Dnd 5e heavy crossbow attack modifier Ready to play? Build unlimited D&D characters Create Now Heavy Crossbow Ranged weapon (martial, heavy crossbow) Ammunition. Dec 16, 2022 · Consider this your ultimate Hand Crossbow 5e guide with everything you'll ever need to know about this handy Dungeons and Dragons 5e weapon. 5e is To determine an ability modifier without consulting the table, subtract 10 from the ability score and then divide the total by 2 (round down). Whether you favor a longsword or a longbow, your weapon and your ability to wield it effectively can mean the difference between life and death while adventuring. To calculate it, you add your proficiency bonus (if you’re proficient with crossbows) to your Dexterity modifier Oct 1, 2024 · The 2024 revisions of the D&D 5th Edition rules make many changes, and complicate multiple attacks per round even more. – You can use A martial with extra attack such as a ranger can shoot the heavy crossbow and follow up with a dart or dagger, also without needing the feat. When you make the extra attack of the Light weapon property, you can add your Ability Modifier to the damage of the extra attack if that attack is with a crossbow that has the Light property. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. Heavy: You must have Strength 13+ for heavy melee weapons or Dexterity 13+ for heavy ranged weapons, otherwise you have disadvantage on Attack rolls. 5 had bows that lets you use STR, some people are accustomed to this. The DnD 2024 rules, however, have made some big changes. The heavy crossbow weighs more, but both the heavy and the light crossbows are two-handed weapons, so if you want the most bang for your buck, go with the heavy crossbow, which will do much more damage. It requires two hands to load or to attack with this weapon, but it only weighs 5 pounds and can be Jan 22, 2023 · A beginner's guide to calculating the bonuses we add once we've rolled for our attacks or our damage output in 5e. When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the extra attack if that attack is with a crossbow that has the Light property and you aren't already adding that modifier to the damage. After a fight, you can spend 1 minute to recover half the ammunition (round down) you used in the fight; the rest is lost. Mar 7, 2020 · Both a heavy crossbow and a hand crossbow's chance to hit will scale equivalently with Dex. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) Magic Item - Giant Slayer Heavy Crossbow - You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with May 13, 2025 · An attack bonus is the value added to a d20 roll when making attacks. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Do they get the 2nd attack or due to needing to load ammunition just one? Your class grants proficiency in certain weapons, reflecting both the class's focus and the tools you are most likely to use. May 30, 2019 · When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a loaded hand crossbow you are holding. The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged weapon attack is Dexterity. Try drawing a 120-180lbs draw weight bow then get back to me. Weapons that have the finesse or thrown property break this rule. Aug 27, 2021 · Thus, the player rolls a 1d20 for their attack roll and gets a 12. ) My favorite thing with heavy crossbows and the crossbow feat, you can use it in melee without disadvantage, you basically have an incredibly long halberd, and you can use it in conjunction with samurai fighter, who can just choose to get advantage on all their attacks as a bonus action, and sharpshooter, for some truly bs damage using action surge. By replacing the crossbow, would the attack bonus stay the same? Also, the crossbow had a damage roll of 1d6 + 6 piercing damage. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. PHB pg. Despite its name, this weapon does not have the “light” property. Mar 3, 2020 · 1 My fighter exchanged a crossbow for a longbow at a Weapons Workshop he came across. Apr 24, 2022 · Two Heavy Crossbow + Hunter’s Mark attacks have a better avg DPR than attacking three times with a Hand Crossbow. Sep 8, 2023 · I’m trying to understand how many attacks a heavy crossbow user with crossbow expert gets as a martial at 5th level. Heavy Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. When I attack using the bonus action granted by Crossbow Expert, do I add my ability modifier to the damage? Heavy Crossbow +2 Ranged weapon (martial, heavy crossbow), rare You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. May 19, 2025 · What Is the Crossbow Expert Feat in 5e? The Crossbow Expert feat in D&D 5e is a versatile option for characters who want to maximize their ranged attacks using Hand Crossbows, Light Crossbows, or Heavy Crossbows. I know the lithe, agile elf being the master of the bow is a fantasy trope, but it's weird when you think about it. One common question that many players have is whether strength affects damage rolls. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition. Crossbows don’t have this quality. For example, you can attack with a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other using the Attack action and a Bonus Action, but you don't add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage roll of the Bonus Action unless that modifier is negative. Nov 20, 2023 · A martial character's choice of weapons can be a major decision point when building your character. Most other users of the Heavy Crossbow have +0 Dex mod and so have no damage bonus, but the Half-Red Dragon Veteran (p. Aug 2, 2019 · The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged weapon attack is Dexterity. And with good reason; it removes half of the drawbacks of fighting with a ranged weapon AND introduces a perk that helps outstrip the damage of other ranged weapons. The only time I would use Strength A heavy crossbow is a