entries
Sorted A-Z
Sidebars

Selecting Weapons

Guides a combat-focused character through picking weapons by trained proficiency, comparing melee against ranged for a balanced loadout.

common

Parent page Weapon Statistics

Characters who focus on combat need to carefully consider their choice of weapons, evaluating whether they want to fight in melee or at range, the weapons’ damage potential, and the special features of various weapons. Characters who are primarily spellcasters usually just need to pick a backup weapon in the best category they’re trained or better in.

When selecting weapons, start by identifying the weapon types you’re trained or better in. You should then compare weapons within these types to determine which ones you will have the highest melee or ranged attack modifier with. It’s usually considered best practice to select both a melee and ranged weapon during character creation so you can contend with a broader variety of foes and situations.

Pathfinder Second Edition material on Narrative Nexus is used under the ORC License or the Open Game License v1.0a, with each entry's notice naming the license that applies. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, and Pathfinder are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc. This product is not affiliated with or endorsed by Paizo Inc.

License terms