Overruled!, For Players, For DMsRichard OstranderAugust 17, 2021Weapon, Weapon Attack, RulesComment

Overruled! The "Weapon" Attack and Unarmed Strikes

Overruled!, For Players, For DMsRichard OstranderAugust 17, 2021Weapon, Weapon Attack, RulesComment

Today on Overruled! we are discussing the “weapon attack”, a phrase in D&D 5th Edition that has multiple meanings, errata, and uses within the game.

The phrase “weapon attack” generally means when a player attacks with a weapon. This is… common sense. What is no longer common sense is what, exactly, is a weapon.

First, holding something in your hand or hands is a weapon. Whether it is an official weapon from the Player’s Handbook, or an improvised weapon (meaning anything you happen to be holding in your hands), it is a weapon and can therefore make a weapon attack.

Second, per the errata from Jeremy Crawford:

[The melee attack errata] lets melee weapon attacks use unarmed strikes, despite those strikes not being weapons.

So an unarmed strike is also a weapon attack. This means that any ability that requires a weapon attack can be used with unarmed strikes.

Third, natural weapons are, in fact, weapons, and thus, they can make a weapon attack. Some natural attacks can be used to make unarmed strikes, which are once again, weapon attacks, but with some limitations.

Fourth, while unarmed attacks are all weapon attacks, they are not weapons. Huh, you say, what does that mean? What this means is that any ability that says “while holding a weapon” or refers to a weapon at all cannot be used with unarmed attacks. For example, the Horde Breaker ability says:

“Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.”

Because this ability refers to “your weapon”, it cannot be used with an unarmed strike. You can see an example of this with Savage Attacker, per Sage Advice:

No. Savage Attacker relies on a weapon’s damage dice, and an unarmed strike isn’t a weapon (a point that was clarified in the Player’s Handbook errata).

So when a spell or ability says “weapon attack” ONLY, unarmed strikes apply. When a spell or ability mention your weapon, your weapon’s range, your weapon’s damage dice, or really any phrase that is not “weapon attack” then you cannot use it in conjunction with unarmed strikes.

But what of natural weapons, you say? They DO count as a weapon, but only when used purely as a natural weapon. As soon as you use them to make an unarmed strike, the do NOT. Impossible you say, that’s just too ridiculous. Per Sage Advice:

Are natural weapons considered weapons? Things designated as weapons by the rules, including natural weapons, are indeed weapons. In contrast, unarmed strikes are not weapons. They are something you do with an unarmed part of your body.

So what do we take away from this? Unarmed strikes are ALWAYS weapon attacks, and never weapons. Good luck keeping that straight.

But with that said, as always…

Happy roleplaying, and may the dice be ever in your favor.