Versatile 5e weapon
You can use the Versatile 5e weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value in parentheses. That is the damage that the weapon does to make a melee attack.
Types of Versatile 5e weapons.
| 1 | SRD5:Battleaxe |
| 2 | Broken Longsword (5e Weapon) |
| 3 | Demilance (5e Weapon) |
| 4 | Dire Flail (5e Weapon) |
| 5 | SRD5:Dwarven Thrower |
| 6 | Greatstaff (5e Weapon) |
| 7 | SRD5:Warhammer |
| 8 | Infinity Edge (5e Magic Weapon) |
| 9 | Jingu Staff (5e Magic Weapon) |
| 10 | SRD5:Quarterstaff |
| 11 | SRD5:Spear |
| 12 | SRD5:Sun Blade |
| 13 | SRD5:Longsword |
| 14 | SRD5:Trident |
| 15 | SRD5:Trident of Fish Command |
| 16 | Weapon of Ki Focus (5e Magic Weapon) |
Let’s discuss Versatile and all other weapons to understand it.
Weapons
Your class gives you proficiency in specific Weapons. That reflects both your class’s focus as well as the tools that you most often use. Your weapon, whether you prefer a Longsword to a Longbow or not, can make the difference between life or death when adventuring.
The Weapons table lists the most common weapons used in fantasy gaming, their weight, and price, as well as the damage they do when they hit. It also shows any special properties they have. Each weapon can be classified as melee or ranged. A melee weapon can be useful to attack a target within 5ft of you. In contrast, a ranged weapon can be useful to attack a target from a distance.
Weapon Proficiency
You can be proficient with certain Weapons or specific categories of Weapons depending on your race, class, feats, and other factors. These two types are simple and advanced. Simple Weapons are easy to use with proficiency. These Weapons include clubs and maces as well as other weapons that are often found in common hands. To use martial weapons such as swords, polearms, and axes effectively, you will need more specialized training. Martial Weapons are the most popular choice for warriors. They allow them to put their fighting style and training to the best use.
Proficiency with a weapon gives you the ability to add your Proficiency bonus to any Attacks you make using that weapon. Your Proficiency Bonus is not added to an attack roll if you cannot use a weapon of proficiency.
Weapon properties
A variety of Weapons have special properties that are related to their use. That is shown in the Weapons Table.
Ammunition 5e
A weapon with the Ammunition property can be useful to make a Ranged attack, but only if it has Ammunition to fire from. You expend one Ammunition each time you attack with the weapon. The Attack involves drawing the Ammunition from a case, Quiver, or another container. You need one hand to load a single-handed weapon. You can retrieve half of your Ammunition after the battle is over by taking a moment to search the battlefield. You can treat any weapon with Ammunition property. It allows you to perform a melee Attack as an Improvised Weapon. To deal damage, a sling must have a loaded capacity.
Finesse 5e
You can make an Attack using a finesse weapon by choosing your Strength or Dexterity modifiers for the Attack and Damage Rolls. Both roles must be made with the same modifier.
Heavy
Small creatures are less likely to be able to make Attack rolls with heavy weapons. The bulk and size of a heavy weapon make it difficult for small creatures to use effectively.
Light
It is easy to use and small, making it ideal when fighting with two weapons.
Loading
You can only fire one piece of Ammunition from this weapon due to the number of attacks you are allowed to make.
Range
The range of a weapon used for a ranged Attack is listed in parentheses following the Ammunition or thrown property. Two numbers are listed in the range. The first number is the weapon’s normal range in feet. The second number indicates the weapon’s long range. You have a disadvantage on your attack roll if you attack a target beyond the normal range. You cannot attack a target that is beyond your weapon’s range.
Reach
This weapon increases your reach by 5 feet when you Attack with It and when you determine your distance for Opportunity Attacks.
Special
A weapon that has special property has unique rules for its use. These are explained in the weapon’s description (see “Special Weapons” later in this section).
Thrown
A weapon with the thrown property can be thrown to make a ranged attack. You use the same ability modifier to make the attack roll and damage rolls for melee weapons as you would for melee attacks. If you throw a Handaxe, you use your Strength. However, if your Dagger is thrown, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity because the Dagger has the finesse ability.
Two-Handed
When you attack with this weapon, it requires two hands.
Versatile 5e weapon
You can use this versatile weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value in parentheses. That is the weapon’s damage when it is used with two hands to perform a melee attack.
