
| Short Sword |
Common |
1d6 S |
1 |
1 |
Sword |
Versatile P |
| Bastard Sword |
Common |
1d8 S |
2 |
1 |
Sword |
Two-Hand d12 |
| Estoc Sword |
Common |
1d8 P |
1 |
1 |
Sword |
Monk, parry, reach, trip |
| Flachion |
Common |
1d6 S |
1 |
1 |
Sword |
Deadly d8, disarm, finesse |
| Rapier |
Common |
1d6 P |
1 |
1 |
Sword |
Forceful, sweep, disarm |
| Saber |
Common |
1d8 S |
2 |
1 |
Sword |
Deadly d8, sweep |
| Hand Axe |
Common |
1d8 S |
1 |
1 |
Axe |
Agile, sweep, thrown 10 ft. |
| War Axe |
Common |
1d12 S |
2 |
2 |
Axe |
Disarm, sweep, trip |
| War Hammer |
Common |
1d10 B |
2 |
2 |
Hammer |
trip, shove |
| Halberd |
Common |
1d12 S |
1 |
2 |
Spear |
Agile, Reach |
| Bardiche |
Common |
1d8 S |
2 |
2 |
Spear |
Agile, Sweep, Reach |
| Glaive |
Common |
1d10 S |
2 |
2 |
Spear |
Trip, Finesse, Reach, Versatile P |
| Pike |
Common |
1d6 P |
1 |
1 |
Spear |
Forcefull, Jousting |
| Lance |
Common |
1d8 P |
2 |
1 |
Spear |
Trip, Finesse, Reach, Versatile S |
| Hatchet |
Common |
1d4 S |
L |
1 |
Axe |
Agile, deadly d6, finesse, thrown 20 ft., versatile S |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Uchigatana |
Uncommon |
1d6 S |
L |
1 |
Sword |
Two-Hand d10, Veratile P, finesse |
| Ulfberht |
Uncommon |
1d8 S |
1 |
1 |
Sword |
Shove, Forcefull |
| Orcrist |
Uncommon |
1d6 S |
2 |
1 |
Sword |
Agile, sweep, deadly d10, versatile P |
| Stitch |
Uncommon |
1d4 P |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, deadly d8, versatile S |
| Meteor Hammer |
Uncommon |
1d8 B |
2 |
2 |
Hammer |
Backswing, disarm, reach, trip |
| Scythe |
Uncommon |
1d10 S |
2 |
1 |
Polearm |
Deadly d10, trip, Monk |
| Trident |
Uncommon |
1d8 P |
2 |
2 |
Polearm |
Thrown 20 ft., Fatal d10 |
| Kukri |
Uncommon |
1d6 P |
1 |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, finesse, trip, Disarm, monk |
| Nunchaku |
Uncommon |
1d8 B |
L |
1 |
Club |
Backswing, disarm, finesse, monk |
| Sai |
Uncommon |
1d4 P |
1 |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, disarm, finesse, monk, versatile B |
| Spiked Whip |
Uncommon |
1d6 P |
1 |
1 |
Flail |
Disarm, finesse, trip, reach |
| Bladed Scarf |
Uncommon |
1d8 S |
1 |
1 |
Flail |
Agile, disarm, finesse, parry, trip |
| Spiked Flail |
Uncommon |
1d6 S |
2 |
1 |
Flail |
Disarm, sweep, trip |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nagakiba |
Rare |
1d10 S |
2 |
2 |
Sword |
Agile, Forcefull, Sweep |
| Naginata |
Rare |
1d8 S |
1 |
2 |
Sword |
Sweep, monk |
| Combat Grapnel |
Rare |
1d6 P |
2 |
1 |
Flail |
Finesse, Grapple, Tethered, Thrown 20 ft. |
| Nine-Ring Sword |
Rare |
1d8 S |
1 |
1 |
Sword |
Disarm, monk |
| Bladed diabolo |
Rare |
1d6 S |
L |
2 |
Flail |
Backswing, disarm, finesse, thrown 40 feet, trip |
| Backslicer |
Rare |
1d4 S |
L |
1 |
Knife |
Agile, backstabber, finesse, monk |
Ranged Weapons
Reload
While all weapons need some amount of time to get into position, many ranged weapons also need to be loaded and reloaded. This entry indicates how many Interact actions it takes to reload such weapons. This can be 0 if drawing ammunition and firing the weapon are part of the same action. If an item takes 2 or more actions to reload, the GM determines whether they must be performed together as an activity, or you can spend some of those actions during one turn and the rest during your next turn.