powerful ranged weapon used in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition gameplay. Martial Weapons. In this article, we’ll delve into the details and provide a comprehensive answer to this question. Finesse When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. Because ability modifiers affect almost every attack roll, ability check, and saving throw, ability modifiers come up in play more often than their associated scores. In D&D 5e, targeting an enemy with a weapon attack or spell requires you to make an attack roll, which means rolling 1d20 and adding your PC’s attack bonus. I can see crossbows requiring dexterity, but bows should be strength Cool build for a Heavy Crossbow? I've always liked the visual aesthetic of a heavy crossbow and how it works. That being said, the damage increase isn’t so important that you should give up on your goal of being a sniper. bonus if the target is within 15ft of you. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) Equipment, Gear, & Items - Crossbow, Heavy - Proficiency with a Heavy Crossbow allows you to add your prof All users of the Light Crossbow and Hand Crossbow in the MM apply Dex bonus to the damage roll. Sep 8, 2023 · The first tip to use with the Crossbow Expert feat in DND 5e is to try to move away from the light crossbow. In addition to being noted in its properties, a simple weapon is also marked with S. What exactly is the modifier? Well I know, for example a longbow would be D20+Dex modifier. 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. which in turn means you use Strength to throw a heavy crossbow, and it deals 1d4 damage. The Weapons tables below show the most common weapons used in the worlds of D&D, their price and weight Heavy Crossbow +1 Ranged weapon (martial, heavy crossbow), uncommon You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. We will talk about how to optimize the use of the Longbow, as well as cover costs and other questions. This is my single biggest weapon mechanic pet peeves with 5e. Does a heavy crossbow use strength or dex? Crossbows rely on Dexterity and Strength, but the modifier for damage is higher with Dexterity. Oct 19, 2024 · When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the extra attack if that attack is with a crossbow that has the Light property and you aren’t already adding that modifier to the damage. Some people think "I can pull string harder, why not shoot harder?" There is some validity to this. Nov 1, 2015 at 4:53 @Pitzy, or maybe not. It is the least expensive crossbow (25 gp) and does good damage (1d8) at a reasonable range (80/320). Aug 30, 2021 · Continue reading our guide to find out everything you need to know about the Light Crossbow. I’ll cover exactly how it works and why it’s so good. " 3. That’s why it’s important to know how to calculate your PC’s attack bonus; it determines your character’s chances of successfully attacking enemies in combat Nov 4, 2022 · How Does a Shortbow Work in DnD 5e? A shortbow is a ranged weapon that fires arrows at targets up to 320 feet away. Worth doing if you have a way to attack with the heavy crossbow as a reaction or bonus action. May 19, 2025 · Master the Hand Crossbow in D&D 5e! Discover top builds, powerful feats, and tactical uses for this one-handed ranged weapon. Of course if we factor in Sharpshooter (usually available only at level 8 to all races but vHuman or Custom Lineage), attacking three times with -5/+10 is widely superior. Heavy Aug 2, 2022 · The Large Heavy Crossbow keeps a slight edge over the Medium Heavy Crossbow for a while, even if the foes are as much as +4 AC over the expected value, due to the additional 1d10 averaging to +5. Apr 8, 2023 · Crossbow Expert 5e Crossbow Expert is widely considered one of the most powerful feats in the game. We hack and slash through all the details. The character has proficiency with Simple and Martial Weapons, with the Dueling fighting style, and is Dexterity modifier is +4. Feb 27, 2025 · We hack and slash our way through the new Weapon Mastery system, a major part of the DnD 2024 combat rules featured in the new Player's Handbook. It’s a dynamic value derived from your character’s proficiency, relevant ability score, and potentially other modifiers. It is intended for the bonus action attack to use the same hand crossbow that you used for your attack action. 5 avg DPR) out to 120' There Sep 4, 2024 · Weapons have always been a key part of Dungeons & Dragons. You must use the same modifier for both rolls. Proficiency with a Heavy Crossbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it. Indomitable Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. All weapon attacks add damage modifiers, 2 weapon fighting is a specific exception. The attack bonus for crossbows in 5e isn’t a fixed number. I know with crossbow expert you can get multiple shots in with a heavy crossbows so I thought about doing a fighter but I also know Bard can have Swift Quiver and extra attack at level 10, giving me 4 attacks. You can use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from the weapon. The list of simple melee weapons include the club, dagger, handaxe, greatclub, mace, quarterstaff, sickle, and spear, and simple ranged weapons include the blowgun, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and sling. . Its full description can be found in the Player’s Handbook on page 149. The only way for the Hand Crossbow to keep up is through Favored Foe. 5 damage, which is a much larger damage gap than the additional 1d6 damage on the large hand crossbow. There is a specific exception with composite bows which gives the weapon the ‘strength’ weapon quality which adds damage from str. The core of the crossbow damage build includes: • Archery fighting style • Crossbow Expert feat • Sharpshooter feat • Extra Attack feature Assuming a +4 DEX mod and using the Sharpshooter damage option, a character is capable of: • Heavy Crossbow: 1d10+14 dmg, 2x per turn (up to 39 avg DPR) out to 400' • Hand Crossbow: 1d6+14 dmg, 3x per turn (up to 52. Crossbow Expert says you have to attack with a 1 handed weapon to get the extra attack. What is the 5e light crossbow? The light crossbow in the 5 th edition of D&D is a simple ranged weapon that deals 1d8 piercing damage, is worth 25 gp, and weighs 5 lbs. