My classic D&D melee weapons

Here is my list of melee weapons for classic D&D—with damage, price, and parenthetical notes:

• Unarmed d2, free
• Torch d3, 6 for 1sp
• Club d4, 3sp
• Dagger (quickdraw) d4, 3sp
• Silver dagger (quickdraw) d4, 30sp
• Buckler d4, 3sp
• Quarterstaff (requires 2 hands) d6, 2sp
• Lance d6 (2d6 on a charging mount), 5sp
• Small weapon d6, 5sp
  • axe, kopesh, sickle
• Small blade (quickdraw) d6, 7sp
  • baselard, gladius, seax, xiphos
• Medium weapon d6 (d8 if used 2-handed), 7sp
  • axe, flail, mace, morning star, spear, trident, warhammer
• Medium blade (quickdraw) d6 (d8 if used 2-handed), 10sp
  • arming sword, falchion, flamberge, sabre, scimitar, spatha
• Large weapon (requires 2 hands) d10, 7sp
  • axe, goedendag, maul, pole arm
• Large blade (requires 2 hands) d10, 15sp
  • estoc, flamberge, claymore, longsword

“Quickdraw” means that the weapon (daggers & swords) comes with a scabbard. These weapons can be drawn and used for an attack in the same round. Other weapons, if not in hand, require a round to ready. (I’m using 10 second rounds.)

When buying a generic weapon (in italics above), the player must specify the specific weapon it represents. I have given some examples, but if you don’t like them, call it whatever you wish. (The other weapons could be “reskinned” too.)

Note that I’m using a “silver standard” here. Read the prices in gp instead of sp for regular “gold standard” games.

Also note that I do not use the rule that two-handed weapons automatically lose initiative.

No encumbrance values are listed because I use a freeform encumbrance rule.

I also plan on dropping most class-based weapon restrictions, though dwarfs and halflings will still have restrictions.

If it seems odd to have buckler listed as a weapon instead of a shield, well...it is. But a forthcoming house rule on two-weapon fighting will explain it.

Credit where credit is due...

The quickdraw bit was stolen from Original Edition Delta.

Generic weapons are inspired by Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Lamentations of the Flame Princess Weird Fantasy Role-playing.

Upcoming posts will provide commentary on this, two-weapon fighting, and thrown/missile weapons.