Scoring Homebrew Nonmagical Weapons (5e Guideline)

This metric is intended to score any potential weapon design against SRD weapons. A given weapon's score should determine whether the weapon should simple, martial, or too powerful to even be a nonmagical weapon.

It should be noted that any weapon which scores as simple can also be treated as martial, subject to GM discretion. E.g., the spear and the trident have the exact same combat statistics, but one is simple while the other is martial.

Aside from the trident, the only SRD weapon which defies this scoring system is the blowgun, which by this system is considered far too weak to be "worth" being a martial weapon.

Step 1: Damage dice

Choose damage dice in the first column. Normally, you will start with the Weapon Points (WP) in the second column.

If the weapon is to have the versatile property, start with the WP in the third column. (For the purpose of this system, the versatile property is "When you use this weapon in two hands to make a melee attack, increase the weapon's base damage dice by one step.")

If the weapon is to have the ammunition property, start with the WP in the fourth column. For the purpose of this system, a weapon cannot have both the ammunition and versatile properties.

Damage Dice	Standard WP	Versatile WP	Ammunition WP
1d2 or less	0	4	35
1d3	8	12	35
1d4	16	24	35
1d6	30	39	40
1d8	47	59*	60
2d4	68	—	77
1d10	69	79	82
1d12	84	—	—
2d6	87	—	—

^{* A versatile weapon with 1d8 damage dice increases to 1d10 when wielded in two hands, not 2d4.}

Step 2: Weight-based properties

A weapon cannot (normally) have both a positive WP property and a negative WP property from this section.

Property	WP Adjustment
Two-Handed	-16 WP
Heavy	-6 WP if paired with two-handed, otherwise +0 WP
Finesse	+18 WP A weapon can't benefit from this property while being wielded in two hands.
Light	+2 WP if d3 or lower +5 WP if d4 +9 WP if d6 +19 WP if d8 +29 WP if 2d4 or d10 +40 WP if d12 or 2d6

Step 3: Reach and range properties

A weapon can have the reach, thrown, or ammunition property, but (normally) no combination of these three.

Property	WP Adjustment
Reach	+18 WP if paired with the two-handed property, otherwise +28 WP Reach can only be placed on a weapon with a damage die of 1d4 or higher. If the weapon has the reach property and has damage dice of 1d4, 1d6, or 1d8, it gains +3 WP. If the weapon has both the light property and the reach property, it gains an extra +17 WP.
Thrown	+6 WP for thrown (20/60) +9 WP for thrown (30/120)
Ammunition	+4 WP for (20/60) +6 WP for (30/120) +16 WP for (80/320) +20 WP for (100/400) +27 WP for (150/600) If the weapon has both the ammunition and loading properties, the preceding value for ammunition is halved. If the weapon has both the ammunition and light properties, it gains an extra +17 WP.
Loading	-5 WP

Step 4: Special properties

Special properties are often what make homebrew weapons unique. It's virtually impossible to score every possible special property, but a few examples are listed below.

Property	WP Adjustment	Description
Accurate	+45 WP	If you are proficient with an accurate weapon, you have a +1 bonus on attack rolls with it. The weapon must also have at least one property from ammunition and finesse.
Dire	+8 WP	If you are proficient with a dire weapon, you add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls instead of attack rolls.
Glove	+26 WP	A glove weapon is worn on your hand or forearm, and you cannot be disarmed of it. You can hold or wield objects in a hand fitted with a glove weapon, but you can only attack with a glove weapon if that hand is unoccupied. It takes an action to don or doff a glove weapon.
Returning	+10 WP	See returning.
Unwieldy	-16 WP	You cannot attack with an unwieldy weapon unless you are proficient. If you are proficient, you cannot add any proficiency bonus to the attack roll.

Step 5: Damage type

Choose bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. Anything that deals a different kind of damage should probably be a magic weapon instead.

Although no SRD weapons can deal more than one type of damage, you can optionally have a weapon optionally deal one of two different types, e.g., "bludgeoning or slashing." Such a weapon might have an axe-head and a hammer-head on the same end of the weapon. A weapon with this quality should have +4 WP.

Step 6: Category

If the weapon's WP value is 45 or lower, it should generally be a simple weapon.

If the weapon's WP value is more than 45 but not greater than 65, it should be a martial weapon.

If the weapon's WP value is greater than 65, it should be a magic item.

Step 7: Weight

The GM can generally use his or her own judgement. As a general guidelines, however:

• A weapon designed to be used in one hand should rarely if ever weigh more than 5 lb.
• A weapon with the finesse or light property should weigh 3 lb. or less.
• Despite the connotations of the heavy property, this restriction can be due to the weapon's size rather than its weight. For instance a longbow has this property, but weighs a mere 2 pounds.
• The heaviest weapons in the SRD (pike and heavy crossbow) each weigh 18 lb. The second-heaviest weapons (maul and greatclub) each weigh 10 lb. Everything else is 7 lb. or less. Suffice to say a weapon should rarely weigh more than 7 lb.

