DnD Weapons Mastery Battleaxe

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Weapons Mastery – Battleaxe

A battle axe is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were deployed two-handed.

• 5E Stats – One Handed or Versatile Martial Weapon, Costs 10 gp and has a weight of 4 lb.
• Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Blunted Bash, Crushing Blow, Fearsome Accuracy, Pinning Hit

Weapons Mastery – Battleaxe

Weapon Mastery Non-Proficient – Attacks are with disadvantage, and damage is halved rounded down. Non-Proficient use does not grant access to most of the weapon special properties.

(Non-Proficient)
Battleaxe Attack +Str to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d8 +Str mod slashing (Halved)

Weapon Mastery Proficient – This is the standard weapon stats from sourcebooks.

(Proficient)
Battleaxe Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d8 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Versatile

Weapon Mastery Skilled – Weapons do an extra dice of damage. Gain abilities to activate as a bonus action on your round, or a reaction.

(Skilled)
Battleaxe Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 2d8 +Str mod slashing + Delay
Weapon Abilities – Defensive, Delay, Versatile

Weapon Mastery Expert – You gain an expertise on your attack, and weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities with weapons improve. Can use weapon options with this weapon.

(Expert)
Battleaxe Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one melee or ranged target, Thrown Range (-/15)
Basic Hit: 3d8 +Str mod slashing + Delay
Weapon Abilities – Defensive, Delay, Range, Thrown, Versatile
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Blunted Bash, Crushing Blow, Fearsome Accuracy, Pinning Hit

Weapon Mastery Master – Your gain advantage on your attack, weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities and Options improve.

(Master)
Battleaxe Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one melee or ranged target, Thrown Range (5/20)
Basic Hit: 4d8 +Str mod slashing + Delay (or Stun)
Weapon Abilities – Defensive, Delay, Range, Stun, Thrown, Versatile
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Blunted Bash, Crushing Blow, Fearsome Accuracy, Pinning Hit

Weapon Mastery Grand Master – A natural 1 counts counts as a critical hit, and if both dice deal a critical hit, then all dice in the attack are maximised. Weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities and Options improve.

(Grand Master)
Battleaxe Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one melee or ranged target, Thrown Range (10/25), Crit (1 and 20)
Basic Hit: 5d8 +Str mod slashing + Delay (or Stun)
Weapon Abilities – Defensive, Delay, Range, Stun, Thrown, Versatile
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Blunted Bash, Crushing Blow, Fearsome Accuracy, Pinning Hit

Beyond Grand Master in Weapon Mastery – While not possible to learn at this level, some abilities and magical items might push skill above grand master, and if it does it adds an extra dice of damage and improves abilities and options as per the weapon progression.

Weapon Abilities – Battleaxe

Weapon Ability – Base DC – Some of the effects produced by weapons masters has a saving throw to resist. This saving throw is calculated as 8 plus the ability modifier used in the attack roll, your weapon mastery bonus, your Weaponologist bonus, your weapons mastery feats and Archetypes.
Base DC = 8 +Ability Mod +Prof +WM Bonus +Circle Bonus +Feat Bonus +Arch Type Bonus (Martial +2)
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Bill, Blackjack, Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Bola, Cestus, Club, Dagger, Dart, Flail, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Hand Crossbow, Handaxe, Hat, Heavy Crossbow, Heavy Shield, Holy Symbol, Horned Shield, Javelin, Knife Shield, Lance, Lasso, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Lochaber Axe, Longbow, Longsword, Mace, Maul, Medium Shield, Morningstar, Net, Orb, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Rapier, Ring, Rod, Scimitar, Scythe, Shortbow, Shortsword, Sickle, Sling, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon, Staff, Sword Shield, Tome, Tower Shield, Trident, Tusked Shield, Unarmed or Natural, Vaulge, Wand, Warhammer, Warpick,

