Spear
A spear puts a sharp point between its wielder and danger. It can be carried by a foot soldier, guard or hunter, used to control the approach to a narrow gate, or thrown when an enemy keeps their distance. The rules differ between editions: in modern D&D it is a versatile one-handed weapon, while Pathfinder and D&D 3.5 treat the ordinary spear as two-handed.
At a Glance
- Weapon
- Ordinary spear
- Family
- Simple melee; also throwable
- Primary damage
- Piercing
- Handling
- One or two hands in fifth edition; two hands in Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5
- Use
- Hunting, militia, watch duty, thrown attacks and prepared defence
- Related weapons
- Shortspear · Longspear · Trident
Weapon Statistics by Edition
| Weapon | Damage | Properties | Mastery | Weight | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spear | 1d6 piercing | Thrown (20/60 ft.), Versatile (1d8) | Sap | 3 lb. | 1 gp |
Sap: If you have access to this weapon’s mastery property, hitting with it gives the target disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of your next turn. Merely owning a spear does not give a character Weapon Mastery. A spear has no Reach property in the 2024 equipment table.
| Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spear | 1 gp | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. | Thrown (20/60 ft.), Versatile (1d8) |
Use one hand for 1d6 damage or two hands for the Versatile damage die of 1d8 when attacking in melee. Weapon Mastery and the Sap property do not belong to the 2014 equipment rules.
| Weapon | Cost | Damage (S) | Damage (M) | Critical | Range | Weight | Type | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spear | 2 gp | 1d6 | 1d8 | ×3 | 20 ft. | 6 lb. | Piercing | Brace |
Brace: Ready the spear against a charge and a successful hit deals double damage against the charging opponent. The ordinary spear does not have the Reach property; for a longer defensive weapon see the longspear.
| Weapon | Cost | Damage (S) | Damage (M) | Critical | Range | Weight | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spear | 2 gp | 1d6 | 1d8 | ×3 | 20 ft. | 6 lb. | Piercing |
As a two-handed simple weapon, the spear can be thrown and can be set to deal double damage against a charging opponent when readied. That is an edition-specific combat rule, not a feature of the 2014 or 2024 spear.
Handling a Spear
One weapon name covers very different tasks. A relatively compact spear is useful in a crowded watch post and can be thrown; a longer spear held in formation keeps attackers farther away but is much harder to manage in a doorway. The ordinary spear entries above are not the Reach-equipped longspear. If a guard unit is meant to form a wall of points, check which kind of spear each guard actually carries.
A spear head needs a sound socket and a straight, properly seasoned shaft. Carriers and local smiths can replace damaged hafts, but a snapped shaft cannot be assumed to keep its original weapon statistics. Hunting spears and military spears can differ in head shape, shaft length and features designed to prevent overpenetration; the game entry here represents a general fighting spear rather than every historical subtype.
Using the Spear in Play
At a narrow bridge, a spear wielder can threaten an approaching enemy without surrendering a missile weapon; in fifth edition they can also throw the spear, but then must retrieve it or carry another. In Pathfinder and 3.5, readying it against a charge creates a direct choice between striking now and preparing a more dangerous thrust if the enemy actually charges. Players choosing between a spear and a longspear should compare hands, reach and range using their edition’s own rules.
Rules and Historical Sources
- D&D 2024 Basic Rules — Weapons and Mastery (SRD 5.2.1, CC BY 4.0).
- D&D 2014 Basic Rules — Weapons (2014 rules / SRD 5.1 equivalent values).
- Pathfinder 1e Core Rulebook equipment (Pathfinder first edition rules; preserve applicable Open Game License notices).
- D&D 3.5e System Reference Document — Weapons (Open Game License).
- Benjamin West, The Death of the Stag (historical artwork kept from the earlier page; created centuries after the depicted event).
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