Step 8: Cost

The costs for weapons in the SRD often depends as much on the weapon's construction and the materials required, than the weapon's actual effectiveness. A pike for instance is as effective as a halberd, but because a pointy spear tip is much easier to make than an ornate halberd head, the pike is much cheaper. Even so, any weapon that has high WP for its category should generally be more expensive than other weapons with lower WP.

A simple melee weapon should cost 5 gp or less. The cheapest one, the club, is a mere 1 sp.

A martial melee weapon should generally be between 5 gp and 50 gp. Some classes, like the fighter, can start with "any martial melee weapon." Thus making one significantly more costly than 50 gp is general ill-advised.

Ranged weapons can be a little more expensive. On the high end, a simple ranged weapon should rarely if ever cost much more than 25 gp. A martial ranged weapon should rarely if ever cost much more than 75 gp.

Examples

SRD Weapons

Weapon	Category	WP	Damage	Weight Properties	Reach & Range
Club	Simple	16	1d4 16 WP	—	—
Dagger	Simple	45	1d4 16 WP	Finesse, light +23 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP
Greatclub	Simple	31	1d8 47 WP	Two-handed -16 WP	—
Handaxe	Simple	45	1d6 30 WP	Light +9 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP
Javelin	Simple	39	1d6 30 WP	—	Thrown (30/120) +9 WP
Light Hammer	Simple	27	1d4 16 WP	Light +5 WP	Thrown (range 20/60) +6 WP
Mace	Simple	30	1d6 30 WP	—	—
Quarterstaff	Simple	39	1d6, versatile 39 WP	—	—
Sickle	Simple	21	1d4 16 WP	Light +5 WP	—
Spear	Simple	45	1d6, versatile 39 WP	—	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP
Crossbow, Light	Simple	45	1d8, ammunition 60 WP	Two-handed -16 WP	Ammunition (80/320), loading +1 WP
Dart	Simple	40	1d4 16 WP	Finesse +18 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP
Shortbow	Simple	40	1d6, ammunition 40 WP	Two-handed -16 WP	Ammunition (80/320) +16
Sling	Simple	41	1d4, ammunition 35 WP	—	Ammunition (30/120) +6 WP
Battleaxe	Martial	59	1d8, versatile 59 WP	—	—
Flail	Martial	47	1d8 47 WP	—	—
Glaive	Martial	65	1d10 69 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +18 WP
Greataxe	Martial	62	1d12 84 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—
Greatsword	Martial	65	2d6 87 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—
Halberd	Martial	65	1d10 69 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +18 WP
Longsword	Martial	59	1d8, versatile 59	—	—
Maul	Martial	65	2d6 87 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—
Morningstar	Martial	47	1d8 47 WP	—	—
Pike	Martial	64	1d10 68 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +18 WP
Rapier	Martial	65	1d8 47 WP	Finesse +18 WP	—
Scimitar	Martial	57	1d6 30 WP	Light, finesse +27 WP	—
Shortsword	Martial	57	1d6 30 WP	Light, finesse +27 WP	—
Trident	Simple	45	1d6, versatile 39 WP	—	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP
War Pick	Martial	47	1d8 47 WP	—	—
Warhammer	Martial	59	1d8, versatile 59 WP	—	—
Whip	Martial	65	1d4 16 WP	Finesse 18 WP	Reach +31 WP
Blowgun	Martial	33	1, ammunition 35 WP	—	Ammunition (30/120), loading -2 WP
Crossbow, Hand	Martial	61	1d6 40 WP	Light 23 WP	Ammunition (30/120), loading -2 WP
Crossbow, Heavy	Martial	65	1d10, ammunition 82 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Ammunition (100/400), loading +5 WP
Longbow	Martial	65	1d8, ammunition 60 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Ammunition (150/600) +27 WP

