Battleaxe
A battleaxe is a fighting axe built to strike with a compact, sharp head rather than to fell trees. Its weight is concentrated beyond the grip, and a properly shaped blade can bite through light protective layers or punish an exposed arm. The head can also catch a shield rim or hold an opponent at a distance for a moment, but the weapon’s game statistics do not grant a universal disarm or trip power.
At a Glance
- Family
- One-handed martial axe; optionally two-handed under fifth-edition Versatile rules
- Damage
- Slashing
- Build
- Wooden haft, compact fighting head, sometimes reinforced by metal straps or langets
- In combat
- Useful with a shield, or gripped with both hands for extra striking force in fifth edition
- Nearby choices
- Greataxe · Longsword · Throwing axe
Battleaxe Statistics by Edition
| Weapon | Damage | Properties | Mastery | Weight | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleaxe | 1d8 slashing | Versatile (1d10) | Topple | 4 lb. | 10 gp |
When a character with access to the Topple mastery hits, they may force the target to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + the attacking ability modifier + the attacker’s Proficiency Bonus). Failure knocks the target Prone. Without the relevant mastery feature, the battleaxe does not grant Topple automatically. Versatile increases melee weapon damage to 1d10 when used with two hands.
| Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d8 slashing | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
Use the axe in one hand alongside a shield for the standard 1d8 damage die, or with two hands for 1d10 melee damage. Topple is not a property in the 2014 weapon table.
| Weapon | Cost | Damage (S) | Damage (M) | Critical | Range | Weight | Type | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d6 | 1d8 | ×3 | — | 6 lb. | Slashing | — |
The ×3 critical multiplier follows Pathfinder’s critical confirmation rules. This is a one-handed martial weapon; using a free second hand does not add a fifth-edition Versatile damage die, though Pathfinder’s normal two-handed Strength-to-damage rules can apply.
| Weapon | Cost | Damage (S) | Damage (M) | Critical | Range | Weight | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d6 | 1d8 | ×3 | — | 6 lb. | Slashing |
The 3.5e battleaxe shares the ordinary one-handed martial category, damage by size and ×3 critical multiplier, but has no Weapon Mastery or Versatile property. Its rules for two-handed attacks follow that edition’s Strength bonus rules.
One Head or Two?
Double-headed axes are familiar in fantasy illustrations, but a practical fighting axe does not need a second blade to be dangerous. Many historical war axes have a single edge; some carry a spike or hammer-like back instead. A compact head makes the weapon easier to recover after a blow, while a longer handle increases leverage at the price of portability. The old entry’s useful note about metal straps on the haft is retained here as a construction detail rather than turned into a special damage bonus.
Choosing and Carrying a Battleaxe
A village woodsman may own an excellent chopping tool and still lack a purpose-built weapon. In an armoury, compare the balance of the head, the tightness of the haft and whether a damaged edge can be repaired before accepting a weapon from the rack. On a crowded town watch, a shield-bearing guard with a battleaxe serves a different role from a soldier carrying a two-handed greataxe.
In fifth edition, a player can choose between protection from a shield and the extra Versatile damage die when both hands are available. In Pathfinder and 3.5e, the same decision changes how Strength contributes to damage instead of substituting a different base die. None of these entries makes a battleaxe a thrown weapon by default; see the throwing axe for a weapon designed for that job.
Rules and Original Credits
- D&D 2024 Basic Rules — Weapons (SRD 5.2.1, CC BY 4.0); Topple mastery.
- D&D 2014 Basic Rules — Weapons (SRD 5.1, CC BY 4.0).
- Pathfinder 1e Core Rulebook — Equipment.
- D&D 3.5e SRD — Weapons (Open Game License).
Original Open Game Content Attribution
Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Equipment (OGL) © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Ross Byers, Brian J. Cortijo, Ryan Costello, Mike Ferguson, Matt Goetz, Jim Groves, Tracy Hurley, Matt James, Jonathan H. Keith, Michael Kenway, Hal MacLean, Jason Nelson, Tork Shaw, Owen KC Stephens, Russ Taylor, and numerous RPG Superstar contributors
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