Versatile
Use one-handed or two-handed; two-handed deals more damage. Switch freely. Pairs well with both Dueling (one-hand) and [[compendium:feat:Great Weapon Fighting]] (two-hand).
Versatile (Weapon Property)
A versatile weapon can be used effectively with either one hand or two hands, dealing more damage when wielded two-handed.
Mechanical effect: The weapon can be used with one or two hands. The weapon's entry shows the two-handed damage in parentheses after the one-handed damage.
Versatile weapons in the SRD:
| Weapon | One-Handed | Two-Handed | Other Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterstaff | 1d6 bludgeoning | 1d8 | Simple |
| Spear | 1d6 piercing | 1d8 | Thrown (20/60) |
| Battleaxe | 1d8 slashing | 1d10 | Martial |
| Longsword | 1d8 slashing | 1d10 | Martial |
| Trident | 1d6 piercing | 1d8 | Thrown (20/60) |
| Warhammer | 1d8 bludgeoning | 1d10 | Martial |
Tactical flexibility:
- Use one-handed with a shield for +2 AC and slightly lower damage.
- Use two-handed for higher damage when you don't need a shield.
- Switch grip freely — no action required to change between one and two hands.
- One-handed use leaves a hand free for grappling, somatic spell components, or holding a torch.
Great Weapon Fighting style: This fighting style applies when wielding a versatile weapon in two hands, allowing rerolls of 1s and 2s on damage dice.
Dueling Fighting Style: When wielding a versatile weapon in one hand and nothing in the other, you can add +2 to damage rolls. This often makes one-handed versatile weapons competitive with two-handed options (1d8 + 2 averages 6.5, compared to 1d10 two-handed averaging 5.5).