An item with an entry of “—” must be drawn to be thrown, which usually takes an Interact action just like drawing any other weapon. Reloading a ranged weapon and drawing a thrown weapon both require a free hand.
Switching your grip to free a hand and then to place your hands in the grip necessary to wield the weapon are both included in the actions you spend to reload a weapon.
Range
Ranged and thrown weapons have a range increment.
Attacks with these weapons work normally up to that distance. Attack rolls beyond a weapon’s range increment take a –2 penalty for each additional multiple of that increment between you and the target. Attacks beyond the sixth range increment are impossible.
For example, a shortbow takes no penalty against a target up to 60 feet away, a –2 penalty against a target beyond 60 feet but up to 120 feet (double) away, and a –4 penalty against a target beyond 120 feet but up to 180 (tripple) feet away, and so on, up to 360 (four times) feet.
| Simple Weapon |
Rarity |
Damage |
Bulk |
Range |
Reload |
Group |
Weapon Traits |
| Sling |
Common |
1d6 B |
1 |
50 ft. |
0 |
Sling |
Agile, non-lethal |
| Javelin |
Common |
1d6 P |
L |
30 ft. |
0 |
Dart |
- |
| Darts |
Common |
1d4 P |
L |
15 ft. |
0 |
Dart |
Agile, thrown |
| Hand-Crossbow |
Common |
1d6 P |
1 |
60 ft. |
1 |
Bow |
- |
| Heavy-Crossbow |
Common |
1d10 P |
2 |
120 ft. |
2 |
Bow |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Bolas |
Uncommon |
1d10 B |
1 |
20 ft. |
1 |
Sling |
Nonlethal, ranged trip, thrown |
| Valari |
Uncommon |
1d6 S |
L |
10 ft. |
0 |
Dart |
Agile, nonlethal |
| Chakram |
Uncommon |
1d4 S |
L |
25 ft. |
0 |
Dart |
Versitaile B, forcefull, thrown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Senbon |
Rare |
1d4 P |
- |
20 ft. |
0 |
Dart |
Agile, monk, thrown |
| Shuriken |
Rare |
1d4 P |
L |
30 ft. |
0 |
Dart |
Deadly d6, monk, thrown |
| Martial Weapons |
Rarity |
Damage |
Bulk |
Range |
Reload |
Group |
Weapon Traits |
| Long Bow |
Common |
1d8 P |
2 |
60 ft. |
1 |
bow |
brutal, fatal d10 |
| Short Bow |
Common |
1d6 P |
L |
80 ft. |
2 |
bow |
propulsive, fatal d8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Composite Bow |
Uncommon |
1d6 P |
1 |
|
|
bow |
brutal, deadly d10 |
| Bare Bow |
Uncommon |
1d6 P |
2 |
|
|
bow |
agile, deadly d10 |
| Deflex Bow |
Rare |
1d8 P |
1 |
|
|
bow |
propulsive, volley 30ft. |
Weapon Traits
Weapons and unarmed attacks with the weapon trait can have the following traits.
Agile: The multiple attack penalty you take with this weapon on the second attack on your turn is –4 instead of –5, and –8 instead of –10 on the third and subsequent attacks in the turn.
Attached
An attached weapon must be combined with another piece of gear to be used. The trait lists what type of item the weapon must be attached to. You must be wielding or wearing the item the weapon is attached to in order to attack with it. For example, shield spikes are attached to a shield, allowing you to attack with the spikes instead of a shield bash, but only if you’re wielding the shield. An attached weapon is usually bolted onto or built into the item it’s attached to, and typically an item can have only one weapon attached to it.
An attached weapon can be affixed to an item with 10 minutes of work and a successful DC 10 Crafting check; this includes the time needed to remove the weapon from a previous item, if necessary. If an item is destroyed, its attached weapon can usually be salvaged.
