The Scimitar 5e Introductory Guide

Everyone loves to use a sword, but sometimes, using the standard longsword can get a bit dull. That’s where the delightfully curved scimitar comes into play. If you want a blade that’s a bit more elegant and agile, then we have some good news for you.

After all, the scimitar is possibly one of the best blades in D&D 5e.  If you’re thinking of adding a new weapon to your inventory, let’s take a closer look at the scimitar, so you have a better understanding of your blade.

We’ll talk you through everything you need to know, from stats to famous blades and what class you need to be in to wield them. 

Knowing Your Scimitar

A scimitar is a curved blade that can be used with a single-handed grip. It only has one blade, with the side without a blade made thicker for strength and stability.

If you love slicing with a flourish, this is the perfect blade for you. However, you may want to find a more suitable weapon if you rely on thrusting your sword.

With a flattened end, the blade’s swing has more weight to it to add more damage with a slice. It’s a light weapon too, which has been designed to rely on exploiting weak spots in your enemy’s armor rather than with raw power. 

Know Your Stats

Now that we’ve described what the scimitar looks like, it’s time to talk about stats. This is what you can generally expect from the average scimitar you would come across on your campaign: 

• Category: Items
• Type: Melee/Martial Weapon
• Damage: 1d6
• Damage Type: Slashing
• Item Rarity: Standard
• Properties: Finesse/Light
• Weight: 3
• Cost: 25gp

Special Properties Of Scimitars

When you’re using a scimitar, you need to consider a few unique properties that you should keep in mind when you’re using them. 

Finesse

One of the most important properties that you need to consider when using your scimitar is finesse. Finesse is especially important for dexterity-based fighters. 

Using finesse, a dexterity-based fighter can make attack and damage rolls with your dexterity modifier instead of a strength modifier. Of course, that doesn’t mean dexterity-based fighters can’t use their strength if they want to, but they need to choose the same modifier for both rolls.

Any character with a large amount of dexterity can use a dexterity modifier, but they’re most popular with rogues and rangers. 

Light Weapons

If a weapon has a light property, then they’re perfect for dual wielding. Dual wielding is perfect if you have a melee weapon in each hand, and if both are light, you can attack twice on your turn.

However, to do this, you need to remember to use your action for your primary hand attack, then a bonus action for your offhand attack.

Ideally, you should pick up the feat Dual Wielder to bypass this requirement, so you won’t need two weapons with the light property. You can dual-wield with heavier weapons if your strength score exceeds your dexterity. 

Naturally, fans of moving quickly will be pleased to know that using two scimitars is possible even without dual wielding. If you don’t want to find this feat first, then it is best to invest in two light scimitars, as there are better opportunities for finesse damage.

Double-Bladed Scimitars

If you don’t want to use the standard scimitar, we recommend watching for the double-ended version. While it’s a staple among Valenar elves, that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones who can use this weapon. If you can’t imagine a double scimitar, imagine Darth Maul’s lightsaber. 

The best way to describe a double scimitar is to imagine two scimitars stuck together by each end. It’s double the weight of your average scimitar, with a weight of 6 instead of 3.

However, it’s much more expensive, with a price of 100gp. These weapons are rare, so you should expect to get challenged to a battle. It is a common scenario for a Valenar elf to challenge non-elves with double-bladed scimitars and assume them to be unworthy of holding one.

Now that we’ve talked about the lore more, is there any reason you should invest in a double-bladed scimitar outside of aesthetic reasons?

Truthfully, it doesn’t have finesse and light properties, and you can’t dual-wield them. It also only does 2d4 slashing damage, which is only a little more damage than a standard scimitar. 

However, a double-bladed scimitar does allow you to attack as if you were holding two weapons. Like dual wielding, you can attack and use a bonus action to immediately make another melee attack.

The second attack won’t make the same level of damage, and instead, it will only inflict 1d4 of slashing damage. So, you can expect to do 12 damage instead of 6.

The double-bladed scimitar also has a separate feat known as Revenant Blade. However, don’t be swayed by this feat, as it doesn’t provide any substantial damage that couldn’t already be achieved with two scimitars. We’ll explain a little more about this later on. 

Classes Who Can Use Scimitars

As a disclaimer, we would say that any class is capable of using the scimitar if they have the feat Weapon Master. However, there are other classes that can use a scimitar as their innate proficiency. Here are the classes that can have this. 

Barbarians

Barbarians have a feature called Rage. Rage is essentially a bonus action that allows you to have an advantage on Strength checks and saving throws related to Strength.

When making a melee attack using Strength, you can gain a bonus on your damage roll that will increase as your barbarian gains more levels. As an added bonus, you’ll also be resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. 

Rage lasts for one minute, or until you’re knocked unconscious, or when you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn. Or you can end it yourself as your bonus action. However, Rage isn’t particularly useful when you wield a scimitar. 

