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Dual wielding is the technique of using two weapons, one in each hand, for training or combat. It is not a common combat practice. Although historical records of dual wielding in war are limited, there are numerous weapon-based martial arts that involve the use of a pair of weapons.
The greatest strength of dual-wielding is from getting two weapon passives or effects at once. For example, many have already discovered the power of dual-wielding two staffs to get both bonuses at the same time.
- Overview
- What is dual wielding in D&D 5e?
- Who can use dual wielding?
- Who benefits from dual wielding?
- How to Improve Dual Wielding
- Do you need the Dual Wielder feat?
- Best Weapons to Use With the Dual Wielder Feat
- Which classes can use the Dual Wielder feat?
Who benefits from dual wielding?
Do you need the Dual Wielder feat?
Who can use Dual Wielder?
Is a dual-wielding build the right choice for your D&D character? In D&D 5e, “dual-wielding” (or two-weapon fighting) is a combat mechanic allowing your PC to attack with two light weapons—one in their main hand and one in their off-hand. Then, the Dual Wielder feat can improve your PC’s offensive and defensive capabilities while two-weapon fighting. Read on for a comprehensive overview of dual-wielding in
, including how it works and whether the Dual Wielder feat is a good choice for your character.
Dual-wielding is a combat mechanic that lets your PC use their bonus action to make an extra attack on an enemy, so long as they’re wielding light weapons.
Dual wielding is a combat mechanic that lets PCs attack with two weapons.
It involves giving your player character (PC) two weapons—one in their main hand and the other in their off-hand. While dual-wielding, you can use an action to attack with the weapon in your PC’s main hand and a bonus action to attack with the weapon in your PC’s off-hand. However, this fighting style is only allowed when your PC’s weapons are classified as “light.”
“Dual wielding” isn’t the official term for equipping your PC with a main and off-hand weapon in D&D. It’s actually called “Two-weapon fighting.”
There’s one main drawback to dual wielding: when you make a bonus action attack with your PC’s off-hand weapon, you can’t add their ability modifier to the total damage.
Any character can fight with two weapons according to the 5e rules.
There are absolutely no class restrictions when it comes to dual wielding in D&D 5e. So long as your PC is wielding light one-handed melee weapons in each hand, they’re following the rules of two-weapon fighting (as written in the Player’s Handbook), meaning they’re free to be dual-wielding combatants.
include longswords, rapiers, battleaxes, maces, flails, morningstars, war picks, and warhammers.
include daggers, scimitars, shortswords, clubs, handaxes, light hammers, and sickles.
Remember, you can’t use heavy, two-handed weapons (including greatswords, greataxes, glaives, mauls, or halberds) while dual-wielding.
Dual wielding also doesn’t work with ranged weapons, including hand crossbows. It’s specific to melee weapons only.
Low-level martial PCs can take advantage of two-weapon fighting.
Martial classes (like fighters, rangers, and paladins) get the Extra Attack feature as they gain levels, enabling them to take an additional attack per action without dual wielding. However, while they’re still low-level, those classes don’t have this feature—and they can make up for it by dual-wielding, at least until they get their Extra Attack feature.
Frontline melee combatants generally don’t have a ton of secondary spells or features to use on bonus actions—so if you find yourself always ending your PC’s turn without using their bonus action, consider two-weapon fighting.
Dual Wielding ensures your martial character gets to take a second attack on their turn (and deal extra damage). If high damage output is your goal, two-weapon fighting might be ideal at low levels.
The easiest way to improve your PC’s dual-wielding skills is to
—specifically, whichever ability score they rely on in combat. If your PC is strong and fights using brute force, that means improving their Strength score. If your PC mainly uses finesse weapons, fighting with precision and agility, that means improving their Dexterity score. As your PC’s ability score increases, so will their damage output (and ability to reliably hit enemies).
To raise your PC’s ability scores:
will also allow you to boost their ability scores—so take the opportunity to give your PC a permanent Strength or Dexterity bonus.
Feats are optional abilities and perks that become available while leveling up, and certain feats can increase your PC’s stats. For example, the Athlete feat comes with a +1 bonus to Strength or Dexterity.
It’s common to loot magic items while adventuring in D&D 5e, so keep an eye out for anything designed to boost your PC’s stats.
The Dual Wielder feat is helpful but not essential for a dual-wielding PC.
Ultimately, there are plenty of other ways to boost your PC’s dual-wielding ability if you want them to have two weapons, from simply increasing their ability score (and modifier) to finding stronger, magical weapons that boost their damage output. Nonetheless, it’s not a bad feat—and if you want to play a true dual-wielding master (with a decent bonus to their armor class and a better array of weapons), the Dual Wielder feat is a valid choice for your PC.
Try building up your PC’s Strength or Dexterity ability score as much as possible (up to 20) before taking the Dual Wielder feat. A high ability score is still more beneficial than the feat alone!
Dual-wielding can also interfere with classes that have a lot of viable bonus actions (like rogues and bards), so it might not be a good idea to invest in the Dual Wielder feat if you won't use dual-wielding very often.
Longswords and rapiers are the best Dual Wielder weapons.
Every weapon used when dual wielding has to be one-handed, and each weapon in D&D 5e is linked to a specific damage dice (which you roll to determine how much damage an attack deals). Since the greatest damage you can deal with one-handed weapons is a d8, that makes longswords and rapiers (which both deal 1d8 damage) the best choice.
Longswords work best for Strength-based character builds (meaning your PC’s Strength ability score is the stat they use to empower their weapon attacks).
Rapiers work best for Dextierty-based character builds (meaning your PC’s Dexterity ability score empowers their weapon attacks).
Rogues are sneaky combatants who operate with care and precision. The rogue’s fighting style is all about dealing a single, devastating blow with Sneak Attack—but dual-wielding can give your rogue PC a second chance to score that attack if their first attempt misses. If their first attack hits, you can skip the second attack and
use your bonus action to Hide
or Disengage instead. In short, dual-wielding (and the Dual Wielder feat) is a solid safety net for rogues.
Since rogues are proficient with shields, the Dual Wielder feat is also an excellent way to boost your PC’s armor class.
Barbarians are primal warriors who rely on their strength and hardiness to dominate the battlefield. If your barbarian PC isn’t using a two-handed weapon, the Dual Wielder feat can be surprisingly valuable! Try dual-wielding while your barbarian is Raging; because the Rage feature comes with a damage bonus, their off-hand attacks will also get that bonus.
Barbarians also rarely wear armor, so an extra +1 to their armor class from the Dual Wielder feat can undoubtedly strengthen their defenses.
Apr 29, 2022 · Dual Wielding 5E Guide. Dual Wielding in D&D 5E is also called Two-Weapon Fighting. It involves holding a weapon in each hand and being able to swing with both of them on your turn. Unlike many combat options anyone can do it, but there are some limitations that make it more effective in some cases than others.
There's a very brief explanation of how dual-wielding works, near the top. Basically, you can only dual-wield one-handed weapons that have the Light property. However, you can select the feat Dual Wielder when you level up, and it will lift that limitation, so you'll be able to wield e.g. battleaxes in each hand. <3
Long Answer: Any class can dual wield, though some are better at it, and others need a free hand for casting gizmos. For two weapon fighting, both weapons must have the "Light" descriptor. The feat lets you wield any one handed weapon in either hand.
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