Weapon mastery¶
Weapon mastery properties are special effects printed in a weapon’s Mastery entry. Owning or being proficient with a weapon does not automatically unlock its mastery. You need a feature, such as Weapon Mastery or the Weapon Master feat, that unlocks that weapon’s property. Follow that feature’s weapon choices and replacement rules.
The eight mastery properties¶
| Property | Main effect |
|---|---|
| Cleave | Extra melee attack against a nearby different creature; once per turn. |
| Graze | Ability-modifier damage on a missed attack. |
| Nick | Move the Light extra attack into the Attack action. |
| Push | Push a Large or smaller creature away on a hit. |
| Sap | Disadvantage on the target’s next attack. |
| Slow | Hit and damage reduce Speed by 10 feet temporarily. |
| Topple | Hit can force a Constitution save against Prone. |
| Vex | Hit and damage grant Advantage on your next attack against that target. |
Proficiency, properties, and mastery are different¶
Weapon proficiency adds your Proficiency Bonus to an applicable attack roll. Ordinary properties such as Finesse, Light, Reach, Thrown, and Versatile describe how a weapon works. A mastery property adds a separate effect only when unlocked. A Dagger’s Light property and Nick mastery are related, but they are not the same rule.
Using an unlocked mastery does not generally replace normal weapon damage, unless its own wording says otherwise. The individual page explains the trigger, optional effects, timing, limits, and examples. “Once per turn” is different from “once per round.” A hit and a hit that deals damage are also distinct requirements.
In the character workshop¶
Choose supported masteries in Feats & Traits under Weapon mastery choices. The matching equipped weapon’s Combat card explains its unlocked property. Topple’s DC and supported extra-attack options are shown there. Target selection, saving throws, movement, duration, Prone and other outcomes remain manually resolved. These reference pages do not add new combat automation.
Related: Advantage and Disadvantage · conditions · basic actions.
Source: supplied Player’s Handbook (2024), chapter 6, Mastery Properties (PDF page 213; printed page 214). Paraphrased quick reference; specific rules can override these general rules.
Imported source¶
Original internal-site content. The rulebook citations in the original page are retained.
References to the workshop describe the separate browser application. For a text-only character record, use Character Sheet.