Of course, if you have a barbarian that wants to dual-wield, it shouldn’t be an issue. A barbarian can still be turned into a scimitar specialist if you want to have your barbarian become one.

Another feature that barbarian has is Danger Sense, which can give them an advantage when using Dexterity saving throws. Plus, their dexterity and constitution modifiers can provide them with their Armor Class, thanks to their Unarmored Defense.

As barbarians don’t usually use shields, they can use melee weapons in each hand. If you don’t, then they’re more suitable for heavier, two-handed weapons. 

Danger Sense

When you reach your second level, you can gain an advantage on Dexterity saving throws against things you can’t see, such as traps and spells. You cannot be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated to use this benefit. 

Fighters

Scimitars are an excellent choice for fighters, especially if they have a great dexterity modifier. With the right stats, fighters will have better Attack and Damage rolls with the option of dual wielding if you want to. Dual wielding can also help raise your Armor Class if you wear medium or light armor. 

You should strap on a shield for a better Armor Class, and then you’ll be an excellent fighter for frontline combat.

The best Fighting Style features you can use are Dueling and Two-Weapon Fighting, so when making your character, you should consider any of these fighting style features.

However, if you don’t plan on fighting with two weapons, and focusing on using a shield, then you should use a rapier instead. Rapiers will provide more damage. Those specializing in Strength will get better use from a longsword, battleaxe, or warhammer. 

Dueling

Dueling can be your first Fighting Style; when you reach your 10th level, you can choose a second. You can wield a melee weapon in one hand with no additional weapons. This gains you +2 Damage rolls when using that weapon.

Two-Weapon Fighting

You can choose Two-Weapon Fighting as your first Fighting Style, or you can choose it as an additional Fighting Style when you reach level 10. Using this style, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of your second attack.

Rangers 

While rangers are commonly associated with bows and arrows, you could also consider using a scimitar. An image of an elven figure with a bow across their back and a blade in each hand is a common image that you would associate with their class.

Rangers should sink points into dexterity, and it can help with their Armor Class and boosts their Hide In Plain Sight and Vanish features. Dexterity is also great for bow attacks, so choosing a weapon that also favors dexterity is better. 

Like the fighter class, the Fighting Style feature that rangers have can give them access to Dueling and Two-Weapon Fighting options, which are perfect for any scimitar users. 

Dueling

When you reach level 2, you can choose Dueling as a primary fighting style. This has the same effect as when using it as a fighter. 

Two-Weapon Fighting

Like Dueling, you can select a Fighting Style upon reaching level 2. Two-Weapon Fighting has the same effects as if you chose it from the fighter class. 

Paladins

Paladins are not traditionally known for their dexterity, as they are known for having heavy armor and high bludgeoning damage to fight undead creatures. They can also put focus on their spellcasting on their shield, which makes them unsuited to dual wielding.

While a scimitar specialist can exist, your stats may be unsuitable for your class if done poorly.

If you want to make a memorable paladin, consider making a scimitar specialist by incorporating the Fighting Style feature we mentioned for rangers and fighters.

After all, you can invest in Dueling and Two-Weapon Fighting options when selecting your Fighting Style. 

Dueling

Like rangers, paladins can choose a fighting style upon reaching level 2. Dueling has the same effects as if you were a fighter.

Two-Weapon Fighting

As with Dueling, you can choose Two-Weapon Fighting when you reach level 2. Two-Weapon Fighting has the same effects as if you were a fighter. 

Druids

Surprisingly, druids have a proficiency for scimitars despite their aversion to metallic objects. Don’t expect them to have this same level of proficiency with other weapons, like rapiers or shortswords. They only have proficiency in scimitars. 

Druids typically invest in dexterity to improve their Armor Class and need a free hand to cast spells. As scimitars only need one hand to wield, it makes them a useful weapon for this class.

When druids are forced into melee, they might use Wild Shape to turn into another creature for direct combat, but this isn’t always possible. If you’re a druid, having a scimitar on hand for difficult situations is helpful.

If you’re confused about why druids can use scimitars, we can also briefly explain. Back when D&D was first made, druids were only a subclass of clerics. Scimitars were given to druids to differentiate them from clerics, who couldn’t use slashing weapons. 

Due to this, and a combination of Irish and Celtic mythology, sickles were generally considered a druid weapon, and to follow this theme, druids could continue to use crescent-shaped swords, like scimitars, and continued to be proficient in them over time. 

Wild Shape

When you reach level 2, you can use Wild Shape to magically assume the shape of any beast you’ve seen before. You can use this twice, and you can regain your use after a short or long rest. Your level determines what beasts you can transform into. 