Weapon Ability – Defensive – If you spend your bonus action this round on this quality you gain a bonus for your armour class until the start of your next round as long as you still have your reaction. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the Shield bonus provided.
Defensive (Skilled Bonus Action) – This weapon provides a +1 Shield bonus to your armour class as long as your still have your reaction. If an attack would have hit you, but misses because of using defensive, you deflect the attack and expend your reaction. (Martial weapons add +1 to the shield bonus, A shield weapon does not use up reactions but can trigger retaliate instead)
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Bill, Bola, Club, Flail, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Handaxe, Heavy Crossbow, Heavy Shield, Horned Shield, Lance, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Lochaber Axe, Longbow, Longsword, Mace, Medium Shield, Morningstar, Net, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Rapier, Scimitar, Scythe, Shortbow, Shortsword, Sling, Spetum, Tower Shield, Tusked Shield, Voulge, Warhammer,

Weapon Ability – Delay – On a Critical Hit (for a range weapon only in the normal weapons range), the target must make a Encumbered Saving Throw. Once you gained skilled in this weapon you learn the ability Attempt Stun. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Encumbered Saving Throw – Strength vs Base DC. Saving throw at the start of their turn with failure causes the Encumbered condition until start of their next turn, when they can make another saving throw. Any number of encumbered conditions can be applied, each reducing the targets speed. One saving throw for all conditions, and anything the roll equals or beats is removed.
(Skilled Bonus Action) Attempt Delay – Against a target you have already hit this round, you can force it to make a Encumbered Saving Throw. The DC is increased by 1 for every addition hit you made against them this round with the Delay weapon.
Associated Weapons – Battleaxe, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow

Weapon Ability – Range – A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown in parentheses after the ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s maximum range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Bola, Club, Dart, Flail, Greatsword, Handaxe, Heavy Crossbow, Javelin, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Longbow, Longsword, Mace, Morningstar, Net, Shortbow, Shortsword, Sling, Spear, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick,

Weapon Ability – Stun – On a Critical Hit (for a range weapon only in the normal weapons range), the target must make a Stunned Saving Throw. Once you gained skilled in this weapon you learn the ability Attempt Stun. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Stunned Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. Failure causes stunned until start of their next turn, when they can make another saving throw.
(Skilled Bonus Action) Attempt Stun – Against a target you have already hit this round, you can force it to make a Stunned Saving Throw. The DC is increased by 1 for every addition hit you made against them this round with the Stun weapon.
Associated Weapons – Battleaxe, Flail, Greatclub, Greatsword, Lasso, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Maul, Sling, Spear, Spontoon,

Weapon Ability – Thrown – If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack.
Thrown (Attack Option) If the weapon is a melee weapon, you use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon. For example, if you throw a Handaxe, you use your Strength, but if you throw a dagger, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity, since the dagger has the finesse property.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Club, Dagger, Flail, Greatsword, Handaxe, Javelin, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Longsword, Mace, Morningstar, Net, Shortsword, Spear, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick,

Weapon Ability – Versatile – Does more damage if wielded in two hands. When using two hands upgrade the dice to the next, a d4 becomes a d6, a d6 becomes a d8, a d8 becomes a d10. I don’t believe there are versatile weapons that start at d10.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Longsword, Quarterstaff, Spear, Spontoon,

Weapon Options – Battleaxe

Arcing Slash (Attack Option) When you attack with this bladed weapon, you may choose to target two creatures within your reach with a single attack. This attack uses the same attack roll for both targets and deals slashing damage equal to half your normal damage to each target.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Bill, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Longsword, Poleaxe, Scimitar, Sword Shield

Weapon Option – Blunted Bash (Attack Option) – Instead of dealing piercing or slashing damage, you can choose to deal bludgeoning damage by striking the target with another part of the weapon. This attack’s damage die is one size smaller than normal.
Associated Weapon – Battleaxe, Dagger, Handaxe, Spear