Backstabber
When you hit a flat-footed creature, this weapon deals 1 precision damage in addition to its normal damage. The precision damage increases to 2 if the weapon is a +3 weapon.
Backswing
You can use the momentum from a missed attack with this weapon to lead into your next attack. After missing with this weapon on your turn, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your next attack with this weapon before the end of your turn.
Brutal
A ranged attack with this trait uses its Strength modifier instead of Dexterity on the attack roll.
Deadly
On a critical hit, the weapon adds a weapon damage die of the listed size. Roll this after doubling the weapon’s damage. This increases to two dice if the weapon has a greater Striking Rune and three dice if the weapon has a major Striking Rune.
For instance, a rapier with a greater Striking Rune deals 2d8 extra piercing damage on a critical hit. An ability that changes the size of the weapon’s normal damage dice doesn’t change the size of its deadly die.
Disarm
You can use this weapon to Disarm with the Athletics skill even if you don’t have a free hand. This uses the weapon’s reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls (if any) as an item bonus to the Athletics check.
If you critically fail a check to Disarm using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure. On a critical success, you still need a free hand if you want to take the item.
Fatal
The fatal trait includes a die size. On a critical hit, the weapon’s damage die increases to that die size instead of the normal die size, and the weapon adds one additional damage die of the listed size.
Finesse: You can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls using this melee weapon. You still use your Strength modifier when calculating damage.
Forceful
This weapon becomes more dangerous as you build momentum. When you attack with it more than once on your turn, the second attack gains a circumstance bonus to damage equal to the number of weapon damage dice, and each subsequent attack gains a circumstance bonus to damage equal to double the number of weapon damage dice.
Free-Hand
This weapon doesn’t take up your hand, usually because it is built into your armor. A free-hand weapon can’t be Disarmed. You can use the hand covered by your free-hand weapon to wield other items, perform manipulate actions, and so on.
You can’t attack with a free-hand weapon if you’re wielding anything in that hand or otherwise using that hand. When you’re not wielding anything and not otherwise using the hand, you can use abilities that require you to have a hand free as well as those that require you to be wielding a weapon in that hand. Each of your hands can have only one free?hand weapon on it.
Grapple
You can use this weapon to Grapple with the Athletics skill even if you don’t have a free hand. This uses the weapon’s reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls as an item bonus to the Athletics check. If you critically fail a check to Grapple using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure.
Jousting
The weapon is suited for mounted combat with a harness or similar means. When mounted, if you moved at least 10 feet on the action before your attack, add a circumstance bonus to damage for that attack equal to the number of damage dice for the weapon. In addition, while mounted, you can wield the weapon in one hand, changing the damage die to the listed value.
Modular
The weapon has multiple configurations that you can switch between using an Interact action. Typically, switching between configurations of a modular weapon allows it to deal different types of damage (listed in the trait, such as “modular B, P, or S”), though it’s possible for a modular weapon’s description to list more complicated configurations. Source PLOG&M2E
Monk
Many monks learn to use these weapons.
Nonlethal
Attacks with this weapon are nonlethal, and are used to knock creatures unconscious instead of kill them. You can use a nonlethal weapon to make a lethal attack with a –2 circumstance penalty.
Parry
This weapon can be used defensively to block attacks. While wielding this weapon, if your proficiency with it is trained or better, you can spend an Interact action to position your weapon defensively, gaining a +1 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
Propulsive
You add half your Strength modifier (if Positive) to damage rolls with a propulsive ranged weapon. If you have a negative Strength modifier, you add your full Strength modifier instead.
Ranged Trip
The weapon can be used to Trip with the Athletics skill at a distance up to the weapon’s first range increment. The skill check is attempted with a –2 circumstance penalty. You can add the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls as a bonus to the check. As with using a melee weapon to Trip, a ranged trip weapon doesn’t deal any damage when used to Trip. This trait usually appears only on a thrown weapon. Source PLOG&M2E
Reach
This weapon is long and can be used to attack creatures up to 10 feet away instead of only adjacent creatures. For creatures that already have reach with the limb or limbs that wield the weapon, the weapon increases their reach by 5 feet.