Improvised Weapons
Sometimes characters are unable to carry their weapons, so they must attack with what is available. An Improvised Weapon is any object you can use in one or two hands, such as broken glass or a table leg.
An Improvised Weapon can often be treated the same as an actual weapon. A table leg, for example, is similar to a club. A proficient character in a weapon can use a similar item as if it were that weapon and receive a Proficiency Bonus.
A weapon-like object does 1d4 damage. The GM will assign a damage type to the thing. A character can also deal 1d4 damage if they use a melee weapon or throw a melee weapon without the throwing property. A thrown improvised weapon can travel up to 20 feet and up to 60 feet.
Silvered weapons
Certain Monsters that are immune to or resistant to nonmagical weapons can be made to accept silver weapons. Adventurers should therefore invest more coins to make their Silver Weapons. For 100 gp, you can silver one weapon or ten pieces of Ammunition. This price includes the cost of the silver and the time and expertise required to add silver to the weapon to make it more effective.
Special Weapons
Here are the special rules for weapons.
Lance: A lance can be a disadvantage. A lance needs two hands to use if you’re not mounted.
Net: A net restricts a large or small creature from being freed until it is released. The net does not affect formless creatures or creatures that larger creatures can manipulate. If a DC 10 Strength check is made, an animal can make an action that allows it to free itself and any other creature within its reach. The creature can also be released by dealing five slashing damage (AC 10), ending the Effect, and destroying the net. You can only make one Attack when you combine an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a catch. That is regardless of how many attacks you can make.
What is Versatile 5e, and what are its uses?
You can use the weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value that is in parentheses. That indicates the damage caused by the weapon being used with two hands to perform a melee attack. A weapon that has reached can be an advantage.
How do the weapon properties Versatile & 5e Finesse interact?
Versatile does not change the damage you take, while finesse changes the ability modifiers you can use.
We can see the definitions of versatility and finesse.
Finesse: You can attack with a finesse weapon using your Strength or Dexterity modifiers for Attack and Damage Rolls. Both roles must be made with the same modifier.
Versatile: You can use this weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value in parentheses. That is the weapon’s damage when it is used with two hands to perform a melee attack.
The rules do not explicitly state that a weapon cannot have both properties. In that case, they don’t contradict one another.
This weapon allows you to use it with two hands to alter the damaged dice that you roll. It also gives you the option of Strength or Dexterity for your damage modifiers and static to-hit.
This type of weapon is also available in the 5e SRD: Sun Blade.
This item appears as a longsword knife hilt. You can grab the hold and use a bonus action, or the blade will disappear. The edge is still available, but this magic longsword also has the finesse property(emphasis mine).
The Sun Blade, a rare magic item that can be useful to summon the sun, proves that it is possible to create a versatile and effective weapon.
What are the problems of Versatile weapons 5e?
Versatile weapons are not as effective when used 2-handed. They have lower AC and more damage from the shield, duellist style, or a Heavy or Reach two-handed weapon with the feats they can take advantage of.
Versatile Fighting
You can choose one of these benefits when you use a versatile weapon with both hands and take the Attack action:
1. You receive a +1 attack bonus, and your weapon gains the finesse ability.
2. 2. You receive a +1 damage bonus, and your weapon gains heavy property.
Although the +1 attack bonus and Dueling +2 are inferior, the +1 damage bonuses are superior to Archery’s +2. You have the option to choose from each round. You can also use it to give weapons like the longsword and battleax other useful properties.
I believe that this would be a great balance. You may add another option if you want AC boosting (you could bump it up to a +2 bonus AC), which I think is fair and in line with your OP.
Summary
The best way to approach with a versatile weapon and fighting style are as follows.
- When used two-handed, you may consider versatile weapon heavy.
- You deal five additional points of damage when you attack with versatile weapons and deal maximum damage to weapon damage die.
- You get a +1 bonus to AC when you use a versatile weapon unarmed with no shield, and your hand is free.
Versatile 5e weapon table with weight and cost
| Type | Weapon | COST | Damage | Weight | Comments |
| Martial Melee Weapons | Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d8 slashing | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Martial Melee Weapons | Longsword | 15 gp | 1d8 slashing | 3 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Martial Melee Weapons | Warhammer | 15 gp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Simple Melee Weapons | Quarterstaff | 2 sp | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d8) |
| Simple Melee Weapons | Spear | 1 gp | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. | Thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d8) |
Versatile 5e weapon
You can use the Versatile 5e weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value in parentheses. That is the damage that the weapon does to make a melee attack.