Weapon Option – Crushing Blow (Attack Option) As an attack, you can make a melee attack roll with your two handed weapon against an armoured or naturally armoured creature within 5ft of you. If the attack hits, instead of damage, the target’s AC is permanently reduced by 1 until its armour is repaired. The armour cannot be reduced below 10 + the target’s Dexterity modifier. This attack has no effect on creatures with magical armour, unless your weapon is also magical.
Associated Weapons –Battleaxe, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Maul, Quarterstaff, Warhammer

Weapon Option – Fearsome Accuracy (Attack Option) As an attack, you may throw your weapon at a creature at the very limit of your range. Make an attack roll against a creature exactly at you range maximum. If the attack hits, the creature takes normal damage and must make a Frightened Saving Throw. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Frightened Saving Throw – Wisdom vs Base DC. Failure has the target Frightened of you for 1 minute.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Club, Dagger, Handaxe, Javelin, Light Hammer, Mace, Morningstar, Spear, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick

Weapon Option – Pinning Hit (Attack Option) – When you make a melee or ranged attack with this weapon, you may attempt to pin a creature up to one size larger to a wall or surface by catching their clothing with the weapons edge or point. This can be used against creatures without clothing at the GM’s discretion. If you hit, the target must make a Restrained Saving Throw vs your Base DC.
Retrained Saving Throw – Strength vs your Base DC. On a failure the creature is restrained, and can use an action on their turn to make another Restrained Saving Throw to get free.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Dagger, Dart, Hand Crossbow Handaxe, Heavy Crossbow, Javelin, Light Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow, Sickle, Spear, Trident, Warpick

Designing the Weapons Mastery

For this item, I have juggled the damage dice so that they leave room for some of the more powerful items to come.

Weapons Mastery Version 1.0

• Battleaxe Attack: (Non-Proficient) + to hit, one target
  • Hit: 1d4+mod slashing.

• Battleaxe Attack: (Proficient) + to hit, Versatile, one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d4+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d6+mod slashing.

• Battleaxe Attack: (Skilled) + to hit, Versatile, one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 3d4+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 3d6+mod slashing.
  • Crit (Melee): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • (B) AC Defence (+1/2) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.

• Battleaxe Attack: (Expert) + to hit, Versatile, Thrown Range (-/15), one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d6+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d8+mod slashing.
  • Crit (Melee): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • (B) AC Defence (+1/3) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.

• Battleaxe Attack: (Master) + to hit, Versatile, Thrown Range (5+Stun/20), one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d6+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d8+mod slashing.
  • Crit (Melee): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • Crit (Ranged within 5 ft): Stun (Base DC) Con save or stunned for 1 round per every 5 the check failed by.
  • (B) AC Defence (+2/4) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.

• Battleaxe Attack: (Grand Master) + to hit, Versatile, Thrown Range (10+Stun/25), one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d8+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 3d8+mod slashing.
  • Crit (Melee): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • Crit (Ranged within 10 ft): Stun (Base DC) Con save or stunned for 1 round per every 5 the check failed by.
  • (B) AC Defence (+2/5) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.

Content Updates

• 2022-05-04 – Converted over to version 2.0 of my weapon mastery rules.
• 2021-08-11 – Update to layout and menu.
• 2020-07-25 – Fixed the description.

Weapons Mastery

Overview, Downtime for Weapons Mastery, Secret Craft: Weaponologist

Simple 1H or Versatile: Blackjack (or Sap), Cestus, Club (or torch), Dagger, Handaxe (or Tomahawk), Javelin, Lasso, Light Hammer, Mace, Quarterstaff, Sickle, Spear, Unarmed

Simple 2H: Greatclub, Scythe

Simple Ranged: Bola, Dart, Light Crossbow, Shortbow, Sling

Martial 1H or Versatile: Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Flail, Lance, Longsword, Morningstar, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword, Spontoon, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick, Whip

Martial 2H: Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Maul, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spectum, Voulge

Martial Ranged: Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow, Net

Martial Shield: Heavy, Horned, Knife, Light, Medium, Sword, Tower, Tusked

Magical Implement: Hat, Holy Symbol, Orb, Ring, Rod, Staff, Tome, Wand

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