Shove
You can use this weapon to Shove with the Athletics skill even if you don’t have a free hand. This uses the weapon’s reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls as an item bonus to the Athletics check.
If you critically fail a check to Shove using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure.
Sweep
This weapon makes wide sweeping or spinning attacks, making it easier to attack multiple enemies. When you attack with this weapon, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your attack roll if you already attempted to attack a different target this turn using this weapon.
Tethered
This weapon is attached to a length of rope or chain that allows you to retrieve it after it has left your hand. If you have a free hand while wielding this weapon, you can use an Interact action to pull the weapon back into your grasp after you have thrown it as a ranged attack or after it has been disarmed (unless it is being held by another creature).
Thrown
You can throw this weapon as a ranged attack. A thrown weapon adds your Strength modifier to damage just like a melee weapon does. When this trait appears on a melee weapon, it also includes the range increment. Ranged weapons with this trait use the range increment specified in the weapon’s Range entry.
Trip
You can use this weapon to Trip with the Athletics skill even if you don’t have a free hand. This uses the weapon’s reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls as an item bonus to the Athletics check.
If you critically fail a check to Trip using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure.
Twin
These weapons are used as a pair, complementing each other. When you attack with a twin weapon, you add a circumstance bonus to the damage roll equal to the weapon’s number of damage dice if you have previously attacked with a different weapon of the same type this turn.
The weapons must be of the same type to benefit from this trait, but they don’t need to have the same Runes.
Two-Hand
This weapon can be wielded with two hands. Doing so changes its weapon damage die to the indicated value. This change applies to all the weapon’s damage dice, such as those from Striking Runes.
Unarmed
An unarmed attack uses your body rather than a manufactured weapon. An unarmed attack isn’t a weapon, though it’s categorized with weapons for weapon groups, and it might have weapon traits. Since it’s part of your body, an unarmed attack can’t be Disarmed. It also doesn’t take up a hand, though a fist or other grasping appendage follows the same rules as a free-hand weapon.
Versatile
A versatile weapon can be used to deal a different type of damage than that listed in the Damage entry. This trait indicates the alternate damage type. For instance, a piercing weapon that is versatile S can be used to deal piercing or slashing damage. You choose the damage type each time you make an attack.
Volley
This ranged weapon is less effective at close distances. Your attacks against targets that are at a distance within the range listed take a –2 penalty.
Group Critical Succes effects
Axe
Choose one creature adjacent to the initial target and within reach. If its AC is lower than your attack roll result for the critical hit, you deal damage to that creature equal to the result of the weapon damage die you rolled (including extra dice for its Potency Rune, if any).
This amount isn’t doubled, and no bonuses or other additional dice apply to this damage.
Bomb
Increase the radius of the bomb’s splash damage (if any) to 10 feet.
Bow
If the target of the critical hit is adjacent to a surface, it gets stuck to that surface by the missile. The target is immobilized and must spend an Interact action to attempt a DC 10 Athletics check to pull the missile free; it can’t move from its space until it succeeds. The creature doesn’t become stuck if it is incorporeal, is liquid (like a water elemental or some oozes), or could otherwise escape without effort.
Brawling
The target must succeed at a Fortitude save against your class DC or be slowed 1 until the end of your next turn.
Club
You knock the target away from you up to 10 feet (you choose the distance). This is forced movement.
Dart
The target takes 1d6 persistent bleed damage. You gain an item bonus to this bleed damage equal to the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls.
Hammer/Flail
The target is knocked prone.
Knife
The target takes 1d6 persistent bleed damage. You gain an item bonus to this bleed damage equal to the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls.
Pick
The weapon viciously pierces the target, who takes 2 additional damage per weapon damage die.
Polearm
The target is moved 5 feet in a direction of your choice. This is forced movement.
Shield
You knock the target back from you 5 feet. This is forced movement.
Sling
The target must succeed at a Fortitude save against your class DC or be stunned 1.
Spear
The weapon pierces the target, weakening its attacks. The target is clumsy 1 until the start of your next turn.
Sword
The target is made off-balance by your attack, becoming flat-footed until the start of your next turn.
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