Types of Versatile 5e weapons.
| 1 | SRD5:Battleaxe |
| 2 | Broken Longsword (5e Weapon) |
| 3 | Demilance (5e Weapon) |
| 4 | Dire Flail (5e Weapon) |
| 5 | SRD5:Dwarven Thrower |
| 6 | Greatstaff (5e Weapon) |
| 7 | SRD5:Warhammer |
| 8 | Infinity Edge (5e Magic Weapon) |
| 9 | Jingu Staff (5e Magic Weapon) |
| 10 | SRD5:Quarterstaff |
| 11 | SRD5:Spear |
| 12 | SRD5:Sun Blade |
| 13 | SRD5:Longsword |
| 14 | SRD5:Trident |
| 15 | SRD5:Trident of Fish Command |
| 16 | Weapon of Ki Focus (5e Magic Weapon) |
Let’s discuss Versatile and all other weapons to understand it.
Weapons
Your class gives you proficiency in specific Weapons. That reflects both your class’s focus as well as the tools that you most often use. Your weapon, whether you prefer a Longsword to a Longbow or not, can make the difference between life or death when adventuring.
The Weapons table lists the most common weapons used in fantasy gaming, their weight, and price, as well as the damage they do when they hit. It also shows any special properties they have. Each weapon can be classified as melee or ranged. A melee weapon can be useful to attack a target within 5ft of you. In contrast, a ranged weapon can be useful to attack a target from a distance.
Weapon Proficiency
You can be proficient with certain Weapons or specific categories of Weapons depending on your race, class, feats, and other factors. These two types are simple and advanced. Simple Weapons are easy to use with proficiency. These Weapons include clubs and maces as well as other weapons that are often found in common hands. To use martial weapons such as swords, polearms, and axes effectively, you will need more specialized training. Martial Weapons are the most popular choice for warriors. They allow them to put their fighting style and training to the best use.
Proficiency with a weapon gives you the ability to add your Proficiency bonus to any Attacks you make using that weapon. Your Proficiency Bonus is not added to an attack roll if you cannot use a weapon of proficiency.
Weapon properties
A variety of Weapons have special properties that are related to their use. That is shown in the Weapons Table.
Ammunition 5e
A weapon with the Ammunition property can be useful to make a Ranged attack, but only if it has Ammunition to fire from. You expend one Ammunition each time you attack with the weapon. The Attack involves drawing the Ammunition from a case, Quiver, or another container. You need one hand to load a single-handed weapon. You can retrieve half of your Ammunition after the battle is over by taking a moment to search the battlefield. You can treat any weapon with Ammunition property. It allows you to perform a melee Attack as an Improvised Weapon. To deal damage, a sling must have a loaded capacity.
Finesse 5e
You can make an Attack using a finesse weapon by choosing your Strength or Dexterity modifiers for the Attack and Damage Rolls. Both roles must be made with the same modifier.
Heavy
Small creatures are less likely to be able to make Attack rolls with heavy weapons. The bulk and size of a heavy weapon make it difficult for small creatures to use effectively.
Light
It is easy to use and small, making it ideal when fighting with two weapons.
Loading
You can only fire one piece of Ammunition from this weapon due to the number of attacks you are allowed to make.
Range
The range of a weapon used for a ranged Attack is listed in parentheses following the Ammunition or thrown property. Two numbers are listed in the range. The first number is the weapon’s normal range in feet. The second number indicates the weapon’s long range. You have a disadvantage on your attack roll if you attack a target beyond the normal range. You cannot attack a target that is beyond your weapon’s range.
Reach
This weapon increases your reach by 5 feet when you Attack with It and when you determine your distance for Opportunity Attacks.
Special
A weapon that has special property has unique rules for its use. These are explained in the weapon’s description (see “Special Weapons” later in this section).
Thrown
A weapon with the thrown property can be thrown to make a ranged attack. You use the same ability modifier to make the attack roll and damage rolls for melee weapons as you would for melee attacks. If you throw a Handaxe, you use your Strength. However, if your Dagger is thrown, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity because the Dagger has the finesse ability.
Two-Handed
When you attack with this weapon, it requires two hands.
Versatile 5e weapon
You can use this versatile weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value in parentheses. That is the weapon’s damage when it is used with two hands to perform a melee attack.
