Pistol Dagger
At a Glance
- Weapon: Pistol Dagger
- Campaign status: Rare specialist combination weapon
- 5.5e / 2024: Campaign conversion combining Pistol and Dagger profiles
- 5e / 2014: Campaign conversion combining Pistol and Dagger profiles
- Pathfinder 1e: Early one-handed firearm and double weapon
- D&D 3.5e: Campaign conversion combining Renaissance Pistol and Dagger
The pistol dagger combines a compact coat-pistol mechanism with a dagger blade. It is an expensive, awkward and highly specialised weapon intended for someone who values a concealed firearm and a blade in the same object.
Such weapons are individual gunsmithing pieces rather than normal sidearms. Their complexity makes them plausible possessions for spies, wealthy travellers, assassins, artificers and collectors, but poor candidates for mass issue.
Pistol Dagger in the Campaign
The weapon is valuable because it keeps a blade available when the single shot is spent. Its drawback is that damage to the gun can compromise both halves of the weapon, and its hybrid shape is less discreet than a purpose-built coat pistol.
Pistol Dagger Rules by Edition
Pistol Dagger — D&D 5.5e / 2024
Campaign conversion. The exact combination weapon is not a standard 2024 weapon entry. Treat the firearm mode as a 2024 Pistol and the blade mode as a Dagger fixed to the same weapon.
| Mode | Damage | Range / Properties | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | 1d10 Piercing | 30/90 ft.; Ammunition (Bullet), Loading | Vex |
| Dagger | 1d4 Piercing | Finesse, Light; not throwable while attached | Nick |
Choose which mode is used for each attack. A character can use a mode’s Mastery only if they have a feature that permits Weapon Mastery with that weapon type. The attached blade does not remove the Pistol’s Loading property.
Pistol Dagger — D&D 5e / 2014
Campaign conversion. Use the 2014 Pistol profile for shots and the Dagger profile for melee attacks.
| Mode | Damage | Range / Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Pistol | 1d10 Piercing | 30/90 ft.; Ammunition, Loading |
| Dagger | 1d4 Piercing | Finesse, Light; not throwable while attached |
The weapon remains one physical object, but each attack uses only one mode. There is no Weapon Mastery in the 2014 rules.
Pistol Dagger — Pathfinder 1e
| Cost | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Misfire | Capacity | Weight | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 740 gp | 1d3 | 1d4 | ×3 | 10 ft. | 1 (5 ft.) | 1 | 1 lb. | B and P |
The configuration does not grant the concealment bonus of either stand-alone component. For masterwork and magical construction it is treated as a double weapon. If the firearm gains the broken condition, both firearm and dagger components are broken. It uses one bullet and one dose of black powder or a suitable alchemical cartridge.
Pistol Dagger — D&D 3.5e
Campaign conversion. Combine the Renaissance Pistol and Dagger profiles.
| Mode | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | 1d8 | 1d10 | ×3 | 50 ft. | Piercing |
| Dagger | 1d3 | 1d4 | 19–20/×2 | — | Piercing or Slashing |
The pistol mode holds one shot and takes a standard action to reload. Use Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms) for the gun component and normal dagger proficiency for the blade. This hybrid is a campaign conversion, not a separate core 3.5e weapon entry.
What Changes Between Editions?
- 2024: uses current Pistol and Dagger baselines and their separate Vex/Nick masteries.
- 2014: keeps the same two modes without mastery.
- PF1e: has its own published combination-weapon rules and broken-condition interaction.
- 3.5e: combines the Renaissance Pistol with a Dagger as an explicit campaign conversion.
Related Equipment
Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder firearm statistics and rules material derive from Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat, © 2011 Paizo Publishing, LLC; authors Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Owen K.C. Stephens and Russ Taylor.
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