Bladesinger Wizards

Admittedly, wizards don’t typically have access to scimitars, but there is one subclass that can: the bladesinger. The bladesinger subclass features Training in War and Song, which gives them a proficiency in a single one-handed melee weapon of their choice.

It doesn’t have to be a scimitar, but a scimitar is your best choice if you’re choosing this subclass.

As bladesingers put priority on dexterity over strength, scimitars are an excellent choice. After all, bladesingers can’t use shields, or they’ll lose their Bladesong ability. This also means that dual wielding is a strong temptation for bladesingers.

Training In War And Song

You can adopt this tradition at level 2. With Training in War and Song, you can become proficient with light armor and a type of one-handed melee weapon of your choice. You’ll also become proficient in Performance. 

Clerics

Normally, clerics would only have access to simple weapons, much like wizards. However, if you are a cleric of the War, Tempest, or Twilight domains, you can be granted a bonus proficiency at level 1.

One of these proficiencies is with martial weapons, which you can invest in dexterity. However, the other proficiency is with heavy armor, so you won’t have to invest in dexterity.

Ultimately, this is one of the worst options for scimitar wielders. Clerics of these domains are better with shields and strength-based weapons. However, they can also be better suited for heavy two-handed weapons too. If you invest in scimitars, do so at your own risk.

Feats We’d Recommend

If you’re considering choosing a feat as you level up, we hope our selection below helps you when choosing your scimitar. These should make it easier for you to use your character to the best of your ability. 

Fighting Initiate

If you have the Fighting Initiate feat, you can use it not only for scimitars but a host of other weapons too. Depending on how your character uses it, the scimitar could get one of two possible benefits.

One benefit is when you use a single scimitar without any other weapons. You can use the Dueling ability, which will give you +2 damage when you roll for damage.

If you use two scimitars, you can use the Two-Weapon Fighting ability, which will add your ability modifier to any damage you deal with your offhand attack. 

Dual Wielder

To add to the Two-Weapon Fighting ability using your Fighting Initiate, you can boost your ability to wield two weapons even further by adding +1 to your Armor Class while holding a melee weapon in each hand.

You can then draw two one-handed weapons in a single turn instead of waiting for your next turn to ensure you are fully armed in battle.

Although this is great for any fans of multiple scimitars, you’ll find that this feat will make the light property useless. Instead, you can dual-wield any weapons, including heavy weapons, so long as they’re one-handed.

So, dexterity specialists could switch to alternate weapons, such as dual rapiers, instead. This could then change the amount of damage you deal in combat. 

Defensive Duelist

Scimitars are finesse weapons, and when you’re proficient with them, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your Armor Class when hit.

This can be a make or break when you’ve been hit with a devastating attack and could save you. So, if you’re low on HP, this could save your life. However, this will be your reaction, so if you have other reactions available, use those first, as this is a last resort.

If you want the Defensive Duelist feat, you need a Dexterity of 13 or higher. If you’re already using finesse weapons, it shouldn’t take long for you to reach this height.

Slasher

As scimitars do slash damage, Slasher is a perfect feat for them or any other slashing weapons you have available. You can cut 10ft off the speed of anything you hit until the beginning of your next turn.

A critical hit can also debuff anyone that receives it, so they’ll get a disadvantage on their attack modes as they can’t move as far. 

Revenant Blade

Earlier, we mentioned Revenant Blade, and I’m here to say why this may not be the perfect feat to have. For one, it’s only available for Elves, meaning Half-Elves or any other race can not use this feat. It’s also based only on the double-bladed scimitar, so there’s no need for it if you have a standard scimitar. 

When using Revenant Blade, you will have +1 to your Armor Class and add the Finesse property to your blade. This makes it similar to the Dual Wielder feat, but this version will give you a free ability point to add to your Strength or Dexterity.

So, if you are an Elf using a double-bladed scimitar, you should invest in this instead of the Dual Wielder feat to get that additional ability point. 

Famous Scimitars To Look Out For

Naturally, there are some rare and famous scimitars to keep a lookout for in your campaign. If you want more than your standard scimitar, you could pick up these if you’re lucky with your blacksmith. Some, you may also find when you’re on your journey through your campaign. Here are a couple you should remember.

Ashram

Ashram is a scimitar that has a gemstone embedded in its hilt, glowing with an eternal flame. That doesn’t mean it has a special fire elemental inside, as it’s only said to be an unknown spirit. As it was forged from bronze by the followers of Anhur, this is certainly one to look for.

Ashram is a +2 scimitar that doesn’t take damage due to the spirit inside of it. When attacking, it will deal extra fire damage and provide its wielder immunity to fire, thunder, and lightning attacks.

Twinkle And Icingdeath

Don’t let the name Twinkle deter you. These two scimitars are the most famous dual-wielding scimitars that were once wielded by the legendary drow hero: Drizzt Do’Urden.