Improvised Weapons
Sometimes characters are unable to carry their weapons, so they must attack with what is available. An Improvised Weapon is any object you can use in one or two hands, such as broken glass or a table leg.
An Improvised Weapon can often be treated the same as an actual weapon. A table leg, for example, is similar to a club. A proficient character in a weapon can use a similar item as if it were that weapon and receive a Proficiency Bonus.
A weapon-like object does 1d4 damage. The GM will assign a damage type to the thing. A character can also deal 1d4 damage if they use a melee weapon or throw a melee weapon without the throwing property. A thrown improvised weapon can travel up to 20 feet and up to 60 feet.
Silvered weapons
Certain Monsters that are immune to or resistant to nonmagical weapons can be made to accept silver weapons. Adventurers should therefore invest more coins to make their Silver Weapons. For 100 gp, you can silver one weapon or ten pieces of Ammunition. This price includes the cost of the silver and the time and expertise required to add silver to the weapon to make it more effective.
Special Weapons
Here are the special rules for weapons.
Lance: A lance can be a disadvantage. A lance needs two hands to use if you’re not mounted.
Net: A net restricts a large or small creature from being freed until it is released. The net does not affect formless creatures or creatures that larger creatures can manipulate. If a DC 10 Strength check is made, an animal can make an action that allows it to free itself and any other creature within its reach. The creature can also be released by dealing five slashing damage (AC 10), ending the Effect, and destroying the net. You can only make one Attack when you combine an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a catch. That is regardless of how many attacks you can make.
What is Versatile 5e, and what are its uses?
You can use the weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value that is in parentheses. That indicates the damage caused by the weapon being used with two hands to perform a melee attack. A weapon that has reached can be an advantage.
How do the weapon properties Versatile & 5e Finesse interact?
Versatile does not change the damage you take, while finesse changes the ability modifiers you can use.
We can see the definitions of versatility and finesse.
Finesse: You can attack with a finesse weapon using your Strength or Dexterity modifiers for Attack and Damage Rolls. Both roles must be made with the same modifier.
Versatile: You can use this weapon with either one or two hands. The property has a damage value in parentheses. That is the weapon’s damage when it is used with two hands to perform a melee attack.
The rules do not explicitly state that a weapon cannot have both properties. In that case, they don’t contradict one another.
This weapon allows you to use it with two hands to alter the damaged dice that you roll. It also gives you the option of Strength or Dexterity for your damage modifiers and static to-hit.
This type of weapon is also available in the 5e SRD: Sun Blade.
This item appears as a longsword knife hilt. You can grab the hold and use a bonus action, or the blade will disappear. The edge is still available, but this magic longsword also has the finesse property(emphasis mine).
The Sun Blade, a rare magic item that can be useful to summon the sun, proves that it is possible to create a versatile and effective weapon.
What are the problems of Versatile weapons 5e?
Versatile weapons are not as effective when used 2-handed. They have lower AC and more damage from the shield, duellist style, or a Heavy or Reach two-handed weapon with the feats they can take advantage of.
Versatile Fighting
You can choose one of these benefits when you use a versatile weapon with both hands and take the Attack action:
1. You receive a +1 attack bonus, and your weapon gains the finesse ability.
2. 2. You receive a +1 damage bonus, and your weapon gains heavy property.
Although the +1 attack bonus and Dueling +2 are inferior, the +1 damage bonuses are superior to Archery’s +2. You have the option to choose from each round. You can also use it to give weapons like the longsword and battleax other useful properties.
I believe that this would be a great balance. You may add another option if you want AC boosting (you could bump it up to a +2 bonus AC), which I think is fair and in line with your OP.
Summary
The best way to approach with a versatile weapon and fighting style are as follows.
- When used two-handed, you may consider versatile weapon heavy.
- You deal five additional points of damage when you attack with versatile weapons and deal maximum damage to weapon damage die.
- You get a +1 bonus to AC when you use a versatile weapon unarmed with no shield, and your hand is free.
Versatile 5e weapon table with weight and cost
| Type | Weapon | COST | Damage | Weight | Comments |
| Martial Melee Weapons | Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d8 slashing | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Martial Melee Weapons | Longsword | 15 gp | 1d8 slashing | 3 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Martial Melee Weapons | Warhammer | 15 gp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Simple Melee Weapons | Quarterstaff | 2 sp | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d8) |
| Simple Melee Weapons | Spear | 1 gp | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. | Thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d8) |