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) Equipment, Gear, & Items - Crossbow, Light - Proficiency with a Light Crossbow allows you to add your prof When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the extra attack if that attack is with a crossbow that has the Light property and you aren’t already adding that modifier to the damage. Heavy Crossbow +3 Ranged weapon (martial, heavy crossbow), very rare You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Their attack roll would then be 16, since 12 (1d20) + 2 (Strength modifier) + 2 (proficiency bonus). Does this make sense? Dec 19, 2016 · Light Crossbow [Simple Ranged Weapon]: The string is pulled back by using a hinged lever which pulls the string into place. Oct 25, 2022 · The Longbow is a commonly used weapon in DnD 5e. If anything, a hand crossbow gets stronger as Dex increases as you attack one additional time so get 1 more damage point than a heavy crossbow every time your Dexterity modifier increases. Ammunition. Damage: weapon damage+weapon bonuses (from magic weapons or feats or spells that give damage bonuses)+dex modifier. The heavy crossbow is 2 handed. Jul 21, 2025 · Do You Add Strength to Damage in 5e? In Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (5e), strength is an important ability score that can significantly impact your character’s combat performance. Jun 14, 2021 · Hand crossbows per RAW still require 2 hands to wield and can't be dual wielded (because of the ammunition trait). Heavy Crossbow Master You have become adept at using the heavy ranged weaponry. When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the extra attack if that attack is with a crossbow that has the Light property and you aren’t already adding that modifier to the damage. This weapon has the following mastery property. Proficiency with a heavy crossbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it. You gain the following benefits: – You ignore the loading property on weapons with which you are proficient – You gain proficiency to use Heavy Crossbows – Once per turn when you hit with a heavy ranged weapon you can add your ability modifier twice to the attack's damage, instead of once. As most know True Strike got a massive buff in the latest packet that made it work similar to the blade cantrips, but you can attack with your spellcasting modifier with it, at higher levels it adds a 1d6 increasing throughout the tiers. 194 "The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged w eapon attack is Dexterity. If you add sharpshooter damage, it gets even more pronounced. Anyone who has ever shot a bow knows they require strength to shoot, and not dexterity. As a ranged weapon, the shortbow requires you to make an attack roll by adding your Dexterity modifier and proficiency bonus (if you’re proficient with the shortbow) to the result of a d20 roll. Extra Attack With the Extra Attack class feature, every Attack action can include two attacks instead of one. What Does Crossbow Expert Do in 5e? Crossbow expert removes one drawback Jul 10, 2025 · Cranking Up the Damage: Decoding the Attack Bonus for Crossbows in 5e Let’s cut to the chase. range Ammunition Heavy Two-handed Range (150/600 ft. You basically have all the advantages of Nothing in crossbow expert says you can preload your hand crossbow or ignore the ammunition property when making an attack with a loaded hand crossbow, it simply requires the hand crossbow to be loaded in order to fire it, which is redundant because the ammunition property already requires that. 5e Longbow Properties It has the following properties: 150/600 ft. If the bonus action attack is granted by a different feature (even if it is a second Jan 18, 2022 · A complete gear guide to the Light Crossbow in DnD 5e: how this ranged weapon works, tips for tracking ammunition, and how it compares with the shortbow. Light: When you Attack with two Light weapons equipped, you can make an extra Attack as a Bonus Action with the offhand weapon. com Mar 28, 2025 · Str is only added to melee and thrown damage. Being within 5 feet of an enemy doesn’t impose Disadvantage on your Attack Rolls with crossbows. 180) has a +1 Dex mod that applies to the damage roll of the Heavy Crossbow. You only gain this benefit if you are proficient with the weapon. 2 attacks at 1d6+dex is better than 1 attack at 1d10+dex. Nov 2, 2023 · Thrown. I spent some time trying to disentangle it all, and here's what I came up with. 16 reaches the target’s AC, so it hits. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the total figure (which can be messed with by stuff like the Bless and Bane Firing in Melee. See full list on explorednd. The impact of specific feats and weapon properties can make a big difference in your tactics, so understanding your weapon options can help you make informed decisions. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of Sep 26, 2015 · When you attack you roll a D20 and add modifiers. A heavy weapon’s size and bulk make it too large for a Small creature to use For ranged attacks you do like this: To hit: base attack bonus+weapon bonuses (+1from masterwork, or magical bonuses, or feats)+dex modifier. Pure… When you attack a creature with a crossbow, you gain a bonus to your damage roll equal to your prof. But how do I know which stat is for which weapon? Like, For my hand crossbow, how do I work out my attack bonus? Archived post. Dual Wielding. wpk ail yarm lbncolkk huue yxjo ifgayhg bixsv fjqg qqaly mfyp udkv ltrq xsg kxyx