In his left hand, he wielded Twinkle, which has a sapphire star on its hilt. In his right hand, he wielded Icingdeath, which is made of black adamantite and has a cat’s head carved in its handle. With a silver blade, it also had a diamond edge.

Twinkle would glow a soft blue when danger was near and was primarily a defensive weapon. It would deflect any blows and open opponents to follow-up attacks. It was known to communicate with its wielder and impart emotions to them.

Icingdeath was an offensive frostbrand weapon. It could combat fire elementals and other creatures of that element.

It was known to absorb flame and protect its wielder from fire damage and was known for doing significant cold damage. If you fight any creatures with heat, then Icingdeath is a perfect foil to defeat them. 

The Silver Scimitar Of Amahl The Mad

There once lived a Qysar of the Shoon Imperium, who owned a silver-plated scimitar. Amahl Shoon IV would be the namesake of the artifact: Amahl’s Mastering. Using Amahl’s Mastering and this silver scimitar, Amahl could sit back and relax as the scimitar would do all the work. 

Using both the silver-plated scimitar and Amahl’s Mastering, any user could keep their distance while also doing plenty of damage to their enemies.

Hornblades Of Mielikki

Mielliki was a neutral good goddess of forests and forest creatures who favored her dual scimitars, known as the Hornblades, for melee combat. At the same time, she would prefer to use her longbow: the Hartsong, outside of melee combat.

In appearance, the Hornblades appear to be parts of a broken animal horn. However, when you click a concealed button, a curved blade would shoot out of the top of them and lock into place, turning them into +5 scimitars.

Mielikkian clerics and druids would use scimitars to reflect and honor Mielikki’s Hornblades. Some rangers and fighters who follow Mielikki could sometimes find themselves in the possession of these scimitars after being granted them by Mielikki herself. 

Similar Weapons To Scimitars

Have you been looking at this list, but you’re unsure if a scimitar is the best choice for you? If you’re uncertain, then don’t worry.

We’ve been taking a closer look at some weapons that may be of interest to anyone who may not want to build a new character but are interested in a new weapon. 

Shortsword

If you don’t have a scimitar, then the closest weapon to it would be the shortsword. Instead of dealing slashing damage, they deal piercing damage instead.

They also only weigh 2 lbs instead of 3 and are more affordable with a price of 10gp. Generally, they are identical and suited to rogues, as this class is proficient with them but not with scimitars.

Stats

• Category: Items
• Type: Martial/Sword Weapon
• Damage: 1d6
• Damage Type: Piercing
• Item Rarity: Standard
• Properties: Finesse/Light
• Weight: 2
• Cost: 10gp

Rapier

Rogues are also proficient with rapiers, so you can regularly find them used by this class. We recommend the rapier if you’re looking for a weapon with Finesse that does more damage.

It does 1d8 piercing damage in combat. However, it isn’t a light weapon. If you want to wield multiple, then you will need to invest in the Dual Wielder feat in time. 

Stats

• Category: Items
• Type: Martial/Melee Weapon
• Damage: 1d8
• Damage Type: Piercing
• Item Rarity: Standard
• Properties: Finesse
• Weight: 2
• Cost: 25gp

Dagger

Honestly, daggers don’t do as much damage. They only deal 1d4 in piercing damage, but you can use it without having martial proficiency. However, it does contain the properties we like in a scimitar, including light, finesse, and an additional thrown property.

It’s a useful weapon to have on hand, and it’s also another weapon commonly associated with rogues, as they tend to specialize in sneak attacks that are perfect for dagger users. 

Stats

• Category: Items
• Type: Simple Melee Weapon
• Damage: 1d4
• Damage Type: Piercing
• Item Rarity: Standard
• Properties: Finesse/Light/Thrown (Range 20/60)
• Weight: 1
• Cost: 2gp

Handaxe

If you don’t have high dexterity, we recommend investing in the humble handaxe. While it may be overlooked, it deals the same levels of damage, doing 1d6 of slashing damage in combat.

It also has light and thrown properties. We recommend trying a handaxe out in battle if your strength is in strength. 

Stats

• Category: Items
• Type: Simple Melee Weapon
• Damage: 1d6
• Damage Type: Slashing
• Item Rarity: Standard
• Properties: Light/Thrown (Range 20/60)
• Weight: 2
• Cost: 5gp

Bottom Line

Scimitars are one of the cooler weapons that you can add to your arsenal and one we recommend. If you’re deciding on a new weapon or building a new character and attempting to work out your stats, consider investing in the right feats to build up to being a scimitar-wielder of legend. 

If you found our guide to scimitars helpful, check out some of our other posts to find the best weapons and the best feats to utilize them.

Next time you find yourself at a blacksmith and they offer you a scimitar, we hope you take the opportunity to buy one and equip it to your character to see how you fare in battle.

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