Homebrew Weapons

Weapon	Category	WP	Damage	Damage Type	Weight Properties	Reach & Range	Special
Ball & Chain	Martial	65	1d8 47 WP	bludgeoning	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP	+8 WP: Dire +1 WP (estimate): "Pull back" +25 WP (estimate): "Shielded Sentinel"
Bec de Corbin	Martial	64	1d10 68 WP	bludgeoning	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +18 WP	—
Boar Spear	Martial	65	2d6 87 WP	piercing	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	—
Boomerang	Simple	40	1d4 16 WP	bludgeoning	Light +5 WP	Thrown (30/120) +9 WP	Returning +10 WP
Brandistock	Simple	31	1d8 47 WP	piercing	Two-handed -16 WP	—	—
Cane	Simple	30	1d4, versatile 24 WP	bludgeoning	Light +6 WP	—	—
Clawed Bracer	Martial	65	1d6 30 WP	piercing	Light +9 WP	—	Glove +26 WP
Clawed Glove	Simple	43	1 0 WP	slashing	Finesse, light +19 WP	—	Glove +26 WP
Chakram	Martial	63	1d6 30 WP	slashing	Finesse, light +27 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP	—
Crescent Cleaver	Martial	51	1d8 47 WP	piercing or slashing +4 WP	—	—	—
Crescent Staff or Falx	Simple	41	1d6, versatile 39 WP	slashing	—	—	—
Cudgel	Simple	41	1d6, versatile 39 WP	bludgeoning	—	—	—
Deku Stick	Simple	45	1d10 64 WP	bludgeoning	Two-handed -16 WP	Loading -5 WP	Melee weapon is destroyed on a hit -8 WP (estimate)
Dragonbone Club	Simple	33	1d8 47 WP	bludgeoning	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	+8 WP: Dire
Duplex Bow	Martial	65	2d4, ammunition 77 WP	piercing	Two-handed -16 WP	Ammunition (20/60) +4 WP	Consumes 1 extra piece of ammunition
Fauchard	Simple	29	1d6 30 WP	slashing	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +21 WP	—
Gauntlet	Simple	42	1d4 16 WP	bludgeoning	—	—	Glove +26 WP
Giant Boomerang	Martial	63	1d10 69 WP	bludgeoning	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP	Returning +10 WP
Godentag	Simple	29	1d8 47 WP	bludgeoning or piercing +4 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	—
Heavy Flail	Martial	62	1d12 84 WP	piercing	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	—
Heavy Pickaxe	Martial	47	1d10 69 WP	piercing	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	—
Karambit	Simple	39	1d4 16 WP	slashing	Finesse, light +23 WP	—	—
Kpinga	Simple	45	1d6 30 WP	bludgeoning	Light +9 WP	Thrown (20/60)<r>+6 WP	—
Lizal Boomerang	Martial	65	1d6 30 WP	slashing	Finesse +23 WP	Thrown (20/60) +6 WP	+10 WP: Returning -4 WP Negative effects on "natural 1" attack roll
Lizal Tri-Boomerang	Martial	62	1d8 47 WP	slashing	—	Thrown (30/120) +9 WP	+10 WP: Returning -4 WP Negative effects on "natural 1" attack roll
Long Cane	Martial	52	1d8 47 WP	bludgeoning	Two-handed -16 WP	Reach +21 WP	—
Master's Keg	Simple	39	1d6 30 WP	bludgeoning	Light +9 WP	—	—
Mattock	Simple	34	1d6 30 WP	piercing or slashing +4 WP	—	—	—
Mattock, War	Martial	63	1d8, versatile 59 WP	piercing or slashing +4 WP	—	—	—
Pole Mace	Martial	65	1d10 69 WP	bludgeoning	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +18 WP	—
Poleaxe	Martial	64	2d4 68 WP	slashing	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Reach +18 WP	—
Slingstaff	Simple	30	1d6, ammunition 40 WP	bludgeoning	Two-handed -16 WP	Ammunition (30/120) +6 WP	—
Spiked Greatclub	Martial	47	1d10 69 WP	bludgeoning	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	—
Sportsman's Rapier	Martial	62	1d2 0 WP	piercing	Finesse +18 WP	—	Accurate +45 WP
Swordstaff	Martial	59	1d8, versatile 59 WP	piercing	—	—	—
Talwar	Martial	65	1d8 47 WP	slashing	Finesse +18 WP	—	—

Poor examples - Weapons that by this definition are overpowered for their category

Weapon	Category	WP	Damage	Weight Properties	Reach & Range	Notes
Stronger Greatclub	Simple	46	2d4 68 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	—	Any simple melee weapon that deals more than 1d8 damage will need a significant drawback.
Simple Rapier	Simple	47	1d6 30 WP	Finesse +18 WP	—	The dagger is the pinnacle of simple finesse weapons, and the rapier the pinnacle of martial finesse weapons. It is difficult to make a more damaging finesse weapon without considerable drawback.
One-Handed Pike	Martial	78	1d8 47 WP	—	Reach +31 WP	While it is possible to make simple reach weapons and one-handed reach weapons, they would do lower-than-normal damage or have other drawbacks.
One-Handed Powerhouse	Martial	68	2d4 68 WP	—	—	A single-handed weapon that deals more than 1d8 damage will need some kind of drawback.
Stronger Longbow	Martial	76	1d10, ammunition 82 WP	Heavy, two-handed -22 WP	Ammunition (80/320) +16 WP	A more damaging longbow is possible, but only with a property like loading or a vastly reduced range.

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